Visualisation
Lots of people ask ‘How can I tell if it’s real or my imagination?’. The answer is usually ‘Does it matter?’ and I really think it does not. What you decide your personal experience is will depend to a great extent on your personal beliefs. For example, some people believe they travel to the Otherworld and some people believe they travel to their Innerworld.
Personally I define imagination as e.g. thinking of going on holiday, imagining what I would do there etc. Journeying for me tends to have things that occur spontaneously – for example I may go somewhere and find something has altered, or someone is there. My experiences of the Otherworld are, to me, as real as my experience of sitting here typing this.
People can have problems with visualisation. A lot of it is, I think, to do with the fact that we are told ‘its all in your imagination’ or ‘stop daydreaming and get on with something useful’. So by the time we are grown we have forgotten the skill we had as small children to expand beyond the here and now and learn from our dreams and travels outside the physical plane.
Visualisation Exercise
Pick a time and space where you can be alone and undisturbed. Get comfortable, for example, either on a chair or sofa, or on your bed.
Some people like to play relaxing music, some people prefer silence. Either is fine.
You may find it useful to have a pen and paper handy to write down any experiences when you have finished.
If you need or find it helpful start with the Relaxation Exercise.
Some people prefer to work with their eyes closed and some with their eyes open.
You are going to walk through a room in your house. If you have your eyes closed you can work in the room you are in. If you have your eyes open you will need to pick another room. If you only have one room you can pick another place you know well to walk through. Do not chose a room in someone else’s house or another private area where you may unintentionally disturb people.
Visualise or imagine yourself walking round the room. While still in your relaxation position, imagine or visualise yourself getting up and walking towards one wall of the room. What can you see that you remember is there? Look at it in more detail. For example, if you have a bookcase, look through the book titles or for a shelf, look at the items on the shelf. Go round the room slowly looking at everything you have in the room. Imagine you have nothing on your feet. How does the floor feel beneath your toes? Does the room feel calm or cluttered? Is there light in the room? Does sunlight shine through the windows? Or is it dark and calm? Visualise picking up an item like a beloved object, book, or ornament. How does it feel? Is it heavy or light? Delicate or sturdy?
Continue to walk around the room slowly, seeing, feeling and experiencing. When you have finished return to where you are relaxing. Give yourself a few moments. Feel the chair, sofa or bed beneath you. Listen for sounds from the physical world. Open your eyes if they were closed. Give yourself a few more moments to ‘come round’ before you finally end the exercise and get up.