Hello.
This is Alexandria Le Fay from Sylvanosity,
A creative community that explores our capacity to make the world a better place through creativity.
And now I'm going to offer you an exercise in creative visualization.
It's a calming exercise that can also help you free up your creativity,
Your imagination,
And guide your own dreams.
So let's begin.
Relax.
Allow your mind to flow.
Consider your thoughts as clouds.
Carry it on the breeze.
Not much weight.
Just a float.
Shaping and reshaping with new ideas.
It helps to be in a very comfortable position,
To be well relaxed,
And have your eyes closed.
Now,
Imagine a place,
A place that makes you feel calm,
That inspires you.
It could be mountainous.
It could be water.
Lapping slowly at the shore.
It could be a field in the distance.
Wherever it is,
Consider the weather.
What do you hear?
What do you see?
Now,
Place a house in the environment you've created within your mind.
Put it at a distance.
Consider it for a moment.
What does it look like?
How many doors does it have?
Take a moment to consider which door you'll go in.
Now walk up to the house.
Do you notice any details?
Could it be that there's a nest in the eaves?
A porch swing that is swinging in a breeze?
A door handle that's slightly wobbly?
Why not turn it and consider the sound it makes?
How the metal feels in the palm of your hand as you open the door?
What smells greet you?
Which room are you entering?
I have to admit,
I'm a fan of going in the kitchen first.
After all,
You can sneak a peek in the fridge,
See what there might be to eat.
Go ahead.
It's just an imaginary place.
So you can steal something from the fridge.
How does it taste?
What's the texture of it on your tongue?
Check.
Is there anything in the stove?
Can you smell what was cooked there last?
Is there a door to another room?
How many doors are there?
Where do they lead?
Come on.
Let's go.
See what else there is to see.
I'd like to check the bedrooms myself.
Sit on the bed.
Test it for squeaks,
Soft spots,
Warm,
Cozy spaces where people slept.
What did they dream about?
Who tucked them in that night?
Oh,
And don't forget.
Check under the bed.
What do they keep down there?
And how about the closet?
What sort of skeletons?
Now,
Keep in mind,
Some skeletons wear top hats,
Have cocky mustachios,
And will tell you funny stories.
Not all of them are dark,
You know.
And there's probably a dresser about.
You might want to ease open a drawer and check to see what's inside.
I find that often the best things are in the top drawer or the bottom drawer,
Tucked underneath and in a corner.
If there's a box,
Open it.
Notice the texture of the pressed paper under your fingers.
What sound does it make as you pry the lid off?
Is there a smell?
Hmm.
I'm curious to know what's inside.
You see,
By teaching yourself how to notice random details your mind can create,
You begin to understand the power of your subconscious to create new things,
To feel,
See,
Hear,
Touch,
Taste,
Things that inspire you,
Intrigue you,
Draw out memories.
You can use these skills,
A,
To expand your creativity and your capacity to create new things in writing,
In drawing,
In ideas for work or school.
B,
It can help you free your mind,
To take you to a place that inspires you,
Gives you comfort,
Intrigues you,
So you can leave the worries of the day behind.
In fact,
Before you start your creative visualization,
You can imagine an old leather suitcase in your hand.
You can set it on the ground and kneel before it.
Open it slowly and place inside,
Like folded pieces of clothing,
All the worries of your day.
The boss who yelled at you,
Folded and tucked in.
The children and all of their appointments,
Assignments,
And places they need to go and things they need to do,
Fold it,
Tuck it in.
All the things that concern you during the day,
Fold them up like so much clean laundry.
Tuck them into the suitcase,
Close the lid,
Fix the clasps with a metallic click-click.
Stand that suitcase up and walk away.
It's baggage for another day.
Now,
You can simply tell yourself,
Tonight,
Today,
For this 10-minute break,
I am going to visualize that which I want to experience.
A walk through a quaint village,
Skydiving,
A trip to the library,
A wonderful seat in a cafe,
Filled with the bustling sounds of the city.
Whatever it is you want to imagine,
Wherever it is you want to go,
You can go there,
Be there,
Do that with creative visualization.
It can also be a great way to lead yourself into a dream or to imagine a dream you wish to have after you've fallen asleep.
However you use creative visualization,
It can be an exceptionally good tool for getting in touch with your feelings,
Expanding your emotion,
And guiding your thoughts.
I hope you've enjoyed this quick look at creative visualization today.
This is A.
Le Fay from Sylvanosity.
Thank you.
