Visualization Techniques to Become Calmer

There will be times when we are simply thinking too much and worrying about too much during the day. Whether it’s bills not being paid on time, working on a complicated project, having to deal with difficult people, or not knowing exactly where you are going in life, stress and frustration from our busy lives is no doubt one of the biggest emotional blocks that stop our daily routine.

That’s why sometimes it is important to have a period in the day where you not only block out your worrisome and troublesome thoughts, but regain clarity again so you can go back to working on whatever you were doing with peaceful energy. Here are some visualization techniques to help you become calmer whenever you feel like you’re stressed out.

Finding a Peaceful Area

The first and most important step is to find a place where it is completely quiet and that you will not be distracted. The next step is to calm yourself, close your eyes, and visualize someplace that you would like to be where you know you would be at absolute peace with yourself and that nothing can distract or disturb you. There’s nobody here except you. Not only are you there, but you are conscious of your surroundings, including not only what you are seeing, but what you’re smelling, tasting, hearing, and feeling during the moment.

Before We Start

Note that visualization is something that not everybody is good at. Some people can are more visually creative than others. But with practice, it should become a piece of cake and a valuable tool whenever you need it. Also, don’t ever try to force a visualization process as you won’t get the most out of it. You need to stay calm and start with one vividly detailed and clear image and then build from there. Sometimes you will encounter haziness in your images. Don’t panic, just put your attention on it and try to discover it. See if it clears up.

Finally, pay attention to how you are viewing the scene. Sometimes we get caught up in the scene where we are “seeing ourselves” see the scene. Instead, try to shift the perspective so that you are actually viewing the entire scene behind your own eyes as if it were in first person mode.

Although I am not a fictional writer or poet, I have done my best to try to provide five examples of places that I would go if I wanted more peaceful state with myself. You can use these examples and add on to them or create another place similar to your liking. It is more effective if you read each slowly. Finally remember it is your imagination that makes all the difference.

The Beach

You have just put the suntan lotion on your skin. You walk onto the beach and feel the warm sand beneath your feet. You sit down on the sand and feel it. The sand is soft and warm and as you pick it up, it runs through your fingers like liquid. You then lie on your back and feel the warmth of the sand conforming to your body. It’s a clear day and you feel the warmth of the sun on your body as you look out and see the waves of water crashing along the shore. The smell of fresh air with a tint of saltiness consumes you as you continue to listening to the water splashing on the sandy shores.

The Mountain

You have just finishing spending an hour walking through the mountain side and finally you have reached the peak. You feel energized and take out your water. As the cool water is running down your throat, you look beyond the edge. It’s an amazing view. You can see the entire city right before your eyes – the houses, the freeways, the skyscrapers, and just how busy the entire city looks. For once, you feel absolutely no smog or pollution here and the air has never looked so clear before. The city is surrounded by other mountains and valleys and you are glad to be a part of this circle surrounding the city below, as it makes you wonder how small you are in comparison to nature. Even though you know the city is loud and busy below, the mountain is peaceful and quiet.

The Lake

You are slowly sailing a boat on a vast lake. As you’re sailing, you can feel the softness of wind breezing past your face. Everything seems so vibrant and clear. There is crystal clear below you and you can see the sun reflecting off the surface of the rippling water as the fishes are swimming below it. You can smell the freshness of the air and see the vibrant colors from the green valleys that are on the sides of the lake. You at peace as you are slowly sailing in the middle of this quiet lake and the clouds in the sky slowly move with you in harmony.

The Forest

You are in a forest lying on a trail beneath a circle of very tall trees. You can smell the air scented with pine. The warmth of the sun streams through the breaches and the leaves of the trees. A warm wind comes by and softly brushes against your skin and ripples through the soft, green moss besides you. You can hear the rustling of the leaves and the bending of the branches as each soft, slow breeze passes by. You can hear the song of the birds, and the chattering of the chipmunks above. You feel serene in the deepest part of this beautiful, still forest.

The Train

You are riding in a private car at the end of a very long train. The windows are large so you can observe the view outside with absolute clarity. The speed of the train feels as if you are flying through a vast countryside. You sit down on a comfortable, cushy, and warm seat. In front of you is a coffee table laid out with your favorite magazines. You lay back with relief as a panorama of mountains, trees, snowcapped peaks, and a lake shimmers in the distance. The sun is setting and the sky is washed with purples and reds, filled with towering orange clouds. You sit back, relax, and ease into the rhythm of the soft, rocking train.

photo credit: the tahoe guy