Develop A Visualisation Practice - Tips To Get Started

New to Visualisations? Or looking to develop your Visualisation practice? Then this blog is for you.

Visualisation is a skill that gets easier the more we practice.

Some of us find Visualising easy, for others it can feel impossible, or anything in between.

Our brains are malleable, we can change them, we can learn new skills.

So if you find Visualising challenging, develop this skill by starting simple. 

Here’s two quick simple exercises to start to flex your Visualisation muscles:

(And a little tip; these are not memory tests. You are not looking to create an exact replica in your mind. You can allow your mind to create the image, adding in things, or leaving things out. The key is to practice building a picture in your mind).

The Fruit Visualisation

Head into your kitchen, find a piece of fruit, and sit & eat it, noticing how it tastes, the smell, the texture, what it looks like as you eat it. 

Once you’re done, sit comfortably, close your eyes, take a few slower deeper breaths, be aware of your breath, and slow & deepen it breath by breath. 

Then bring to mind that piece of fruit, seeing it where it was when you picked it up, & replay in your mind eating the fruit. If you can; not only see the fruit, but imagine & visualise the smell, the texture, the taste as you visualise eating it, until it’s all gone.

Then take a few deep breaths, & re-open your eyes. 

The Take In The View Visualisation

Either look out a window, or go outside to a space which has some greenery or a natural landscape. If you don’t have access to that, you can find a photo of a place you’ve visited before, or just a photo of a landscape you’re drawn to. 

Take a moment to really look (& if you’re outside, smell, listen too). Take in the details. 

Then find a comfortable seat, close your eyes, & take a few slower deeper breaths, be aware of your breath, & slow & deepen it breath by breath. 

Then bring to mind that view, & build a picture of it in your mind. Keep adding layers, depth, details. Maybe you can visualise & imagine sounds, smells too. 

If you want to take it a step further you can start to move or walk around in the space you’ve created in your mind. Or just simply be there & build out the picture. 

Then once you’re done taking in the view, take a few deep breaths & re-open your eyes.

You can practice these as many times as you like, to start to develop your Visualisation skills.

Let’s move onto common challenges

Now some people’s minds will start to question; Are they doing it ‘right’?

There is no correct answer or right way in a Visualisation. Instead we let the images unfold.

Sometimes something odd comes up in a Visualisation, or we feel like nothing of use came up. Visualisations can work into the subconscious, so it might be that you have a thought or idea that comes up in the days after a Visualisation that gives it meaning. And every Visualisation we do doesn’t have to have some aha moment. Go in with an open mind to be curious to see what comes up. 

During a guided Visualisation the guide may use words or a situation that doesn’t resonate with you, or creates a reaction in you. It’s your mind, so if that happens, switch it up. 

I listened to a guided Visualisation that said strap on a parachute, jump off the mountain & float down to the ground. I have vertigo & find heights challenging, so I switched it out to be stepping into a boat & floating down a gentle river as it weaved its way down the mountain side.

I love Visualisations where we seek messages or insights. And I often invite you to bring in a spirit guide, ancestor, a version of self, or a connection to the universe. If any of those words don’t resonate with you, then you can instead think of that ‘presence’ as being your subconscious sending you a message. Again go with what resonates with you. 

Maybe you’re someone who feels fidgety, or needs to move. Although when I teach Visualisations I recommend finding somewhere comfortable to sit or lie, if it works better for you to move around during the Visualisation, then do it. For those who need movement, sometimes a simple tapping of the thumb & index finger together can be enough. Key is staying present in the visualisation, so if you start to ache or have an itch, move & then refocus on the visualisation.

Getting distracted or disturbed? As best you can find a place where you won’t get disturbed, maybe use earphones. And closing your eyes can remove external stimuli, so you won’t see that pile of laundry in front of you! 

And lastly, for those new to my Wellness With Danni Visualisations, here’s a little overview of the typical format, so you know what to expect:

We normally start with grounding & breathwork, to help bring us into the present, to slow the thinking mind & start to focus it on the breath/body. 

We then go into the Visualisation, which will build out layers, & often involve moving/travelling. During the Visualisation, if I say, ‘getting up & walking towards a door’ etc it’s not a cue to do it physically, but to do it in your mind. 

There will be a point of reflection, or asking for insights. 

Before moving or travelling back to the start of the Visualisation. And finishing with a grounding to bring us back into the present moment & space. 

After the Visualisation, it’s a great idea to take some notes of what came up, so you can reflect back later. And if you join my Wellness With Danni Visualisations you will also get journal prompts to do before & after the Visualisations so you can get even more out of them.

If you’re about to embark on your first Visualisation, then come along with an open mind, be curious, & see what unfolds.

You can find our more about my Wellness With Danni Visualisations here.