How Can Guided Imagery Help Someone with No Ability to Visualize?

Question:

Well...an email from Dr. Shealy's outfit today linked me to an excerpt (chapter 10) from Invisible Heroes [ed.note: this refers to a free report that NICABM has been distributing online]...which provoked me into looking the book up over at Amazon...which, despite the glowing reviews, intensified my already burgeoning dismay. The basis of that dismay is my inability to visualize; my minds eye wears a patch. I wasn't always this way; I know the power of "seeing", visualization. I wonder (hope), do you have any recommendations, suggestions for me? Anything that might make your process fruitful for me? (ooops! I submitted this to the wrong place initially; sorry!)

Mike

Hey, Mike,
Put away that burgeoning dismay and be of stout heart, good fellow. You don’t have to visualize to get results from guided imagery. (And that’s why we call it guided imagery and not visualization.) Only 50-55% of the population is strongly wired for visual memory/fantasy. The rest are like you.

This is why effective guided imagery is multi-sensory, evoking a shotgun blast of sounds, smells, touch, feel, taste, motor sensation and emotional memory – one or two will reach you and that’s all you really need. For some people, only kinesthetic sensation (with or without sound) pings strongly on their internal perceptual apparatus; for others, it’s the smell-taste axis. Motor memory works strongly for quite a few, and for others evoking emotional stimuli will do it. Something on that imagery narrative is bound to speak to you, and it doesn’t have to be in visual and in Technicolor. Why this once worked for you and now doesn’t is a little puzzling to me. But I have to say, anybody who can report that his “mind’s eye wears a patch” is somebody who can visualize too!)

I would recommend you just work repeatedly with one of these simple CDs for starters – maybe the Healthful Sleep or the Relaxation & Wellness – without worrying about what’s registering and what isn’t. It might be a comfort to know that people who fall asleep while they’re listening still absorb the imagery and realize very concrete, measurable effects, such as lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and so forth. So it’s pretty much a slam dunk for most, regardless of how they’re wired visually.

We do have some video for those who really feel the need to see healing images – Barbara Biziou’s Momentary Meditations DVD is a beautiful and very effective resource: and Jim Porter’s Rest & Relax DVD will knock your socks off.

I hope this helps.
All best,
Belleruth

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written by mary bowie, June 02, 2009

I found that when I eventually stopped looking I began to see.That eye patch can become a cloud.When the cloud clears, the mind sees what lies beyond..pure, absolute, peace..how wonderful to have the guidance of these I-opening cds..

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written by Ann, June 02, 2009

I can confirm Belleruth's observation that "you don't have to visualize to get results from guided imagery." Other sensory imagining works for me!

I had great distress for a long time over the fact that I cannot "visualize." The distress was quite unnecessary! What I can do -- and quite well -- is imagine how I feel internally, and what I smell and taste with that feeling. I was very busy trying to do something I couldn't, and nearly missed noticing what I could do.

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written by Joni , June 03, 2009

Hi Bellruth, The Question that comes to my mind is, what is the patch protecting? Just a thought. I think that we are sometimes too literal in our interpretation of life and when we can open up to what life is teaching us symbolically, it changes the whole picture, and it changes our perspective as we see through new eyes. Our Soul is gently nudging us closer to our True Self so that we may become whole in conciousness once again. It shines the light of understanding when we are ready to receive it through our intition. The inability to see with human faculties may have to take a back seat to intuition or inner viewing for a while. When we can see the larger picture, fear loosen it's hold on us. Seeing from a place of Soul gives new meaning to life as we have known it and it opens doors to new possibilities for those willing to walk through them.

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written by Belleruth, June 05, 2009

Thanks for the comment, but I would caution against getting too psychodynamic in interpreting this. Some of us are born lefties (I believe it's about 14% men and 7% women, across the board). Some of us are born gay (I believe it's about 10%, across the board). Some of us are born without strong visual wiring. Repression or denial aside, the percentage of people who don't visualize easily is about 45% across the board. I'd look to inborn neurophysiological wiring and not over-interpret this.

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