Visualization
- Beth Molaro
- Oct 9
- 2 min read
- a neuroscience-backed tool
There is lots of research out there that gives us a scientific basis for how and why visualization really works. It has been proven that when we visualize an action or movement, we stimulate the same areas of the brain that are stimulated by the actual movement. The brain does not differentiate between something REAL and something that is imagined very vividly.
Srini Pillay, M.D. says, "Tell your brain your plan in a thousand words, and it gets bored mid-way and wants to go to sleep. But draw it a picture, and it will respond with much deeper interest and attention. Use the palette of your mind to paint the pictures that you desire. When you do this, your brain will act in accordance with your vision."
When we use our imagination to paint the picture and visualize where we want to be, although it may not be possible YET, we begin to create the neurological pathways in the brain and body to enable us to ultimately achieve our goal. When we imagine ourselves doing the "thing", we are training the body and mind to perform better. This mental practice gives the brain a chance to rehearse the movement and builds stronger connections between body and mind.
Knowing this, I encourage students who are dealing with an injury or surgery to come to class as soon as possible, even if they are not ready for the physical practice. Not to do the physical practice at first but to embrace the power of visualization to enhance healing and a return to an active life. This is also a good strategy when one is feeling a lack of energy for practice. If you come to the mat and use your imagination to practice, even if you are just staying with legs up the wall or lying on the floor, simply visualizing the practice will have benefits and you will feel energized by it.
George Bernard Shaw speaks of the power of our will. "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will."
Visualization is preparation to reach our goals. It allows us to rehearse and plan for what we want be that a movement or any other goal.
"To bring anything into your life, imagine that it's already there." ~Richard Bach
"A mental image gives you a framework upon which to work. It is like the drawing of the architect, or the map of the explorer. Think over this for a few moments until you get the idea firmly fixed in your mind." ~William Walker Atkinson
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