What Was I Thinking

Great Shoes On This Guy, Why Not?

Over a few decades I have learned to practice active visualization.  Sounds fancy, it isn't.  When my mind is idle like when I am falling asleep, I think about things in the past that I find pleasant, or where I want to be in the future.  Past experiences are fun, I can approach the edge of the Grand Canyon, or board a Paris Metro train in my mind.  The memories are vivid and the pleasure is real.  Future visualization is a chance to dream about where I want to be in the future.  In doing this, I direct where my mind goes.  If my mind starts to go to dark or scary places, I can direct it to things I want to think about.  

I use this technique when I fall asleep, often like 4 or 5 nights a week.  I also use it when I need to be quiet.  Time flies when I am relaxing and focusing my thoughts on pleasant memories. I can make an hour fly by on an airline flight, or ten minutes waiting in the dentist chair.  I have to think into the distant future, if I think of tomorrow or next week, my mind is too active.  If I think of something months or years away, it works in the subconscious.  

Thirty years ago the boss sent the sales and marketing department out for a seminar, that turned out to be run by a stoner from Hawaii.  He was the first person to introduce me to relaxation and visualization.  If I could find him, I would buy him a drink. His material on controlling the mind, has meant more to me then his dribble about understanding the psychology of the buyer.