IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Information and advice for those new to the Occult.

Post Reply
User avatar
RockDemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:22 pm

IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by RockDemon »

So as I do the step 2 exercises for a while I have some more specific questions that I would like to be clarified.
I found out there are 2 or 3 types of visualization. The first one is the yellowish glow right in front of my eyes.
For instance, if I stare at a tarot card for a while then close my eyes, I clearly see yellowish square shape right before my eyes. But it is only the shape, not the picture. And this glow weakens after some time. When I start to visualize the image and its details, colors, comes the 2nd type of visualization.
It is like I see the image in my mind not in front of my eyes. If I am able to hold onto that for a while without distraction it becomes to appear before my eyes slightly.
And there is this 3rd type which is maybe the 2nd but more perfected. This usually happens to me in very deep meditative states and in some lucid dreaming, pre - lucid dreaming states. The images appear very clearly before my eyes, not as vivid and clear as in the first example but still very vivid.

Sorry for describing all these in a vague way, I just don't have any better words.
So would you please clarify at which one I should aim? Should my visualizations become as vivid as that yellowish glow of the first example or maybe just as in the last one?

User avatar
zbrm
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 2:52 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by zbrm »

The first is imprint at physical.

The second is mental body recreating.

The third is combined two.

Keep up work, and thanks from you for your reading.

User avatar
RockDemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by RockDemon »

zbrm wrote:The first is imprint at physical.

The second is mental body recreating.

The third is combined two.

Keep up work, and thanks from you for your reading.
Thank you for replying. So I should aim for the third one, shouldn't I ?

User avatar
zbrm
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 2:52 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by zbrm »

RockDemon wrote:
zbrm wrote:The first is imprint at physical.

The second is mental body recreating.

The third is combined two.

Keep up work, and thanks from you for your reading.
Thank you for replying. So I should aim for the third one, shouldn't I ?
I think sort of.

Make your sight of mental so strong it became physical.
Basic, make 'two' seem like 'one'.

User avatar
Shinichi
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 868
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 1:56 pm
Location: Earth

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by Shinichi »

You're over complicating it, as most people seem to.

The Plastic Imagination is a mental faculty that utilizes the mental faculties of Memory and Concentration simultaneously to create Forms in the Mind. Remember that definition. I've not seen many others talk about it that way.

With the above in mind, follow Bardon's instructions to the letter. Look at your chosen object, pencil or matchbox or whatever, and literally memorize it in every detail. Shape, color, lettering on the side, everything. Exercise your Thought Control here so that you are concentrating only on the object, and absorbing every detail of its being. Then close your eyes, remember every detail you observed, and concentrate until you have the image formed. When the image is formed accordingly, in a manner akin to the infamous Photographic Memory, then you can move on to the other part of the exercise.

Then do the same with the other senses. The Plastic Imagination must develop all five Mental Senses equally, or your later progress will always be flawed and lacking something.



~:Shin:~

User avatar
corvidus
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 438
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:09 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by corvidus »

Shinichi wrote: Then do the same with the other senses. The Plastic Imagination must develop all five Mental Senses equally, or your later progress will always be flawed and lacking something.
Also, since the plastic imagination is an adaptation of the 'imagination proper', it will try to fill in the gaps with what seems most probable, just to accomplish your desire to mamifest the image. And if you've ever studied surrealism or psychosis, everything is probable to the imagination ;)

For me, the state of mind I look for is one which combines the sight of the physical eyes with the capacities of the third eye. I haven't been able to find any sources to back this up, but a friend of mine who studies western medicine told me the physical eyes and the pineal gland develop from the same root in the womb during gestation. If this is the case, "returning to innocence" must include the recombination of these energy pathways.

My aims for the visualization technique is to place the object in front of me -- a leaf or a stick -- close the physical eyes, place them at third eye to help open it, and then to literally see past the brain tissue, skull, muscles, skin, etc and find the object in front of me. If I can achieve this for ten minutes, the I use the leaf as a starting point. Next I'll point my new awareness to the table or ground the leaf is sitting on, then the area surrounding, and etc for as long as I can. Not sure if I'm getting my point across...

The same can be done with the other senses, once you realize where they're centered at ;)
Free yourself from the seduction of words.

User avatar
Shinichi
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 868
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 1:56 pm
Location: Earth

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by Shinichi »

That's an over complication too, corvidus, and one that can potentially even hinder ones development of The Sight. With Bardon's methodology, at least, since you can certainly develop your Awareness that way but there is a difference between that and other things.

The mind does indeed have a habit of filling in blanks on its own, and I've talked about Analytical Overlay somewhere before. This is precisely why Thought Control is the very first thing Bardon teaches, the very first part of the very first step. Mental Discipline is of supreme importance. This mental training continues with the second step, where imagination training is introduced, again before any elaborate energy work or trance work or any of that. Understanding the reason for this is important.

Imagination, most especially the Plastic Imagination, has a very different and very distinct "feel" to it, compared to other mental faculties. Most especially when the mind is properly trained to exercise the Imagination, one becomes Aware of these differences and distinctions. This is why Bardon puts Imagination development in Step 2, before anything more advanced, but immediately after Thought Control. When you know what Imagination is, then you are also able to tell what is not Imagination, and it is from here that you will be able to experience successful practice of Energy Work, The Sight, Projection, and much else. Because you will have trained yourself to tell the difference between imagining something and actually experiencing something.

However, if one were to practice as you suggested, then they are actively blending together the development of Imagination and Sight so that they grow together as a single faculty. You might potentially have quick progress in the Sight with this training, but for most people, not learning how to distinguish between Imagination and Sight will only lead to a whole lot of delusion since the Sight will be developed, but without developing mental discipline and precautions against Analytical Overlay. Indeed, that's one of the largest pitfalls and problems anyone who is developing Clairvoyance must face. Without precautions being taken, like those built into Bardon's system, then it is very easy to land in pitfalls like this.

And of course, there's also the fact that I consider the whole third eye business to be nonsense in the first place. [pray] The pineal gland has very little to do with The Sight in a traditional Hermetic sense.



~:Shin:~

User avatar
RockDemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by RockDemon »

Guys thank you very much for your responses.
Corvidus I am not entirely sure what you exactly mean... but I've noticed that the imagination quality is at its' best when I visualize the image in the back of my head... or inside of it..sorts of..is this what you mean?

Shin, may I ask if it is the photographic memory that is developing here then what is being developed when in step 3 he says to visualize strangers and places that you've never been?

And if we may take this onto more practical side...

For instance, this is my string of beads
123stringofbeads.jpg
I am visualizing only the top spade of it yet, but as I get it the perfect way is to be able to imagine the whole string of beads and to be able to count each bead separately? Or will the overall image of it just suffice? Also I am able to rotate the spade and see it's shape and the black lines on it as well..

BTW I tried visualizing the spade with my eyes open... so while we are at this.. a few questions about visualizing the objects in the air... should I blink while doing this? I tried doing this without blinking... and I sort of got the shape of the spade in the air... however it was like a transparent object in the air... But it shouldn't be so, should it? It ought to be like the real spade with white color so that I cannot see behind of it?

Another example... this is my old phone... So I can look at it close my eyes and have the overall image of it... but should I be able to see every little letter and number written on it's keyboard at their exact place? Or does the overall image suffice again?
123nokia.jpg

User avatar
cyberdemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 966
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:48 am

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by cyberdemon »

the more details you can remember, the better. in your case the phone is cool because you've looked at it so many times there's a lot of exposure and you can remember details easily. yes. count the beads. speed is of essence.

and er.. no. the blurry thing is a blurry thing. it happens to me usually when i look at people, objects, the moon, etc. when my eyes are tired. those aren't auras or anything, just eyes not accommodating as efficiently as they should. probably also means i'll soon (maybe in another 10 years) need glasses.

i believe the point of image-forming with eyes open is to be imagination based. you need to be able to visualize and imagine things in front of you in great detail. (they're not physically gonna manifest in front of you or i'd have stacks of cash by now)

blink. as much as you want. like... don't even think about blinking. it's a natural process, let it do what it wants. do you remember blinking throughout your day? nah. it's just a bodily function. don't mess with it.
on hiatus. contact via elsewhere.

User avatar
Shinichi
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 868
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 1:56 pm
Location: Earth

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by Shinichi »

RockDemon wrote: Shin, may I ask if it is the photographic memory that is developing here then what is being developed when in step 3 he says to visualize strangers and places that you've never been?
Photographic Memory is one of the things being developed here, not the only thing. Remember what I said: Plastic Imagination is both memory and concentration. This exercise is an extension of the thought control exercise, because it further strengthens your mental discipline.

Visualizing other people is preparation for the formal Transference of Consciousness exercise, where instead of simply visualizing another person, you literally transfer your Awareness into them and experience their thoughts, feelings, and perspective on life. Or instead of visualizing yourself as a tree, you literally project your mind into a tree and experience the world from its perspective, feel what it feels, "see" what it sees. Developing the Plastic Imagination is a necessary prerequisite for this in Bardon's system in part for the reasons I gave in my response to Corvidus - by training yourself to know what is your own mind, you simultaneously train yourself to know what isn't your own mind. Like learning a language. By learning what is correct grammar or spelling, you learn what is not. Also, the Plastic Imagination is, generally speaking, a very powerful mental faculty that makes many aspects of practice magick much easier to perform, because you are utilizing your Mind to give Form to Energy, and many similar things.
RockDemon wrote: I am visualizing only the top spade of it yet, but as I get it the perfect way is to be able to imagine the whole string of beads and to be able to count each bead separately? Or will the overall image of it just suffice? Also I am able to rotate the spade and see it's shape and the black lines on it as well..
The more precise you are able to imagine your objects, the more developed your imagination faculty will be, including its memory aspect. I know of more than one person who persisted in regular practice of this exercise for a few years and developed a photographic memory, because after seeing something once, they are able to recall and imagine that something in full detail. If you do not train the details seriously, you will develop a flawed faculty, and as we have said before, the imagination has a tendency to fill in the blanks on its own. If you train your mind to notice everything in the first place, there will be no blanks to fill in. That is part of the power of this training.
RockDemon wrote:BTW I tried visualizing the spade with my eyes open... so while we are at this.. a few questions about visualizing the objects in the air... should I blink while doing this? I tried doing this without blinking... and I sort of got the shape of the spade in the air... however it was like a transparent object in the air... But it shouldn't be so, should it? It ought to be like the real spade with white color so that I cannot see behind of it?
You should be able to do it whether you blink or not. As for transparency, well. My imagination forms things transparently in the air too when my eyes are open, but I'm personally okay with that at this point, as long as I can form things clearly and generally comprehend what it is I'm seeing. You don't have to try to create a full on hallucination that is indistinguishable from solid things, because you do need to be able to separate imagination from reality. Don't make yourself insane. [tongue]
RockDemon wrote:Another example... this is my old phone... So I can look at it close my eyes and have the overall image of it... but should I be able to see every little letter and number written on it's keyboard at their exact place? Or does the overall image suffice again?
The more detail you can muster, the better.

Think about all of the complex seals, sigils, circles, triangles, and so on in the old grimoires. All of the symbols and images. You should be able to, if necessary, imagine a magic circle and triangle and essentially create a full ritual space on the astral plane. This isn't to say you should use this, or prefer it over physically drawing out the ritual symbols and using physical ritual tools, but keep in mind that most classical evocations are done in dark rooms and spaces. You won't be able to physically see all of the symbols and seals you drew out on the floor, so you should be able to imagine where they are, what they mean, and be able to use them accordingly through the ritual process.

Another example is more common, with Rune and Sigil Craft. I can (and have) astrally imagine and energetically "carve" a Rune Stave into the astral "fabric" of an object, and though it is invisible to the naked eye, the energy and force of the rune is still imprinted upon that thing because I am able to plastically imagine the Rune (as well as charge its energies and powers) on that thing.

The more you sharpen your imagination with details, the easier it will be to do things like this.



~:Shin:~

User avatar
corvidus
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 438
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:09 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by corvidus »

Shinichi wrote:That's an over complication too, corvidus, and one that can potentially even hinder ones development of The Sight.
Hmm, maybe it is. I should go back to these excersises in their original form and see how much I've forgotten ;)
And of course, there's also the fact that I consider the whole third eye business to be nonsense in the first place. [pray] The pineal gland has very little to do with The Sight in a traditional Hermetic sense.
I'd be interested in reading more on this, if anyone would like writing about it [cool]
Free yourself from the seduction of words.

User avatar
Shinichi
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 868
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 1:56 pm
Location: Earth

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by Shinichi »

corvidus wrote: I'd be interested in reading more on this, if anyone would like writing about it [cool]
As The Beast himself once said, why write something that others have already written so perfectly?

"To sum up, the first task is to separate the astral form from the physical body, the second to develop the powers of the astral body, in particular those of sight, travel, and interpretation; third, to unify the two bodies without muddling them.

This being accomplished, the magician is fitted to deal with the invisible."

Magick in Theory and Practice, Chapter 18.

Bardon also deals with this in his lesson on Clairvoyance, where he provides a simple method of strengthening the Astral Matrix of the eyes, so that one can "unify the two bodies (Physical and Astral) without muddling them," as Crowley puts it. This done, the Initiate can simply shift his Awareness to the Astral, and look upon the world through the Eyes of The Soul.

It is seriously, truly, genuinely that simple. All of the new age methods that relate to the third eye deviate from this simple Truth and are an over complication, a mistake of taking symbolism literally, and in some cases dangerous to practice. Yes, dangerous. 'Cause putting a whole bunch of energy into your brain generally ain't a good idea. Pouring energy into your eyes, like Bardon teaches, is usually a bad idea too, but Bardon is doing something very specific and very advanced and that's why his training for the Soul Senses are so far into the system. A student of the IIH that has properly progressed through all of the previous steps up to that point should be able to safely and correctly perform those exercises, and achieve what Crowley describes and teaches via a slightly different route in Liber ABA. [wink]



~:Shin:~

User avatar
RockDemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by RockDemon »

cyberdemon wrote:the more details you can remember, the better. in your case the phone is cool because you've looked at it so many times there's a lot of exposure and you can remember details easily. yes. count the beads. speed is of essence.
Great gonna try more visualisation on the phone. Not sure what you mean by "speed is of essence"? Do you mean I need to visualize everything as quickly as possible?
cyberdemon wrote:i believe the point of image-forming with eyes open is to be imagination based. you need to be able to visualize and imagine things in front of you in great detail. (they're not physically gonna manifest in front of you or i'd have stacks of cash by now)
Ohhhh, :( And here I thought I am gonna be surrounded by thousands of sweet rolls. ::)
cyberdemon wrote:blink. as much as you want. like... don't even think about blinking. it's a natural process, let it do what it wants. do you remember blinking throughout your day? nah. it's just a bodily function. don't mess with it.
Okay! Thanks!!!
Shinichi wrote:The more precise you are able to imagine your objects, the more developed your imagination faculty will be, including its memory aspect. I know of more than one person who persisted in regular practice of this exercise for a few years and developed a photographic memory, because after seeing something once, they are able to recall and imagine that something in full detail. If you do not train the details seriously, you will develop a flawed faculty, and as we have said before, the imagination has a tendency to fill in the blanks on its own. If you train your mind to notice everything in the first place, there will be no blanks to fill in. That is part of the power of this training.
Now that you've mentioned this I think I start to understand. I've got a specific course for photographic memory. Its' goal is to make one look on a page of a book in second and remember everything written there. I didn't started it yet, but will start it soon as I see this will be helpful. However IIH's requirement is not that high, right? I can and should practice this along the way and get to that point, no?
Shinichi wrote:You should be able to do it whether you blink or not. As for transparency, well. My imagination forms things transparently in the air too when my eyes are open, but I'm personally okay with that at this point, as long as I can form things clearly and generally comprehend what it is I'm seeing. You don't have to try to create a full on hallucination that is indistinguishable from solid things, because you do need to be able to separate imagination from reality. Don't make yourself insane.
Well, I can imagine things with my eyes open but it is like I see 2 different worlds at the meantime. Do you think it is good?
Shinichi wrote:A student of the IIH that has properly progressed through all of the previous steps up to that point should be able to safely and correctly perform those exercises, and achieve what Crowley describes and teaches via a slightly different route in Liber ABA.



~:Shin:~
I know you will not like this question, but I can't help to ask :D Bardon vs Crowley? ;D

User avatar
corvidus
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 438
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 10:09 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by corvidus »

Thanks for elaborating, Shinichi.
Free yourself from the seduction of words.

User avatar
cyberdemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 966
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:48 am

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by cyberdemon »

RockDemon wrote:Great gonna try more visualisation on the phone. Not sure what you mean by "speed is of essence"? Do you mean I need to visualize everything as quickly as possible?
yeah basically. visualization is using imagination. kids do it perfectly. ever hear one tell you stories about what the character of their favourite action-man or whatever did today? in short, the faster you are able to conjure up an image of something in great detail, both stronger and easier it is to manipulate as a thing. this is opposed to if you're building a thought from scratch... you start with a "form" and add "detail" bit by bit. the advantage of using objects like matchboxes or phones and whatnot is that the form's already there, you're practicing getting the details down.
on hiatus. contact via elsewhere.

User avatar
Shinichi
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 868
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 1:56 pm
Location: Earth

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by Shinichi »

RockDemon wrote:However IIH's requirement is not that high, right? I can and should practice this along the way and get to that point, no?
Right. Follow Bardon's instructions. When you reach the requirements he lays down, move on. Then you can keep practicing and continue to receive benefit as you grow.
RockDemon wrote:Well, I can imagine things with my eyes open but it is like I see 2 different worlds at the meantime. Do you think it is good?
You will most likely always see them in two different planes, because with your Plastic Imagination you are creating a Form on the Mental Plane and, doing so with your eyes open, you are viewing (via Imagination) your own Inner Mental Plane and the Outer Physical Plane simultaneously.

Not being able to tell the difference between the two is called psychosis. [zomg]
RockDemon wrote:I know you will not like this question, but I can't help to ask :D Bardon vs Crowley? ;D
I would encourage a student of either to study both, actually. Crowley's work is on a very high level. He expects his reader to be well-read, to be well educated and trained. In Crowley's day, most of this training would be received in the local Lodge of an Order, generally a branch of the RC or GD, or later on Crowley's various pursuits. This personal, direct initiation, and all of the little conversations and lectures had with senior students and initiates, that's something that Crowley takes for granted in his work because that is the audience he was writing for. That's why, to the average Neophyte today, Crowley's work is a jumbling mess that is barely understandable.

However, Bardon created a curriculum where one can receive the Initiation that Crowley expects via personal work. By working through the IIH and doing the other side studies that help you progress through the IIH, you will gradually be able to look at much of Crowley's work and go "aha, so that's what that is," because you'll have achieved similar things in the IIH.

They complement each other very nicely, and those who have read the book fully will note that Bardon even uses the mantra of Thelema. "Love is the Law, Love under Will." It's in Step 9 or 10 if I recall.



~:Shin:~

User avatar
RockDemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by RockDemon »

cyberdemon wrote: yeah basically. visualization is using imagination. kids do it perfectly. ever hear one tell you stories about what the character of their favourite action-man or whatever did today? in short, the faster you are able to conjure up an image of something in great detail, both stronger and easier it is to manipulate as a thing. this is opposed to if you're building a thought from scratch... you start with a "form" and add "detail" bit by bit. the advantage of using objects like matchboxes or phones and whatnot is that the form's already there, you're practicing getting the details down.
Yes. The quicker I imagine something more details I am able to remember correctly and the more easier and longer are able to concentrate on it.Thanks!
Shinichi wrote:I would encourage a student of either to study both, actually. Crowley's work is on a very high level. He expects his reader to be well-read, to be well educated and trained. In Crowley's day, most of this training would be received in the local Lodge of an Order, generally a branch of the RC or GD, or later on Crowley's various pursuits. This personal, direct initiation, and all of the little conversations and lectures had with senior students and initiates, that's something that Crowley takes for granted in his work because that is the audience he was writing for. That's why, to the average Neophyte today, Crowley's work is a jumbling mess that is barely understandable.

However, Bardon created a curriculum where one can receive the Initiation that Crowley expects via personal work. By working through the IIH and doing the other side studies that help you progress through the IIH, you will gradually be able to look at much of Crowley's work and go "aha, so that's what that is," because you'll have achieved similar things in the IIH.

They complement each other very nicely, and those who have read the book fully will note that Bardon even uses the mantra of Thelema. "Love is the Law, Love under Will." It's in Step 9 or 10 if I recall.
Great! Yes, and I think Bardon even translated one of Crowley's work into his mother tongue (Czech (?)). Thank you!

User avatar
Haelos
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 849
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:36 am

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by Haelos »

I've been following along these threads silently, filling in some of my own gaps along the way, and I came across a question of my own.

Whenever I go to imagine / visualize something, I need to use my intent to draw it behind my closed eyes.
Is this normal?

For instance, let's use RockDemon's phone as an example.
If I wanted to imagine the picture of this phone inside my mind, I would need to literally draw every individual line and shape with my intent, usually starting with the outline. It kinda feels like my eyes are tracing it, but my eyes don't move.
Once I get a full image, it stays visible for the most part.

I also have a hard time focusing on that many details at once. Certain smaller details become more clear at the expense of the bigger outlines.
Again, using the phone as an example:
I imagine the full phone for a few seconds, then the outline starts to fade at I make the numbers more detailed.
As I try to pull the outline back into focus, some other detail like the screen will fade, and most of my "intent" is pointed at the keys.

It's like a constant struggle to bring the full image back into focus as the smaller details try to assert themselves.


I hope this made sense, and someone knows where to point me here.
I've never really bothered asking most of my IIH questions because Shin is about the only person I know to have worked through it well enough to offer proper guidance.
RockDemon has been showing me some of my own problems that I've never wanted to catch on to.

Thanks for the help if you can offer it., and RD, thanks for letting me highjack your thread a bit.


EDIT:
When I visualize behind closed eyes, it feels like my center of perception is "too small."
Like, let's say I'm imagining that phone. The screen takes up half the size of the entire area I can see, and I can't seem to either move it away from me, or make it smaller.
It's weird af.
I could say this is also an issue.
.
.
.
"God is an imprecise name for the only thing in the universe that actually exists."
.
Tell me what you know about darkness, and I will tell you about the light.
.
.
Selected Contributions;
Planetary Associations of Common Intoxicants
The Mysteries of Death

https://hdagaz.wordpress.com/

User avatar
RockDemon
Forum Member
Forum Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: IIH: Step 2 - More Visualization Questions

Post by RockDemon »

Haelos, my friend you are free to highjack any of my threads in this positive way. Some of those issues you pointed out I noticed myself though I thought they would be fixed with more practice. But I see this may not be the case.
Haelos wrote:For instance, let's use RockDemon's phone as an example.
If I wanted to imagine the picture of this phone inside my mind, I would need to literally draw every individual line and shape with my intent, usually starting with the outline. It kinda feels like my eyes are tracing it, but my eyes don't move.
Once I get a full image, it stays visible for the most part.
In my case, I usually have the image as soon as I close my eyes. It's more of a matter of vividity and details. Though with complex geometrical shapes (for instance pentagram), I do it as well.

Now as for the details...
Haelos wrote:I also have a hard time focusing on that many details at once. Certain smaller details become more clear at the expense of the bigger outlines.
Again, using the phone as an example:
I imagine the full phone for a few seconds, then the outline starts to fade at I make the numbers more detailed.
As I try to pull the outline back into focus, some other detail like the screen will fade, and most of my "intent" is pointed at the keys.

It's like a constant struggle to bring the full image back into focus as the smaller details try to assert themselves.
You see in fact our eyes have a very little point of focus. We see that point of focus everything else is blurred and is filled by the mind. Now especially in the case of the letters and words, we've been taught in school to read letter by letter or like this - fo-cus, eve-ry-thing. So I guess letter's would be hard to visualize then images. So when we look at the phone in overall without reading what's written on it, we just see the overall image of the phone. And when we begin to look at its' keys and letters we concentrate on these and the overall image of the phone gets blurred. I think the same process is happening with our imagination.
Haelos wrote:When I visualize behind closed eyes, it feels like my center of perception is "too small."
Like, let's say I'm imagining that phone. The screen takes up half the size of the entire area I can see, and I can't seem to either move it away from me, or make it smaller.
It's weird af.
I could say this is also an issue.
This is not something I gave much attention, however, I noticed this as well, especially in the beginning of this exercise. But with practice, this seems to be more and more easy.

Post Reply

Return to “Beginners Info”