VISUALIZATION Rex C Mitchell, Ph.D. The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of t

      VISUALIZATION

      Rex C Mitchell, Ph.D. 

The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings, by changing

the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.

- William James 

I have a strong belief in the power of visualization, on the basis of more than fifty years of using it, reviewing the research and experiences of others with it, and helping others use it. 

We all use visualization often, but primarily use it unconsciously and, regrettably, most often negatively.  Recall the many times you might have thought of some important presentation, performance,  meeting, or other forthcoming event and thought about what might go wrong and how you might make mistakes in that situation.  Recall also the increased anxiety resulting from your visualization, and how this might have hindered you in the actual event.  That is an example of our customary, unconscious use of visualization.  We tend to play and replay negative tapes about future events. 

By contrast, we can use intentional, positive visualization to help us be more effective in future situations and in achieving goals.  Positive visualization could be defined as "the conscious, volitional creation of mental sense impressions for the purpose of changing yourself" (Fanning, 1994). 

Visualization can help individuals work on various issues, including  presentations, dealing with difficult interpersonal situations, stress reduction, self-esteem, creativity, problem solving, learning, weight control, substance abuse, sports performance, insomnia, depression, anxiety, anger, shyness, and health, including strength training, hypertension, arthritis, recovery after surgery, stroke rehabilitation, and pain control. 

An example from sports illustrates the potential positive power of visualization.  A friend of mine, a major league baseball coach in the 1950s, helped many batters and pitchers climb out of slumps by having them use positive visualization.  Later, as a coach at a western university in the 1960s, he gave two sections of a beginning tennis class two very different experiences.  One section spent three hours per week for six weeks on the courts, receiving instruction and practicing various strokes and movements.  The other section sat in a classroom for the same three hours/week for six weeks, watching videos of highly skilled tennis players executing strokes, and then visualizing themselves doing the same.  After both groups spent the subsequent week on the courts, there was no significant difference in the ability of the students in the two sections to perform basic tennis strokes and moves! 

More examples of visualization experiments are described in the Appendix. 

Why/how does visualization work?  Levine (2007) concludes that “mental practice of a particular motor skill has repeatedly been shown to activate the same musculature and neural areas as physical practice of the skill.”  Ietswaart, et al. (2011) provide this description:

According to theories of embodied cognition, conscious thought (such as engaging in mental imagery) consists of simulated interaction with the environment.  In other words, thought is realized through sensorimotor simulations in the nervous system. Evidence for this (embodied) simulation hypothesis comes from studies demonstrating close parallels between simulated movements and actual movements, as evidenced by behavioral and neuroimaging studies. With respect to motor imagery, it has been shown that mentally simulating a movement and performing the same movement recruits nearly identical neural (fronto-parietal) circuits.

Some more colloquial explanations are offered by Sicinski (2015):

* Your brain is stimulated in the same way when you visualize doing an action as when you physically perform the action

*  Visualization can help you enhance your perceptive awareness and observation skills, which helps improve your awareness of people and of the situations you find yourself in

*  When you’re lacking in confidence or feel low self-esteem, visualization can help you feel better about yourself, and thereby more competent and capable in the real world

*  When you are under intense pressure or heavy stress, or when you experience a difficult emotion, visualization can help calm your body and mind

*  As with medical placebos, we can convince ourselves that something is supposed to help us and, as a result, the brain releases corresponding chemicals and neurotransmitters that activate the healing process. 

Following are some basic suggestions for how to use intentional visualization to assist you in changing aspects of your life, including performing more effectively in pending situations.  Note that visualization is not intended to do everything; it can assist you in developing a skill or working on an issue.  If you want to be effective in a forthcoming performance, you still have to prepare well.  If you want to develop a musical or sports ability, you still have to practice.  Visualization also is not intended to make you into a super-being, “leaping over tall buildings in a single bound,” etc.  It can help you work on important issues and help you perform more nearly as you would like to and are capable of at your best in future situations. 

Some have used other terms for visualization, including mental practice, mental rehearsal, and imaging. The fundamental and necessary process for intentional, positive visualization is to:

1.  Identify clearly the subject (e.g., a goal, problem, skill wanted, issue, a specific future situation in which you desire to perform effectively)

2.  Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed

3.  Get very comfortable and relaxed (by position, often best to lie down, absence of distractions, closed eyes, possible systematic relaxation process, meditation, music, or whatever else works for you)

4.  Still your mind, try to clear all thoughts

5.  Then visualize yourself having an experience that deals with the subject,  Not talking about it but experiencing yourself doing it, with inputs to all senses - sight, sound, smell, feeling, taste - and then performing effectively, in detail. 


Your visualizations should be as clear, specific, and real as you can make them.  You need to form in your mind a very precise and clear experience of what you need or desire and then hold it; affirm it; and regard it as something you believe, own, and believe will happen. 


There are differences in the literature about whether it is more helpful to image in the first person (aka kinesthetic or internal imagery, experiencing outward) or in the third person (aka visual or external imagery, observing yourself performing).  The answer may differ for individuals.  Try both and find which is best for you. 


Several things are important as you visualize a future situation or working on your chosen subject:

*  Visualize it as a positive achievement, rather than possible negatives to avoid

*  Visualize it as a present, here-and-now event, rather than an uncertain, not-yet accomplished event

      *  Make it a full experience, involving all your senses, not just sight

      *  Create and manipulate sense impressions for a positive experience

      *  Trust your intuition in how to direct the visualization

      *  Intensify and deepen the experience

      *  Believe that your positive visualization can happen

*  Repeat and practice often your visualization

      *  Be patient

*  Trust yourself, in terms of whatever emerges in your visualization

*  Explore resistance, if you have trouble staying in focus.  Ask yourself whether you really want the answer or result.  You may be avoiding confronting pain, finding a hard answer, or having to pay too high a price for what you wish to happen.

*  When default negative visualizations emerge, intentionally interrupt them and replace them with your intentional, positive visualizations about the same situation.

*  Use affirmations in addition to your visualizations. 


There are some other practices that could be a useful part of visualization, as considered in this essay; see Appendix B for a brief introduction. 


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      In the realm of the mind, what you believe to be true is true.  - John Lilly, M.D. 


      Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they're yours.  - Richard Bach 
 


REFERENCES 


Fanning, P. (1994).  Visualization for change.  Oakland, CA:  New Harbinger. 


Ietswaart M., Johnston M., Dijkerman H. C., Joice S., Scott C. L., MacWalter R. S., & Hamilton S. J. C. (2011). Mental practice with motor imagery in stroke recovery: Randomized controlled trial of efficacy. Brain, 34, 1373–1386.  Retrieved from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3097892/ 


Levine, P. and Leonard, A. (2007 Apr).  Mental practice in chronic stroke: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Stroke, 38(4):1293-7. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17332444 


Sicinski, A. (2015). How to Use Visualization to Achieve Any Goal You Can Imagine. Retrieved from: http://blog.iqmatrix.com/visualization 
 


APPENDIX A (some examples of visualization experiments) 


1.  Martin, K. A., Moritz, S. E., & Hall, C. F. (1999).  Imagery use in sport: A literature review and applied model.  The Sport Psychologist, 13, 245-268.  Retrieved from:

http://www.humankinetics.com/acucustom/sitename/Documents/DocumentItem/1942.pdf

      “Over 200 published studies have examined the relationship between mental imagery and sport performance.  Considered collectively, these studies have shown that imagery of a particular sports skill can improve physical performance of that skill. ...Hence, mental imagery is frequently included in mental training packages for athletes as a strategy for improving skill acquisition and performance.” 


2.  Clark, L. V. (1960). Effect of mental practice on the development of a certain motor skill. Research Quarterly of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, & Recreation, 31, 560-569.

Abstract

The effect of mental practice was compared with that of physical practice in the development of a motor skill, the Pacific Coast 1-hand foul shot. 144 high school boys were equated into physical and mental practice groups on the basis of arm strength; intelligence; and varsity, junior varsity, or novice experience. Mental practice was found to be nearly as effective as physical practice under the conditions of the experiment. From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:1CD60C. 


3.  Garfield, Charles A. (1984).  Excerpts from his book, Peak performance: Mental training techniques of the world’s greatest athletes.  California: Warner Books, p. 16.  Retrieved from:

https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/the-history-science-and-how-to-of-visualization

    “In my meetings with the Soviet researchers in Milan, they discussed government funded athletic programs that integrate sophisticated mental training and rigorous physical training. One study evaluating these intensive programs suggests their potential. Four matched groups of world-class Soviet athletes diligently trained for many hours each week. The training regimens were as follows:

    Group I - 100% physical training

    Group II - 75% physical training, 25% mental training

    Group III - 50% physical training, 50% mental training

    Group IV - 25% physical training, 75% mental training

When the four groups were compared shortly before the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid, Group IV had shown significantly greater improvement than Group III, with Groups II and I following, in that order.” 


4.  (Also from Garfield 1984)

      In 1992, Anne Isaac led an experiment with 78 subjects of trampolinists, some of whom were experts and others novices. They were divided into experimental and control groups, and this was a blind study, so the experimenter was unaware of who was in which group. Isaac had the participants tested on visualization skills through assessment and classed them as high or low imagers. Both groups were trained in three skills over a six-week period.

The practice was laid out as follows:

    2.5 minutes of physical practice on the skills

    5 minutes of mental imagery for the experimental group

    5 minutes of abstract mental problems like math or puzzles for the control group

    2.5 minutes of physical practice once again

There was a significant difference between the mental imagery group and the control group, with the former group leading.  Also, there was a significant difference in performance between both the high imager and low imager groups, with the high imagers getting superior results. Both the novice and expert groups saw improvement, which showed that visualization works in beginners and advanced individuals.  This was one of few studies showing that not only was visualization successful, but better visualization was more successful. 


5. Reiser M., Büsch D., Munzert J. (2011). Strength gains by motor imagery with different ratios of physical to mental practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 149–149.  Article retrieved from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3158386/

      The authors, at two training centers in Germany, conducted a study to determine the magnitude of strength gains following a high-intensity resistance training (i.e., improvement of neuromuscular coordination) that can be achieved by imagery of the respective muscle contraction (IMC training). Prior to the experiment, all subjects completed a 4-week standardized strength training program. In the experiment, three groups with different combinations of physical maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) training and mental (IMC) strength training (i.e., 25, 20, and 75% IMC) were compared to a MVC-only training group (M0) and a control condition without strength training (CO). Maximum isometric voluntary contraction force (MVC) was measured before and after the 12-session experimental training interventions in four strength exercises commonly used in practical settings (bench pressing, leg pressing, triceps extension, and calf raising). IMC groups (M25, M50, M75) showed slightly smaller increases in MVC (3.0% to 4.2%) than M0 (5.1%), but significantly stronger improvements than CO (-0.2%). They concluded that high-intensity strength training sessions can be partly replaced by IMC training sessions without any considerable reduction of strength gains. 


6.  Bernardi, Nicolò F. et al. (2013, Aug 20). Mental practice promotes motor anticipation: Evidence from skilled music performance. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 451.  Retrieved from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3747442/

Abstract

Mental practice (MP) has been shown to improve movement accuracy and velocity, but it is not known whether MP can also optimize movement timing. We addressed this question by studying two groups of expert pianists who performed challenging music sequences after either MP or physical practice (PP). Performance and motion-capture data were collected along with responses to imagery questionnaires. The results showed that MP produced performance improvements, although to a lower degree than PP did. MP and PP induced changes in both movement velocity and movement timing, promoting the emergence of movement anticipatory patterns. Furthermore, motor imagery was associated with greater changes in movement velocity, while auditory imagery was associated with greater movement anticipation. Data from a control group that was not allowed to practice confirmed that the changes in accuracy and kinematics were not due to more repetition of the sequence during testing. This study provides the first evidence of an anticipatory control following MP and extends the present knowledge on the effectiveness of MP to a task of unparalleled motor complexity. 


7.  Levine, P. and Leonard, A. (2007 Apr).  Mental practice in chronic stroke: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Stroke, 38(4):1293-7. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17332444

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

Mental practice (MP) of a particular motor skill has repeatedly been shown to activate the same musculature and neural areas as physical practice of the skill. Pilot study results suggest that a rehabilitation program incorporating MP of valued motor skills in chronic stroke patients provides sufficient repetitive practice to increase affected arm use and function. This Phase 2 study compared efficacy of a rehabilitation program incorporating MP of specific arm movements to a placebo condition using randomized controlled methods and an appropriate sample size. Method- Thirty-two chronic stroke patients (mean=3.6 years) with moderate motor deficits received 30-minute therapy sessions occurring 2 days/week for 6 weeks, and emphasizing activities of daily living. Subjects randomly assigned to the experimental condition also received 30-minute MP sessions provided directly after therapy requiring daily MP of the activities of daily living; subjects assigned to the control group received the same amount of therapist interaction as the experimental group, and a sham intervention directly after therapy, consisting of relaxation. Outcomes were evaluated by a blinded rater using the Action Research Arm test and the upper extremity section of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment.

RESULTS:

No pre-existing group differences were found on any demographic variable or movement scale. Subjects receiving MP showed significant reductions in affected arm impairment and significant increases in daily arm function (both at the p<0.0001 level). Only patients in the group receiving MP exhibited new ability to perform valued activities.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results support the efficacy of programs incorporating mental practice for rehabilitating affected arm motor function in patients with chronic stroke. These changes are clinically significant. 


8.  Nilsen, D., M., Gillen, G., & Gordon, A. M. (2010). Use of mental practice to improve upper-limb recovery after stroke: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64, 695-708.

      Nilsen, Gillen & Gordon (2010) conducted a systematic review of the efficacy of mental practice in improving upper limb recovery among patients with stroke (N=145). Relevant studies available in English were drawn from multiple databases from 1985 to February 2009. The review comprised a total of 15 studies (4 RCTs, 2 controlled clinical trials, 1 pre-post single-group study, 7 case series/case studies and 1 single-case experimental multiple baseline study). All studies excluding 3 case studies are included and reviewed on StrokEngine. Among the 15 studies, stage of recovery from stroke ranged from 10 days to 174 months. Mean age of participants ranged from 24 years to 81 years. Intervention protocol varied among studies, although most combined mental practice and physical practice. The comparison intervention included physical practice, CIMT, non-motor imagery or conventional rehabilitation. Frequency and duration of treatment ranged from 10-minute to 3-hour sessions, daily to twice/week, for 2 to 8 weeks. Outcomes of upper extremity function or recovery were typically measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Motricity Index, Action Research Arm Test, or Jebsen hand function test. The conclusion indicated that mental imagery performed in conjunction with physical practice is more effective than physical practice alone or conventional rehabilitation alone. Mental imagery is effective in reducing impairment and improving functional recovery. There is also evidence to indicate that mental imagery may be effective in improving perceived use and quality of movement of the upper limb. 


9.  Hamilton, David (2008). Excerpt from his book, How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body. Retrieved from:  http://drdavidhamilton.com/category/visualization-2/

       In October 2014, researchers at the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI) published a piece of research in the Journal of Physiology that showed how visualisation can slow down the loss of muscle, e.g., after a person has had an accident and has limited use. The research is a demonstration of the mind powerfully impacting the body.

      In the experiment, 29 people wore a cast from their elbow to their fingers for 4 weeks. Roughly half of them (14 people) did a visualisation exercise 5 days a week during this time and the other half (15 people) didn’t.

      The training sessions were as follows: They had to mentally contract their wrist, given the instruction, “Begin imagining that you are pushing in as hard as you can with your left wrist, push, push, push … and stop.” This would take 5 seconds and they would then get 5 seconds rest. They did it 4 times in a row and that would constitute 1 round. Each daily session was 13 rounds.

      Of course, both groups lost strength in that time, which is to be expected when you’re not doing any exercise at all, but what was amazing was that the group who visualised lost much less strength than the group who didn’t. The group who didn’t visualise lost 45% strength over the 4 weeks but the group who visualised lost only 24% 


10.  Labarthe D, Ayala C. (2002 May).  Nondrug interventions in hypertension prevention and control. Cardiology Clinics, 20(2), 249-63.  Retrieved from:

http://acadgi.com/about_sitemap/imageryresearch/medical_conditions/hypertension/

“Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that ‘evidence for the efficacy of certain non-pharmacologic approaches to preventing and controlling HBP [high blood pressure] is strong’” 


11.  Halpin, L.S., Speir, A.M., CapoBianco, P, & Barnett, S.D. (2002, Jul-Sept). Guided imagery in cardiac surgery. Outcomes in Management & Nursing Practice, 6(3), 132-7.  Retrieved from:

http://acadgi.com/about_sitemap/imageryresearch/medical_conditions/heart_disease/

“Use of guided imagery in cardiac patients  has led to shorter hospital stays, lower pharmacy costs, and lower use of pain medication.” 


12. Baird, C.L., Sands, L.P. (2006 Oct).  Effect of guided imagery with relaxation on health-related quality of life in older women with osteoarthritis. Research in Nursing & Health, 29(5), 442-51.  Retrieved from: http://acadgi.com/about_sitemap/imageryresearch/chronic_pain/arthritis/

“Both in Baird and Sands’ pilot study (2004) and in their later longitudinal study (2006), arthritis patients using guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation had a significant improvement both in pain and morbidities.” 
 


APPENDIX B (some practices that are similar or related to visualization, as addressed earlier) 


Integrated Deep Listening

Joseph Dillard’s Integrated Deep Listening (IDL) process is intended to amplify “your connection with authentic presence... This is a process of waking up into a balanced and integrated space that is empathetic, honest, and playful... IDL is both a dream yoga and an integral life practice. It is designed to help you wake up out of delusion” (negative and limiting beliefs you have right now).  It  includes a process for intentionally transforming negative aspects of your beliefs and self-images, including qualities of confidence, compassion, wisdom, acceptance, and inner peace. This and the following are excerpted from Dillard, 2017, http://www.integraldeeplistening.com/,

which has more detail. 


The IDL process involves interviewing dream characters, emerging potentials, and personifications of life issues vital to an individual, using three forms of IDL interviewing, single character, “dream sociometry” and “dream sociodrama,” as well as through meditation. 


IDL interviewing involves having an individual identify with the perspective or world view which a dream character or element associated with a waking life issue personifies.  Embodying that perspective, the individual responds to a series of scripted questions called IDL Interviewing Protocols.  IDL single character interviewing may be self-directed, led by another individual, or provided in a group format. 


Third Eye Meditation

There are various meditation practices in Eastern traditions that could be a useful part of visualization, as considered in this essay.  For example, Raja Yoga gives careful attention to mediation.  In Taoism and many traditional Chinese religious sects such as Chan (called Zen in Japanese), "third eye training" involves focusing attention on the point between the eyebrows with the eyes closed, and while the body is in various relaxed postures. The goal of this practice is to allow individuals to gain a solid foundation on which to reach more advanced meditation levels. 


In certain dharmic spiritual traditions such as Hinduism, the third eye refers to the ajna, or sixth chakra. The third eye is believed to be the gate that leads to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness. The third eye chakra is associated with the pineal gland, which is related to perceptions and is in charge of regulating biorhythms.  In New Age spirituality, the third eye often symbolizes a state of enlightenment or the evocation of mental images having deeply personal spiritual or psychological significance.  


Third eye meditation is typically oriented to discovery and enlightenment; however, it can be focused on a specific subject, which was the orientation of visualization as discussed in the body of this essay.  A typical process for third eye meditation is:

1.  Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed.

2.  Get very comfortable and relaxed (by position, absence of distractions, closed eyes, possible systematic relaxation process, meditation, music, or whatever else works for you).

3.  Still your mind, try to clear all thoughts.

4.  Focus awareness on the area in the middle of your eyebrows (the third eye).

5.  Being very relaxed (no effort physically), be aware mentally of what it is you want to visualize.

*  Remember, you won't see it; the goal is a mental awareness that involves the mind, not the eyes.

*  Don't be discouraged if you have to think of the thing you are visualizing at first; after repetition it will be natural to visualize it without thinking, you will just be aware of it. It takes time, almost like forming a habit.

*  It is important not to strain or force trying to "see" something. That will take away from being able to be aware without using your eyes. It is somewhat like dreaming, in the sense that you just become aware of yourself doing it. 


      last modified 12/15/2017