The Power Of a Vision Board

I am sure over the years you have all heard the words vision board. But what exactly are they?

The power of our imagination, by way of visualisation, can actively transform all areas of our life, including thoughts, emotions and life experience. This concept is a proven psycho-therapeutic reality. That is, the power of the imagination though visualisation is able to imprint our goals into our sub conscious mind – and we all know how our sub-conscious mind, when it is supporting a conscious goal, is able to work with us to achieve it.

Visualisation uses our imagination in a creative process that is both therapeutic and FUN. By exploring through imagery what we desire in our life, we are better able to “picture” it and thus clarify it in our minds.

I have created vision boards and mind maps for myself for years, each New Year I sit down and meditate upon the goals and dreams I have for the upcoming months. This year has been no different and now I have my art studio in South Tweed I am able to fully practise my manifesting. Owning an art studio has always been a dream of mine and now it is a reality, it still feels like such a dream, but I know it was due to a visIon board I created many years ago that I believe I have it now.

Vision boards are a powerful way to capture our desires and goals as images.

Often times vision boards are made up of collage to express our inner desires and aspirations, (though i usually also add in paintings and drawings/doodling).. Just as long as what we use is able to create an image in our minds, that upon reviewing we can connect to.

For me they are an incredibly useful tool that allows me to be able to manifest my dreams and goals, but I also find them a very therapeutic and creative thing to do.

As an art therapist I have found the use of vision boards, mind-maps and art journals  fantastic tool to be able to call upon when I am feeling overwhelmed and scattered, and likewise it is beneficial to many of my clients.

When I make a vison board it is a way for me to truly connect with my inner world and allow my sub conscious to tell me what I need to know.

I use vision boards a couple of different ways. The main one, and the one I actually love the most is the one where I allow my sub-conscious to tell me what I need.

I totally surrender to my intuition and follow my heart, not my head.

In this way I am allowing my subconscious to talk to me and tell me what I need to do.

Before I start the process

I Gather supplies.

You’ll need a board to stick things onto. I usually grab something firm enough from a hard ware store.

You’ll need scissors, glue, tape, possibly a glue gun.

Magazines, all kinds, from sporting to travel, interior design to gardening

Ribbons or anything decorative.

Black markers and felt tip pens.

When I create a vision board using my intuition, I gather images that I love, things that, as I flick through magazines I simply love the look of, whether it be a cool colour or a great picture, or maybe some wise words that sing out to me. I don’t over think it I just cut them out and put them in a pile. It’s so much fun just flicking through mags. pulling out things that I simply, just like!

You don’t need to know why you like them or stress that you need a reason why.

Once I have gathered everything I start to arrange them all on my board. I won’t glue down just yet, in case I want to rearrange.

Once I feel ready I will then begin to glue down. My aim is to  cover the entire board. I use images and words from magazines, but I also write words that come into my head or doodle and paint my own pictures. There is no rhyme nor reason, I just enjoy the process. it’s always about the process!

I zone out completely.

All of sudden I will feel like I have finished. And it is then that I may reflect upon my vision board. 10 times out of 10 I will see things of significance within the work I have produced. Whether it be a certain problem that I have going on, that I can now see an answer too, or maybe I have lots of a certain colour in my work. (The use of colour in art therapy is powerful and certain colours we use can reflect certain emotions).

Sometimes I may see a theme appear.  Lots of animals used, Or lots of photos of travel or perhaps it’s about people and I have added a lot of images of people. You don’t really need to over analyse it, it will be insightful but at the same time just accept the process. When we get thoughts out on to a page in art it becomes an external problem, therefore no longer an internal issue. Art therapy is a non-verbal way of communicating after all.

So there are other ways to create vison boards that are more structured I have spoken to you so far about a vison board that is made up by following our intuition and allowing our subconscious to take over.

Well the other way is by perhaps setting a goal or an intention for your vision board. Work out with yourself what you would like to achieve or manifest.

Maybe you would like to go on a holiday to the Greek islands or Heli skiing in the Canadian Rockies, perhaps you need a new car or would love to own your own house, boat or caravan.

Well in the case of wanting to go to the Canadian Rockies I would suggest that you start gathering images that reflect that perhaps Photos of mountains, of people skiing, of snow. Words that mean something to you. Make it connect with your soul, so that when you see it regularly you know instantly what it is your heart desires. The more you see a visual aid the more your brain will start to believe it to be true.

Vision boards do work, but it is important that you put them in place that you can see them daily and as often as possible, in this way you will Get your head believing it to be true.

The more you start believing, the more the universe will start to put you in the right directionand on the right path, Giving you clues and putting things in your way that you can’t ignoreand that will help you reach those goals. Although these things won’t magically appear,you aren’t suddenly going to own your own house when you wake up the next day, but you will start on the right path if you  listen to the ideas that seem to come from nowhere and follow them. Suddenly things will start to happen for you, that will get you closer to your goals. Things become easier to get and POW! one day you wake up and there it is, the money or the new car or the holiday you’ve been dreaming of going on suddenly happens. You have put into action the steps needed to make it so. The universe will always provide as long as you implement the ideas it gives you. They are always there, it’s just sometimes we miss the signs, ignore them or can’t hear them clearly enough as we are too ‘mind busy’. Being able to stop that babble is essential but that will  be another BLOG.

I really hope you get busy making your own vison board and setting some intentions for the year/years ahead. They are so much fun and so relaxing.

If you ever want help with it I run regular vision board workshops from my art studio in south tweed called Think Purple Art Studios so please come and play

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