In this article, you will learn 5 reasons why you can’t visualize images in your mind.
A lot of people struggle with visualization. As soon as they close their eyes, they just see black or images are not clear. This causes a lot of frustration. The problem is that your ability to visualize determines your results with manifestation. Not being able to visualize gives you no or bad results.
On the other hand, people who manage to visualize easily get exactly what they asked for. During their visualizations they can clearly see an image, feel the wish fulfilled and then easily let the visual go and proceed with normal life.
Visualization for Manifestation
Visualization is the formation of a mental image of something.
Practiced in almost all conscious creator circles as well as in business, psychotherapy, and sports, visualization is a widely used tool with incredible success rates. To communicate with the mind and the universe what you want, you form a mental picture, bring it into the mind’s eye and then you stay in that space for a chose duration, is the best way to ensure a manifestation. This process enables not only the universe to know what you want but also for your actions to align with your desire. But for some people, visualization is very hard.
5 reasons you can’t visualize images in your mind
1. No relaxation
A very simple factor that prevents you from visualizing images in your mind is stress and pressure. Either wanting to quickly get your visualization done to not be late for work or pressuring yourself to get the visualization right, both cause the mind to be in stress mode instead of relaxed mode.
Relaxation is key to making the mind receptive to the visualization. Even if you would be great at visualizing, in a state of stress and pressure, the mind is not receptive. What you need is a deep relaxation, where rational thinking is suspended and the doors to the subconscious mind are open.
To best relax, start with a simple body scan meditation. Relax each area of your body while slowly clearing your mind. After the relaxation, you can proceed with your visualization practice.
2. Rushing
Rushing goes hand in hand with pressure and stress. For visualization, you need relaxation, as previously mentioned. But also you need time. Especially if you struggle to visualize, you need to set aside some quiet minutes to train your visualization muscle.
My personal advice is to either practice visualization in the morning or at night before sleep. Both states are usually not too cluttered with thoughts which makes it easier for you to relax and get into the visualization. The time frame should be around 10-20 minutes of visualization practice.
3. Lack of practice
Visualizing is a skill. Like a muscle, you train, your capacity to visualize improves with enough practice. Especially if you want to visualize things that you have never experienced, you need some time to practice seeing and feeling these things.
Set your expectations low and don’t make it about being perfect. Focus on improving the skill of visualization and not on getting it right.
4. Starting wrong
If you struggle to visualize images in your mind, you are probably starting wrong. Starting your visualization with the perfect image adds pressure and usually doesn’t work. Instead, you should start by visualizing familiar things and work your way up.
When you create the scene you want to visualize, add details that you are already familiar with so that your mind is not rejecting the visual entirely. For example: wear a familiar dress in your visualization, bring the scene into a restaurant you already know, add tiny details like flowers or songs you like.
When you then enter the visualization, focus on these details first. They should be easier to visualize because you already know them. After that slowly work your way up and focus on colors, sounds and smells and only lastly you want to add the final visual of your ultimate desire.
5. Trauma
Past trauma can be the reason why you can’t visualize images in your mind. As children, we naturally daydream and fantasize, so the ability to visualize is inherited. But if you experienced some negative consequences whenever you daydreamed, you start to suppress this ability. I give you some examples:
- You were in school daydreaming and looking outside the window. The teacher noticed that and punished you for that by isolating you into the back of the classroom. This caused you to associate daydreaming with punishment and isolation.
These experiences can cause you to entirely suppress your ability to visualize because it had major consequences. Think back into your childhood and ask yourself
Did my surroundings encourage daydreaming and having fantasies?
What happened when I was totally lost in daydreaming and someone noticed that?
Was I surrounded by creative people or more rational scientific-minded people?
These questions should give you insights into why you may struggle to visualize. If you want further guidance and help with manifestation and you consider coaching a good option, schedule a coaching call with me to see if I can help you.
I have Aphantasia or Mental Blindness. I know I visualise when I dream. I also have ADHD and always got in trouble for looking out the window. Although in yr 3 at primary so when I was 8yr old I witnessed a passenger fly through a front car window and die in impact in a horrific accident at our school. So that could be why. It doesn’t bother me to talk about it etc
I have had minor success at times in visualising since realising at 35 I have it. Interesting read.
I believe I also have aphantasia. This is pretty sad for people with aphantasia if this article is saying that if you cannot visualize you will never manifest or you will manifest badly. I think that’s pretty rotten thing to say, I’m going to manifest everything I desire.
I thought the same thing. It hurts my heart for all of us that is blind in the minds eye. And I took believe as you do. I am a great creator and a powerful manifester. We got this.