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Visualization Techniques for Meditation

The majority of meditation techniques primarily deal with visualization. Visualization can be used for manifesting a new job, healing, attracting a soul mate or calming the mind. Visualization requires training the mind to focus on a particular area or subject without letting thoughts take over and interfere. Even though your thoughts will certainly interfere when you first start meditating, with time you will be able to visualize more effectively.

  1. The Heart

    • Focus on the area at the center of your chest. This is called the heart chakra. A chakra is an energy center that runs along the spine. According to Hindu beliefs there are seven altogether starting at the base of the spine and ending at the crown of the head. For this exercise you will only focus on one, the heart chakra. The center of our chest is a place where many of us have stored repressed emotional energy. When we get our hearts broken, we feel it in our chest. On the other hand, when it is fully open it allows us to become more loving and compassionate. Begin this meditation by taking in a few deep breaths and imagine the center of your chest is opening up. You may even visualize that you are breathing in and out of the heart, if you find that this is helpful. Notice any sensations and what it feels like when all of your attention is placed on that one specific area of the body. Now imagine it growing bigger and bigger. As you visualize this area opening and growing, you are allowing yourself to become more loving.

    You are the Universe

    • Begin your meditation how you normally do by sitting in a chair or cross legged. It is not recommended to meditate while lying down because it could cause you to become tired and possibly fall asleep. After a taking a few deep breaths, picture the room that you are meditating in: the furniture, the walls, anything that is in the room. Now imagine that you are beginning to grow. The size of you has grown to the point where you have outgrown the chair you are sitting in. Continue to picture yourself growing. Your body is expanding like a balloon. Now your body has filled up the entire room. Both your hands can touch either side of the room. You continue growing to the point where you stand above the town that you live in. Overlooking the traffic and tree tops, you continue to grow even more to the point where you can see either end of the country that you live in. You tower over mountains and oceans. Maintain your focus and continue to imagine growing to the point where you soar above Earth until it becomes just a speck, and your body encompasses the entire universe. You keep growing. You are the universe.

    Focus on the Breath

    • Begin your meditation by taking a few deep breaths. Focus on the breath for a breath meditation exercise. Inhale with your abdomen and let your stomach rise with air. Continue to breath in until your lungs are filled. Exhale from the lungs and down to the abdomen to complete one breath. As you do this visualize a circle in your mind. As you inhale you are creating one half of the circle, and as you exhale you will complete the other half. The most important part of this exercise is between inhalations and exhalations. Note these periods as dots on your visual circle. When you reach the end of an inhalation, pay particular attention to the space where you are neither breathing in or out. This is the present moment. When the breath ceases, so does any kind of thought activity. Be aware of the present moment in these two periods in between the breath cycle. Do not hold your breath or try to extend these periods, although there are separate exercises designed to do so. Breath naturally and observe these two points of the circle.

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