She Believed That She Could, So She Did.

Recently, I purchased a book mark that held the statement: "She believed that She could, so She did”. I found it to be the perfect book mark for me. It began a thought process in regard to how powerful the belief system can be. How the impossible can suddenly seem possible if one is able to break down the walls that separate that which is perceived to be real and unreal; Especially, in the sense of utilizing visualization , imagination and journeying to effect change in one’s life.

When I journey I am able to do things that I perceive are impossible in my physical reality. The super hero I once knew within myself as a child comes alive. I can fly and everything is possible. I go into my journeys with the intent of building on my faith that my experiences are “real” and are being led by spirit; that they truly can effect change or bring truthful insight into my life and for those for whom I journey. However, my egoic mind always pipes in with the questions - Is this just fantasy? Is it real? Will this truly effect change? Is this information valuable? For now, while I am still training and do not have a lot of experiences under my belt, I am building on faith and the experience of my teacher and others that have walked this path that says YES! I have decided to take on the concept of "She believed that She could, so She did”.

However, I was still having difficulty coming up with an answer for those who asked me the question: "How do you know that it is not just your imagination?" I did some research and found this great article which I found helpful to me on www.shamans-cave.com. Perhaps it would be helpful to you as well.

Creating Reality Through Visualization
The Shamanic OtherWorld Perspective

To the trained Shaman, experience is experience. There is no difference between the reality of one experience over another. If I experienced it, then it must be real. I may not at this moment understand what I have experienced, but that does not make it any less real. Shamans frequently travel into worlds well beyond logical or even conceptual reality. Shamans, using Spirit Journeys, travel through other realms by means of what traditional Western society would classically term imagination, to achieve the object of their quest, be it hidden knowledge, power, a spirit animal, or the soul fragment of a current patient. A Shaman knows that these spirit journeys are more than just idle fancy or an over-active imagination. The shaman's thoughts and feelings are literally forms of energy, a spirit double if you will, that travel to very specific locations on the Web of Power.

So what is the difference between Shamanic Sight, Visualization and Imagination? Let's begin with, what is Visualization? Visualization can be compared to a movie running through your mind, and you are the director. You choose the script, you choose the characters, you choose the location. Visualization is accomplished through the medium of your imagination. Imagination is thought form generated by the mind that allows you to project yourself beyond the bounds of current time and space, and experience beyond your normal senses. However, once you learn to use the tool of visualization effectively, the results become far to tangible to be a thought form without substance.

Visualization is connected to the subconscious mind (Lower Self), which interfaces with the Higher Self and the World of Spirit. The Subconscious speaks to our conscious (Middle) self through signs, symbols, pictures, dreams, etc. - or in other words, visualization. This is the language of the Subconscious. The subconscious constantly seeks ways to communicate with us, but the logical mind, being logical, analytical and linear, cannot hear it. However, once the logical mind does find a way to communicate with the subconscious - a code, if you will - the subconscious becomes a powerhouse of information. This "code" is the art of visualization.

The logical mind is like a robot or a computer - it cannot have any new thoughts of its own, it only re-hashes previous experiences. It is through the subconscious that we are free to explore, through the vehicle of imagination and "movies of the mind", new thoughts and experiences before they occur. During sleep, visualization is called dreaming, during waking hours, it is called daydreaming. It is difficult to control your dreams, but you can control your daydreams. The ability to direct the "movies of your mind" is confirmed by the proven fact that mortal men and women can direct these daydreams. The ability to properly direct the movies of your mind during a meditative state connects you to your intuition, or Higher Self, enabling you to receive information from a higher source than was previously possible.

Visualization can do the following things:

Take you literally anywhere in time and space, and allow you unlimited access to experience anything that you choose.

Help you to develop inner awareness and control of the body's autonomic functions (Bio-feedback).

Bring to consciousness your true feelings, and help you to gain or clarify the meaning of things that occur in your life.

Give you access to higher wisdom, understanding and truth than you would otherwise be capable of.

Give you access to the true source of your creativity.

Now to the simplest principle of all - the difference between imagination and Shamanic Sight. In our current trend of Western thought, empirical data is the only valid form of evidence. I must be able to experience whatever it is that I'm validating on a physical, tangible, scientific plane. If this is not possible, then it does not exist. Therefore, on the basis of this validation system, imagination has no validity and is relegated to the level of pure fantasy. How many of you as children or even today, have imaginary friends? (Don't worry, I do, too. I call them Spirit Guides) Tell someone outside an Occult setting about your imaginary friend and you might see a few raised eyebrows.

On the other hand, to a Shaman using Shamanic Sight, no empirical validation is required. I experienced it, therefore, it happened exactly as I experienced it. Period, end of subject!

By virtue of the Shaman's intense belief in the things which he saw, experienced, or did while on the journey, the shaman has carried the intent of the journey from the realm of imagination to the act of co-creating a new reality. The Shaman knows that the experiences occurred exactly as he experienced or created it. The ability to know the validity of the experience comes from the empirical reinforcement that every time the shaman sees or acts in the Otherworld, the physical manifestation of that reality within the physical plane bears out the truth of the shaman's belief. The Shaman does not require external validity, he already knows.

There are many very good books available on the subject of visualization. An excellent way to practice visualization is through "Guided Meditation". This is very simple. Find someone who is willing to work with you, or tape record your own guided journey. Then find an appropriate moment when you will not be disturbed, take the phone off the hook, put a "do not disturb" sign on the door, loosen your clothing, take off your shoes, and take the time necessary to go into a light, quiet, restful state. Do not get so comfortable that you fall asleep, and do not do this exercise where you normally sleep, such as on your bed. At your signal, have your assistant begin verbally leading you on an imaginary journey to whatever place and time you choose, mythical or otherwise. Make it as detailed and visually descriptive as you possibly can, and be sure that the pace is slow enough to receive the full effect of the journey. The better you become, the more complete the experience should become, accompanied with sight, sound, smell taste and touch, if possible, but include as many senses as you can. And please, for the sake of more advanced guided visualization later on, include the trip home again before you end the journey.

As you become more adept at visualization, try more difficult trips. For many years, a black-budget covert operation of the U.S. Military was an elite group of men and women engaged in something called,"remote viewing". This is nothing more than a highly trained professional military group using the methods of advanced Shamanic Sight, i.e. visualization, to obtain or confirm otherwise unknowable information. Yes, the U.S. Military does believe in and practice the Occult. During World War Two, Adolf Hitler and high level Nazi psychics and scientist were deeply involved in all aspects of the Occult. Obviously, the power of "Remote Viewing" would be of utmost significance to the military. So here's your challenge. Begin to project your consciousness (remember the Spirit Double we talked about), beyond the bounds of your physical body to places that you know and can access. Using Shamanic Sight, look carefully at these places, noting every detail, anything unusual that might catch your attention. Use your senses to feel the temperature, smell the air, listen for noises present. Carefully note as many details as possible, but especially anything that you want to verify when you return physically. On your return to the physical body, and before you forget, write down anything you found significant while you were there. Now physically go and compare what you saw and experienced with what is actually present. The results might be quite astounding.

Every time you can validate what you saw or experienced during your journeys, the closer you become to totally trusting your abilities. The process of becoming sure of the physical validation of what you experienced or did in the Spirit becomes the basis for activating the Co-Creative Forces of the Universe to accomplish Shamanic work. You no longer question the validity of your Co-Creative Powers - you know!!!

The key to success is practice, practice and more practice. Don't become discouraged if you have some difficulty - it's natural! Just keep at it, and maybe I'll meet you "out there somewhere". It has happened before!