A Yule gift from me to you.
The following excerpt detailing a vision board strategy is from my upcoming book Another Spring: A Year of Self Therapy and Spiritual Practices. It comes from Chapter Nine: Abundance and Gratitude (Reciprocity).
Nuts and Bolts
Vision Boards move in and out of popularity, sometimes trending, and often a part of “coaching” sessions. However, in my spiritually integrated world, they take on new meaning. There is no secret mantra or affirmation that can take the place of actually doing the leg work to make your vision a reality. In my practice, we generally start the Vision Board process in the late fall, preparing for the New Year, or years, ahead.
First, using a large file, envelope, or plastic tote, begin collecting images (no text yet) from magazines or from internet sources where you are not violating copyright. Choose images that you feel drawn to intuitively, resisting the temptation to analyze your decisions. Images may include colors, faces, activities, landscapes, animals, earth, air, fire, or water elements, abstract designs, patterns, photos, even sketches or paintings you do yourself.
Do not include text yet. Stay in your right brain for this initial step. Your right brain processes in a global way, has spatial and visual processing abilities, loves visual imagery, is imaginative, largely nonverbal, highly intuitive, and sometimes psychic. Staying in your right brain helps you not overthink or judge your choices, and helps you stay in the flow. It is more spontaneous. Dreaming, visioning, playing with paper and colors, collecting and arranging pieces with your fingers and hands – these are all activities that not only appeal to your right brain, but they also appeal to the little one inside you – your younger self. You may find yourself accessing long forgotten yearnings.Collect enough visual images to cover a 24 inch by 36-inch poster board. Begin loosely placing your pieces in an unstructured collage on your poster until you feel satisfied with the arrangement. Then glue them down. Leftover images can be tucked away for future use. Now you can begin to choose text: any words or phrases that appeal to you for whatever reason. Again, loosely place these between or within your images, wherever they feel right. When you are satisfied, glue them down Vision Board. I use an inexpensive commercial poster frame for my own boards and place new boards over old ones, the better to marvel at the way the older images and words have become manifest in my life over time.
Folks, T. (n.d.). Another Spring: A Year of Self Therapy and Spiritual Practices [Unpublished manuscript] (pp. 197–198)
Over the next year (or over the next five years – if you are committed to a five-year vision) be conscious of what emerges in your life from your vision board. You may be surprised that some visions manifest differently from the image you first thought was ideal. You may also be fascinated by how your vision manifests, as it unfolds in the perfect way for you. For Candace, and for you if you sometimes share her need for “something more”, the Vision Board process allows her to get in touch with deeper spiritual needs that go beyond ‘stuff’. There emerges an overall gestalt in the process, a revelation of a desire for a change in your global perspective, atmosphere, or emotional universe.
Thank you.
Terry Folks, Winter Solstice 2023