My WAR against Memory Vs Imagination/Visualisation...

[Eternal]

Dear Robert,

I have a real problem relating to visualisation/imagination. I am honestly not capable of imagining and seeing what I try to imagine. I hear all the time that people can see what it is they’re imagining. They look through the darkness of their eyes and the image begins to transpire. This is not the case with me. All I ever see is the blackness behind my eyes.

I can remember what – using memory – my son looks like and I can describe certain aspects of his features et cetera, but, I can’t actually see him, I don’t really have any idea what he looks like inside my mind. I could probably draw a picture of him based on what I remember but am clueless to what he actually looks like.

I can recall from “memory” my trip to work this morning– walking out the door, taking keys out my pocket and opening the door. Driving down the road and seeing certain shops and people but I am not actually visualising/seeing it and or feeling it, it’s more a sense of remembering one aspect after the other and in it’s correct order. It is pure memory recollection and I feel it has nothing to do with imagining or visualising.

I am unable to construct a scene in my mind and have any fun with imagination because it literally just doesn’t work for me. I can only remember what something looks like once I’ve seen it. I can NOT however change or manipulate it.

A good example would be if someone asked me to imagine an orange. The only way I know what an orange looks like is because I can remember that it’s round and orange obviously, I can remember the feel of its texture and how it smells when you begin to peel it and its taste. But seeing it, imagining it, I can not do. I have seen it before and my memory works really well at remembering detail. For instance, nearly anyone I see in the public, I can recall – if ever I see them again – where it was I last saw them which then gives me access to what I did that whole day and quite possibly what day, month and year. Doesn’t matter if it was last month or ten years ago, I don’t seem to forget them and most of the time what it was they were wearing, yet, I don’t actually know what they look like and or what their clothes looked like. I just remember the words associated with the detail, I don’t form any image.

It’s very frustrating and difficult for me to explain and I feel really disadvantaged in that I can’t have any fun with imagination. I’d love to create a fantasy in my head of lying on a beach, with stars flying above my head, or something to that affect. But, I have never, ever been able to do it. I know it's possible because my partner does it all the time and it's her way of relaxing.

Is there anything I can do to help me?
I’m worried that you’ll answer memory is associated with imagination and thus imagination is visualisation. In my case it’s not true because I can remember what something looks like but NOT manipulate it in any shape or form and I certainly can not create it - like I've said my partner can above.

I’m sorry if I haven’t made myself clear but I find it very difficult to explain.

Eternal

[Robert Bruce]

G'day,

If you have ever had an erotic fantasy...that is perfect imagination.

Most people do not actually see what they imagine. What you say, about how you can remember and imagine your son's face, is perfect imagination. What you do with this, how you create and change things in imagination, is another matter.

If you are restricted in your imagination creative ability, you need to remember what it was like to be a child. Children have rich fantasy lives.

I would suggest you get some CD's with guided 'led' meditations on them, talking you through rich scenarios of imagination.

I also suggest you use affirmations to loosen your grip on this, to loosen up the part of you that is denying this ability.

The problem here is your own self imposed limitations. Take this as a given, and it is clear that freeing up your beliefs to include the ability to imagine and create fantasies, is what you need to do.

Energy work will also help.

Take care, Robert