one vision

vision on, originally uploaded by the whole self.

The Vision Board has been on my virtual wish list for a while. I've picked it up in Waterstone's several times. And put it back. But finally, I walked out of the bookshop with my copy this week.

I have my iPod Vision Board and yesterday I discovered the O Dream Board, a downloadable vision board. I've journaled and scrapbooked in the past as well, and have recently revived my journaling. And, of course, visioning is another tool in the kit bag of connecting to the divine through creativity.

The visioning process is said to have been originated by Michael Bernard Beckwith:

Visioning is an inner spiritual practice by which we train ourselves to intuit the Spirit's vision for our life in areas such as our spiritual evolution, profession, relationships and creative expression. It is catching the unique way in which we are intended to deliver our gifts, talents and skills on the planet

A lot of the shifts that occur in our lives are as a result of a traumatic event, whatever form that may take. Although we would not choose these events, they're often our most important stepping stones. Bringing an end to one way of life and initiating the start of another. I have a theory that there is always at least one pivotal moment in everyone's life. When you stand at a fork in the road and two paths lie in front of you. The choice you make next determines whether you move forward or stand still.

[Postscript: just found a link to a piece by Brené Brown from her book I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't):

Many scholars have proposed that the struggle at midlife is about the fear that comes with our first true glimpse of mortality. Again, wishful thinking. Midlife is not about the fear of death. Midlife is death. Tearing down the walls that we spent our entire life building is death. Like it or not, at some point during midlife, you’re going down, and after that there are only two choices: staying down or enduring rebirth.

I believe some people have a number of "midlife" crises throughout their lives and others have only one. Some may have more impact than others but the end result is always the same. Change! Usually much needed change. To get us out of our comfort zone. To give us a kick in the seat of the pants. While going through a time of trauma is not a conscious choice (it's probably a subconscious one), in many respects it's the one thing that does us a huge favour. It makes going back to an old way of life impossible. It leaves you with very few options. Yes, you can stay exactly where you are but can you deal with the nagging voices inside telling you that you need to move forward? If you listen to that intuitive voice, eventually you'll hear what it's telling you. At the time of the crisis you feel as though your world is falling apart. And it is. A whole new world is being created. If you can just have faith that everything is turning out as it should, the light will start to appear at the end of the tunnel].

I suspect a lot of people initially use vision boards as a way to define their path as they stand at their own fork in the road.

Michael Bernard Beckwith also says:

Visioning is a potent tool for self-transformation because it aligns us with the evolutionary impulse seeking expression through and as us. And this process goes on throughout eternity.

(Gratitude bracelet from BGB Zen).