Description
We have brought upon ourselves all our troubles through ignorance of the law, which of itself is always a law of liberty, but which we have misused through misunderstanding the true meaning of life. We must reverse the entire process of our thinking and learn to think of ourselves only in terms of spiritual valuation, which alone is enduring and real.
Visualization means to create a mental picture of ourselves as we would like to be, to hand this picture over to the Universal Law of execution and to believe implicitly that it will act. But our present ability to visualize depends upon our present state of thought; it is limited to previous experiences and impressions. By the act of visualization, we can bring into our experience only that which we can mentally image – and we can image only that which we know. Perhaps this is why Solomon said, “With all thy getting, get understanding.”
Plotinus said something to the effect that our work is always done better when we face Spirit, even though our back is turned to our work; Emerson tells us that a betterment in conditions always follows the Divine Influx; Jesus tells us to seek the upper kingdom first and that all things will be added. All the great spiritual teachers have mentioned that we need to look for higher forms of thought if we wish to experience better things. By visualization, we can only bring into our experience something we presently know about; we cannot reach beyond our mental grasp nor can we jump away from our own shadow.
It is necessary, then, to find higher visions and broader vistas of thought if we are to transcend our previous experiences. This can be done only by letting the higher mind rule, by conscious contact with greater reality. Visualization is always incomplete unless the thought is first impressed with the greater possibility and made receptive to the Divine Influx. Spirit is always ready to flow through our mentality, but we are individuals and must let it flow by the act of our self-choice.