"Visualise what you want to do before you do it. Visualisation is so powerful that when you know what you want, you will get it.” Audrey Flack
The themes for this Pisces full moon are on imagination, creation and dreaming. Visualisation is one good way to do this.
Musings on this theme
(This is a small excerpt from something else I'm writing at the moment...)
....Of course, these dreams need to be rooted in some reality, so that you can begin to take tangible steps and actions into transforming your imaginative, creative ideas into being. This is where I have found what is known as visualisation and manifestation, or scripting, can be very powerful.
I'm someone who would have cringed and reflexed away from 'woo woo' sounding words like that once, probably because of a multitude of factors ranging from social conditioning and upbringing, childhood stuff, modernity, western culture, capitalism, and institutional systems.
But inadvertently and accidentally, somewhat unknowingly, I realised I have actually been doing visualisation and manifestation for the last few years without fully realising that’s what was I was doing, until I read a book about it called The Source, by Dr Tara Swart. I now have no shame in speaking about it or continuing to hide the more 'spiritual' part of my identity. Which was mostly rooted in my career as a Western medicine trained doctor.
I can finally really appreciate how practices like this and others have played a big part in my journey, especially in facing some fears over the past five years. Closing and ending some difficult chapters from my old life that needed to be closed. Moving towards writing new chapters, new careers, new relationships and commitments, and new starts.
From moving away from a secure, salaried job after ten years working as a doctor and new GP, to starting my own project - Rebellious Health. Becoming freelance, in the pursuit for more freedom, purpose and creativity, but less security and certainty. However, I know that I had to do this to protect my wellbeing in a way that I couldn't do in a full time medical career, that once made me sick, both physically and mentally.
From moving away from a busy 3rd floor flat in London with no garden, to an old Buddhist retreat house under a mountain in Eryri, North Wales, where I'm beginning to co-create what I've been 'visualising' for years, both with old friends and new connections (and now new friends).
And most recently, I completed the first ever RE Project - a reconnection and wellbeing programme following the five Rebellious Health pillars, that was manifested in my journal in April 2021. This came to life over the summer with over thirty medics signing up to be a part of this community and where I got to collaborate with some talented, creative, Rebellious medics and human beings who led workshops ranging from nature connectedness and veganism, to psychedelic therapy and breathwork. We heard powerful stories on healing alcohol addiction as a healthcare worker and on moving away from the status quo to live lives filled with purpose, close to nature. Last weekend I got to connect with a few of the people who signed up in real life, deep in the heart of The Peak District for our nature meet up and integration weekend.
I'm not saying this to show off at all.
I'm saying this to show you that the sometimes painful, uncertain, but exciting journey of becoming more curious about 'you' and really reflecting on your values and whether you are living in alignment with them - can rewire your brain through neuroplasticity, can change old ingrained patterns of thinking and beliefs, can overcome certain addictions and can lead to imagining and then creating a different sort of life, particularly if you feel as though you're stuck in something that you don't know how to get out of.
The past 'evidence-based, scientific' cynic in me was fairly relieved to know that alongside what I've experienced, there are a lot of neuroscientic studies that have been published (in peer reviewed journals). To be honest, I have't fully read this article as it's totally inaccessible to most people apart from those who are scientists and understand statistics to degree level. The newer, more open minded me, intuitively knows that this stuff works. With whatever lens you want to look at it with - the scientific lens, the neuroscientific lens, the psychological lens, the physics theory lens, the spiritual lens, the Buddhist lens, the new-age lens, the philosophical lens, the creative lens, or just the modern day-sceptic's lens. And stories are a good way of talking about things like 'visualisation' and understanding it more than by reading a peer reviewed study.
My 'visualisation' lens is personal experience, sparked by a curiosity to start the journey of reconnection and healing. Most Full Moon days I carve out some time for my own rituals. I know I’m very lucky to be able to find the time for this, without the responsibility that parenthood and fulltime work often has, but even thirty minutes of regular time to yourself can be enough for long lasting transformational change.
My rituals tend to do involve a longer, more powerful breathwork session, intentional journaling before and after, being in nature, and integrating what comes up for me.
The breathwork takes me inward, deep into my subconscious. I am taken into deeper levels of consciousness, where neuronal pathways that aren’t normally active on a daily basis can become wired, where creative ideas can be sparked. And whatever you believe about astrology, and whether Pisces season is about imagination, or Aquarius season is about freedom, I don't really care too much anymore that it's 'woo woo' and not grounded in science because it's been a useful framework where reflecting on the ideas and themes help me to think about my own life's circumstances.
Visualisation is the practice of mentally picturing a desired outcome, whether it’s achieving a goal, improving wellbeing, or overcoming fears and challenge. Manifestation takes this a step further, incorporating intention and belief to bring these visualisations into reality. While it might sound mystical, recent neuroscience research reveals why this practice has measurable effects on our brains and behaviour
In the world of healthcare, we often rely on the tangible and objective evidence, deemed significant enough if it performs well in a randomised control trial - isolated things we can measure, test, diagnose and treat. But as I’ve learned through my own journey of burnout and reconnection, healing is not just about treating the symptoms—it's about addressing the root cause in a holistic mind, body, spirit and emotional way.....
This is an excerpt from a long form bit of writing I'm doing for a project. I'm passionate about collectively reimagining what healthcare in our society could look like. Part of that project involves looking at how can reconnect to parts of ourselves that many of us have suppressed. In the process, this leads to connection with others and nature on a deeper level.
I'd be interested to know what you think, and whether writing like this can help to bridge the gap between science and spirituality in today's modern world?
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