10 Minute Visioning Yields Big Results

One of the best things about being part of the Visioning(R) community is that all of the graduates keep in touch by group emails. Lucia recently shared that when she wanted to journal while away from her house, all she had was a magazine and pen. So she wrote directly in the magazine. After she journaled, she realized that the images that were on page reflected exactly how she was feeling.

I decided to give the technique a try.

I spent Sunday morning being out of sorts. Although I was productive, I still didn't feel good and couldn't make a decision about what I wanted to do. So I wrote out a practical shopping list for the local hardware store and headed out for the day. I ended up noshing on breakfast for lunch at Starbucks. While I was there I was inspired to text a coworker to meet me ­at Famous Footwear. I had 20 minutes before they arrived. This journal exercise took less than 10.

First, I used my intuition and chose the magazine I wanted to use before leaving the house. Then, I focused on what I needed to know and quickly flipped through the magazine pages while at Starbucks. Something about the image of an actor tugging at her hair caught my attention. Since I know the actors name, I simply addressed her with my Dominant Hand and let the non-dominant hand respond.

DH: Dear Kate, what do you have to say to me?

NDH: I am able to focus on one thing at a time if I want to feel good. Try it. You'll like it.

DH: If I go to Ulta, I'll focus on Kerasilk. At Famous Footwear, I'll focus on shoes! Thanks for your truth. I appreciate you.

This was exactly what I needed to hear.

While I  have been very productive, lately I haven't been having much fun. I've also felt scattered and isolated. I don't have many connections in this new town, so texting co-worker Elisabeth (who brought her two daughters) was exactly  what I needed. While shopping, I focused on the kids, and only skimmed the racks. Although they only stayed for a short time, their visit gave me energy. After they left, I continued shopping in the spirit of fun. While I did end up with several items on my list, fun connection is what I actually wanted.

This morning I tried it again. I selected a magazine based on intuition, not my left-brain. Then I turned the pages quickly, skimming until I found an image that grabbed me. I held a  general question of "show me what I need today," which is Monday. The first thing I noticed was an article that answered a different question, which I pulled out to read later, and continued turning pages.

I journaled with my dominant hand, asking the first question.

DH: Hey kids, what do you have to say to me today?

NDH: We are your fun reminders. Both of us like to play, after all! Take us with you. We are your fun strength. Focus on feeling good.

DH: What map are you looking at?

NDH: The fastest path to fun. It's not a straight line! It's a breath, each in the present moment. We love presents!

DH: I do too. Thank you so much! I love your wisdom.

These answers spoke volumes. 

I did smile a lot more during work while I kept the over-serious accounting Self focused on the books. 
I felt drama-free, yet productive.

Tomorrow, for even more fun, I'll remember to bring my iPod.

blog by Dorothy Segovia, certified Visioning(R) coach and author of My Body, My Car: How to Coach Yourself Through Life's little Accidents. www.writeinside.com

Join Lucia at her next workshops: For a detailed description about the 1st workshop visit Lucia's website and click on the Calendar.

Family Constellations,Transgenerational Healing workshop. 
Sunday, March 22, 2015   10 AM - 5 PM
Morro Bay, CA at Ruby Dragon 
To register: Call (805) 772-1100
Fee: $100 per person

Inner Child, Inner Family

Healing Ourselves, Healing Our Relationships

A one day workshop      April 19,  2015    1 - 6 PM

(based on her bestselling book, Recovery of Your Inner Child)

Kindred Spirits, Claremont, CA

Fee: $120.00 (includes drawing and writing materials)
To register: Call Kindred Spirits  (909) 626 - 2434

Visioning® Affirmations

One of my favorite ways to play with my Vision board is to create affirmations out of the non-dominant hand dialogues. This brings my dream deeper into my body and expands my energy towards what I want. Working with an affirmation paves the way to allowing my hearts desire. It is a daily feeling reminder that I am heading in the right direction.
“In addition, Visionaries are committed to taking all the steps necessary for giving birth to their creations. Their attitude is: whatever it takes. Like Disney and Fuller, they face doubts, fears, rejection, disappointment, delays and other obstacles that everyone faces in life. Yet, they hold true to the creative idea, knowing that sooner or later it will take form in the physical world. Some gestation periods are longer than others. One idea may take twenty years to hatch, another may take twenty days. The creative thought is the thing. Nurture it, charge it with energy and enthusiasm, and the world will be drawn to it as a magnet.” - from Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams. Page 26.

"I live in a safe and sacred home in Ventura." 5.26.12

Here are the steps to creating a daily affirmation writing practice.

1. Choose a non-dominant hand conversation that resonates with you today.

Example: I am choosing the sea lions on the beach because that is my latest manifestation. Although the conversation was written in May, I can use the reminder.
DH: What do you have teach me about my safe, sacred home in Ventura?
NDH: Let your home open and call to your soul. You don't have to be struggling.


2. Create a short, single phrase to write and speak out loud from the NDH writing. In fact, use your NDH to create the affirmation so that you are coming from your heart, not your head.

My affirmation is: “I allow my home to open and call to my soul.”
This affirmation is in alignment with what I discovered during a transformational energy session with my coach, Leyla Atwill. We discerned that the most important work I can do is to locate my Higher Power within my body, and connect with it throughout my day. This is my true home, regardless of where I physically live.

3. Write the affirmation. I work with affirmations for about a month. The reason is that in the beginning, I allow the critical voice to have it's say immediately after writing the affirmation. I do not converse with the voice. I simply allow the energy to release, and continue to write the affirmation. Also, I use the first, second and third person in my writing.

Example:

I allow my home to open and call to my soul. Bullshit.
I allow my home to open and call to my soul. Yawn.
I allow my home to open and call to my soul. Whatever.

Dorothy, allow your home to open and call to your soul. Like, open sesame?
Dorothy, allow your home to open and call to your soul. What are you talking about?
Dorothy, allow your home to open and call to your soul. What? You are crazy!

Dorothy allows her home to open and call to her soul. Dorothy who?
Dorothy allows her home to open and call to her soul. Puhleeezzzz.
Dorothy allows her home to open and call to her soul. Shut up!


I have been using this affirmation style for about three months. It has opened up new pathways because I am able to discern and stop the habitual blocks that keep me from my dreams. I usually write the critical blurts for about a week, or until the critic energy dissipates.

Sometimes, if the affirmation is too long, or the idea too big of a leap, I have to change affirmations. I usually write each phrase ten times in the first person, ten times in the second person and ten times in the third person. For instance, because I not only want to move, but create new work, it was better for me to make a collage about my “Safe and sacred home in Ventura.” The assumption is that I have the right work. Trying to create a collage about right work in May was too big of a leap.

Also, depending on the blurt, I might come back and explore the idea, phrase or question with the critic. For instance, the blurt, “What are you talking about?” can be an excellent way to explore my beliefs about my interior home. After all, feeling safe and connected to my Self is the heart of all my desires.

To read the blog on my session with energy coach, Leyla Atwill, visit my blog Stepping Into the Dream Stream.

Guest blogger Dorothy Segovia, is a certified Visioning® Coach and author of  My Body, My Car: How to Coach Yourself Through Life's little Accidents, featuring an original music CD. www.writeinside.com

Visioning: Celebrating the Journey

While the phrase, “enjoy the journey” trips off the tongue quite nicely, the enjoyment can quickly turn into a traffic jam if you feel that your unmanifested dream is taunting you from the collage. Big dreams mean big-time investment in releasing internal road blocks. Gratefully, if you are following your vision, the answers are a journal entry away.

I live in a safe and sacred home in Ventura. 5/26/2012

 

Last week I found myself beginning Chapter 10 of Lucia's book, Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams. Chapter 10 is celebrating the dream coming true. Oops. I'm still in Morro Bay, dutifully applying for full-time work in Ventura and the surrounding areas. I looked at the journal exercises which all had to do with acknowledging myself for going for my dream. I toyed with journaling anyway, imagining that the dream came true, but that is actually discussed in Chapter 8, in the Writing by Heart exercise. This brings up an important point: reviewing our work.

Reviewing our work is the same as appreciating how far we have come. Looking back at my 6/5/12 journal, I found this entry prompted by Writing by Heart, #2, page 135. DH stands for the dominant hand; NDH, the non-dominant hand.

DH: Dear Patio Table and Chairs, who are you?

NDH: I am the seed of laughter and enjoyment.

DH: Why are you in my collage?

NDH: A strong, fenced, nurturing outside space is vital for your inner life.

DH: What qualities do you have that I need to realize my dream?

NDH: Strong frame to set your tools on, to rest, to meet with friends and to work.

DH: What do you want to tell me about realizing my dream?

NDH: Light filled intention is the way to your dream. Let go of each minute and flow with the good feeling stream.

DH: Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate you being here. Please write me a poem or prose from your lovely, lovely self.

NDH: The Patio Prayer

Come close my child, come sit in my heart.

Would you not find comfort and peace here?

Be with me, be with me even if you are weary and lost.

Be with me in the sun to quench your thirst.

I am always here, my love.

DH: Thank you. I need and love you.

This entry actually did turn into a song entitled The Patio Prayer.

During this review, I realized that good dreams take time. It took 10 years to move to Morro Bay permanently in 1994, after I discovered this area in the early '80s. The surprise was that I arrived in town as a beginning songwriter.

While I am hoping that Ventura won't take that long, my work is to enjoy packing, gassing up the car, smiling at the other driver's and to remember to take snapshots of the scenic views. If I'm being prodded to “hurry up and move already,” then I know the Critic is trying to hitch a ride. Review page 109 in Lucia's book to ditch this naysayer, pronto!

One last thing. I realized this week that there are two smiling women on my collage. One is seated inside. One is sitting outside with her eyes closed, facing the sun. (That image's non-dominant hand voice yielded a different song.) Both women are smiling—happy to be where they are.

Guest blogger Dorothy Segovia, is a certified Visioning® Coach and author of My Body, My Car: How to Coach Yourself Through Life's little Accidents, featuring an original music CD. www.writeinside.com

Come hear Dorothy sing The Patio Prayer at the free concert and book signing on
Sunday, November 18, from 1-3pm at Coalesce Bookstore and Garden Chapel in Morro Bay, CA. 

Native American Healing with Visioning(R)

This months post is a letter from Vicki L. Muir to Lucia, thanking her for the healing she experienced in a Voice Dialogue session with Lucia.

Vicki is a certified Visioning(R) Coach and Creative Journal Expressive Arts facilitator working in Edmond, Oklahoma. 

Vicki L. Muir

Business Inner Circle

Email: Innercircle@Cox.net

Edmond, OK

Hi Lucia,


I wanted to thank you for the voice dialogue work we did prior to my surgery. I believe we summoned up some powerful energies that have continued to assist me in my healing journey. The images that especially speak to me are the grandmothers and the buffalo. I am still receiving energy from them. I wanted to share the experience with the CJEA group.

Prior to my surgery July 24th for a biopsy of the left lung with possible diagnosis of lung cancer or metastatic cancer, I did a collage. The collage was filled with Native American images. The images were of grandmothers singing, dancing and praying; the buffalo, a doe with her fawn; a warrior, and a central figure with spirals, animals and healing hands in a mandala. You facilitated a voice dialogue with the images, which spoke of ancient wisdom, Native practices, prayer and ceremony.

The buffalo spoke to me of power and healing as well as endurance. There were messages of connectedness, nature, and wholeness being in rhythm with the natural and universal energies. One statement said ,"journey of profound healing." This truly speaks to my experience. I believe that I summoned these energies to aid me in my journey. I was overwhelmed when the surgeon told me there was no cancer. My recovery has been remarkable with no complications. I am still feeling the energies of the images with further journaling to move me forward. Thank you again Lucia for this moving experience. I believe that the images are prophetic and hold energies of their own that come to life as we work with them.

Blessings, Vicki

PS: I would like to reiterate that this experience brought forth the importance of connection to others, spirit and the universal energies, which are always available to us. This places the emphasis on my inner connection and accessing my own power. My ancestral communication was significant because my Great Grandmother was a Native American and known as a healer.

Note: Voice Dialogue is facilitated way to interact with the collage images with the guidance of a trained coach or therapist. Using the Creative Journal method outlined in Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams is another way to allow the images to speak, for those who work with their collages on their own.

If anyone else has used Visioning(R) as part of your healing process, please share your story in our Comments section!

Dream Visioning®

Dream Visioning


By guest blogger Claire Perkins, 2005 CJEA graduate, dream guide and award-winning author of The Deep Water Leaf Society: Harnessing the Transformative Power of Grief.
www.ClairePerkins.com

Visioning® is great for manifesting your waking-life dreams. But did you know it works equally well for exploring and discovering the meaning of your nighttime dreams, too? Every night your dreams are bringing you guidance and wisdom, but discovering the meaning can sometimes be challenging. Collage is a perfect way to bring your night visions to life so that you can discover the wisdom they contain and apply it to transform your waking life.

Here are 10 easy steps to Dream Visioning

1.Get your dream journal and gather your collage materials together (paper, magazines, scissors, glue) in a quiet place where you can work undisturbed for 30 minutes to an hour or more.

2.If you have a written record of your dream (I strongly encourage keeping a dream journal and writing your dreams down regularly), read it to yourself. If you didn’t write it down, play the dream over in your mind—or, better yet, take the time to write it down now.

3.Close your eyes and place yourself back into the dream, as if you were reliving it. Pay attention to the main characters, the setting, and any emotions you are feeling within the dream.

4.Give the dream a title. Write it down. This is your focus phrase and will help to guide you as you create your Dream Vision. Invite your Dream Self to help you explore your dream more deeply.

5.As you begin to gather images and phrases from your magazines, stay in a meditative state. Don’t overthink it and don’t try to be too literal. Think of this as a continuation of the dream state (which is not logical, literal or linear) and allow the dream to unfold through the images you are drawn to. You may not find the “perfect” image to represent every aspect of your dream, and that’s okay. You can always enhance your collage by drawing in anything that feels missing. You may also find images that seem to have nothing to do with your dream yet “want” to be a part of your collage, and that’s okay, too. Remember to select at least one image to represent you—you as you were within the dream, or you receiving the wisdom of the dream, or both.

6.Arrange your images and phrases on your paper. Keep what resonates with the dream and release what doesn’t. Do certain images and phrases belong together? Do the words you’ve gathered create a message, story or poem? Is there anything missing that you want to add?

7.When you are pleased with the arrangement, glue it down.

8.Sit with the finished collage for a few minutes and then journal (dominant hand) about what you see. How does the collage make you feel? Does it remind you of any current situation in your waking life? Does it tell a story?

9.Which image(s) do you find most intriguing or want to know more about? Dialogue with the image(s), asking them questions with your dominant hand, and allowing the image(s) to answer through your non-dominant hand. Ask these key questions: Who are you? How do you feel? Why do you feel that way? What are you doing in my dream? What gift or challenge do you bring me? What can I do for you? Feel free to follow your own curiosity and ask any other questions you choose.

10.Journal again with your dominant hand. What is the message of this dream? What situation in your life does it seem to be speaking to? Were there any big “Ahas!” from the dialogue(s)? List three actions you will take to honor this dream – and then go out and DO them! It’s one thing to decipher what your dream is telling you, but the real power for change comes from acting on what you learned.

Example Dream Visions

 

The Big Wave    

  I am watching a huge wave break. The water comes all the way up into city streets. In a room, a small boy has peed himself. I think he must have seen or heard the wave crash and been frightened. He is holding a small fish in a baggie of water. There's a tiny eyeball floating in the water, too. I believe it is food for the fish.
~~    

Hungry Lions    

  I am exploring ancient grounds – an abandoned estate of some kind. It is not in ruins, but is overgrown and neglected as well as deserted. I discover there are feeding stations in some locations. There are monkeys and there are lions. I go to one feeding station near the front of the house (it looks a bit like a metal water pump). I can read a label on it that indicates it’s for the lions. I give it a pump, out of curiosity, and a few old cheese puffs come out. The monkeys stay back and a lion comes and sniffs at the cheese puffs. I feel sad for the lions—they can’t eat food like this. It reminds me of a zoo where people come to gawk and make caged pets of these glorious animals. I’m a bit frightened to be so close to the lions, but feel it is up to me to feed them.

~~    

Recurring Nightmare: I’ve Missed the Whole Semester!

It’s the last day of the semester and time for final exams or that major term paper is due. Except I realize that I haven’t been to class all semester long! It’s too late to withdraw and a failing grade, which I’m certain to get, will ruin my GPA and prevent me from graduating. I feel totally panicked and frantic.

~~

You can visit Claire’s digital dream journal at http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/collection?id=389795

for additional examples of Dream Visioning.

Visioning® 101 Q & A continued...

Lucia continues to answer questions from the Visioning® community.


Can I collage past lives?

I used to be a past life counselor. If one believes in them, the only reason to delve into past lives – as far as I can see -- is to see where we are blocked from a past life and how to remove the block. This takes some training and experience in past life work. Personally, I focus on blocks from this life which are usually the Inner Critic and outworn belief systems. There are plenty of those.

“As we move toward our dreams, old well-worn thoughts and beliefs are likely to come floating to the surface of the mind like so much debris. As you find wonderful images of your heart's desire, a little voice may come in and start editing. It usually says things like: 'You can't afford that.' 'This is totally impossible.' 'Who do you think you are wishing for something that outrageous?' 'That's completely impractical. It'll never happen.' 'Don't choose that picture. You'll just be disappointed when it doesn't materialize.' I speak from experience, for I've heard this voice a million times during my own personal Visioning sessions. Never mind that most of my dreams have actually come true...Before you've even had a chance to research the possibilities, get some training, find a mentor or a support system, the inner critic will try to shut you down.”
(Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 75.)

“I am Safe from the Inner Critic” collage by Dorothy Segovia.

Can I collage an emotion or physical symptom I want to heal?

Yes, I did that before having a hip replacement. I put a thigh bone in my collage and also photos of women doing exercise (I did physical therapy after surgery and that was extremely healing.)

“Doing collages of our current self-image (and physicality) can help to heal the split between our head and our body. As long as our self-image is hidden from our own eyes, we have no choice. With greater awareness comes a wider range of options. In reflecting back to us the way in which we see ourselves, the collage acts as a mirror of our inner attitudes and beliefs. Once we see our self-image projected out onto the paper, we are free to move toward more conscious choices.”
(Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 238.)


Will the collage still work if I stop doing reflective work over the summer, and then come back to it?

Not likely. One must honor the dream by looking at the collage and following the Visioning® process with journaling, etc. Why wait? Either you are serious or not. If not, then it won't manifest. Visioning® is not for the uncommitted. Commit to your dream and watch it unfold. If you don't feed it, it won't reward you.

Can I still use the exercises from your book with a collage I did from before using a different method?

I believe collages need to be current and reflect the state of your soul wishes at this time. An old collage reflects the past. Do another one. Even if the images are similar and the theme is familiar, or the focus phrase is the same, the process needs to be fresh and current.

Next month: Visioning® and dream work!

Lucia will continue to answer questions throughout her blog. If you have any to submit, please post in Comments. To purchase Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, visit: www.visioningcoach.org

Yes you can! Visioning® Renewal

The New Year - 2009 - is a great time to start Visioning®. We have a new President and are beginning a new era in our country. Sure, we have lots of challenges, but in America you can feel change in the air. And apparently this has spread around the globe. At my website, I've received lots of good wishes from readers in different countries representing many nationalities, races and religions. They are excited and hopeful about America turning over a new leaf. But hope is not enough. Bringing about renewal is something each individual must do. That's where the Visioning® process of life design comes in.

As Walt Disney said: If you can dream it, you can do it! So let's start with you. And let's start now!

What you will need:

Visioning® begins with finding your true heart's desire and creating a photo collage to illustrate your dream. You'll need art paper or poster board (18 x 24 inches or larger), scissors, glue, magazines (and other sources of photo images and words). You will also need a bound blank book (unlined pages) for keeping a Creative Journal (preferably 9 x12 inches). I recommend a set of felt pens in 8 or more colors for writing. If you are serious about making your dreams come true, get a copy of my book Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams (Tarcher/ Putnam). It describes the process in detail, complete with photo illustrations. Set the mood for each step in the process with the musical CD, Visioning (music by recording artist, Jessie Allen Cooper (available only at LuciaC.com and coopersoundwaves.com).

You might be wondering: What's unique about Visioning®? What sets it apart from from all that other stuff like The Secret, visualization, life planning, affirmations, treasure maps, and so on? First, the 10 steps of Visioning® follow the stages that all designers, inventors, architects pass through when they create in the material world. These are the folks who designed the computer you are using, the chair you are sitting in, the desk, the floor, the room, etc., that surrounds you. Why not learn from them? These creative people are trained, skilled and experienced at taking thoughts and turning them into things? That's exactly what you do in Visioning®.You apply tried and true design principles to your life and work. Believe me, they work!

When a designer gets an idea she puts that inspiration, idea or mental picture into physical form immediately (sketches, blueprints, renderings, etc.) In Visioning® we do this by fashioning a collage - a sort of storyboard - similar to the ones filmmakers use in mapping out their story. We don't use the cartoon strip format of linear pictures, rather it's an all-at-once impression, a collage that conveys our dream. It might have words in it, too. The goal is to illustrate the heart's desire, what it would look like and feel like. It's a preview of coming attractions, how we want to feel once the dream is realized. That all shows in the Visioning® collage board. This is not about accuuilating things. It's about how we want to grow and who we want to become.

Visioning® can be done by individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, work teams, and companies. We've used it in public schools systems (team teaching groups), corporations, hospitals, non-profit organizations, church groups, and more. Collages can be done as individual boards or posters or in group applications as a combined mural. They can also be created as individual boards all fitting together to create a shared Vision. Shared Visioning® boards are photographed and each member of the group gets a picture of the whole while keeping their own collage. Sometimes shared collage murals are displayed, as in the case of one elementary school in Texas. The teachers doing team teaching posted their group collage of the "goals for the year" on the walls outside their classrooms for themselves and their students to see. The school had high scores and great morale.

Secondly, Visioning® provides psychological tools for clearing obstacles. Creating the Visioning® board is only the beginning. Big dreams always bring out big inner blocks. It's part of the game. Inevitably, when we start reaching for new goals, the Inner Critic or Judge jumps out and chatters away in our brains. "This is stupid. How ugly. What a waste of time. You'll only be disappointed. This is a pipe dream and will never happen. Who do you think you are with these grandiose ideas? And anyway, you have more important things to do right now, like paying bills or laundry or mowing the lawn or doing your taxes or......."(you fill in the blanks)

One of the keys to success with Visioning® is the time tested technique for dealing with this universal voice of self-criticism and self doubt within. I've written whole books about this, most notably, The Power of Your Other Hand (Career Press). The Visioning® process provides journal activities for writing your way through these internal blocks of self-judgment and skepticism about the Visioning® process. If I hadn't developed this technique I would never have written 13 books. Here's how I did it.

While attempting to start my first book, The Creative Journal (Career Press/New Page), I was plagued with a crippling writer's block. I spent two to three days a week staring at white paper in the typewriter. Finally I practiced what I was teaching in my Creative Journal classes (which was the topic of the book, ironically enough). In one journal session, I cleared the block in two pages of writing. I wrote what the Inner Critic said with my dominant hand (the one I normally write with), and answered back with my non-dominant hand (the one I don't usually write with). Within two pages I was done, felt utterly liberated and energized. I rose from my journal, went to my studio and completed the book within three months by writing two or three days a week. I had a "real job" as a college instructor and art therapist while becoming an author on my own so that's all the time I could afford.

But wait, that's not all. Breaking through my block also gave me the courage to put the word out to friends (step 9 of Visioning®), get a support system around me, and find a mentor who referred me to his publisher. They said yes right away. Better yet, the book needed no editing. In spite of what my Inner Critic had said, I'd written a perfectly acceptable manuscript! Over the years, The Creative Journal has become a best seller, been published in three different editions and formed the basis of an entire method of journal therapy being used all over the world.(LuciaC.com)

Dream it and do it. I've done it, and I know you can, too. See more on VisioningCoach.org.

Visioning® the New Year

Welcome to the new year with Visioning®.

My name is Lucia Capacchione, originator of the Visioning® Method for turning dreams into reality. The method appears in my book Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams (Tarcher/Putnam, 2000).

Using Visioning® I have created the life, the house, the relationships and the career of MY dreams. You can do it, too! As Walt Disney said: "If you can dream it, you can do it."

In my first career as a graphic artist and designer, I worked for world-famous chair designer , Charles Eames, and later for Mattel and Hallmark. As a therapist and corporate consultant, I was retained for 10 years by Walt Disney Imagineering (theme park designers) to train managers and creative folks to maximize their potential. At Disney, I got to stand back analyze the design process. After observing in depth how "thoughts become things", I applied the design process to life in my practice as a life/career coach and art therapist.

You can find the "designer within" and learn the process that all designers use. It's simple, fun and powerful. It's hands-on and brings out your creativity. There are lots of methods for manifesting out there. None of them are based on solid design principles. Remember this: Designers never create by sitting around visualizing or repeating affirmations. Never! As soon as they get an idea, they start working with their hands. Combining collage with journaling, Visioning® applies the ten steps used by successful designers, architects, artists and inventors. Visioning® applies the design process to life. It works for all areas of life: career, relationships, home, health, hobbies, travel, you name it.

More importantly, with Visioning® you can learn to get out of your own way. That is another thing that makes this unique and sets it apart from other methods of manifestation. Imagining what you want is not enough. We all have an Inner Critic who rains on our parade. As soon as we want to venture out into new territory, push the envelope and reach for the sky, it stops us. Visioning® provides proven "block busters" (journal exercises) for confronting your own "inner saboteur" who prevents you from realizing the life of your dreams. These "block busters" came from my 35 years plus of work as a therapist. Believe me, they work! If they didn't I never would have been able to author 13 books (2 of them bestsellers), find the house of my dreams, travel all over the world, create an international training program with graduates from all over the globe. I could go on and on.

Using Visioning®, hundreds of people have created happy marriages, loving families, better health, weight loss, prosperity, dream houses, fulfilling careers, exciting travel and more. They have attended my workshops, used my book, and done private coaching with me or a certified Visioning® Coach. Many of these people tell their story in my book, Visioning.

In this blog, I'll share these highly effective tools for manifesting and finding your true heart's desire. I'll share my experiences as well as the stories of people who enjoyed huge success with this method. You are invited to post a question or comment. Join me in the Visioning® adventure.

Create the life of your dreams!

Lucia

For more about Visioning® go to www.VisioningCoach.org

Be sure to visit www.LuciaC.com. There you will find general information about my 13 books, a calendar of my workshops and training, CD's and other products for sale, as well as essays, picture gallery and more.

At www.LuciaC.com purchase the book, Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, and a set of 2 CDs, Visioning, by Jessie Allen Cooper (musical accompaniment for the Visioning® process).