It was a Very Good Year: Lucia's 2014 Surprises

As I prepare to create Visioning® for 2015, I am struck by how everything on my 2014 Visioning Board (a 4-part collage) came true. What really struck me were the surprises, so I want to share those with you. In the "grab what grabs you" phase of shopping through magazines, I often have something specific in mind. Other times, I follow my intuition and select images because I want more of what I think they represent in my life. But sometimes, life throws a whole new meaning at me as the image unfolds into reality over time. 

Lucia's 4-part Vision Board 2014

A cluster of flowers blooming in the upper right hand section signified that I wanted more cut flowers around the house and was looking forward to my iris garden due to bloom in the spring.What I didn't know was that I'd take up water color painting again, after a long hiatus (inspired by seeing a Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit) and that I'd be painting mostly flowers (mixed bouquets as well as iris from my own garden). What a joy that has been! 

Other surprises had to do with Health and Balance. A woman is meditating and beneath her another woman is floating in a pool. The words Balancing Act...LIFE...well, well, well... WATER (Don't) think tank appear next to these images. While creating the collage I was thinking: "I need to meditate more to balance a lot of left-brain work I've been doing". (I am a long-time meditater.) I thought the meditating woman meant I'd be doing more sitting meditation. 

Unbeknownst to me at the time, 

the answer to "meditate more" was in the floating figure. I was already using a physical therapy current pool at my local gym on a regular basis, so the woman in the pool illustrated a conscious choice to continue pool exercise. What I didn't realize was that my exercise in the pool (which I have all to myself) has become some of the best meditation I can remember. After I've done my exercise routine for physical strengthening and flexibility, I allow my body to move in any way it wishes. Through this spontaneous dance in warm water, I often enter a trance state of "no thought" which has become a wonderful form of meditation for me.   

Another surprising outcome grew from the image of a young woman sitting on suitcase.

She spoke to me about a need for more recreational travel in my life. I wasn't sure where I'd be going, but I did notice that her luggage consisted of old vintage style suitcases like the ones we had when I was a kid. Not the canvas bags on wheels I travel with now on planes. 

It crossed my mind that this woman might be waiting for a train. Lo and behold! In the summer I found myself on a train from the central coast to visit friends in San Francisco! My first train ride in many years. Although the upper left portion of the 4 collages was dedicated to Vacation Travel that I had already planned (Cabo San Lucas in December) with pictures of pools and tropical lushness, the summer train trip was unexpected and quite a surprise.

These serendipitous happenings show how we get previews of coming attractions by following our hearts and intuition. 

2014. It was a very good year, indeed. As this photo of a theater marquis announces in a photo on my studio wall: You are the writer, director and producer of your dreams. 

Looking forward to Visioning® 2015 and watching it unfold. 

Join me in creating your 2015 at my upcoming workshop: Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your DreamsSunday, January 25, 10 AM - 5 PM at Ruby Dragon in Morro Bay, CA. To register, call (805) 772-1100 or email rubydragonrocks@aol.com

On Sunday February 1, 11 AM - 6 PM,  I will be conducting a workshop in Southern CaliforniaAwakening Your Intuition: BodyMind Healing and LIving from Higher GuidanceKindred Spirit, Claremont, CA  To register call (909) 626-2434

Visioning® Allowing Room for Chaos

Let's say you've just moved into a big new house. It's twice the size of the space you are living. There are boxes all over. Some are neatly labeled, but no matter how carefully you packed, there are a few surprises when you unpack: the measuring cups are in with the laundry detergent, your library novel got tucked into the toiletry box. Depending on your daily responsibility's, it can take a while to get things put into their proper place. It takes time to get the feel of where the pictures should hang.

In the same way we need time to recreate ourselves when we move, we need to allow the same re-creation time when we are playing with our completed vision boards. Let's face it, when we first enter our new digs, chaos happens. When it comes to manifesting our desires we are literally moving our stuck energy out of our bodies and expanding into something new. While the process is definitely exciting, stretching our psychic limbs may not always feel so good. But remember, we got a taste of the chaotic energy in Visioning® Step 5 when we learned to make order out of our messy, juicy vision.

"When we encounter chaos in the creative process, everything feels topsy-turvy. We're the Hanged man card in the tarot deck, suspended by our feet. Our linear left brains are helpless when we face the mystery of creative chaos head-on. Of course artists understand this subterranean world where new life takes shape. So do pregnant women, gardeners, shamans, and all those who have dared to participate in birthing something new. Innovators and explorers who venture off the straight and narrow path, who shun the predictable, the acceptable, and the approved live in this zone. Creative chaos is it's name and change is its game.

The challenge is that change is difficult. It's so much easier to retreat into the safety of the known and the familiar. What may be the most difficult is learning to live with the possibilities that change presents. When we change we redefine ourselves." page 104, Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams.

The Dreamer: Panel 3 of 5 part series

When I created my latest collage series, I didn't have any agenda other than to follow my heart and stand for my truth out in the world. Generally when I think of this type of creating, I think of high energy, go-go-going. It was enlightening for me to journal with The Dreamer, who felt "peacefully expansive" because "she can see ahead to where I'm going." The writing was filled with the acceptance that I am already living my dream. That's it, no forcing involved. This is good news, because lately due to my super busy schedule (I was secretly hoping The Dreamer was actually The Napper) the phrase on panel 4 feels intimidating.

Panel 4 of 5 part series

"Contributors: It's time to build the next great empire. May the gods be with you."

When I read the above phrase, my mind whirled. "The next great empire, why isn't going for another round of rewrites on my musical enough? Empire? I just want to memorize the song I wrote last September, in my room at the ranch...alone."

Giving myself time to be with The Dreamer gives me time to relax into my vision, which includes the imagery on panel 4, but I'm not there yet. It gives me time to let my truth take shape, since speaking my truth through writing IS my dream. Time gives me the freedom to sort through my old furniture and take a load of unnecessary approval-seeking and inner criticism to the garbage.

To practice the art of moving through your own obstacles to your success, visit Lucia's site: www.visioningcoach.org. Here you can purchase her book, find out about certified coaches in your area and read about Lucia's story.

Dorothy Segovia is a certified Visioning Coach® and author. Visit her at www.writeinside.com.

Visioning Step 6: Create the Collage

When we reach this step of the collage process, we have learned how to listen to our heart's message, clipped images, sorted them, composed our design and wrestled with the doubting Critic. However, just because we are out of the woods and actually gluing images and words onto our heart-sized paper, we are not necessarily immune to the fear-based rational mind.

In spite of having created many collages, I never fail to be delighted and surprised at my completed Vision board. The initial composition, images and words set on the page before step 5, the step where I dialogue with the Critic and stand up for my dream, always shifts in this stage—IF I ALLOW IT TO TRANSFORM.


Photo from www.inhabitat.com


Here's what one of Lucia's workshop participants experienced:

“For example Clare was completing a Vision collage and noticed a big empty space under a photo of a bespectacled photographer looking out from behind the lens of his camera. Clare had interpreted the photo as symbolizing her need to focus on her dream. Suddenly her eye glanced over to a discarded ad in her reject word pile. A caption and paragraph jumped out at her and spoke to a far deeper meaning in the picture. It read:

Visionary
Our eyes are capable of seeing many things in life;
what is common and familiar, or what is rare and extraordinary.

Clare took this to mean that she needed to look at everything in life with new awareness and attentiveness. A camera lens is a mundane and quite literal illustration for the idea of focus. On the other hand, the word “visionary” and its accompanying text allude to another, deeper level of perception.” page 117, Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams.

By allowing Clare to stay in her heart space rather than head space, she was able to notice and retrieve her word caption from the discard pile.

As Lucia states in her book, Visioning is a form of active meditation. That is, both practices seek greater connection to our Creative Self. This Visioning principle applies to our daily life as well. Of course we all wake up with a plan of what we need to accomplish, but allowing our heart to gently guide us through our to-do list makes an ordinary day, extraordinary.

Dorothy Segovia is an author, songwriter and certified Visioning coach practicing in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. She can be reached via her website at www.writeinside.com.

Letting Go through Visioning(R)

This holiday, I'm giving myself the gift of letting go.

As I'm sorting through my paper files, I am not only releasing past financial documentation, but also projects that were never completed. These include short stories, poems, songs, brochures, fliers and even a marketing idea for a CD project.

I have always prided myself on my letting go quickly attitude, but apparently that applied to everything but non-dominant hand writing.

Photo courtesy of thestar.blogs.com

As I sorted through the folders labeled 2004 NDH, 2005 NDH, etc., I was astounded that my inner guidance was often the same.

“Stay in my body.” “Take small, solid steps.” “Enjoy the moment.”

That's it, the basics.

Before moving forward, I took a giant step all the way back to “Cleaning Out the Closets of Your Mind” on page 85 of Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams.

“In making your final selections, home in once again on your focus phrase. Repeat it, say it to yourself out loud. Remember, you are looking for the pictures and words that truly express your heart's desires and your focus.” - Lucia Capacchione

Previously, thinking of clearing storage seemed overwhelming. Each box yielded a plethora of memories, not to mention the inner critical voice if I came across a non-manifested project. Rather than focusing on where I am headed, I was worried about what I was leaving behind.

The sifting and sorting process hit home.

Photo courtesy of designboom.com

Now my creative focus is "if it doesn't have to do with writing my future books, it doesn't make the cut."

While this doesn't necessarily make the process easy-peasy, it is a focused, simple approach to an often overwhelming project.

Here is my holiday wish for you,

Stay in your body.
Take small, solid steps.
Enjoy the moment.

Guest blogger Dorothy Segovia is a 2008 certified Visioning(R) Coach. She recently wrote a book based on the Creative Journal and Visioning(R) methods entitled My Body, My Car: How to Coach Yourself Through Life's little Accidents. www.writeinside.com

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

Visioning 101: Q & A

Visioning® is more than just gluing images and words to a poster board and hanging it up in a room. It is about identifying, committing to and taking responsibility for your heart's desire. This month, Lucia answers questions from the Visioning® graduates about the process.


Why don't all of the images on my collage manifest?
That is not the goal. The goal is to manifest the heart's desire. Some things may lose relevance as time goes by or manifest in different forms.

We know from the work of C.G. Jung, Joseph Campbell, and countless others that the unconscious mind, feelings, intuitions, wishes, and dreams speak most truthfully in the language of images and symbols. This is the domain of the right brain, which specializes in visual-spatial perception, metaphoric thinking, emotional expression, and intuitive knowing. It is the realm of dreams and the arts. By first approaching our deepest feelings and wishes through right-brain visual imagery in pictures, we gain direct access to the unvarnished truth of our heart's true desires. Then we verbalize our insights and our creative process. (Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 41.)

Focus Phrase Affirmation Card: I live my own safe and beautiful place.

Why do we need to put a Creative Self first?
We need to remember that our creative self (or divine spark) communicates with the creator through our soul. We receive our heart's desire from this divine source and that same source brings about the manifestation of our heart's desire. We become a channel for divine grace.
The creative symbol is very important. It puts us in touch with the spiritual dimensions of Visioning®. It reminds us that what we do and what we have are simply the means for arriving at a state of being, not doing. What we really seek is an inner experience, not an external acquisition. The creative self symbol keeps us focused on our soul needs. For if we get off the rack, we're likely to be headed for disappointment. We may get what we want, but feel empty when we finally possess it. That's because we were going for the thing, and not the experience. People who do this end up asking the question, “Is that all there is? I achieved my goals, but I'm still unhappy. I'm depressed all the time (or tired or sick or my relationships don't work.) What happened?” Contemplating the creative self logo at the center of your collage reconnects you with your own heart and with the source of all abundance and fulfillment. (Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 55.)

Will a collage still work without a focus phrase?
It might, but how do you know you reached your goal? It's important to have the courage to ask for what we want, in no uncertain terms. Many people are not bold enough to ask for their heart's desire because they don't think they deserve to get it. Cultivating a sense of deserving is part of Visioning® and needs to be honored. I use the metaphor of going to a restaurant and ordering what you want. If you don't ask, the server cannot fill your order. The universe works in the same way. After ordering, we don't go into the kitchen and fuss about how the chef is preparing the food. We trust that we will receive what we ordered. That's also part of the Visioning® process. Trust that if you can dream it, it will happen.

Focus Phrase Affirmation Card: It is safe to be me.

I can't seem to get a focus phrase I'd just like to go through the magazines and see where they lead me. Is this okay?

This can work. Another thing to do if you don't have a focus phrase is ask to be shown what your soul wants for you at this time. Or the focus phrase can be, “What is my heart's true desire at this time?" Then let the selection of images and words answer the question. It takes the left brain and old, stale beliefs out of it and allows possibility thinking.

Having your dreams come true brings a new kind of freedom and fulfillment. It also brings new responsibilities. There will be surprises when you realize your true desires. From each risk you take, you become stronger and learn more about yourself. From every encounter with your creative conscience, you learn more about who you could be. If you dare to dream and act on your dreams, you have everything to gain: your true creative self. (Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 61.)

Lucia will be answering more questions again next month. 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

Visioning Choices

Dorothy Segovia is a certified Visioning® Coach, writer and singer/songwriter/performer.

www.writeinside.com

This collage was created during the final week of my Visioning® Coach certification in 2008. The theme was how was my vision work going to manifest in the world. As I was working on the collage, I distinctly had an intuition to start a magazine. A magazine??? The idea took hold for less than a minute when I suddenly got a headache. Just then Lucia, who was facilitating our collage workshop, said, “Remember, if you get headaches, stomaches, while working on your collage that means your critic is afoot.”

It's been four years and a book I'd been writing evolved first into a magazine, but then expanded into a series. The first book in the series about a car accident entitled “My Body, My Car,” is being finalized. Each book combines my experience with the Creative Journal and Visioning® processes with a music CD.

My favorite aspect of collage work is seeing the manifestation – even if it is many years later. I was pet-sitting for friends last month when the image in the bottom-left corner came true. My friends have a gorgeous red-haired, teenage daughter. The room I was sleeping in had a a round holder with scissors standing up in each of the many sections. The lake in the background represents Atascadero Lake, which was the town I stayed before and after the house-sit. And one of the animals in the house was a dog similar to the one in the photo.Having these images manifest was hugely comforting. The manifestation showed me that I was still on track. It told me that I can't possibly miss my calling. Even if I am in wandering mode, yet again, I can wander and feel safe.

I need to tell you that the original collage frightened me. It was a 2-sided, pages-added-on, mass of choices. Some images of the men scared me at the time, yet that story unfolded in the form of a musical I wrote, which is the next project in the cue. Collaging has always taken on a life of it's own. I generally collage a feeling of what I want—expansiveness, safety, knowing I am blessed—rather than tangible goals. I think it may have to do with fear of making decisions. Maybe I'm afraid of asking for what I want.
Even if that is the case, Visioning works. I have created affirmation postcards, 81/2 by 11 collages and sparse, large-scale vision boards. I cannot imagine life without my vision boards. I'm excited to find out where my next collage manifestation finds me.

Living A Creative Prosperous Life

by Guest Blogger Dorothy Segovia

Dorothy is graduated from the Creative Journal Expressive Arts program in 2004 obtained her Visioning ® certification in 2007. She teaches workshops at the California Conservation Corp. Her public workshops focus on Voice Dialogue, dream work and movement. She is currently producing her musical Fire! and completing a music CD.
She can be contacted at (805) 259-5727 or http://www.writeinside.com/.

I was excited to attend Lucia’s October 2010 Visioning® workshop because it was time for a new vision. Typically, my focus phrases have to do with how I want to feel, more than a specific manifestation.

My focus phrase was I am Living A Creative, Prosperous Life of Love & Joy.

I spent time working with the collage journaling with the images and doing movement. Putting my body in the position of ‘being’ an image and allowing my self to move around the room reveals spaces where energy is blocked. Breathing into the movement or gently holding the position opens me to a new level of awareness. It’s a very subtle, yet valuable part of my collage work.

My favorite image is the Creative Self in the center of the collage. Asking the 4 basic creative journaling questions yielded the following insights:

“I am Download Dorothy. I am grateful to see you realizing that I live on the breath because the breath is in & out, out & in until death. You can’t lose me or use me up. Be happy.”

Because I’m used to a constant flow of new ideas, I tend to get bogged down. It’s easy for me to start things but sometimes hard for me to finish. I like the fact that in the above right of the collage are products of my creativity. This has helped me focus on what projects need to be completed.
The most surprising manifestation so far was the Money Covered Apple on the left. This manifested about a month after the workshop. I was helping a friend move and decided to be responsible for her electronics: a DVD player and laptop. When we got to her new place I asked her where she wanted me to put the items. She looked at the laptop and said she had upgraded to a new computer and did I want to keep it?

Of course I said yes. An Apple ibook with a program called Garage Band was just what I needed. Now I can do the preliminary recordings of the last song for my CD.

Creative journaling gave me the Apple instructions:

Reach out and pluck the fruit that is yours for the allowing.

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).