What is vision development?
Vision development is about the creative area of tension between the Now and the Future; between the image you have of yourself Now and the image of what and who you want to be in the Future.
It concerns experiencing, clarifying and deepening what these messages reveal to you. This is a continuous and dynamic consciousness process.
Vision is about perception, the inner observation of a thought process, an impression, a symbol or an insight. It is a representation, an expression of longing and knowing. We use relaxation, visualisation and creativity to achieve this. Because of this, capacities other than logical thinking are addressed in our psyche, such as intuition, feeling and seeing images that are also shaped. The rational is involved again at a later stage.
You can use vision development as access to explore the transition you are in and deepen and support this. This applies to individuals as well as (love) relationships, groups, teams, companies, communities, etc.
Vision and vision development cover a spectrum, an area between two poles: a spiritual knowledge that is linked to deep layers of the soul and destiny in life (such as, e.g. in Vision Quest) on the one hand, and an opinion or a logical step-by-step plan on the other. There are many levels in between. The same kind of approach as that of the Aware Ego Process enables working with all ‘shades’ of the spectrum between the poles.
Vision development involves an Aware Ego
It is possible that the vision comes from and is coloured by one or several subpersonalities (such as the innovator, the visionary or the magical child). These then dominate the process so vulnerability (e.g. the need for safety) and a disowned area (in this example, possibly the conservative side) become underexposed. As the facilitator, you remain alert to the polarities in question. They are embodied in the images and symbols and they play a part in the process. It is also important to work with the vulnerability that can lie in and under both poles of this polarity, so there is enough contact with this and safety can be provided.
The Aware Ego Process as part of working with vision and vision development enables making choices and entering new areas departing from strength. Experimentation is possible through a ‘growing edge’ and the vision of the future can take shape and be lived.
Exercise 12.1 Vision development?
This exercise is intended to develop and embed your personal vision. The facilitator generally follows the steps mentioned below which can be divided into different parts.
part 1:
- Lie down or sit in a relaxed position. Relax.
- Follow the facilitator’s words. If you feel you are drifting off, reconnect when you can.
- Feel you body, come home to yourself.
- Close your eyes and concentrate on yourself.
- Relax in your own way. Let thoughts come and go.
- Is there a part of the body that now requires special attention? Give it from the inside.
- Open yourself up to a symbol or image of who you are now with everything going on in your life
right now, with the knowing and not knowing. Let this image unfold with colours and details. Zoom in a little… - What is the image/symbol of who you are now? Note sound, feeling, taste, smell and image.
Use all your senses to let this image sink in. - Keep this image in your mind and trust that you can evoke it later on.
- Again feel your body, your breathing and heart rate.
- Open yourself from your inner knowing or longing for an image of who you are or what you have achieved in five year’s time.
- What can you feel, taste, see, hear or smell? In which form and colour does the image appear? How does it feel? Let it in.
- Use all your senses to let this image sink in.
- Keep this image in your mind and trust that you can evoke it later on.
Part 2:
- When you are ready for it, take two sheets of paper. On one you draw/sketch the image/symbol of now,
on the other the image/symbol of in five year’s time. Do this in silence. - Find a place to put your down the two drawings. Make sure there is enough space,
so you can walk around your drawings, but can also take a step back. - Go to the drawings and experience/feel. Which energy can you feel? How far are the drawings from each other?
Experience and make contact with the images. - Stand on the drawing of ‘now’. Close your eyes, feel the energy of your image.
Let these emotions flow through your body. - How is this affecting you, your emotions, which influence does it have on your thinking?
- If you are in full contact with the ‘now’, switch to the ‘future’ drawing.
- How does this feel? Breathe it in. Close your eyes, feel the energy of your image.
Let this energy flow through your body. - How is this affecting you, your emotions, which influence does it have on your thinking?
- Explore the now and the future in your own pace and your own way.
- Walk up and down. What are you experiencing?
- What is this telling you?
- Open your senses. Let it in.
- Carry on until you find a place you would like to stand now. On the ‘now’, on the ‘future’,
somewhere in between the drawings or around them. - How and where are you standing? Which direction?
- Feel whether this is the right position. You can adopt a pose that fits with this position.
- Conclude at your own pace.
The parts 3 and 4 are given in the Voice Dialogue E-learning platform for Faclitators and involves discussing this exercise with your coach or trainer.