Visioning is a process of opening yourself up to Spirit’s highest vision for any challenge, condition or question in your life or in the life of any group or community. It’s more than just a technique, it’s a spiritual practice, it invitation to say quote yes quote to a greater and fuller experience of the one line then we may be currently experiencing. The original process of visioning was created by Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith. The intention in visioning is to reach higher than our human concept of what we think or need. In visioning, we throw ourselves open to the highest, most expansive possibility of who we are allowing what already is to speak to us and expressed through us, into the experience of our life and community.
Be patient; allow the vision to unfold and come in to form in Spirit’s time, not yours.
Visioning is best done as a spiritual practice for several days repeatedly. Avoid drifting into planning, controlling or problem-solving. You do not implement the vision; it implements itself as you embody the field, texture, and energy of. Be patient; allow the vision to unfold and come in to form in Spirit’s time, not yours. You will know when you’re done with this practice when you have a clear answer to all the questions around your challenge. Do each day as a practice within itself then let go.
You’ll need a pen, paper or any art supplies that you enjoy. For visioning set aside an hour and follow this process:
Invocation. Use prayer as a way to establish awareness of the present of spirit during the session and to recognize the divinity residing within.
Clearing. We want to come to each visioning session new! Take a few moments to write down any pre-existing ideas, plans or strategies you may have around the current challenge. Take a moment to read them and acknowledge them in them but them away. Some people like to actually throw them away, however if you will feel better about it by keeping them just put them away both literally and figuratively. We want to enter visioning with in receptive mind and heart.
Centering: Open yourself to the space of unconditional love. This can be done through chanting, listening to an inspiring music piece, or just thinking about somebody you really love. Think of a child: someone you would love regardless of what they did. You are setting a meditative receptive atmosphere to receive the inspiration spirit itself. The key is an openness and a willingness to listen, be guided and go deep into the visioning.
Ask yourself, “What is Spirit’s highest vision for…?” And then described the challenge of facing. Take a few moments to reflect and then write down without editing whatever comes to your mind. You can also draw or paint an image of it. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for this process in silence.
Ask yourself, “What must I embrace to support the highest unfolding of this vision?” Allow yourself to it quietly for a moment and then begin to write or draw the ideas or images that come to mind unedited. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for this process in silence.
Ask yourself, “What am I to release to be an open space for this vision to emerge?” Allow yourself to it quietly for a moment and then begin to write or draw the ideas or images that come to mind unedited. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for this process in silence.
Ask yourself, “Is there anything Else about this vision that is ready to be revealed in this moment?” Allow yourself to it quietly for a moment and then begin to write or draw the ideas or images that come to mind unedited. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for this process in silence.
Commit: Say “yes” in silence, give thanks and release the vision.
Journaling: take a few additional minutes for any additional words or images of what was revealed in the visioning.
Review: without analysis or judgment silently review what you’ve written.
Treatment: affirm your growth in alignment with “to become” and “to release” questions.
Benediction: a brief closing prayer.