Blind Faith and Meditation

An excerpt from the book, There Are Only 7 Ways to Meditate : Make Your Meditation Amazing

Within the framework presented within the book, I call the mind-technology Visualisation or Imagination (VI).

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Visualisation or Imagination (VI) style meditations are among the most prolific. People love visualisation, don’t they? You can add a VI at the beginning; either before or after the relaxation. You can add a VI at the end. Or use VI throughout your meditation.

There are a few things I’d like to mention so you feel more comfortable with visualisations.

Blind Faith and Visualisation or Imagination (VI)

“Dispensing With Dis-belief.” That’s my new mantra. Ha ha ha.

~ Q.C. Ellis

I remember when I first visited a Buddhist centre. When it was time to meditate, I became rigid in fear of being hypnotised into believing their philosophy. I’m not into having blind faith.

Eventually, I could relax because there was not much I didn’t already believe. Where the imagery was obscure, they could explain the reasons for them to my satisfaction.

An issue with visualisations I come across is the person who is rational and, like me, doesn’t want to engage in blind faith. This is how to approach visualisations if you too have this ideal.

When you watch a sci-fi movie, do you engage your rational mind and dismiss everything that isn’t ‘real’? Of course not. You suspend disbelief so you can be entertained.

It is the same with meditation. You suspend disbelief while meditating to give your intuitive mind the space to do its thing.

Ask any psychologist and they will tell you, your mind is extremely powerful. Your mind loves stories and can use them as metaphors to heal the past. You may have noticed how some stories can really touch your emotions.

When watching a movie, does suspending disbelief – and having an emotional reaction to the fake (sometimes bizarre) scenes – make you believe in anything that is not real? Never!

It is the same when you are meditating. By allowing your imagination to create narratives with imaginary scenes and beings, you are giving your intuitive mind the food (metaphors, analogies, and parables) it needs to heal the parts your conscious mind cannot reach. It is as if your deeper mind says, “YES! A chance to do healing work.”

The intuitive part of your mind can use whatever imagery you give it to do that work. Your rational, conscious mind has nothing that can help in this process. Except get out of the way.

Visualisation or Imagination (VI) is not asking for blind faith. By suspending disbelief during guided VI, you are allowing your mind to do its most profound work. You are not opening yourself up to believing something your conscious mind would reject.

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