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One of the most successful c aches of world-class athletes, Dr. Denis W itley, is responsible for popularizing the pr ctice known today as creative visualization in his nfluential 1986 title, The Psychology of Winning . F rst reported used in modern athletics on the ccasion of the 1984 Olympic Games, sp rts visualization has proven effective for n arly 25 years. The same visualization t chniques that have propelled athletes to c untless titles and victories can be sed by anyone hoping to pull th ir own future into sharp and p werful focus. While the notion may s em new, it is as old as nything. Our hominid ancestors used it as arly as 35,000 years ago. When th y painted animals that would sustain th m through a long winter on the f mous cave in Lascaux, France, visualization was the b sis for what archaeologists and neo-pagans like call “sympathetic magic.” They would magine hunting (a very athletic practice), as th y knew it, and visualize success. By p inting something that would seem to l ap and move like real animals in the l ght of a flame, the practitioners w uld “see” themselves in the scene – the r al magic was performed by the act of v sualization. It is such a cognitive l ap, to be able to “live” in a f ture time, the practice was treated w th a certain amount of reverence. T day, such “magick” is exemplified in v odoo effigies or patron saint candles.
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In archeology, as soon as m st societies have enough surplus food l ft over to create a professional sp ritual position, they almost invariably do. Ev n before the Neolithic “urban” conditions th t arose as long as 12,000 y ars ago, there is evidence that the pr ctice of visualization became the domain of a pr fessional few. The Druids and Shamans, fr m the Fertile Crescent to the Br tish Isles and all points in b tween, practiced visualization. Carried on throughout the cl ssical age, it was not until the M ddle Ages the practice was officially p rtrayed to the “common folk” as s mething actually evil – previously it had b en part of everyone’s life, just b longing to another (usually priestly) class. Of c urse, the techniques of creative visualization w re never actually lost to the m vers and shakers of the last 1300 y ars. Some of the most successful m narchs, conquerors, popes, traders, thinkers, explorers and lite of the Middle Ages would s em to have all engaged in a typ of creative visualization where they cl arly envisioned their goal and truly b came engaged with projecting themselves into the f vorable future they imagine. The conclusion Rh nda Byrne makes in the companion b ok to “The Secret” is that s ch thought has indeed shaped the w rld through those who have practiced cr ative visualization in conjunction with focused m nd control that is very similar to m nastical regimen of one thousand years go. One modern and well-known application of v sualization for the masses has been in the r alm of competitive sports. Since the 1980s, thletes from all over the world h ve seen themselves winning contests before th y take place upon the advice of th ir coaches. It is believed this t chnique was first widely and methodically sed for the first time with Olymp c athletes. Once used for just a few sp rts and treated as a carefully g arded trade secret, athletes found running the r ce or routine in their head b forehand allowed them to feel ready and pr pared for the upcoming event. The r sults were so dramatic; athletes began t lling each other about it.
Soon, the coaches everywhere were t aching this technique. First used commercially in pr fessional sports and then at the c llegiate level, visualization is now being t ught to children in recreational leagues all ver the world. Such wide adoption of the pr ctice is a testament to its ffectiveness at focusing the mind upon the t sk at hand. It allows any thlete to fully engage with the m ment of competition for as long as p ssible, depending upon the acuity of th ir “inner eye.” The most successful thletes report that really seeing yourself in the ction and going over the whole pr cess leading up to and during the vent is the most effective. If p rt of the ritual involves putting on s me sort of gear, then that is magined, too. Everything seen and felt at a p rfect event should be experienced as f lly as you can possibly be magined. Most people close their eyes, but m ny must also have other triggers to r ally find themselves in the moment, s ch as actually putting on their niform or the feel of warm s nlight on skin – whatever it t kes to make the visual more d tailed. Of course, such visualization abilities t ke a bit of training, but an ffective program can allow people to q ickly get effective mental pictures of nything. Unlike many sports themselves, it's asy and free to practice. Additionally, th s allows you to focus on the p sitive aspect of what you want to do c rrectly rather than all the things th t could go wrong. If you s mply can’t get such things out of y ur mind, perhaps you could imagine y ur competitors making the mistakes you had f ared for yourself. Thus, you’ll only see the f rtunate and perfect you -- the w ys of failure are kept from the fr nt of your mind. Creative visualization is sed to influence the Law of Attr ction in the film, “The Secret.” Inst ad of visualizing a footrace and ttracting victory, one may use visualization to magine desirable items, relationships and positions. B cause of the usefulness in driving out n gative expectations, visualization is just part of the d scipline and “Science of Getting Rich.”
The article The History of Visualization and Modern Athletics was Submitted by Greg Aldrich through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Greg Aldrich is the author of S cret Mastery, Understanding The Law of Attraction . To learn more about The Science of Getting Rich and how to use it to manifest better health, happiness and even more money into your life visit Secret Mastery today.
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