Need help focusing on my mind's eye rather than my physical eyes

[TundraCoral]

Hi, I am having some trouble with visualization. The thing is, I don't think my visualization is that bad, but I am having a ton of trouble actually focusing on that visualization instead of the back of my eyelids. I am wondering if anyone has a suggestion of what I can do, like I said I don't even think my visualization is bad but I just have a lot of trouble concentrate on it. 

[Jamie]

Hello! I see you are very new (or at least your account is.) Welcome. 

 

I would try to think back and relate to visual experiences you may be more familiar with. Do you ever read a book and "imagine a movie playing in your head" or daydream an argument or conversation or encounter while you're in the shower or laying in bed? 

 

If the backs of your eyelids distract you... keep your eyes open! Visualizing while zoning out a window during your commute/bus ride/etc (while you aren't driving, of course) is a great way to spend time visualizing in your daily life. Or lay in bed and look at your wall while you visualize until you get tired and actually want to go to sleep. 

 

It will largely come with practice. Don't worry. It is more about learning to ignore your eyelids and other, external visual stimulus, than to focus on the internally produced stimulus (visualizing.) 

 

It might also help to sort of picture a stage or other sort of spatial area behind your eyes, like in your skull, and focus there. Some people struggle with visualization if they don't feel like it has a spatial location, which might be why it's hard to stop seeing the backs of your eyes- there's often a sense that you have to be looking somewhere. And if the visualization is nowhere, how can you look at it? So imagine it's right behind your eyes, and of course you can't just roll your eyes back in your head... so it just becomes an abstracted location. Let it feel like it's behind your eyeballs, deep in your head, and you're just looking inward with your attention. See if that helps too.

 

 

[TundraCoral]

On 5/7/2021 at 10:13 PM, Jamie said:

Hello! I see you are very new (or at least your account is.) Welcome. 

 

I would try to think back and relate to visual experiences you may be more familiar with. Do you ever read a book and "imagine a movie playing in your head" or daydream an argument or conversation or encounter while you're in the shower or laying in bed? 

 

If the backs of your eyelids distract you... keep your eyes open! Visualizing while zoning out a window during your commute/bus ride/etc (while you aren't driving, of course) is a great way to spend time visualizing in your daily life. Or lay in bed and look at your wall while you visualize until you get tired and actually want to go to sleep. 

 

It will largely come with practice. Don't worry. It is more about learning to ignore your eyelids and other, external visual stimulus, than to focus on the internally produced stimulus (visualizing.) 

 

It might also help to sort of picture a stage or other sort of spatial area behind your eyes, like in your skull, and focus there. Some people struggle with visualization if they don't feel like it has a spatial location, which might be why it's hard to stop seeing the backs of your eyes- there's often a sense that you have to be looking somewhere. And if the visualization is nowhere, how can you look at it? So imagine it's right behind your eyes, and of course you can't just roll your eyes back in your head... so it just becomes an abstracted location. Let it feel like it's behind your eyeballs, deep in your head, and you're just looking inward with your attention. See if that helps too.

 

 

Thank you for the suggestions! I will definitely try these. And yeah for me, I think the problem is that it's just hard visualizing on command. Whenever I zone out I think I have a really vivid experience but when I just try to do it I find it extremely hard to concentrate. Again thank you for the suggestions, I'll try some out and get back to you! 

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On 5/7/2021 at 10:13 PM, Jamie said:

Hello! I see you are very new (or at least your account is.) Welcome. 

 

I would try to think back and relate to visual experiences you may be more familiar with. Do you ever read a book and "imagine a movie playing in your head" or daydream an argument or conversation or encounter while you're in the shower or laying in bed? 

 

If the backs of your eyelids distract you... keep your eyes open! Visualizing while zoning out a window during your commute/bus ride/etc (while you aren't driving, of course) is a great way to spend time visualizing in your daily life. Or lay in bed and look at your wall while you visualize until you get tired and actually want to go to sleep. 

 

It will largely come with practice. Don't worry. It is more about learning to ignore your eyelids and other, external visual stimulus, than to focus on the internally produced stimulus (visualizing.) 

 

It might also help to sort of picture a stage or other sort of spatial area behind your eyes, like in your skull, and focus there. Some people struggle with visualization if they don't feel like it has a spatial location, which might be why it's hard to stop seeing the backs of your eyes- there's often a sense that you have to be looking somewhere. And if the visualization is nowhere, how can you look at it? So imagine it's right behind your eyes, and of course you can't just roll your eyes back in your head... so it just becomes an abstracted location. Let it feel like it's behind your eyeballs, deep in your head, and you're just looking inward with your attention. See if that helps too.

 

 

OK so I tried what you have said and I suppose it is getting better. It is still pretty hard to focus on the image itself. I think all I need is practice now....