I can't visualize (aphantasia). Please help

[Thewizardking]

I have aphantasia, meaning I can't visualize the slightest. I've had experiences with psychedelics where I'm able to visualize slightly but it tends to go away the second I realize I'm visualizing. There are so many good exercises and meditations that work around visualizing that I'm missing out on. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do? Should I just do the exercises/meditations to my best ability? If for example the meditation tells me to picture myself being in a forest I can still pretend that I'm in a forest, I just don't see anything. My mind will instead say "there are trees surrounding you, moss on the ground, everything is mostly green and brown, etc". Would this be enough? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks 

[Kksd74628]

@Thewizardking

I would say that this is benefical, because when you use psychedelics you really do not want anything "excess".

Also why won't you just learn to be in moment with some beautiful music, because after all when you learn to enjoy present moment you have won the game so to speak.

As I told someone in this forum that name of the game is not that who thinks most vividly, but who does not at all. Point of those guided meditation sessions are just to forget your body, but you can do that just quieting your mind and concentrating to something else.

[Wilhelm44]

Visualization is not a necessity. Simply focus on what you are feeling or your sense of inner knowing. 

[OBEler]

@Thewizardking how Do you masturbate if you think of a girl? Just by words in your head? 

I can vizualize her fully naked and can interact with her.almost like watching real porn but visualization is more background I dont See with my eyes these visualizations in Front of me like I would on psychedelics (or like watching a porn Video) 

[Gregory1]

Well I'm not that good in vizualization either. Spiritual work has nothing to do with vizualization. Find techniques that suit your strengths.

[Gianna]

17 hours ago, Wilhelm44 said:

Visualization is not a necessity. Simply focus on what you are feeling or your sense of inner knowing. 

Yes! I agree. Instead of visualizing you can just feel the ‘visualized’ experience in your body. What would that experience feel like? How would it translate in your body? And then go from there. 

[Ulax]

@Thewizardking I reckon you probably have trauma, and its that trauma which is preventing your visualisation.

Also, there's a good subreddit for aphantasia 

[Wilhelm44]

3 hours ago, Gianna said:

Yes! I agree. Instead of visualizing you can just feel the ‘visualized’ experience in your body. What would that experience feel like? How would it translate in your body? And then go from there. 

Exactly.

[Thewizardking]

@OBEler I can't do that. Would never masturbate without porn.

[Thewizardking]

3 hours ago, Ulax said:

@Thewizardking I reckon you probably have trauma, and its that trauma which is preventing your visualisation.

Also, there's a good subreddit for aphantasia 

What makes you think it has something to do with trauma? 

[Gregory1]

17 minutes ago, Thewizardking said:

What makes you think it has something to do with trauma? 

It is not trauma. It is neurological difference between different people.

[OBEler]

@Thewizardking woooah unbelievable. 

I hope you can vizualize one day

 

[Fearless_Bum]

The purpose of visualization is the feeling that is aroused from the vision. 

So what you're really looking for is to feel the passion/Joy. 

There are several activities that help put you in that feeling. Visualization is just one of them.