A Vision Boarding Rescue

A couple weeks ago, I was flipping through stacks of magazines for  pictures and phrases intended to call forth my vision for 2012 when I was struck with an “a-ha!”.

There I was, tearing expressions like, “Begin an enduring love,” “Intelligent Design,” and, “The art of living the difference,” off ads for beauty products, clothing, and jewelry when I found myself wondering: Was vision boarding actually a process of rescuing my true desires?

The process of vision boarding is like taking our desires back from their misplacement in media messaging.  No, the stand up vacuum will not bring eternal peace, nor will the anti-aging cream liberate us or the miniskirt help us find real love.

We’ve somehow collapsed our real desires with products and perceived “perfection” that will never give us the peace, prosperity, love, or liberation they promise.  Each phrase and image I added to my vision became one rescued from the pages of advertising, impossibly perfect bodies, and unnatural ideals.

I was gladdened to remove the bright and uplifting messages of my favorite O Magazine from their left hand placement to the right hand’s advertisement for depression or anxiety meds.  While supposedly separate, we read them just the same.

As I become more and more aware of the messages I receive, I notice an increased sensitivity.  I can feel a fashion or fitness mag at work on my inner “not-good-enough” even when I’m extracting inspiring messages from their pages.

Yes, if I had it my way, I would always vision with National Geographics.  They’re my fav, and I also find that my deeper visions come through with those amazing pics.  I mean, our desires are sometimes as breathtaking as a sweeping snow covered mountain range, piercing stare, or wildlife at play…if we so let ourselves experience them.

One day, perhaps, I’ll be able to access my own desires and see them clearly without processes like vision boarding.  I’ve consumed a lot of messages in my life about who I should be.  I once stuffed those desires down so deep I lost my connection to them.  So if, for now, I use a vision board to till my heart, so be it.  And if in doing so, I am intercepting these desires from the products that attempt their association, all the better.

Happy visioning, friends.  2012 has all the best yet to come!