Creative imagination is a powerful means of personal development. It can be successfully used in the development of an ideal model, concept or image of a person, providing direction and opportunities for external expression in the outside world. Developing an ideal model means creating a realistic and achievable image that clearly takes into account everything that exists in us, or allows us to replace what limits us, gives us some one-sidedness and imperfection. These internal conscious or unconscious aspects of our personality are not only different in character, origin and energy level, but are often mutually exclusive or in conflict. The purpose of this exercise is to develop an ideal model of the Self, a realistic vision of what a person can and wants to become.
To do this, we first need to identify and understand the many aspects that limit our perception of what we can become. After identifying all possible conflicts, the process of purposeful implementation of the ideal model begins.
The ideal model is not a stage in achieving perfection, a complete psychosynthesis. It is rather another step, a stage on the path of development, the purpose of which is to strengthen or give a finished form to some poorly manifested aspect of the personality, to form the desired quality or set of properties, to develop a more effective direction of activity, etc. Thus, it is a real model of inner and outer life, to which we aspire and which we can modify and enrich as our Self changes.
The exercise below is for individual use. However, it can be easily modified to work with a group. Suggestions for its use in groups and in various situations will be given at the end of the description.
Preparation:
Take a psychological diary or prepare paper (at least 7 large sheets for drawings), oil paints, colored pencils or pastels. Number the sheets of paper and then use them in order. Choose a place where no one will disturb you for an hour and a half.
Note. It is important to complete the exercise without interruption and outside interference.
Sit comfortably, relax your muscles, calm down. Clear your head of thoughts, but remain in control of what is happening. Then carefully read the following words:
1. Each of us somehow underestimates ourselves. Everyone creates a certain image or model of himself, which is much worse than what he (she) really is. Sometimes we believe that this is a genuine model.
Now close your eyes and focus on what you have read. Imagine this image. Try to see it very brightly. Pay attention to the feelings that he awakens in you. Study the image, try to penetrate it as deeply as possible. Open your eyes.
Draw what you see. Sometimes it can be an image of a person, sometimes a symbol or an abstract combination of colors. If you don’t see anything, start drawing and see what happens.
When you have finished drawing, write down all thoughts related to the image. Analyze your feelings, the meaning that you saw in the drawing, the role of the image in everyday life, or any other information related to this image.
Focus on yourself by discarding the image. Take a deep breath several times. Relax and calm down. Clear your head of thoughts, but remain in control of what is happening. Then carefully read the following statement and work with it in the same way as described above. When you have finished drawing and writing down your thoughts, move on to the next statement, and so on until you reach point 6, inclusive.
2. I also overestimate myself somewhat. The image of myself that I draw is better than I really am.
3. I secretly have another magnificent image of the person I would like to be. It is usually exaggerated and unattainable in practice and therefore sterile.
4. In addition, there is an image of how I would like to look in the eyes of other people. He is the exact opposite of how I really appear to them.
5. Images also live in me, which are a reflection of how people see me, what they think about me, that is, images-projections. Some of them I like, others I reject.
6. Finally, there is one more image. This is an image of how other people would like to see me, what they expect from me and how they want to change.
Arrange the drawings in order and carefully examine each of them. Recreate the experienced feelings in relation to each image, name them.
Stand up with your eyes closed and feel all the limitations that the images carry. Feel their weight and negative influence. Then shake them off with a movement of the body. Get rid of their heaviness, shed these false, intrusive images with an effort of will, order them to leave. Listen to yourself, to how you feel. Then open your eyes.
7. Sit down, close your eyes again, focus on yourself. Think about what you really want and really could become in reality. Create this image within yourself. Do it slowly and thoroughly. Examine the image, try to get to know it as best you can. Imagine yourself like this. Then add those traits and aspects that you think fit, and remove everything that you see as bad or useless. Open your eyes and draw an image or its symbol. Then write down everything you think about it.
The next and last step of the exercise aims to «revitalize» the image, to help oneself to make it a dynamic element in everyday life. Your future work depends on how you perceive what has been done before. This is especially true of the ideal model described in paragraph 7. Its creation could be accompanied by the emergence of deep positive emotions, insight or awareness like “yes, this is exactly what I wanted to become; I wonder why I didn’t think of this sooner.» You may also experience an inner conviction that the ideal model is what you lacked, that its implementation is a step forward in your development. This certainly does not mean that it is perfect and complete. You can always change or correct it in the future.
If the created image (model) meets your requirements, you can continue the exercise, bringing it to its logical end. If you are tired, you can take a break at this place and continue later or the next day. However, a long break usually extinguishes the positive emotions that have arisen, which may be needed to give vitality to the model.
Sometimes, when analyzing a model, you may get the feeling that although it is generally good, it is not quite what you would like. In other words, you think the model needs further improvement or change. In this case, you can work on it for 15-30 minutes over the next few days until you achieve the desired result. Along with this, there is another option: you just continue to work, not paying attention to the flaws in the model. However, you need to be careful when doing this, because now you are conducting an experiment, in the process of which you improve the model based on the experience gained.
You may have some doubts about how realistic the model is for you and whether it will be a step forward, and not just another barrier. When you feel something like this, go back to the first six steps and analyze if the created ideal model interferes with something that you had to part with in the process of working on them. If this is the case, try to discard everything that bothers you. Then focus on the model and ask yourself the question: based on what motives, assessments, goals, experience, etc. do you consider it ideal. This moment can be very important for your complete satisfaction with the model. All of the above often allows you to really identify the causes of deadlock and prepare healthy ground for creating the desired image. When you have finished reviewing, you can work out point 7 again.
If you are satisfied with the ideal model you have created, close your eyes and imagine that you are this model. Observe the face, eyes, posture, behavior, and other features inherent in the model. Spend as much time on this process as it takes to complete this task. Now merge with the model, try to feel what it means to be its carrier. Recreate mentally several everyday situations in which you behaved, demonstrating the qualities and reactions characteristic of the model.
Now open your eyes, analyze the experience and write everything down in a diary. After re-reading what has been written, decide for yourself if there is anything else that you would like to change in your model.
The eighth point of the exercise is a practical guide to action that can be applied whenever the need arises to behave according to the created model. It brings great benefits even with a single execution. Its frequent repetition (daily for some period of time) gives the best result. Classes are preferably carried out in the morning, imagining some particular situations that may arise during the day. The exercise should end with a firm decision to act at the moment of development of considered situations in real life in strict accordance with the qualities and position inherent in the ideal model.
It is time to say a few words about the need to be careful. There are times when, during practice, in some imaginary situation, you want to demonstrate a positive quality, but the sensations you experience are absolutely the opposite of what you wanted to receive. For example, a picture of a public speech during which you see yourself calm and confident suddenly becomes a cause for concern. Imagining how tolerant and even you treat a certain person, you can experience a fit of anger. This indicates the existence of a strong and deep feeling at the subconscious level. It must be extracted from the bowels of the subconscious, and all the tension associated with it is removed before further work on getting used to the ideal model begins.
The possibility of manifestation of negative properties when working on positive qualities is a clear indication that concentration on the positive (provided that a correct and balanced approach is observed) does not lead to the suppression of the negative. Rather, it helps us to get in touch with him, to try to eliminate him, using for this purpose a positive attitude as a result of realizing that the negative properties of our personality are a real obstacle to its further development.
Combining this exercise with an evening review of events, where you evaluate your behavior during the day in terms of an ideal model, gives very good results.
This exercise can be effectively used when working with a group. As for psychologists, doctors or teachers conducting classes, they must first work with this exercise themselves and only then use it in practice. This helps to gain the experience necessary to determine the timeliness of connecting the patient to work and a deeper understanding of the dynamics of ongoing processes.
It was noted that at the final stage of the work, the group should be divided into small subgroups of 3-4 people. Showing the drawings to each other and discussing the experience contributes to the formation of feedback.