Experiencing Virtual Reality
WOW!!! I probably caught your attention with that Subject. Calm down. I'm talking about the value of imagining experiences and using your remembrances of them to expand your inner strength and to exercise your mind. I read a book about this about 28 years ago before the term "Virtual" was even known in Sports therapy. The book was written by some research physical therapists and some counselors who did studies and found that peoples' brains couldn't tell the difference between real experiences and imagined ones on an elemental level. They proffered the now common method of Imagining yourself doing something--Visualizing it--or living in the virtual image--as part of either training procedures or mental health planning.
For example, a coach may tell a lineman to imagine his opponent coming at him. The more that the lineman can picture the situation, the more he can imagine handling that situation. Or, if we can imagine ourselves in various situations where tempting food is present, we can learn how to handle those situations without just suddenly being thrown into the lion's den ( so to speak).
If you know that yo are going out to a party this weekend, for example, you can spend some time virtually experiencing how you can handle the situation and how you will feel. If you take a moment to reflect on this, you will note that we often do this in a negative fashion when we fear going out to a social function. The researchers and therapists found out that your "virtual" experience grows by the amount of detail you are able to put into it.
For example, if you "see" yourself going to a party without any details, then your image will be weak and your virtual "experience will also be weak. However, as you add details to your image, you will increase the strength of your Virtual experiences.
We do this all of the time as we dream of being successful in a romantic situation or if we imagine presenting a proposal at work. Our mind can use that Virtual experience as if we had the real experience. Practice the Virtual imaging and you will have stronger virtual experiences which will eventually translate into your being able to handle harder real situations.
I had totally forgotten about these techniques until I saw news reports of how they were using them in physical re-hab and for training athletes. Remember to put as much detail as you can into these images. And, practice having them. I can say more, but I'll stop now and join in our discussions later. bob
For example, a coach may tell a lineman to imagine his opponent coming at him. The more that the lineman can picture the situation, the more he can imagine handling that situation. Or, if we can imagine ourselves in various situations where tempting food is present, we can learn how to handle those situations without just suddenly being thrown into the lion's den ( so to speak).
If you know that yo are going out to a party this weekend, for example, you can spend some time virtually experiencing how you can handle the situation and how you will feel. If you take a moment to reflect on this, you will note that we often do this in a negative fashion when we fear going out to a social function. The researchers and therapists found out that your "virtual" experience grows by the amount of detail you are able to put into it.
For example, if you "see" yourself going to a party without any details, then your image will be weak and your virtual "experience will also be weak. However, as you add details to your image, you will increase the strength of your Virtual experiences.
We do this all of the time as we dream of being successful in a romantic situation or if we imagine presenting a proposal at work. Our mind can use that Virtual experience as if we had the real experience. Practice the Virtual imaging and you will have stronger virtual experiences which will eventually translate into your being able to handle harder real situations.
I had totally forgotten about these techniques until I saw news reports of how they were using them in physical re-hab and for training athletes. Remember to put as much detail as you can into these images. And, practice having them. I can say more, but I'll stop now and join in our discussions later. bob
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