12 Types of Meditation Series: Future Self Meditation
For thousands of years, people have been using meditation to improve mental clarity, emotional well-being, and overall happiness. Among the many different types and styles, Future Self Meditation stands out as one of the few styles that connects with a future time and an improved version of yourself. With strong roots in visualization and personal improvement, this practice can help in achieving goals, feeling optimistic about the future, and making it through tough times. In this piece, we’ll explore Future Self Meditation, its benefits, and what makes it unique.
Origins
Future Self Meditation has no single origin. Over the years, it has been influenced by psychology, ancient traditions, spirituality, and brain science. It includes visualization techniques taught in Buddhism. It resembles the “Best Possible Self” Exercise used in Positive Psychology. It also has the mental rehearsal techniques features in neuroscience and the self-improvement methods of the Law of Attraction. In short, Future Self Visualization meditation is of a hybrid origin that’s difficult to pinpoint.
Benefits
Future Self Meditation provides many benefits, including:
1. Goals become clear
This practice helps practitioners gain clarity about what they want. Everybody wants their life to get better. But, very few know the details about how they want their lives to get better. Without a clear goal, it’s much harder to find success. By imagining their future self, Future Self Meditation helps people be more specific about the exact changes they want to make in their lives.
2. More Motivation and Confidence
“Seeing” your ideal self in your mind can be very motivating and exciting. This can inspire action on the part of the practitioner. It shows that change is possible. By visualizing their future selves, practitioners are reminded about why they are working to improve themselves.
3. Less Anxiety and Fear of the Future
Instead of being afraid for the future, visualizing a better self helps one feel hopeful for the future.
4. More Emotional Resilience
Future Self Meditation helps people see challenges as temporary obstacles on the path to success. By visualizing a great future, practitioners can feel that everything is going to be ok in the end, regardless of the problems of today. This perspective fosters resilience and a growth mindset.
5. Better Decision-Making
When faced with choices, participants can use this practice to help. They can think about what their future, ideal self would do in the same situation. This can make it easier to make decisions.
6. Better Visualization
Visualization is a skill like any other. The more you do it, the better you become at doing it. By practicing visualization in Future Self Meditation, you will become better at visualizing all things.
What Makes Future Self Meditation Unique?
Here are a few elements that set it apart:
1. A lot of Visualization
Future Self Meditation is one of the few meditation styles that actively uses creative imagination. Unlike Mindfulness Meditation, which asks us to simply observe. In this practice, one is encouraged to visualize every detail of their perfect future.
2. Focus on Goals
Whereas many forms of meditation focus on accepting life as it is, Future Self Meditation focuses on changing life, for the better. This is a significant difference from most, traditional practices.
3. Positive Emotions
Not all forms of meditation actively work to create positive emotions, as Future Self Meditation does.
This practice emphasizes cultivating positive emotions, such as joy, confidence, and gratitude. These emotions reinforce motivation and make the envisioned future feel attainable.
Elements
Future Self Meditation invites participants to plan out many aspects of their ideal self, including but not limited to:
1. Appearance
How does your future self look?
What do they wear?
How is their appearance different from the current appearance?
2. Health and Fitness
How fit is your future self?
How does your future self stay healthy?
How are your future self’s health habits different from your current habits?
3. Relationships
Who are your future self’s closest connections, family, and friends?
How often does your future self socialize?
Who does your future self spend the most time with?
4. Work and Career
What kind of work does your future self do?
How is your future self’s career different from your current career?
5. Hobbies and Passions
What does your future self do for fun?
What kinds of skills does your future self have?
6. Money
How much money does your future self make and have?
What kind of lifestyle does your future self live?
7. Environment
Where does your future self live?
Imagine all of the details of your future self’s home
How is your future self’s home different from your own home?
How to Practice Future Self Meditation
Here’s a simple guideline to get started:
Get Ready
Find a quiet, comfortable place where you won’t be interrupted.
Get Quiet and Relax
Measured breathing is a great way to clear the mind at the beginning of any meditation. Simple, mindful observation of the present moment also works well to remove distractions in the mind.
Set an Intention
Decide what you want and who your future self is.
Visualize
Imagine your future self in vivid detail. How do they look? Where are they? What are they doing? How do they feel?
Engage with Your Future Self
Mentally "talk" to your future self. Ask for guidance or wisdom about the steps you need to take today.
See through your Future Self’s Eyes
Mentally move into the body of your future self to see through their eyes and feel how they would feel.
Return to the Present
Think about what you learned during the meditation session.
Take Action
Use what you learned to make a plan for how you will improve your life.
Final Thoughts
Future Self Meditation is more than fantasizing. It’s a bridge between where you are now and where you want to end up in the future. By visualizing the perfect version of yourself, you can develop a clear plan for how you want to grow and improve. This can lead to positive change. Whether you want to make more money, have more friends, or get more fit, this practice offers a unique way to connect with your highest potential.
Thank you, and the Future You, for reading.
Namaste.
Burak Uzun is an award-winning writer and a meditation teacher.
Burak Uzun also co-wrote a feature film called Team Marco, which was featured in over fifty film festivals around the globe and was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Please feel free to reach out to Burak here.
Learn more about SOCA LLC and Burak’s classes here.