I'm a hypophantasic and basically a non-verbal thinker. I'd always considered myself a "visual thinker"... until I watch a video clip about "aphantasia". Then I switch the term... that I'm an "abstract thinker", no more "visual". More at my post: https://aphantasia.com/discussion-question/thinking-visual-vs-abstract-vs-verbal-vs-logic-vs-connective-vs-kinesthetic-etc/
Deeply in touch with yours! You've been using your hyperphantasia to *escape* the harsh reality around you. Now you've grown up, though very young (as my daughter), it's time for you to learn how to *confront* with your (psycho) trauma, then to transform it into your strength. You may easily enter the trance state of hypnosis/meditation, so let's give them a try. > I’m kind of wishing I could spend all time in there… just chilling and watching movies in my head. Don't stop there! You've been there for decades. Now's the time for you to bring them out so that the whole world can know about you and yours. Be an artist, an activist, or do anything to step out, bring them out. God's brought you an internal paradise for you to grow up in secure, not for you to be pessimistic! You cannot hide there forever. Sooner or later, you must face the problems from which you've hidden. So, let's learn to face them from now. Do you know Kim Noble? I don't mean you have DID, but she's a very motivative example of how one can transform ones trauma into such a useful thing like art. Eg. "The Artist with Multiple Personalities": https://youtu.be/u8Oh1L1aN8M?t=147
There are various conductive techniques for various types of people. The key point is that a technique is suitable for a person only if it matches his/her dominate sensory mode & primary learning/thinking style. Guided meditation or hypnosis induction with visual suggestions are popular because the most common dominate sensory modes are visual and verbal. But for hypophantasic & non-verbal thinkers like me, they are total useless. Some examples: - My dominate is kinesthetic, so instead, I start with letting my body move freely, focus on it, then sit down and let it move freely in the mind... then I can "fly" wherever I want :) Other options are dancing, flow yoga, tai chi (taijiquan), etc.- People with audio dominated can listen to meditation music, or binaural beats, singing bowls, nature sounds, etc.- People with both audio and verbal dominated can do chanting, vocal yoga, etc. However, whenever possible, eg. after getting used to meditation, you should go the direct path: Focus on the here-now, the present moment. You can find everything’s there, from the normal things like your body, your breath, your heartbeats, your thoughts,… to the miraculous things like unconditional love, everything’s connectedness, etc. 😉
Your must find your dominate sensory mode first. Eg. for phatasic people it's usually "visual", for me it's "kinesthetic". Then you can find some media matching your mode to guide your meditation (if lucky). Or better, you should go the direct path: Focus on the here-now, the present moment. You can find everything's there, from the normal things like your body, your breath, your heartbeats, your thoughts,... to the miraculous things like unconditional love, everything's connectedness, etc. ;)
Thank you a lot for reminding me of the the multi-sensory! I can hypnotize others but almost cannot be hypnotized. Next time I'll try hypnotizing myself with sensory suggestions other than visual.
I've never considered my lack of pictorial mental image a disadvantage, simply because I don't compare with others! From a child I was so different that I hate to compare! It's just a all trade off, not disadvantage. Muli-sensory: I'm good at kinesthetic (tactile, movement), connective & abstract thinking. I'm bad at verbal but good at musical thinking! :D See more at my post: Thinking: Visual vs Abstract vs Verbal vs Logic vs Connective vs Kinesthetic etc.
> does anyone else have different or similar ways they remember or imagine? Me too exactly! > When I close my eyes I see nothing Actually I see a black screen :D > if someone asked me to do the same with a random object or person (like a pink rhino) I can’t. You're not easily suggestable, just like me. Maybe you're good at suggesting others, because I relate you to my case who can hypnotize ;) See more here: Thinking: Visual vs Abstract vs Verbal vs Logic vs Connective vs Kinesthetic etc.
I do have monologue inside with a "voiceless voice" :D "Voiceless" because it's very much different from the actual voice outside (of mine or of others). But it's still a "voice" because I can raise it, stress it, sing with it. I'm basically a non-verbal thinker. I don't usually think in language, just like to "see" with my mental eye, though not very much pictorial. I cannot recall voices (of my wife, my mom, my dad, my bro...), but I can remember and create music well. You can read more at my post: Thinking: Visual vs Abstract vs Verbal vs Logic vs Connective vs Kinesthetic etc.
It's weird/complicated with mine: Most of my thoughts, esp. deep thoughts are in "visual form", or at least non-verbal form. But those visuals are very abstract. I can refine them into shapes, details, a little color, but the total "resolution" of my mental screen is so low that if I focus to one detail I must zoom in and discard the overall shape. It's a trade of for my multi-dimentional & connection visualization. I cannot recall (human) voice, but I'm good at music. I can not only remember music but also create music in my mind (to write songs).
Great! Just so great to be!
I've got surprised so much after watching a Youtube clip about "aphatasia", because I've always considered myself a **visual thinker**. Most of my thoughts are in "visual" form, or at least non-verbal form. I can imagine any shape, 2D, 3D, even 4D, not only in static but usually in dynamic state, let them move, transform, etc. But as I close my eyes, I see nothing but a black screen! It's much harder for me to imagine things eyes closed than when eyes open. If I try a lot (when eyes close)... I can imagine some simple things but very flickering.