Here's how you can get started with the power of vision boards

Sitting inside a large soap bubble, I floated over the Arabian Sea. Hovering with apprehension over the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, I was unable to land on a nearby island. Invisible blocks prevented me from either getting off the bubble or heading to the island. I wriggled my toes and returned to the room where alternative healing practitioner Chetna Chakravarthy was walking me through the process of visualisation.

Law of Attraction coach Karishma Ahuja's sample visualisation board with photos that represent what a person may desire

It seems counterintuitive, but the blocks (or at least recognising them) will further help in the process of getting what you want, says Chakravarthy who has been helping clients practice visualisation since 2010. The Juhu-resident adds, "Write down your blocks -- acknowledge the fears and inhibitions that make you a cynic -- so that you can tap into that space to see what can be done. Living with blocks means you are only living with that much of your potential when you are cut for more."

It's that time of the year again, when we examine the year gone by and make plans for the life to come.

But, how best to achieve it? Vision boards -- simply put, a list of everything you want from your life -- are becoming a popular method to manifest your desires. Not just does Rhonda Byrne of The Secret advise it, but The Mask actor Jim Carrey's story of a $10 million check he'd written for himself that actually delivered, should prove inspiration.

On connecting with Dr Omkar Bhatkar, professor of sociology and psychology, at St Andrew's College, Bandra, to learn more about this, he says the board blurs confusion by discarding what we don't want and focusing on what exactly we need in life. "Everyone needs a vision board, especially the modern generation, who wishes to multitask and play numerous roles at one go," he adds.

There is no limit to what you can write down, and you just need to think it's "possible", says Chakravarthy. After drawing up a list, make a written declaration that you already own the top two entries. "Don't say I want, always say I am. There is nothing the universe can't fulfill, so don't doubt it but at the same time, ask yourself if you are desiring the appropriate thing for the life you've chosen. Allow yourself to dream for the sake of dreaming -- that's when you let your desires come to the forefront."

Chase the feeling
A picture is worth a thousand words. This perhaps best explains the power of having a vision board. "The mind thinks in images, so keeping pictures in front of you helps connects you more deeply to your desires. It activates the Law of Attraction -- a powerful universal energy which starts working towards making your dreams a reality in your life," says Law of Attraction and Mind Power coach Karishma Ahuja who conducts workshops across the city on how to make your perfect vision board.

She recommends viewing your vision board daily to keep you motivated to reach your goals. "Besides, we actually start living more cheerfully since we are always expecting our desired good to come to us," says Ahuja who was first introduced to the practice in 2010.

Ahuja says the vision board should not remain stagnant. "Keep changing the pictures. Keep it evolving. The key to creating a vision board is not what you want but what you will feel when you get what you want. So if you can identify that feeling, then you will be aligned to it constantly. That way, the conscious and the subconscious mind are not in conflict and you will be able to overcome any blocks along the way," says Chakravarthy.