Beginning Visual Imposition (first draft)

--- Beginning Visual Imposition ---

 

This guide details a method for getting started with visual imposition, specifically the process of  hallucinating your tulpa in your peripheral vision.

 

Before attempting this, your tulpa should be sentient, able to speak to you using their mindvoice.  Their form should be fully visualized, and you should be well-practiced in open-eye visualization.  They should also be able to access your memories and have a decent amount of practice in retrieving them (why this is necessary will be explained later).

 

Many tulpamancers have experienced a lack of results when starting out with visual imposition.  They imagine their tulpa around them constantly for weeks on end and never catch a glimpse of their form.  While extremely frustrating, this is mostly because we as human beings rely on our eyesight more than any other sense. Tricking our eyes into seeing the imaginary is notoriously difficult, but at the same time it isn't impossible.  You just need to find the fuzzy, gray area between your perceptions and imagination.

 

But before we can trick the eye, we must first understand how it works.  Our eyesight is divided into two main components: central vision (also known as foveal vision) and peripheral vision.  Our central vision occupies a small circle in the middle of the retina and is used for discerning fine details and color.  For example, you use your central vision when reading these words, and for when you need to see if a strawberry is ripe enough to eat.

 

Our peripheral vision, on the other hand, is mainly used to see movement and recognize familiar shapes.  We also have better night vision in our periphery than we do in our central vision, meaning that you can see objects in the dark better when you don't look directly at them.  However, our peripheral vision does not receive information about colors or fine details.  This data is collected by our central vision and then stored in our memory.  Our brain then automatically uses these memories to fill in the blanks in our peripheral vision, allowing us to “see” color and detail when they aren't actually being directly perceived.

 

The basic idea behind this technique is to allow your tulpa to access the memory of what is happening in your peripheral vision and edit it in real time.  Think of it like editing a live television broadcast on the fly before it reaches the viewers at home.

 

Before getting started with this,  I would first like you and your tulpa to practice recalling the visual details of memories.  Ask your tulpa to search your memories for an enjoyable image, like the last time you saw a fireworks show or a sunset over a lake.  Once they get a lock on it, have them send a snapshot image of the memory to you like they would a mindvoice thought.  If done correctly, you should receive a vision of the memory in your mind's eye, just like you would if you were daydreaming about it.  It doesn't matter if all of the details are in place as long as it can be done reliably.  Keep repeating this exercise until your tulpa is confident in their abilities to do so.

 

Now I want you to go to a quiet, darkened room and settle in to your usual tulpaforcing routine.  The room should be bright enough that you can see your hand in front of your face, but dark enough that you can't pick out the colors of objects around you.  You may listen to tones or static noise while you do this as long as they aren't distracting to you.

 

Once you are settled and in a state of deep concentration, lift one of your hands and position it in the very edge of your peripheral vision.  Your arm may wobble a little bit, but try to keep it as steady as possible.  Keep it there for a good thirty seconds, and make sure to stare straight ahead the entire time while focusing on its shape.  Next, slowly move your hand out of your peripheral vision and wait another thirty seconds.  Once this is done, bring it slowly back and repeat the process.

 

As you are doing this, have your tulpa focus on finding the memory of your hand's shape in your peripheral vision.  They should be able to access them the same way they did for the memories in the previous exercise, but since they are more immediate they will be harder to locate.  This will take a while to get right, but will allow them to trace the path of your brain's visual process.  Have patience, trust your tulpa and encourage them in their efforts.

 

Once your tulpa is able to access these immediate memories, have them attempt to alter the image of your hand remains in your vision.  Things to try are making it seem lighter or darker (changing color) or expanding/shrinking the outline (changing shape).  The goal is to meld the modified memories with your immediate perceptions, and in doing so combine the imagined with the real.  In order to do this you must adopt the belief that your tulpa *can* and *will* affect your perceptions.  Your tulpa will do most of the work, you just have to trust in them and believe that it is possible.

 

If done correctly, the vague blur of your hand should change in some manner, even if it is just for a brief moment.  It might also seem like your hand is turning, moving or tilting, which is a good sign that it is working.  After some practice the changes the tulpa makes should be able to stick around for a while.  Take note that moving your eyes will probably make the effect dissipate, so you'll need to keep staring straight ahead the entire time though this process.

 

Once you have reached this point, congratulations!  You have taken the first step towards visual imposition.  Now you and your tulpa must build upon what you've accomplished by working towards bringing their entire form into your peripheral vision.   Have them work on imposing the shape of your hand when it isn't there, and expanding on the imposed shape to match the contours of their form.  As you work on refining the shape of the hallucination, you will eventually be able to make it appear as a silhouette of your tulpa's form.  At first this will be very faint and blurry, seeming almost transparent, but with time and practice it will eventually become opaque.

 

In order to bring their form into your vision, your tulpa will need to visualize *themselves* within your environment, and then impose the memory containing their visualized form over your perceptions.  This process works essentially the same as it did before, by melding a visual memory with your perceived environment, but since your tulpa's form is most likely a lot more complicated than the shape of your hand it will be a bit of a challenge.  However, like all things with the tulpamancy, it is a goal made achievable through constant practice and dedication.

 

Your tulpa will most likely need to do a lot of experimentation before you are able to see their fully visualized form in your peripheral vision.  Encourage them to work on it as much as they are able, and praise their accomplishments with plenty of love and attention.  However, keep in mind that random shapes and colors might pop into your vision when you aren't expecting them.  Make sure your tulpa knows that it's inappropriate to work on this when you have a task that requires your full attention, such as driving a car or bicycling.

 

Once you have mastered viewing their form in your peripheral vision, you can slowly move them closer and closer into the center of your vision.  With hard work and persistence, you will eventually be able to see them in your central vision with accurate colors and full detail.  At this point you will be done with imposition, and have a fully realized visual hallucination of your tulpa.

 

Regardless of the sneaky tricks employed, the stage of imposition will most likely take the longest time out of all the steps in your tulpa's development.  It is a long, difficult road that must be traveled at a  steady pace, but the end results will be more fulfilling and enjoyable than you can possibly dream.

 

I wish you and your tulpa the best of luck in your endeavors.  Stay vigilant and force often!