Basic ways to perceive visions

Summary:

God can communicate through visions.

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God can communicate to people in many ways:
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Visions can be PERCEIVED in the "HEAD" (Daniel 7:1), the same way that someone may be able to visualize a picture in their head. This would come with more or less definition. The source of that vision can vary, even though the place the vision appears can be the same. 

Furthermore, visions can also be PERCEIVED when being in a "TRANCE" (Acts 10:10, Acts 22:17). This would come with more definition as the mental state of the person may be different than usual. 

You can find more details below:

Basic ways to perceive a vision:

To perceive a vision can be to be aware of the vision. To be aware of the vision, one would need to know what to expect.

1) A vision can be seen inside our head (with more or less definition):

Humans can have the ability to visualize something that they want to imagine in their head. 

When a human tries to visualize internally an apple for example, they may be able to see the color of that apple and the definition it has (the definition can vary from one individual to another, some may see it as blurry but others may see it as clearly as a photography). 

The place in their head where they visualize the image of an apple that they imagine is the place where visions can be seen. For example it is written: "Daniel SAW A VISION BY HIS HEAD upon his bed" (Daniel 7:1). 

If a vision comes from another source than ourselves (such as from God), then it can come at this same place where we are able to visualize images (just that we will not be the source of that image being cast within our head, but the place is the same). 

Not aware of inner images?

It is possible that some people are not aware of inner images. This condition can be called "Aphantasia", which is primarily defined as the inability to create mental images or visualize things in one's mind.

People without an awareness of mental images can still think or reason, they may process thoughts differently, such as through abstract concepts or feelings rather than images. 

God can also communicate in many ways.

For more information:

God can communicate to people in many ways:
Click here

2) A vision can also be seen when being in a trance (with more definition):

A vision can also be seen when being in a trance. 

For example, it is written about "Peter" (Acts 10:9) that "(a) TRANCE came upon him. And HE-SEES the heaven having-been-opened and (a) certain object like (a) large sheet coming-down" (Acts 10:10-11).

Another example, it is written about Paul that he said: "I came-to-be in (a) TRANCE and SAW Him saying (to) me, ‘Hurry, and go-out from Jerusalem quickly" (Acts 22:17-18).

The kind of vision seen in a trance may be a bit different, as the vision may be harder to differentiate from physical reality, because the state of trance puts the person in a different mental state where their faculties may be more attuned to the inner mental images.

For example, it is written about Peter that an angel came to him (in physical reality), but he thought at first that it was a vision, as "he did not know that the thing taking place by-means-of the angel was REAL, but he was thinking that he was SEEING A VISION" (Acts 12:9). Peter, who 2 chapters earlier was in a "TRANCE" (Acts 10:10), may have been already acquainted with different states of mental states, which may infer that someone in a trance may experience seeing a vision differently than if it was simply in their head, but they mental state may give more definition and focus on the mental vision when being in a trance than usual. 

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