Question
No energy can come from visualizations as an antidote to despair. Just another dream. Joriki comes from zazen, with or without lotus.
Before brushing his teeth, ask him to sit his despair down for five minutes; the Muse will take care of the rest.
Aldo
Answer from Master Kosen
It is not at all an antidote to despair, but an antidote to habitual passivity and nihilism. Shiki soku ze ku is a fact, but ku soku ze shiki is important too. Visualizations and what we call reality are perceived by the brain in the same way.
When an image or idea becomes clear enough, it makes you feel an emotion. This emotion is “creative energy” that will manifest in the real, material world. That is exactly the principle of Buddhist vows.
Kosen