Rediscovering Imagination

**The following is a short passage taken from my second book I have been working on for some years now.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” –Albert Einstein

For countless centuries man has tapped into to an unlimited potential that exceeds both reason and understanding. Mystical practices, and their fundamental principles, have always been dependent on the use of an unknown variable. What gives a man the potential to cure illness? See into the future? Or travel to foreign lands without having to move a muscle? If one does choose to believe that such things are indeed possible, then what gives an individual the power to do extraordinary things? Is it something only a few are born with? Is it a gift or power? The answer is really quite simple; it is the imagination.

As children we learn to create our environment through excessive use of our imaginations. A backyard can turn into an endless jungle with creatures roaming about, or twigs can easily turn into swords while the trashcan lids serve as shields against the dragons.  And let us not forget that we don’t even need other children to have fun, while one can simply imagine friends to play with. Everything within this realm of imagination and fantasy becomes intermingled with actual ‘reality’ and differentiations between the two are almost impossible. Through the years of our youth we gradually begin to lose this ability and in turn this talent becomes almost forgotten.  But what if it didn’t have to be that way?

As adults the extent of our mental capacity to use our imaginations becomes limited to mere fantasy (or desired indulgences) that one cannot achieve otherwise. We however, seldom hear about those individuals who harness the power of the imagination for other purposes. Within some fields the role of imagination takes on a critical skill for enabling creative outflow.  Despite having almost transcendent characteristics and abilities, our society does not label them as magicians or mystics. This is simply because we underestimate the ability itself and allow it to function within normal social standards without really questioning what takes place internally. The best example of this is that of a composer. A composer hears the music in his head and internally creates a grand piece of music. But, it is not until he writes the music down that the composition makes a transition from imagination to actual reality. The tool of using the imagination must likewise be trained. While a beginner in music may simply create and hear a simple melody in their head, an accomplished composer might hear over 30 instruments or more simultaneously playing interwoven melodies.

Do we deem the abilities of a composer to be supernatural in nature? Probably not, granted they probably spent many years studying theory and application at a conservatory of music. Within the arts primarily, the use of imagination becomes rather well-integrated within the fundamentals of creating. The transition from the abstract into reality becomes almost automatic and monotonous that nobody really questions this ability. But if someone were to claim that they could heal themselves through the very same means, many would scoff at the notion.

Imagination as a tool

The imagination can serve as a tool rather than just for pleasurable enjoyment or to escape from being bored at work. This tool maintains such a wide spectrum of uses that many just focus on a narrow range to accomplish short term outcomes. There are very few who understand that the imagination is like any other muscle within the body, and that the more they flex it the more powerful it can become. However, just because the muscle of imagination is unlimited in potential, does not necessarily mean you can achieve six-pack abs in one week of usage or training. The secret is to build upon already existing foundations of the imagination through thought and will. Overtime a transitory process begins to unfold opening new possibilities and outcomes. However, there will always come a time when we face an imaginative roadblock and feel that we cannot go any further in our progress that is when a new door will open and lead to something previously unanticipated or unexpected. Be it a question or mental block in which we feel that we have strained every possible resource that the subconscious then seems to begin to fill in the missing pieces in order to continue on our progress.

In moments of despair or unwillingness to surrender ourselves to failure it is not until we actually give up that true inspiration comes…sometimes in the form of a dream or vision. I recall once writing a composition for an orchestra piece I had heard. I had written out a majority of the piece when I came to a segment that I could not for the life of me figure out. I tried and tried, and spent the good part of day attempting to figure it out. It wasn’t until I fell asleep that night that I remember walking up to a book and opening it up to the actual score in front of me. I could see in vivid detail each note of each instrument I was composing for, I couldn’t believe it. Upon awakening I ran to my composition and plugged in the missing phrases and sure enough it was exactly the missing pieces I needed to complete the score. Questions still remained; did I tap into some collective unconscious in order to obtain this information? Or, was it perhaps my own unconscious mind filling in for what I couldn’t consciously accomplish? Or, was it perhaps a mix of both? Some years later I actually came across the whole entire score in a library which adds another dimension to my previous questions; did I perhaps catch a glimpse into the future to see something that I had not yet experienced or perceived?

The best advice is not to think about it. It will drive us to the brink of madness trying to answer questions for which there are no real answers to. If the tools work then keep at it.  At times it may feel as if we have tried everything with these new tools and it is not until we completely give up that we discover a new way to make use of it. There are no real limitations placed upon the tool of creative imagination, only the ones we place upon ourselves. Indeed, it can be used for a wide range of situations and scenarios, but again, how you make use of it determines the final outcome. One of the questions most frequently asked is how to make use of the imagination for aiding or healing against illnesses. The best ways to symbolically think about curing an illness is that of climbing a gigantic mountain face. At first glance it may seem impossible to make it to the top and indeed many who just make an attempt without proper planning and a patient pace will ultimately fall. With the tool of imagination in place embark slowly on the journey. Creatively set a small goal in place. Make point A to B a small obtainable step, something as simple as being able to stand up without having to take a heavy dose of pain medication. Maybe instead of taking the regular 12 pills during a week, only take 11 ½. In other words, use your imagination to set up a small incremental step that you can achieve without much thought. Gradually week after week, build upon the already existing foundation for which you yourself have created. Just like climbing the rock face, you have to focus on what each small step will get you. Of course all the while maintaining patience and making sure to pace yourself, for if you get too excited and rush you may miss a step and tumble all the way back down. Remain at each of the incremental steps for as long as necessary, looking back down at what you’ve already climbed may disorient you, and looking up towards the top will certainly seem unachievable, so maintain patience.

There will also be a time when you feel you cannot go any further, or that you’ve gotten stuck somewhere along the way and don’t know how to keep going. In any case, when all hope seems lost a window of opportunity will always present itself. Remain confident. As previously mentioned there will come a time when you begin to despair, at this point simply ‘give up’ for the time being and return back when you feel appropriate. It is usually during moments of peaceful meditation and getting your mind completely off the current problem that the answers will present themselves. Taking a solo walk in nature has always helped me, and not to mention the value of reflection and introspection. In the end what may have once seemed unattainable now becomes possible and real.

The true value of imagination has received its fair share of bad publicity over the years. But once people begin to analyze the old teachings under a non-superficial lens, the various practices become clear. Perhaps the elaborate teachings had more to do with making use of one’s own vivid imagination in a symbolic nature rather than solely focusing on actual physical elements or entities. Or maybe it was just a way of tricking the subconscious in order to obtain a desirable conscious reaction through use of the imagination.  Either way, the forgotten tool of imagination should be put to good use in striving for what may seem unachievable. Be it helping one’s own family, community or problems worldwide, the power of imagination transcends all people. It is the idea itself that shapes and influences the minds of those who seek guidance. Make the best use of the imagination to change, create and establish a new foundation on which to build upon for the future.