What happens when I do this?
I feel righteous and exhibit the characteristics of a fundamentalist. I know the right definition. This is a group I never planned to join. Adhering to this stance means there is room in my brain for only one definition. As a writer, and also as a reader, multiple meanings need to be available. So, I have to change.
In the past I have conjured up a very restricted idea of imagination. I'm not sure when my understanding of imagination narrowed to mean believing in Peter Pan or some far out reality. With the help of your comments, plus analyzing this in psychoanalysis, it has become clear I've been thinking that magic and imagination are synonymous.
Have you ever caught yourself limiting a definition, thus limiting the meaning of a word? And I will ask you again, what does imagination mean to you? Please hit reply to this email though my brother says he tried that and it didn't work. I contacted tech man but haven't heard back as of this moment. If you go to the website and click on comments, you should be able to put your comment in a little box. Then hit publish and it will tell you your remarks are being sent to the moderator (me). I would love for this to work and to hear from you! I'm imagining that someday this will all work!
CLUE: Feed someone besides yourself a piece of fruit. Let me know what happens.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
Image: I pulled out of my files at random this image of Kali that sits on our fireplace mantle. I had to laugh when I realized she stands for death and doomsday as well as motherly love! Laughing now that she sits and stands!
ast week, I thought imagination was about our dreams. I still do but because of your post, I've added a little twist. Imagination involves getting in touch with our childhood innocence where everything was possible--as long as we believed it was. We didn't place more jaded limitations on our abilities or on the Universe's willingness to cooperate. I think we all need to access that part of us a bit more--especially in today's times.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week!
XOXO
Hi Diane,
DeleteI love your idea that we can work towards an acceptance of the Universe's willingness to cooperate. This does take imagination! And your advice to watch out for jaded limitations gives me a new way to think of my limiting ways.
Thanks for reading and commenting! Much appreciated
I mentioned imagination a few times in the book. I used imagination as an entry point meaning that if you can't do a movement then you can still imagine it. But that idea can be used for anything. Imagination can be a starting point for anything that you don't know how to do. Only humans could imagine going to the moon and then do it. imagination also works with action so that the closer that you can come to doing a movement the better you can imagine it and also the closer you can come to doing anything the better you can imagine it. Einstein was famous for his thought experiments.
ReplyDeleteThanks Scott - very helpful. I am fascinated with the idea I've heard and that you allude to - that imagining a movement is similar to doing it. Wonder how that works?
DeleteThanks again for your wonderful book and continuing to interact with all of us here!
For me, imagination is what as far as we know, distinguishes us from other animals. It's part of our planning for anything - if I do that, then ...
ReplyDeleteBut can also take us into a realm where archetypes can interact with our observing selves, eg in visualizations: imagine you are going through a wood and up a hill to an old house to meet a wise old woman. You ask her your biggest questions and listen to her response. Etc.
And sports people standardly visualize/imagine their best performances. Any art work/music/story-telling which comes via imagination to engage with that of others. comes out of our imagination - it's how we image/imagine what we want to depict (like Kali). I'm more into Jung than Freud - his archetypes make a lot of sense to me, ie match my experience.
I think a lot of so called magic, when it isn't simply sleight of hand, is created by individual or collective accessing of these powers that are in us all - more especially, I believe, in women.
Have you come across the work of Rupert Sheldrake on energy/force fields? He's basically a biological scientist. I think communal imagination (and prayer) can create force fields in which the so called impossible can happen. Then I guess it's called 'magic'.
Another writer who has taught me much on this is Jean Houston.
Trish - thank you for your message - you have helped me make many connections. Archetypes and visualizations use our imagination and I'm glad you pointed them out for me.
DeleteI know a little bit about Sheldrake's work. I like how you have used his work as an explanation for prayer.
Much to ponder - again, thank you for reading and commenting!