The Power of... IMAGINATION

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
— Michelangelo

IMAGINATION. How much do you dream? Can you envision your possibilities? Are you using your imagination to empower your life?

When I was five years old, I ran the “Gal’s Club.” It was an exercise club that consisted of three members: Mom, my sister and me. It was exclusive to girls, so I didn’t invite my brother and Dad (“gal” was my version of “girl” which came from my initial schooling in Australia). I even created membership cards and established rules – maybe that’s why one of my kindergarten classmates gave me the nickname “boss lady” (although at home I was called “Sweetums”). I was set on making sure we were healthy and fit, and I enjoyed leading the charge. Now, after years as a corporate executive, I am a social entrepreneur operating Power Living Enterprises, Inc., which includes the Ta Yoga House. With a much larger client base serving men and women, my company today has the same primary goal as my very first venture – to help people live better lives. What was important to me when I was five, stayed with me and resurfaced when I finally took a moment to be still. Dreams are like that. They may become covered by self-doubt, other’s expectations and daily duties, but they still simmer waiting for the lid to be released so they can bubble back up.

The classical Greek philosophers had much discussion on imagination. Plato spoke of “an inner artist painting pictures in the soul.” Aristotle went on to say that “the soul never thinks without a mental image.” The Scottish philosopher David Hume later said, “Tis an established maxim in metaphysics, ‘That… nothing we imagine is absolutely impossible.’ We can form the idea of a golden mountain, and from thence conclude that such a mountain may actually exist.” All great creators have understood the power of imagination. Pablo Picasso said, “I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.” Paul Gauguin said, “I shut my eyes in order to see.” George Bernard Shaw said, “Only through our imagination can we become multidimensional, experience more love, create more beauty, manifest more results, change our conditions, rewrite the past, and connect with divinity, purpose and others.” Albert Einstein said, “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.” Even Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Imagination rules the world.”

All great creators have understood the power of imagination.

Every great advance first came from a thought… a dream… the imagination of an individual coupled with belief and action. Imagination creates. It is the process of inventing partial or complete personal realms within the mind. You use your imagination every day – whether consciously or unconsciously. Whenever you choose what to wear for a party, decide what to cook for dinner, tell a story to your kids, or plan a vacation, you are creating mental images of what will be. Imagination allows you to make history come alive, weigh alternatives against one another, consider possibilities for the future, and improvise when your plans change. Imagination fuels innovation in business, joy in love, and adventure in life. It is a gateway to the world of the unconscious, a path to your inner life, a conversation with your Core Self. People who nurture their imagination are often very creative, resourceful and successful. They see opportunities rather than obstacles, possibilities versus problems. They can draw upon their imagination to problem-solve and think of new options.

The Science of Mind teaches that: “To imagine, without the power to manifest such imagination, would be to remain in a dream world which would never come to self-realization; this is not the world in which man lives at all, for man’s world is one of self-expression, even though this expression appears to limit him.” There are two important elements to that statement. First, you draw from Life what you think into It. If the Mind can conceive it, it is possible. Second, this power to create – to imagine and to choose – can impose apparent freedom or bondage upon us. Danzae Pace said, “I think the world really boils down to two types of people – those who see shapes in cloud formations, and those who just see clouds.” If you take your images of thought only from your previous experiences, then you will continue to cloud your vision. If you are unhappy about your current circumstances, then put on your dreaming cap. Imagine your new world. You are the architect of your life and your dreams are the blueprints. Use your imagination and expand your potential. Break through limitations. Think seemingly impossible things and then ask, ‘Why not?’ See the life you want – then take action. Your fantasy can turn into your new reality, if you see it clearly and then choose to be it daily.

ACTION STEPS:

• Nurture your dreams. Pay attention to your daydreams. Note any patterns. Give yourself pre-sleep suggestions to prompt your night dreams. Record what you see in a journal. Your dreams will often become clearer as you come back to them.
• Play. Engage in fantasy play with a child. Children have incredible imaginations that are often unencumbered by external expectations and rules.
• Practice yoga and meditation. Train your body and mind to be still so you can be more receptive to inspirations.
• Use visualization. Create a mental picture in as much detail as possible. Keep filling in the blanks to build your vision – your blueprint. Use all of your senses so that the experience can seem more tangible.
• Make it real. Once you have a picture in your mind of what you want plan to make it happen. Set realistic goals and take action – step-by-step set your dream free.

AFFIRMATION:

Today, I imagine a new world for my Self.

I honor my daydreams and nurture my night dreams. I think outside of the confines of my present reality. I use my imagination as a simulator - allowing me to experiment with new concepts and experience the future. I envision positive outcomes. I understand that I have the power to creative through my thoughts and actions.

Today, I imagine a new world for my Self. 

Copyright Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy. Power Living® Column Vol. 62.07, originally published June 2007. Teresa Kennedy has written over 70 “The Power of…” columns are available for syndication. Photo credit: Pexels.

Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy is a Harvard Business School-trained Strategist, Mind-Body Expert, Award-Winning Author, Keynote Speaker and Activist.  She is Founder & CEO of Power Living and creator of Elder Dignity.  Selected as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, her mission is to unleash human potential and create a more just and sustainable world.

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