Developing The Active Imagination
Developing the active imagination is a goal to seek out and activate.
Developing the active imagination will be useful in any phase of life, career, or project. It is especially helpful in developing new ideas for writers and artists and others who deal in ideas. There are four steps which will help to understand the process more thoroughly.
- You must first stop the logical mind to give your unconscious a chance to come into play.
- The unconscious will begin to function in fantasies, images, and emotions. Have pen and paper handy and write these down.
- The ego will step up. There will be judgment of the material that has been written.
- Conclusions are drawn and acted on.
Consciousness is forever correcting, helping, interfering, and never leaving the physic to grow in peace. You must come up with a way to set the critical, judging conscious ego aside. The ego must learn to observe uncritically, alert, but not filtering. It begins by observing quietly how the fantasy develops. An example of how the conscious interferes with active imagination is: You plant a row of trees and worry that the roots are not getting enough nutrients, and you dig them up to check. That’s what the ego does to the growth process it intends to nurture.
To begin to develop your active imagination, you can carry a small pad around with you to make note of any fantasy of the imagination. Notice the ego’s reaction. A ritual can help get into an imaginative mode. Maybe sitting alone in a quiet peaceful place will open your unconscious mind to day dreaming and fantasy.
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Jung wrote,”The creative activity of imagination frees man from his bondage to the ‘nothing but’ and raises him to the status of one who plays.” This is the status that must be reached before active imagination can begin. When the unconscious is heard, it’s important to give it expression. There is nothing more damaging to the psyche than self deception. you can deceive your neighbor or your spouse but when you deceive yourself you become the victim of your unacknowledged inferiority’s.
Once the voice of the unconscious is heard, the ego can confront it. From this moment on we can speak of an active imagination. Now is the time the ego’s questions, doubts, and judgment will set in. It becomes critical that the ego recognize the inner event as being safe and real as an outer event. The conscious ego is like a watch dog guarding the gate. He has to know and trust the person to let him in. The ego has to confront the unconscious with the limitations and conditions of the human world. The unconscious recognizes the reality of their own world but are unaware of human reality until the ego informs them.
Now a relationship can be formed between the conscious and the active imagination. From the play as a child we have come to the realization of our inner life and how we can appreciate the influence it has on our ego and imagination by helping us make better decisions to lead a more fruitful, inspired life.
http://socyberty.com/advise/how-is-your-intuition/
http://socyberty.com/lifestyle-choices/consciousness-and-unconsciousness/
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User Comments
OhSugar
On September 10, 2009 at 5:47 am
Very enjoyable read. An active imagination can be an exciting thing when creating a piece for triond. Thanks for sharing.
ken bultman
On September 10, 2009 at 5:55 am
What a thought provoking piece. I think my watch dog has fallen asleep at the gate. My conscious and subconscious thoughts have, with the passage of time, become convoluted so that one often becomes the other without my knowledge or permission.
alfabeta
On September 10, 2009 at 6:10 am
Enjoyed reading this. I just bought myself a nice little notepad a few days ago for those ideas that always seem to pop into your head while out and about.
Hugo La Rosa
On September 10, 2009 at 7:05 am
Ruby Hawk:
This is a great article! Thanks for your insight on such an important
subject. Best Regards, Hugo
Elleword
On September 10, 2009 at 7:54 am
Your imagination is the most crucial tool you have as a writer – don’t reject any idea out of hand – give it a chance to develop and see where it might lead, best advice I ever got. Good write Ruby.
Rajesh Kumar Ram
On September 10, 2009 at 8:23 am
Hi Ruby, very nice article! thanks!!
Darla Smith
On September 10, 2009 at 8:43 am
I’ve been told my imagination can be over active at times, especially when I write paranormal poems or stories.
Christine Ramsay
On September 10, 2009 at 9:18 am
I have found recently I have to keep a notebook handy as I often see things when I am out or I wake up in the night with ideas and need to write them down. I have also started carrying a camera as often as possible to illustrate my writing. You have ceratinly offered excellent advice here. Well done.
Christine
Ruby Hawk
On September 10, 2009 at 11:58 am
Thank you everyone for your interest and input. Ken, I have to agree with you. My imaginations hardly knows where it stops or begins. I think it’s all of a piece now.
Christine, I used to jot down everything i dreamed or came to mind.I still keep a pad handy at all times to jot down things of interest, and like you I tend to carry a camera. Sometimes I look back over my jottings and am surprised at what I find.
Atikin
On September 10, 2009 at 11:59 am
If you read my article that I did called ‘The Human Third Eye’ which was based on imagination, I do agree with all what you’ve said. Imagination is a really powerful tool and we are best when we use it though we have to build it up first. Good interesting article.
cutedrishti8
On September 10, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Nice one to share…Great work..
Lady Sunshine
On September 10, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I am always writing stuff down, concocting whatever crazy idea I can think of! Great piece, Ruby! And imagination is wonderful! I couldn’t live without it. I am such a kid…lol.
Johanny Lisbeth
On September 10, 2009 at 1:40 pm
great write Ruby!! I’ve always been told that I have a very vivid imagination
Joe Dorish
On September 10, 2009 at 1:46 pm
How very true that there is nothing more damaging to the psyche than self deception. I think criminals are the most self deceiving people and that is why they commit crimes. Nothing is ever their fault.
Jacques Berkeley
On September 10, 2009 at 2:54 pm
That’s interesting stuff. Cognitive educational psychology is interesting, too.
cebuanaeyez
On September 10, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Ruby are you a psychologist? You share so many amazing insights of the conscious and unconscious. Great job on imagination!
CA Johnson
On September 10, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Great article Ruby! I think we should all try to work on our creative side. It’s fun to use your imagination and it can take you away from whatever is going on in your world.
Mystify
On September 10, 2009 at 4:38 pm
You always write about wonderful interesting subjects Ruby! I am a massive follower of Jung and his beliefs! I have a big imagination where there are no limits so I appreciate this article because all in which you speak of is so very true! Excellent work but coming from you that is no big surprise!
Alexa Gates
On September 10, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Great read
I never thought you could develop your imagination… I just thought you had one or you didnt. Thanks for correcting me 
gianne
On September 10, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Wonderful topic and written well. I have read up on this stuff. Imagination needs as much exercise as our bodies do!
sunshine926
On September 10, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Great article. I agree to have a pen and paper handy and write down all your ideas. You will see how many creative topics you will come across. Imagination is powerful. I have come up with story ideas during my sleep.
Duff D Moss
On September 10, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Loved this analogy:
“You plant a row of trees and worry that the roots are not getting enough nutrients, and you dig them up to check”
Great article dude.
CHAN LEE PENG
On September 10, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Great article! You’ve planted good seeds in everyone’s heart. Good job, my friend, as usual. Have my liked it.
Guy Hogan
On September 11, 2009 at 12:51 am
As a young man I read Jung and was greatly influenced by him as a writer. I wanted my stories to get into the subconscious of the reader.
Melody Arcamo Lagrimas
On September 11, 2009 at 1:31 am
Wow, what a brilliant presentation! I remember a lesson in Psych Nursing about the Id, the Ego and the Superego.
Yovita Siswati
On September 11, 2009 at 8:38 am
Inspirational article! Best advise for all of us.
Lostash
On September 11, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Sounds good to me. Might need to give this a go and see what happens.
Moses Ingram
On September 11, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Wow!,quite an article, I’m starting the idea of the writing pad. A good imagination sure helps with writing,
PR Mace
On September 12, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Excellent read, Ruby. My imagination has never been a problem for me, it is active all the time.
CutestPrincess
On September 24, 2009 at 3:10 am
a truly wonderful article full of invaluable information. i thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning from it.
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