The thought that my imagination has in been in some way wounded or killed in the last few years got me thinking about the imagination in general. Most people seem to think our imaginations are most active when we are children and this would seem to be the case but in a rare show of individuality from myself I refuse to believe this. I hope I'm not alone in thinking this because, contrary to what I opened with, adults have extremely vivid imaginations we just don't give them the time of day anymore. Children are free to let their imaginations run wild whereas we older members of society just don't have the time. The pressures of finishing your A-levels, keeping hold of your £15,000p.a. job during the recession or just trying to find a girlfriend to spend your spare time with are just a few of the things that prevent adults form utilizing their imaginations. I think this idea that children have better imaginations has just spawned from the fact the older people barely have the time to use theirs.
Case in point: my vlog troubles.
I think..........or should I say I hope that my imagination is just as sterling as it was ten years ago. The only reason it has hit a wall is I am rarely called upon to use it and it has forgotten what its supposed to be doing. It's like meeting an old friend you haven't seen in years. It's hard to recognise them at first but once you get past the awkward stage of forgetting their name, you're off having beers and telling embarrassing stories.
So in summary imaginations need to be used for them to work properly. Our day to day routines are causing us to neglect our creativity and it's making our lives so much less magical. I hope that you agree with me on this and that you'll start to use your imaginations more often like I will soon be doing.
Now who wants to give me ideas for my vlog? My imagination sucks....... :P
Till next time.......
You're coming up blank? Terrific!! That's creative. "Blank" is no-thing. Nothing is a label we stick on Infinite Possibility. When things go blank, you are no longer wallowing in the mud of "what we THINK we know". We are close, then, to true Knowing.
ReplyDeleteBut "blank" can be scary because our mind does NOT like Nothing. Mind always wants Something. Pay no attention. Sit with Nothing, because that's where creativity comes from. Creating is the art of bringing something forth from Nothing. To be creative, we have to become very familiar and friendly with Nothing.
If "blank" is frustrating you, that is because you have an expectation around how creativity SHOULD be. Drop it. Our expectations block our access to the reality of what we're seeking.
Just be with "blank". When you are comfortable, ask a question of the universe you are part of. If you want to write about (eg) "Creativity", ask a question like "What does Creativity feel likë? Then wait. What will come will be thoughts, images and feelings, possibly random. Jot them all down. Take dictation. Don't worry if it looks at first like arrant nonsense, it will become clear if you persevere. Don't edit anything at this stage. Just take what you get, and get it down on paper.
You are already full. Welcome Empty. It makes room for inspiration to show up. Be patient. It will come, firstly as a few drops, then as a torrent. Trust it.
Let me know how you go.
Your imagination hasn't died. It went into hiding, and emerges at night when you dream. In the tough process of growing up we all decided that our dreams weren't very useful in getting our A-levels, getting along with our parents and peers, and getting a girl. We thought (unconsciously) there might be something "wrong" with imagining, so we put it away from ourself.
ReplyDeleteBut imagination is there, wherever you left it last, waiting for you to return and play with it again. Be gentle; it's in hiding. Let it emerge in its own good time. Coax it. Reassure it.
In truth, you have been using limited bits of imagination all along -- well, MIS-using them actually. You have been using your ability to imagine -- using it to imagine what other people and situations are. None of us knows who or what our parents or friends are; we only imagine that we know.
How do we change this? How do we use our ability to Imagine creatively? By doing the opposite of what we've been doing up to now. Instead of starting from something, start from Nothing. Let go of everything we're so sure about, and go blank. Then imagine, But instead of imagining what you DON'T want. make up pictures and ask questions that will provoke experiences of what you DO want.
There are two ways to create. One is to plan out every detail, the MAKE it happen. There's a measure of violence in that.
The other way is to imagine what you want to create, then get out of the way and LET it come to you. It may be preceded by tasks and challenges that need to be dealt with so that you learn the lessons and become the kind of person you need to become. But by surrendering to that process, you already are what you want to be. The journey IS the destination.
Have fun!