Imagination is one of the greatest abilities that human beings have been blessed with.
Imagination is the ability which enables us to not only enjoy total control over our own Being, but also endows us with God-Like abilities of “creation” and “co-creation”.
This then is why children are born with an extremely powerful ability of Imagination, which they begin to use from a very young age.
Using the Imagination is instinctive and intuitive to children, because it is the ability which can guarantee them a Joyful, Healthy, Abundant Life. Yet children are often discouraged from using the Imagination and “pretending”.
Although well-meaning parents often do not know any better – they were taught the same by their own parents – discouraging a child from Imagining, pretending and so on is very negative for a child, and can profoundly impact the ability of a person to be in complete control over life and Being. Consider then these important facts:
The more effectively we can apply our power of Imagination, the more control we have over every aspect of our Life, being able to express into our life absolutely anything we wish to experience without limitation.
So what is the power of imagination?
It is often believed that Imagination is only visualisation. In fact, Imagination engages all five senses as follows:
Visualisation
Learning to visualise effectively, as with most worthwhile abilities. and is well worth dedicating time to by means of effective exercises which will now briefly discuss.
To begin these exercises first of all obtain five household items of your choice, such as a fruit, a cup, a pen, a spoon, a coin; any such items will suffice. It is preferable however if they are all of a distinctly different shape and colour.
Set out your four chosen items in front of you. Now fix your eyes on the first of these objects and memorise it in as much detail as you possibly can, including shape, colour, texture, patterns and any other significant details.
Next close your eyes and recall the object in your Imagination in as much detail as possible.
The objective is to visualise the object in your Mind as clearly or even clearer than it appears to your physical sight.
You might well find that when first starting these exercises the object will frequently fade from your Imagination. If this happens simply use as much will power and concentration as necessary to recall the object back into your Imagination. Be persistent. Know that all you ever need to do is to bring the Object of the Imagination – which exists – as a very clear Image.
You will soon find that after time and practice the object will disappear and reappear increasingly less frequently, and become less blurred, until finally you can maintain a solid and realistic image for any length of time, visualising the object just as it appears to your physical sight.
Should you become tired practicing with one object, move straight onto the next object and repeat the visualisation exercise.
It is very important to remain as relaxed as possible while maintaining each visualisation for as long and realistically as you can. There is nothing to be gained however by over-tiring yourself. Although these exercises might seem to be quite difficult to start with for some people, as with gaining any worthwhile ability it is extremely important to persevere.
The objective of these exercises is to maintain an image of your chosen item with total, absolute realism, just as it would appear to your physical sight, for at least five continuous minutes without it fading from your Consciousness.
When you have achieved this with your first four chosen objects, select another four objects and repeat the exercises until you achieve the same results.
For the next stage of these exercises, rather than starting with four physical objects, recall any object or scene of your choice from memory and visualise it with as much realism as possible.
This might for example be a household item, something in your garden, or perhaps a favourite location or person; it really does not matter what image you select providing you can readily bring it to Mind, retain it in your Mind and become as absorbed in it as possible.
Having attained as clear an image as possible in your Mind from memory of your chosen object, person or scene, once again endeavour to maintain the image as it would appear to your physical senses for a full five minutes without it fading from your Imagination.
When you can maintain any image vividly in your Mind with total realism for a full five minutes, then this part of the visualisation exercises is complete.
The final stage of these exercises is to visualise objects with your eyes open. It doesn’t matter which objects you choose for this purpose although it is better to start with the objects previously visualised with your eyes closed.
To commence, with your eyes open imagine, as realistically as possible, your object suspended in the air, standing on a shelf, on a table, or anywhere else of your choice.
Your object must appear to be every bit as solid and real as the original physical object, so much so in fact that you feel that you feel you can actually reach out and touch it.
There must be absolutely no doubt whatsoever as to the complete realism of your visualised object as it is suspended in the air, or standing on a solid object such as a shelf or table.
This exercise is complete when you can maintain in your Imagination your visualisation of any object, in any location, with your eyes open for a full five minutes.
Auditory/Hearing
Imagine you can hear the ticking of a clock.
You must hear this clock ticking as distinctly and realistically as possible to the extent you have no doubts in your Mind whatsoever there really is indeed a clock in your room.
When you can maintain this sound in your Imagination for a full five minutes, select another familiar sound, for example the chimes of a clock, the pealing of a bell, a tapping sound, the sound of rain against a window, the sound of a household appliance; any distinct well-known sound will suffice.
As with the ticking of the clock, imagine your chosen sound with complete realism to the extent you have no doubts whatsoever for a full five minutes before moving on to the next sound. We are only concerned with the auditory aspect of this exercise. Should a vision of the item appear in your Imagination use your willpower to dismiss it immediately.
Once you can imagine any sound of your choice with absolute realism for a full five minutes without interruptions as if you are in the physical presence of these sounds then these auditory exercises are complete.
t exercise involves the development of sentience within the Imagination, in other words the senses of touch, temperature, lightness, heaviness, hunger, thirst and other sentient feelings.
Close your eyes and select a sentient feeling of your choice, for example warmth. With complete concentration, imagine, as realistically as possible, this sentient feeling. In the case of warmth for example you should feel the warmth all over your body and without any doubts whatsoever in your Mind. Even if the room is cool you should feel warm.
When you can maintain this first sentient feeling for a full five minutes without any interruptions, including any spurious images appearing in your Mind that must be dismissed, you can move onto the next sentient feeling.
This time it might be a texture such as a carpet or sandpaper for example. Again, imagine yourself feeling this texture as if you were actually running your fingers across it. As always maintain the feeling of the chosen texture for a full uninterrupted five minutes while knowing beyond any doubt in your Mind that it is totally real in every respect.
Now move on to the next object of your sentience exercises. This time for example you could summon a feeling of thirst, hunger or warmth. Imagine as realistically as possible that you feel very hungry or very thirsty as if you really need food or drink, or as warm as the sun on your skin on a beautiful summers day. Again maintain these feelings with total realism to the extent there is no doubt whatsoever in your Mind that you are actually experiencing them for a full five minutes.
Having successfully achieved each of the sentience exercises for a full five minutes, you can then proceed to the next exercises.
Olfactory/Smell
Using all of your powers of Imagination imagine you can smell a favourite fragrance. It might for example be a perfume, a flower, food cooking, or any other smell of your choice. The smell need not be pleasant, it can be anything at all providing it is distinctive and you can bring it to Mind.
As with all of the previous exercises, maintain this aroma in your Imagination as vividly as possible without any interruptions, and without any of the other imaginary senses such as visuals intruding.
You must be totally focussed on your selected aroma, and be totally convinced of its realism as if it is strongly present in your room. If you are imagining the scent of a favourite flower be absolutely convinced you are right next to the flower in question.
Again it is most important to focus exclusively on the olfactory aspect of the object and not to allow any of the other senses to intrude.
Having maintained an exclusive sense of smell in your Imagination for a full five minutes then select another smell with which you are familiar and repeat the exercises.
Continue with these olfactory exercises until you have exclusively maintained in your Imagination various different aromas for a full five minutes, after which these exercises are complete.
Taste
Imagine you can taste a favourite food or drink as vividly as you possible can as if you are actually eating or drinking a sample of the food or drink in question. As always you must be totally convinced of the reality of this and there must be no interruptions either externally or from other senses or thoughts endeavouring to intrude; you must be focussed exclusively upon the taste.
When you have succeeded in maintaining the first taste for a full uninterrupted five minutes, move on to another taste of your choice.
As with the other exercises, once you have successfully maintained in your Imagination a range of tastes with total realism and without interruptions for a full five minutes, then these exercises are also complete.
Engaging All Five Senses
Engaging All Five Senses
As the final exercise we will now put all of the senses together in an imaginary scenario of your own choice. Select any scene of your choosing, ensuring all of your senses are fully included and involved within the scene.
We will use a stroll in the park as an example.
Assume your relaxed position ensuring you will not be interrupted and close your eyes. Now bring into your Imagination as vividly as possible your imagined scenario.
Using our example of the park, visualise yourself strolling through the park gates with your family. If you do not have a family then simply imagine instead you are strolling through the park either by yourself or with a friend or friends. Adapt this scenario to suit your own situation and preferences.
As you stroll along the path you clearly hear birds singing cheerfully in the trees and feel the gentle, warm summer wind on your face. As you pass by a rose garden you can smell the fragrance of the roses as you observe them blooming in many different beautiful colours.
Continue to practice this scenario until your stroll in the park is as real, life-like and engaging in your Mind, as it would be if you are physically taking a stroll in the park. Ideally there should be no experienced difference between the imagined and actual stroll in the park, with the imagined stroll in the park invoking all the same feelings and emotions as a physical stroll in the park.
Of course, developing the Imagination is an ongoing process, and one which I seriously suggest be practiced frequently. Imagination can be practiced while walking, relaxing in the garden, travelling on a train or bus, and of course in bed before sleep.
Even after a day or two your Power of Imagination will be greater than before.
So in answering the question, what is imagination, the power of creative imagination is a cornerstone of The Principle of Expression, erroneously known as “the law of attraction”. In further blog posts we will discuss the other factors required for complete success in expressing experiencing any need, wish or desire.
And So It Is.