When we think of imagination, Albert Einstein usually pops into mind, because he had much to say on the topic. I have always admired his out-of-the-box, inspired approach to success and I'm sure glad he wrote about such a wide range of subjects. Einstein has inspired me to consider the relativity in everything. His teachings inevitably led me to desire a honing of my own creative ability, with imagination being the cornerstone.
He said, "I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution."
The greatest minds of all time have had the ability to go from logical to random, left to right, from abstract to concrete, encompassing a wide range of disciplines in an integrated, wholistic way. They themselves are a function of evolution, which is and has always been a function of Creativity.
My favourite quote, which I made into a painting for my office wall, is an ancient eastern Indian proverb: "God sleeps in stones, breathes in plants, dreams in animals and awakens in Man."
The book I am writing with my husband, 'Conscious Evolution: Co-Creating an Empowered Legacy' is the product of the realization that there is no 'creation VS evolution' and theory has very little to do with anything. We are indeed busting into a new paradigm and I hope you'll join us.
The process of imagination leads us to profound truths, which cannot be attained through mere intellect. We must open ourselves up to our full potential.
How does one use imagination to arrive at these profound truths?
Einstein said, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales."
Why is this? It seems to me, fairy tales open us up to the endless variety of ways we can explore our own archetypal themes. We partake in life lessons vicariously, through unlimited characters acting in epic stories. The allegorical medium of the fairy tale is expansive and unbounded, lending itself infinitely to writers apt to the challenge.
We also learned epic stories in Sunday school. Even for those families who want to stay home on Sundays, illustrated children's bibles are filled with amazing stories that provide a sensibility for the bigger picture. My son's buddy actually gave him a Manga comic that tells bible stories!
It's important not only that a baby have cross-brain exercises in order to develop the wiring for being readers and creative thinkers, it is also extremely important to read to them and to talk with them about everything as they grow and explore the world.
As a child, I would keep myself up late imagining all of the ways I could be murdered in my bed, including by those not-so-handsome vampires that wanted to bite the little virgin me!
My true creative ability now is my wholistic perception of reality. I see everything as part of a greater expression, a process of learning love, through relativity and infinity. I now see 'vampires' as a necessary part of the process of awakening.
The most powerful things I've ever read in my life have been those things that put the power back into my hands. Through reading, I've realized that I have always got a choice in how I respond to circumstances and how I move through obstacles. I have also learned many tools of boundless creative consciousness.
Imagine what we could create together if more people focused their thoughts, with agreed-upon co-creative goals, with pure intentions to make a real difference. We'd not only make great changes, but we could make them in ways that we currently, collectively, could not even conceive of at this time.
We must correct our own deficiencies and fortify ourselves for the changing times.
Let's use our creative abilities to do something other than lie awake at night like scared little girls! Dream big, for your family, for your own life. Speak about your dreams as though they are already so! Don't speak your fears out loud, speak your strengths!
Remember, you're part of something bigger and it's your job to imagine how.
