Knowing Imagination

This article from the New York Times explains in a somewhat superficial way how daydreaming has gotten a bad reputation. While imagination is mentioned, no clear distinction is made between it, visualization, and daydreaming. I bekieve that these three activities are similar enough to be considered synonyms with, perhaps, minor distinctions.

Although I am now retired, I have used a free-form imagery process, Interactive Guided Imagery, extensively in my art therapy/professional counseling practice to great effect to help clients to access deep self awareness, personal growth, and healing.

As expressed in this article, daydreaming can be a mere escape when used in an unstructured and unintentional way. But it can also enable one to allow information from the non-linear, arational mind to manifest which, along with the structure of the linear, rational mind, can synthesize new integrated awareness.

I have found in my own life that accessing imagination in a process that might look like daydreaming can help me to better awareness of possibilities for creativity, awareness of interconnectedness that wasn’t previously obvious to me, and have deeper and more profound spiritual experience.

Perhaps researchers using rational methods miss the arational potential of these processes. But from the therapists view and the personal process view I must support the positive regard for daydreaming/imagination/visualization

Here are some links to further explore this subject. this subject is addressed frequently in this blog so explore further here as well.

Internal Links: Role of Imagination, Imagination in Counseling and Psychotherapy, Visualization vs Imagination

External Links: Academy for Guided Imagery, Interactive Guided Imagery^sm