Imagination is the ability of the psyche to create images in consciousness. All processes that occur in images are called imagination. Imagination as a mental process constitutes visual-figurative thinking, thanks to which a person can navigate and search for solutions to problems without the direct intervention of practical actions. This process is very important, especially in cases where it is impossible or difficult to carry out the required practical action, or it is simply impractical.
This process reflects the human world around us at higher mental levels. The most popular definition of imagination is a mental process, the essence of which is the creation of new unique images through the processing of the perceived material of ideas that came with previous experience. It is also considered as a phenomenon, as an ability and as a specific activity of the subject. This process has a complex functional structure, so Vygotsky defined it as a psychological system.
The function of imagination is unique to humans and has a certain significance in a person’s specific professional activity. Before embarking on a certain activity, he imagines what the object will look like and mentally creates an algorithm of actions. Thus, a person constructs in advance an image of a future object or the final result of an activity. Developed creative imagination plays a great role in creative professions. Thanks to their developed creative abilities, people earn a lot of money.
There are several types of imagination: active (voluntary), passive (involuntary), recreative, creative.
Imagination in psychology
Imagination is the process of understanding the world around us. The outside world seems to be imprinted in a person’s subconscious. Thanks to this, a person is able to remember ancient and recent events, program, and imagine the future. This process is often called the ability to imagine absent objects in one’s mind, hold their image, and manipulate it in consciousness. Sometimes it is confused with perception, but they are really two different mental processes.
Imagination has the ability to create images based on memory, and not on information from the outside world. It is less real because it has a component of fantasy and dreams. Even the most pragmatic, skeptical, boring people have imagination. It is impossible to assign a person who has completely lost such a function. The behavior of these people is governed by their principles, logic, facts, they always do everything according to the rules. But to say that they have no creative thinking at all or that they never dream is very wrong. It’s just that this is the type of people in whom these processes are not sufficiently developed or they do not use them, or do not know how to use them. Often such people have a monotonous typical life, which is repeated the same way every day, and they act according to a certain algorithm, believing that they do not have time for more. In fact, it is a pity for such people, because their life is boring, they do not use the abilities that are given to them by nature. Creative imagination makes people individual, unique individuals.
Imagination as a mental process has certain functions that help a person become special.
The cognitive function is contained in expanding a person’s horizons, acquiring knowledge, constructing human behavior in an uncertain situation, guided by guesses and considerations.
The prediction function assumes that the properties of imagination help a person imagine the final result of an incomplete action. It is this function that contributes to the formation of dreams and daydreams in people.
The function of understanding is reflected in a person’s ability to guess what a person is currently experiencing, what emotions are overwhelming him, what feelings he is experiencing. Similar to this function is the state of empathy, when a person is able to penetrate into the world of another and understand what worries him.
The protection function assumes that by predicting future events, thinking about the course of actions and the consequences of these actions, a person can prevent troubles and protect himself from possible problems.
The function of self-development is reflected in a person’s ability to fantasize, invent and create.
The function of memory is expressed in a person’s ability to remember past events and recreate images of the past in his head. It is stored in the form of images and ideas.
The above functions are not always fully expressed in all people. Each personality is dominated by a certain function, which often determines the character and behavior of a person. To understand how images and ideas are created, it is necessary to trace the main ways of their creation. Each path is a complex multi-level mental process.
Agglutination is the creation of unreal, completely new, fabulous objects or phenomena that appear under the influence of the properties and appearance of some existing object, evaluating and analyzing the properties of which a person creates an object similar to it. That is, there is an initial object on the basis of which a prototype is formed. This technique is very popular in creating fairy tales or myths.
Emphasis is the process of fixing on one dominant characteristic highlighted in some object (person, object, activity, phenomenon) and exaggerating it. Artists often use accentuation in their works to create cartoons and caricatures.
Typification is the process of identifying the main characteristics in several objects, and creating from them an image that is completely new, but contains a piece of each of them. Using this technique, literary heroes and characters are created.
All of the above imagination techniques are actively used in psychology, creativity, and even scientific activity. For example, in medicine, new drugs are created based on existing ones. Also, modern technology, electronics, gadgets, inventions were developed on the basis of previously existing knowledge, schemes, theories and skills. By collecting the most important information from them and processing it, scientists get a completely new product. If people lacked imagination, humanity would not be able to progress in all areas and activities.
Imagination as a mental process involves the creation of new images based on existing existing experience. The ideas manifested in images in a person’s head have not yet begun to be realized, do not exist, but there is a possibility that in the future they can be brought to life. This process is based on the reformulation of the subject’s information and impressions. The more the situation seems incomprehensible and complex, the more the imagination process is involved. This process is of considerable importance in human professional activity. It also greatly influences feelings and emotions, and plays a big role in personality development.
In the creative and work process, imagination allows the individual to regulate and manage her activities, as well as control her speech, emotions, attention and memory. Helps create and use images of reality. It improves a person’s psychological state, prevents stress and depression. With the help of imagination, an individual is able to plan his future activities in his mind by manipulating images. Imagination and individuality are criteria for assessing a person’s talent and abilities, which is important in work life.
A person reflects the surrounding reality mainly in a figurative way. An image is a non-static phenomenon; it tends to constantly change. This process has a dynamic connection with the objects of the surrounding reality. Consequently, imagination is not some kind of abstraction, but a concrete process associated with the real mental activity of the subject. This activity is also dynamic in nature.
Imagination is the process of self-knowledge of a person, the disclosure of his abilities, other people and the world around him, and the events taking place. This is a special form of the human psyche, occupying a place between perception, memory and thinking processes. Visual-figurative thinking and imagination complement each other; imagination is its basis and makes it possible to show resourcefulness in an unfamiliar situation, to find a solution to a problem without using any action.
What is active imagination?
Imagination
is the ability to imagine an absent or non-existent object, holding it in consciousness and mentally manipulating it.
Imagination
Material https://www.psychologos.ru/articles/view/voobrazhe... Imagination is the immersion of a person into his inner world and the creation of images, pictures and ideas there.
If perception creates for us images of objects and phenomena that are directly visible in the external world, then imagination builds images of absent objects and phenomena on the basis of already existing pictures and ideas. With the help of imagination, a person can fly to other worlds, return to his past or be transported to his future. Imagination plays a key role in mental processes such as modeling, planning, creativity, play, and memory. The possibilities of imagination are very great. Read how Nikola Tesla, the inventor of electricity and radio, the lord of lightning, used his imagination: “By the age of 17, I learned to see with my inner vision, and since then I have not needed models, drawings or experiments, I can just as realistically imagine all this in thoughts. When I have an idea, I immediately begin to develop it in my imagination. I change the design, make improvements and mentally set the mechanism in motion. It makes absolutely no difference to me whether I control my turbine in my thoughts or test it in the workshop. I even notice that its balance has been disrupted. The type of mechanism does not matter, the result will be the same. This way I can quickly develop and refine a concept without touching anything. When all possible and conceivable improvements to the invention have been taken into account and no weaknesses are visible, I give this final product of my mental activity a concrete form. The device I have invented invariably works the way I think it should work, and the experience goes exactly as I planned. For twenty years there has not been a single exception.” — Such imaginative possibilities are the basis of thought experiments. Imagination, as a state or process in the human nervous system, can have a profound effect on the body - make a person sick (“imaginary” sick) or, conversely, healthy. Types of imagination Imagination can be involuntary, voluntary and post-voluntary. Involuntary imagination manifests itself in dreams, altered states of consciousness, etc. Certain pictures sometimes come to us according to the most bizarre logic, replace each other, and amazing, magical and sometimes scary scenes can be observed, as in a movie theater. By setting a special task, you can learn to largely control this process, and you will observe already controlled dreams. The voluntary imagination draws before the mind's eye or recalls from memory those pictures that you need. In the latter case, imagination is more like perception or memory. A picture of an attractive future, to which one wants to return and which one wants to realize, becomes a dream for an active person, and an empty dream for a slacker. Imagination in practical psychology Active imagination is a special method of using the power of imagination, developed by Carl Gustav Jung. It is a dialogue that you have with the various parts of your self that live in the unconscious. In a certain sense, it is similar to a dream, the only difference being that while experiencing this sensation, you are awake and fully aware of what is happening. This is the hallmark of this method. Instead of falling asleep, you are immersed in imagination while awake. You allow the images living in the unconscious to rise to the level of your imagination, as they do in the dreams that visit you during sleep. Imagination
Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia Imagination is the ability of consciousness to create images, ideas, ideas and manipulate them;
plays a key role in the following mental processes: modeling, planning, creativity, play, human memory. In a broad sense, any process occurring “in images” is imagination. Imagination is the basis of visual-figurative thinking, which allows a person to navigate a situation and solve problems without the direct intervention of practical actions. It helps him a lot in those cases of life when practical actions are either impossible, or difficult, or simply impractical. For example, when modeling abstract processes and objects. A type of creative imagination is fantasy. Imagination is one of the forms of mental reflection of the world. The most traditional point of view is the definition of imagination as a process (A. V. Petrovsky and M. G. Yaroshevsky, V. G. Kazakov and L. L. Kondratyeva, etc.). According to M.V. Gamezo and I.A. Domashenko: “Imagination is a mental process that consists of creating new images (ideas) by processing the material of perceptions and ideas obtained in previous experience.” Domestic authors also consider this phenomenon as an ability (V. T. Kudryavtsev, L. S. Vygotsky) and as a specific activity (L. D. Stolyarenko, B. M. Teplov). Taking into account the complex functional structure, L. S. Vygotsky considered the use of the concept of a psychological system adequate. According to E.V. Ilyenkov, the traditional understanding of imagination reflects only its derivative function. The main thing is that it allows you to see what is, what lies before your eyes, that is, the main function of the imagination is to transform an optical phenomenon on the surface of the retina into the image of an external thing. Classification of imagination processes 1. According to the results: Reproductive imagination (recreation of reality as it is) Productive (creative) imagination: with the relative novelty of images; with absolute novelty of images. 2. According to the degree of purposefulness: active (voluntary) - includes reconstructive and creative imagination; passive (involuntary) - involves unintentional and unpredictable imagination. 3.By type of images: specific; abstract. 4.According to the methods of imagination: agglutination - the connection of objects that are not connected in reality; hyperbolization - increasing or decreasing an object and its parts; schematization - highlighting differences and identifying similarities; typification - highlighting the essential, repeating in homogeneous phenomena. 5.According to the degree of volitional effort: deliberate; unintentional. Wallace's four-stage model of the creative process Main article: Creativity as a process Preparation stage, information gathering. Ends with a feeling of being unable to solve the problem. Incubation stage. Key stage. The person does not consciously deal with the problem. Insight (illumination). Checking the solution. Mechanisms of imagination agglutination - the creation of a new image from parts of other images; hyperbolization - increasing or decreasing an object and its parts; schematization - smoothing out differences between objects and identifying their similarities; accentuation - emphasizing the features of objects; typification - highlighting what is repeating and essential in homogeneous phenomena. There are conditions that contribute to finding a creative solution: observation, ease of combination, sensitivity to the manifestation of problems. Guilford used the term “divergent thinking” instead of “imagination.” It means generating new ideas for the purpose of human self-expression. Characteristics of divergent thinking: fluency; flexibility; originality; accuracy. Development of imagination in children Through creativity, a child develops thinking. This is facilitated by persistence and expressed interests. The starting point for the development of imagination should be directed activity, that is, the inclusion of children’s fantasies in specific practical problems. The development of imagination is promoted by: situations of incompleteness; resolving and even encouraging a variety of issues; encouraging independence and independent development; bilingual experience; positive attention to the child from adults. The development of imagination is hampered by: conformity; disapproval of imagination; rigid gender role stereotypes; separation of play and learning; willingness to change point of view; admiration for authority. Imagination and reality The world is perceived as an interpretation of data coming from the senses. Being such, it is perceived as real, unlike most thoughts and images. Functions of imagination: representing reality in images, as well as creating the ability to use them when solving problems; regulation of emotional states; voluntary regulation of cognitive processes and human states, in particular perception, attention, memory, speech, emotions; formation of an internal plan of action - the ability to carry them out internally, manipulating images; planning and programming activities, drawing up programs, assessing their correctness, and the implementation process. Imagination and cognitive processes Imagination is a cognitive process, the specificity of which is the processing of past experience. The relationship between imagination and organic processes is most clearly manifested in the following phenomena: ideomotor act and psychosomatic disease. Based on the connection between human images and his organic states, the theory and practice of psychotherapeutic influences is built. Imagination is inextricably linked with thinking. According to L. S. Vygotsky, it is permissible to say about the unity of these two processes. Both thinking and imagination arise in a problem situation and are motivated by the needs of the individual. The basis of both processes is advanced reflection. Depending on the situation, the amount of time, the level of knowledge and its organization, the same problem can be solved both with the help of imagination and with the help of thinking. The difference is that the reflection of reality, carried out in the process of imagination, occurs in the form of vivid ideas, while anticipatory reflection in the processes of thinking occurs by operating with concepts that allow a generalized and indirect knowledge of the environment. The use of a particular process is dictated, first of all, by the situation: creative imagination works mainly at that stage of cognition when the uncertainty of the situation is quite great. Thus, imagination allows you to make decisions even with incomplete knowledge. In its activity, the imagination uses traces of past perceptions, impressions, ideas, that is, traces of memory (engrams). The genetic relationship between memory and imagination is expressed in the unity of the analytical-synthetic processes that form their basis. The fundamental difference between memory and imagination is revealed in the different direction of the processes of active operation with images. Thus, the main tendency of memory is to restore a system of images that is as close as possible to the situation that took place in experience. Imagination, on the contrary, is characterized by the desire for the maximum possible transformation of the original figurative material. Imagination is included in perception, influences the creation of images of perceived objects and, at the same time, itself depends on perception. According to Ilyenkov’s ideas, the main function of imagination is the transformation of an optical phenomenon, consisting of irritation of the surface of the retina by light waves, into the image of an external thing. Imagination is closely related to the emotional sphere. This connection is dual in nature: on the one hand, an image can evoke strong feelings, on the other, an emotion or feeling that once arises can cause active imagination. This system is discussed in detail by L. S. Vygotsky in his work “Psychology of Art”. The main conclusions he reaches can be stated as follows. According to the law of the reality of feelings, “all our fantastic and unreal experiences, in essence, proceed on a completely real emotional basis.” Based on this, Vygotsky concludes that fantasy is the central expression of emotional reaction. According to the law of unipolar energy expenditure, nervous energy tends to be wasted at one pole - either at the center or at the periphery; any increase in energy expenditure at one pole immediately entails its weakening at the other. Thus, with the intensification and complexity of fantasy as the central moment of the emotional reaction, its peripheral side (external manifestation) is delayed in time and weakens in intensity. Thus, imagination allows you to gain a variety of experiences while remaining within the framework of socially acceptable behavior. Everyone gets the opportunity to work through excessive emotional stress, discharging it with the help of fantasies
, and thus compensating for unmet needs.
Imagination in cognitive psychotherapy
Material from the book by E. Thomas Douth “Cognitive Hypnotherapy” (St. Petersburg: Peter, 2003, pp. 29-31). J. S. Beck (1995) has shown several ways of using the imagination, some of which resemble, as discussed below, hypnotic techniques. In image identification, the therapist teaches the client to evoke a spontaneous image regarding an unpleasant situation. Often, however, clients are unaware of the possible nature of these images or refuse to acknowledge them. In contrast to the standard question in cognitive psychotherapy: “What thoughts arose in your mind immediately at that moment?”, a question designed to identify an image might sound like this: “What image (or picture) was (or is) associated in your mind with this event? It is possible that this image will have to be evoked repeatedly, perhaps in a trance state, before the client feels comfortable enough to describe it fully. When tracing images to completion, the therapist encourages the client not to dwell on the sad scene, but to imagine the rest of the scenario. For example, a client who sees herself numb at the start of a speech might be asked to imagine how she copes with this during the next few minutes of speaking (since she is unlikely to stand still indefinitely). Humor, used with care and tact, can help clients bring an imaginary picture to completion. In the case of overcoming imagery, which can be seen as an extension of the previous technique, the therapist asks the client to imagine the best way to overcome the image just evoked. For example, a client who feels insecure when dealing with an angry boss might imagine standing taller and looking the boss in the eye. This opposing image, when evoked again and again, can gradually replace the previous, degrading image. Further refinement of these techniques can be found in image modification. In this case, there is a controlled change in the image with which the client associates his problem situation. For example, the therapist may inquire about a different, more preferable scenario and then work to imagine this different scenario. This flexible technique can help modify painful memories (discussed below in this work). A leap into the future is similar to hypnotic age progression and is associated with the fact that the client is asked to imagine himself at one point or another in the future, perhaps at the moment of completing a long-term project (like this book!). This can be combined with the previous technique to help the client construct an alternative, less sad scenario for the current painful situation. Pattern repetition is a new variation on an old theme: rehearsing new behaviors and cognitions is an effective way to effect change. This can be viewed as a type of systematic desensitization in which the client reconstructs the painful event over and over again so that it loses some of its charge. As a result, you can even look at it with humor! Throughout this book, you will encounter numerous examples of the repetition principle. In addition to the above, the psychotherapist can train the client to substitute another (not so sad) image in place of the existing distressing image. The new image may differ significantly from the old one. For example, an obsessive distressing image can be replaced by the sight of oneself lying on the seashore. As mentioned above, it is important that the client does this over and over again, thereby making it easier to evoke the image. Distancing, either spatial or temporal, can also be helpful. In spatial distancing, the client is asked to imagine that their problems are moving further and further away, dissolving into the distance. With temporal distancing, he is asked to imagine how problems recede in time or become obsolete as the client grows older. Highly metaphorical images are often used here. An example of distance is telescopic technique, which will be considered in the future. Albert Ellis and colleagues were engaged in the study of imagination, practicing a rational-performance imagination: version /? £ T (Ellis, 1993). Ellis offers the following order of action. Imagine the worst thing that can happen to you ... Ackeine how a regrettable activating event, or trouble (a), is happening ... Allow yourself to deeply feel an inadequate, amazing feeling that you often experience ... let yourself feel at all - at the point C, which denotes an emotional result - extreme anxiety, depression, rage, hatred or self -pity ... 3. As soon as you feel inadequate suffering (at point C), presenting this misfortune (l), hold this feeling for a minute or two ... then ... then ... then Ordinate yourself to experience the appropriate negative feeling (C2) ... So, if you are furious (c1) ... then you can order yourself to replace it with an adequate feeling of extreme displeasure and regret because of what are done-instead of fury and indulge in curses ... (p. II-8-II-9) Ellis emphasizes that it is important to change the image of the original activating event, but only the emotional result (C). To change these inadequate feelings, you need to resort not to distraction, but to the overcoming imagination. The client must maintain a negative image and then work on the dynamics of feelings (emotional result) to cause a real change. Ellis also offers the practice of repetitions (several times a day for 30 days for each inadequate negative feeling!) To create a sustainable change. Typically, he urges customers not to “curse himself” if at first they are not able to fulfill this difficult obligation, but to continue their efforts until they are able to cope with him better. Work on images and hypnotic trance are phenomena of one row. Figurated ideas can be used in conditions of hypnotic trance.
Active imagination
Material https://www.psychologos.ru/articles/view/aktivnoe_... Active imagination is a special method of using the power of imagination, developed by Carl Gustav Jung in order to describe dreams with open eyes. At first, the patient concentrates on one specific point, emotional state, image or event, and then surrenders to fantasy activity, which becomes more and more dramatic with each step. That is, mental images begin to acquire their own vital activity and appear in accordance with the laws of their specific logic. And here it is impossible to do without overcoming hesitations and doubts in consciousness in order to be able to admit everything that seeks to present itself to it (consciousness). And this already creates a new mental situation. Material to which there was previously no access becomes more or less clear and distinct. Under the influence of experienced emotions, the conscious self begins to react more directly and directly than is the case in dreams. As a result, the process of mental maturation is accelerated, since the images that appear in the process of active imagination anticipate the work of dreams. Active imagination should be distinguished from a dream, which is invented by the patient himself and resides on the surface of personal and everyday experience. Active imagination is the exact opposite of lucid dreaming. The drama being staged attempts to encourage active participation by the observer. A new situation is created in which unconscious material is openly presented to the waking consciousness. In this Jung saw a manifestation of the activity of the transcendental function, that is, the integral influence of conscious and unconscious factors. You can deal with manifest material in different ways. The process of active imagination in itself can have a positive and vitalizing (revitalizing) effect. The material seen can be sketched (as, for example, as is done with dream images). Patients can be asked to sketch the fantasies they have experienced in order to identify individual episodes immediately after their occurrence. Then, these sketches can be used in analytical sessions for interpretation. In any case, Jung was convinced that the fantasy image has everything necessary for its subsequent metamorphoses and changes in mental life. Jung warned against contact with reality during the process of active imagination, comparing the latter to the alchemical process, which requires a "hermetically sealed vessel." Jung did not advise the mindless use of active imagination by anyone; most likely he intended it for treatment, when work with dreams should be replaced by objectification of images. Active imagination is most useful in the later stages of analytic treatment. The fantasy images seen require inclusion in conscious life. Although active imagination can contribute to a cure for neurosis, this can only occur when it is harmoniously included in mental activity, without leading to either ersatz or escape from conscious life. Unlike dreams, which are experienced passively, the process of active imagination is accompanied by the active and creative participation of the ego sphere. This method of presenting to consciousness the material that lies directly under the threshold of the unconscious sphere can turn out to be very dangerous. Jung emphasized three points above all: The process of active imagination may be of no use if the patient continues to be a prisoner of his own complexes. The patient finds himself seduced by the play of his fantasy, not noticing the need for active confrontation with the emerging images. The unconscious material may be so highly charged with energy that the patient becomes completely overwhelmed by the vivid images and forgets to work with them (inflation).
Active imagination read more
Material https://www.psychologos.ru/articles/view/aktivnoe_... In essence, Active Imagination is a dialogue that you conduct with various parts of your “self” living in the unconscious. In a certain sense, it is similar to a dream, the only difference being that while experiencing this sensation, you are awake and fully aware of what is happening. In your imagination, you begin to talk to and interact with your images. They answer you. You will be surprised to learn that they express points of view that are exactly the opposite of those contained in your conscious mind. They tell you about things that you were not aware of before, and they communicate to you thoughts that were hitherto unknown to your conscious mind. Most people in the process of Active Imagination engage in lively conversation, exchange opinions with internal figures, try to reconcile opposing points of view, even seek advice from sages living in the unconscious. But not all conversations are conducted through words. Active Imagination helps us better understand that the images we conjure up are actually symbols that represent parts of ourselves that are deep within us. Like images from dreams, they symbolize the contents of our unconscious. Because these inner beings have a "mind of their own," they say and do things that sometimes shock, often enlighten, and sometimes insult our ego. In dreams, events occur exclusively at the level of the unconscious. In the process of Active Imagination, events occur at the level of imagination, which is neither the conscious mind nor the unconscious, but is a "meeting point", a "no man's land" where the conscious mind and the unconscious meet to create a life event that combines contains elements of both. The two levels of consciousness merge into each other on the field of imagination, like two rivers flowing into each other to create one powerful stream. They complement each other; they begin to work together and, as a result, your complete personality begins to transform itself into a unity. The dialogue of the conscious mind with the unconscious activates the highest "divine" function, the "I", which is the synthesis of these two levels of consciousness. The essence of Active Imagination is your conscious participation in the process of imagination. This type of imagination is called active because the ego, in fact, enters the inner world, walks there, talks, argues, makes friends and makes enemies among the individuals inhabiting this world. You consciously play a role in the performance of your imagination. This quality distinguishes Active Imagination from ordinary, passive fantasy. Passive fantasy is a daydream, like being in a movie theater, just sitting and watching the flow of fantasy penetrate your brain. Passive fantasy is a process in which you do not consciously participate; you are not thinking about what is happening, and you are not taking an independent, ethical position in relation to what is happening. Passive fantasy also represents images from the unconscious. But since we cannot consciously enter into it, it is, for the most part, a waste of time and energy. Problems presented by fantasy cannot be resolved. In most cases, fantasy appears again and again on the sidelines of our minds until it gets tired of it or until we get tired of it. No evolution occurs because the ego never encounters the fantasy situation and never enters it as a conscious, independent force. A good example of this is the phenomenon of anxiety. Anxiety is a form of passive fantasy. Most of us have something to worry about, and worry about all the time. A fantasy arises in our brain in which we see ourselves as winners who have achieved our goal. Then comes the counter-fantasy, the anxiety-fantasy, in which we see ourselves as having suffered a humiliating defeat. As long as we sit passively and allow fantasy-worry to take over us, we will not find any way out, but with Active Imagination, it becomes possible to penetrate the worry, actively confront it, enter into dialogue with it, find out who or what is inside we are in a state of conflict, and do something about it. Active Imagination is used correctly, it connects those different parts of your self that are in conflict with each other or have been separated from each other. It awakens powerful voices within you and leads to the conclusion of peace between the warring ego and the unconscious, to the beginning of cooperation between them. The main purpose of this art is to provide a connection between the ego and those parts of the unconscious from which we are usually cut off. When you practice Active Imagination, changes actually occur in your soul. Active Imagination takes a person on a path leading to wholeness, to an awareness of the fullness of his "I", and all this only because a person has learned to communicate with his inner "I".
Examples of active imagination
From the book by K.G. Jung’s “Relationship between the Self and the Unconscious” “... We are talking about a fantasy of a pronounced visual nature... a “vision” that arose simply due to intense concentration aimed at the distant plane of consciousness, which, of course, could only manifest itself after long exercises. (I have defined this method elsewhere as active imagination). The patient saw the following (I convey her story verbatim): “I climbed the mountain and came to a place where I saw seven red stones in front, seven on either side of me and seven behind me. I stood in the center of this square. The stones were smooth, like steps. I tried to lift the four nearest stones. At the same time, she discovered that the stones were pedestals of four statues of deities, buried in the ground with their heads down. I dug them out and placed them around me, staying in the middle between them. Suddenly they tilted towards the center, touching their heads so that they seemed to form a kind of tent above me. I fell to the ground and said, “Fall on me if you have to. I'm tired". Then I saw that a circle of fire had formed outside, around the four deities. Soon I rose from the ground and knocked over the statues of deities. Where they fell to the ground, four trees grew. After this, blue lights burst out from the circle of flame and began to devour the foliage of the trees. I decided: “This must end, I myself must enter the fire so that the leaves do not burn,” and I entered the fire. The trees disappeared, and the circle of fire gathered into one big blue flame, which lifted me from the ground.” …By actively interfering with unconscious processes, the patient gains power over them by allowing them to take hold of her. This is how she connects consciousness and the unconscious..."
Types of imagination
This process, as a complex mental process, also comes in several types. Regarding the features of the process, they distinguish: involuntary, voluntary, recreating, creative, and daydreaming.
Involuntary imagination is also called passive imagination. This is the simplest type and it consists in creating and combining ideas, their components into a new image, when a person does not have a direct intention to do this, when consciousness is weak, and control over the flow of ideas is small.
Passive imagination occurs in young children. It manifests itself most often when a person is in a drowsy, half-asleep state, then images appear on their own (therefore arbitrary), some change to others, they combine, take on the most unreal forms and types.
Such imagination operates not only in a sleepy state, it also manifests itself in a waking state. New ideas do not always appear when a person purposefully directs his consciousness to creation. A feature of the created images is their variability as a result of the instability of trace excitations of the brain and the ease of their interconnection with excitation processes in adjacent brain centers. Because the trajectory of arousal is not fixed, this makes imagination so easy. It is especially easy in children, who also lack critical thinking, which acts as a filtering mechanism in adults, so the child sometimes produces the most unrealistic, fantasized images. Only by acquiring life experience and forming a critical attitude, such unintentional imagination is gradually put in order and guides the consciousness, therefore a deliberate active idea is formed.
Voluntary imagination, also called active, is the deliberate construction of ideas according to the task at hand in a certain activity. Active imagination develops when children begin to play roles (doctor, salesperson, teacher). When they try to portray their role, they have to use their brains as accurately as possible, thus using their imagination. Further development of this process occurs when a person begins to act independently, shows initiative and creative efforts in the process of work, requiring clear and accurate representations of the subject that will be created from operations and which must be performed.
Active imagination is most manifested in human creative activity. In this process, a person sets himself a task, which is the starting point for the development of the imagination process. Since the product of this activity is objects of art, the imagination is governed by the requirements that follow from the specific characteristics of art.
The re-creating aspect of this process is that a person must create an image of an object that he has never seen, based on certain descriptions.
Recreating imagination, according to its psychological structure, is the translation of a second-signal stimulus into a re-signal image.
Recreative imagination embraces the creation of something that already exists and how it exists. It is not separate from reality, and if you move away from it a little, then the imagination will not correspond to the goals of cognition - to expand the field of human knowledge, reducing descriptions to visual images.
Recreating imagination helps a person to be transported to other countries, into space, to see historical events and objects that he has never seen before in his life, but can imagine after recreating. This process allows people who read works of fiction to recreate pictures, events and characters in their heads.
Creative imagination is also considered an active imagination; it is involved in the formation of new images in creative activities, art, science, and technical activities. Composers, writers, and artists use this process to depict life in images in their art. They create artistic images through which they reflect life as truthfully as possible, rather than photographically copying life events. These images also reflect the individuality of the creative person, his approach to life, and artistic style.
Creative imagination is also used in scientific activity, which cannot be interpreted as ordinary mechanical knowledge of phenomena. Building hypotheses is a creative process, which is then confirmed by practice.
There is another unique type of this process - this is a dream, as a representation of what is desired in the future. It is created in a meaningful way, as opposed to unintentional daydreaming. A person consciously directs his thoughts to the formation of desired goals, planning strategies to achieve these goals and translating them into real life.
Daydreaming can be useful, but it can also be harmful. When a dream is transcendental, unrealistic, and unrelated to life, it weakens a person’s will, reduces his activity and slows down psychological development. Such dreams are empty, meaningless, they are called dreams. When a dream is connected with reality, and potentially real, it helps a person to mobilize, unite efforts and resources to achieve a goal. Such a dream is an incentive for active action and the rapid development of the best qualities of an individual.
What is creative imagination
Creative imagination is a type of imagination in which a person independently creates new images and ideas that are of a certain value. These ideas can be embodied in specific products of creative activity.
Also close to creative imagination and useful in the process of creative thinking is reconstructive imagination. Recreating imagination is the creation of images of objects that were not previously perceived by a person in a complete form, although he was already familiar with similar objects or their individual elements. In this case, the knowledge that a person already has about these objects is used, which determines the predominantly reproductive nature of the created images. At the same time, these images are distinguished from memory representations by a great diversity, flexibility and dynamism of elements. Simply put, the reconstructive imagination, unlike the creative one, is more consciously based on previous experience.
The peculiarity of imagination in the creative process is that it is imagination that is difficult to control when creating something new. If at the previous stages it was possible to describe an almost exact algorithm of actions, then the last stage should rely specifically on a person’s ability for creative imagination and associative thinking, you can read about the latter in a special lesson on memory development.
Imagination and creativity
Creativity is the process of creating fundamentally new or improved methods for solving tasks and problems. It becomes obvious that imagination and the creative process are very interconnected.
Imagination here is defined as the transformation of ideas about reality and the creation of new images on this basis. It works every time a person thinks about some object or phenomenon, without even coming into direct contact with it. Thanks to creative imagination, the transformation of this idea is carried out.
Creative thinking and imagination have their own specific characteristics. Through this process, it is possible to create completely new, unique representations based on the subject's own ideas and thoughts, which express the personality of the creator. It can be voluntary or involuntary. To a large extent, creative imagination or inclination towards it is determined from birth, but it can also be developed.
The development of creative imagination occurs in three stages. At first, a creative idea arises. In the mind of the creator, a fuzzy image first appears, an initial idea that can be created arbitrarily, without purposeful comprehension of the idea. The second stage involves hatching a plan. A person thinks about strategies for translating an idea into reality and mentally improves it. The third stage completes the incubation of the idea and brings it to life.
The development of creative imagination is carried out in the process of transition from involuntary to voluntary, from recreating to creative. During childhood and adolescence, creative imagination has characteristic features; it is special for its magic, fantastic judgments about the world and the absence of a critical component of thinking and rationality. During adolescence, complex changes occur in the body, and therefore in consciousness as well. Objectivity is developed, perception becomes more critical. Rationality of perception appears a little later, when a person becomes an adult. The adult mind begins to control the imagination, often too much criticality and practicality weakens the processes of fantasy, overfilling them with meaning, loading them with some kind of information that is actually unnecessary.
There are certain methods for developing creative thinking. The most practical method is to read literature and watch scientific films, expand the range of your knowledge, draw knowledge from different areas of life, memorize and analyze information. In this case, a large amount of materials for creative processes appears.
Imagine imaginary objects, try to carry out various manipulations with them. For example, imagine the sea, hear the sound of breaking waves, feel the breath of sea freshness, imagine entering the water, feel its temperature, and so on. Or another example, imagine a pear. Imagine its shape, size, color. Use tactile perception, imagine it when it is in your hand, feel its surface, aroma. You can mentally take a bite of it and imagine the taste.
In order for the imagination to be voluntary, it is necessary to work on it through regular training. To make the effect even greater, you need to look for sources of inspiration, ask friends for help, and ask about their ideas. Try group work to create ideas, sometimes the results are very unique, and a person becomes more active if the process of imagination occurs in a circle of other creative individuals.
Tools for developing imagination
One of the main ways to develop imagination is to gain multifaceted life experiences. The more we communicate with different people, participate in different events, do different things, the more sensory, emotional and intellectual experience we gain. As a result, all this experience is involved in eliminating logical dissonances that arise during lateral thinking. Naturally, there are no universal recommendations for gaining life experience, but you can pay attention to such things as expanding your models of the world and reading.
Expanding the number of world models. The term "model of the world", as well as framing, which was discussed in the second lesson, is a popular one in neuro-linguistic programming to describe the different approaches people have to interpreting reality.
The diversity of models of the world comes from the fact that reality is perceived by people differently, and no one is able to be an objective interpreter of reality. To understand the essence of the process of creating something new, you need to realize that all the ideas we express are perceived differently by each person. For example, some pieces of music that you like may cause negative attitudes in other people. The problem of interpreting music shows well the difference in people's ideas: what seems beautiful, original or even brilliant to some, may not seem so to others at all.
To develop creative thinking, you need to use the representative features of various models of the world. In other words, the more we communicate with different people and try to understand them, the better our creative thinking will be.
Reading. Reading books and other sources of information, including using speed reading techniques, is a very effective way to develop creative imagination. While reading, active visualization of what you are reading occurs. Since you do not receive any additional information other than the letters that make up words and sentences, you inadvertently have to imagine a picture of what is happening. It is especially useful for the development of creativity to read science fiction, adventure, detective stories and, of course, poetry.
However, the effect of reading books on the ability to think creatively is not entirely clear. For example, Schopenhauer in his work “Parergaund Paralipomena” noted that excessive reading is not only useless, since the reader in the process of reading receives someone else’s thoughts ready-made and assimilates them worse than if he came to them on his own, but is also harmful to the mind, since weakens him and teaches him to look for ideas in external sources, and not from his own head. We can only add to this that although reading expands our models of the world, the habit of looking for truth in books impairs the ability to find a creative solution.
Games to develop imagination
The peculiarity of any creative game is that it helps to develop creative thinking and imagination in an atmosphere of competition and excitement. It is the game form that often helps to concentrate and effectively study the necessary material not only for children, but also for adults. Today on the Internet there are many classifications of creative games: computer, online, group, intellectual and creative, role-playing and many others. Our classification allows you to choose a game depending on whether you want to play alone on the computer or plan to play in a group. This page presents games for developing creative imagination. Moreover, you can find games of various types, both independent online games and group games and creative tasks for training creativity without the use of a computer. Go to creative games...
Imagination is the key factor in the final element of our creative thinking framework. The better developed the imagination, the broader a person’s worldview, the faster he is able to find the necessary associations in his head, the more creative his ideas.
Our imagination is constantly developing; the more we explore the world, the better our imagination is developed. However, just contemplating the world is not enough. It is important to think about what we see, to analyze what is happening.
