Adult play

Imagination holds keys to every inventive creation in existence.  Where does creation begin and how far can existence reach?  These questions can send the mind over edges of understanding so as to expand the boundaries of knowing.  When we were young, we would use imagination on a daily basis and it played a key roll in our development.  Many of us let go of imaginative play and use logical play to overcome problems that we face as adults.  Is this the best way to go, is it serving humankind in the best possible way?  Does logic make us better people, are we nicer, more caring towards each other and happier when we allow logic to be our basis of thought instead of imagination?  I can only tell you my perspective, though I hope it is not wrong, because I have wasted so much time if my thinking has been used incorrectly.  

I have been working to empower my imagination for most of my life, making it more accessible to my mind so I can tap into it any time of the day.  We may think that imagination is just something we can use anytime we want, but like many tools, if you do not use it, then you may forget how to use it.  We hear stories of people who did use their imaginations, and we wish that we could have the creativity they had.  Nikola Tesla would create machines and then test them in his mind before he ever made any physical model of them.  In an interview Albert Einstein was quoted, “I am enough of the artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”  Do not think though, that either of these people used imagination alone to come up with their ideas; both were highly educated in their field of study and mixing their knowledge with imagination is what changed the face of our world.  

Imagining that dreams are part of a trans dimensional reality or multiverse makes understanding the possibility of those two concepts much more accessible.  However it will do you well to remember which land is dream based and which is this much more physically based world before you try to fly from the top of a tall building.  According to Steven Mithen, an anthropologist from the University of Reading, UK "Our capacity to create imaginary worlds could be key to our health as well as the power behind the rise of human civilization."  As our ancestors may have used imagination to grow, we can can use dreams to travel through many landscapes and eventually may figure out how to take classes, read more books, and listen to more lectures in the dream states so as to expand our knowledge in every possible world.  Imagine the vast level of understanding you could reach if you had a couple hours of extra learning every night.  Dreams can expand the energy behind our imagination.  

Logic is an excellent tool that helps to bring sense into the experiences of life.  Logic with imagination can put you on the nucleus of an atom so you can watch electrons zipping around you, and you can stare into the vast distances of nuclear space.  With imagination, logical arguments can be used to explain metaphysical reality and the existence of soul underlying everything you do.  In my own life I used logic to argue that God was a lie, then my arguments were turned upside down on me and I used them to argue the truth of God in all layers of existence.  In this time of the turning upside down, my imagination was also expanded to see so much more than what I assumed was sitting right in front of my eyes.  It opened my turtle mind and got the slow thing moving towards seeking enlightenment.  This path, which is thousands of miles long, is brightened by the lights of imagination that shine on aspects of creativity within us as we move down it.  I find myself to be the slowest of walkers as I carry my shell and watch the monkeys running ahead of me.  It is a good thing that my imagination lets me think it is not a race.  

Imagination is a toy of childhood, and like most toys we think that we have to put it away as we grow up.  An article by Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, with Dr. Jerome L. Singer and Dr. Dorothy G. Singer, discusses the importance of imaginative play, "An important  benefit of early pretend play may be its enhancement of the child’s capacity for cognitive flexibility and, ultimately, creativity (Russ, 2004; Singer & Singer, 2005). Russ, for example, in longitudinal  studies, found that early imaginative play was associated with increased creative performance years later (Russ, 2004; Russ, & Fiorelli,  2010). Root-Bernstein’s research with clearly creative individuals such as Nobel Prize winners and MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant  awardees, indicated  that early childhood  games about make-believe worlds were more frequent in such individuals than in control participants in their fields (Root-Bernstein, 2012)."  Why not carry this tool into adulthood and make the world what you want it to be?  From engineers to company directors, we could change the structure of our business environment if we allow imagination to assist with designing a workplace that allows for more creative play than the current model.  In an article by author Jeff Baumgartner he writes, "Imagination is not a word you hear much about in business. Few companies, outside electronic game producers, would describe themselves as imaginative. That is a shame ­and a mistake. Imagination is the number one tool for creativity and innovation."  As you practice diving into your imagination you will see changes in your home life, work life and maybe even in your social life.  It is such a powerful tool that if you let it get too carried away, you may overwhelm others with your new ideas, and that is alright because they may be inspired by what they see.

Love,

PEACE