Imagine when we were all still children. We were able to
play with paper dolls or wooden cars, and create realities
in which we were happy. We could do everything we wanted
and there were no limitations to our dreams ' except the
voice of a parent that interrupted for mundane things like
mealtimes and bath-times.
We were all princes and princesses who were rescued from
bad people, or doctors who healed people (and yes, even
doctors and nurses who had to satisfy the curiosity about
our own bodies), or firemen who did brave deeds.
As we grew older, the imagine games were toned down and we
moved into daydreaming. We still used the same
imagination, but we did not share it with the world. We
created an inner world that had enough space for all the
things we wanted to do and be and experience. We stopped
sharing our dreams with others, because after all they were
not "real" and we were expected to cope with "reality".
Over time we stopped dreaming. We stopped using our
imagination. We became parents and part of our role was to
teach children to distinguish between reality and
imagination. We would even get irritated at children that
had these unrealistic dreams and visions of a future that
could not be, because we know what is real and what is not.
Do we? The famous psychologist Carl Jung said "Who looks
outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
For me, imagination is a doorway to a different reality.
The real reality is a place where we can dream, where there
is no hurt or distractions, where we get inspiration and
ideas.
The illusion is the one that we live every day. The
illusion is the world with fears and limitations where we
choose to have feelings that can be described as negative.
Artists and entrepreneurs retain their imagination, and
they become adults who dream unashamedly, and then live
those dreams. We look at these people in awe and admire
their guts and talents. We cannot understand how they can
take such immense risks, and why they are so successful
even though they do not quite act like grown-ups.
Most people get on with life, and occasionally day-dream.
Then we pull ourselves back to "reality" because we know
those day-dreams are only dreams.
Yes, they are only dreams, if we choose to believe that.
However, if we understand that day-dreams are not a means
of escape from where we are, but rather a means of taking
us where our true selves are, we will spend much more time
daydreaming.
We need to be reminded that thoughts become words, and
words become actions. Daydreams are thoughts. Those
thoughts occur because they come from our souls. We can
choose to write them off or ignore them or suppress them,
but they have a habit of popping up again and again. Why?
Could it be that our daydreams reflect our true selves, and
that we like to put up such a fight against our true selves
that we refuse to daydream?
Using your imagination is not limited to daydreaming. We
have what we like to call brainwaves, thoughts that come
"out of the blue", flashed of inspiration, and what we like
to call crazy ideas. Sometimes we perceive these thoughts
as so outrageous that we discard them and get on with
"reality".
If we are brave enough to accept all our thoughts,
especially the more outrageous ones, and put aside our
fears and prejudices, we will be in a much better position
to embrace these gifts from another dimension and act on
them.
Yes, these thoughts and ideas will change our lives, and
change is often scary because it leaves us out of control,
but imagine we can live our dreams. Would that not be
wonderful?
Of course it will be. And the only way we can live our
dreams is to keep dreaming, in ever increasing detail,
until we are able to put those dreams into words, and then
see how the words become action, and how the action brings
the "reality" that we live closer to our dreams.
"What would people say if I live my dreams?" you ask. They
will probably initially say you are having a mid-life
crisis. Then they will say you are being irresponsible.
Then they will see how your world changes and they will
stop saying anything and just observe you from a distance.
Then they will ask carefully worded questions, and then
they will start to live their own dreams with abandon and
with a zest for life that they never had.
Do I want to live this reality? In my dreams!
----------------------------------------------------
Elsabe Smit hereby grants a NON-EXCLUSIVE license to any
and all persons and entities to copy and reprint any
article she posts as long as the article is left IN-TACT
and UNALTERED and proper credit is given to her as Author.
Elsabe Smit is the author of the blog <A
HREF="http://www.mypurpleblog.com">Spiritual
interpretations of everyday life</a> ]
