Imaging Help

 "I am part of all that I have met" said Tennyson, and that line goes on to say what might be surprising to those of us who use it, but the first part is so very true. We think we are "self-made" but we aren't wholly that. Our selves are constructed first, by our rearing, later, by our trials and errors and finally, by what we do with it all. Like a building, we make rooms to visit when dreaming, or scheming, or escaping. Oftentimes, we find ourselves in a situation that seems impossible to get through, and some of us, fix it by entering a dream, an image that we do, perhaps made up of a space we've been in, a scene we experienced or a feeling we recall. And while it might not "fix" anything, it takes us away to a place for awhile, where we get a break from something too bad to endure. If we don't have some sort of safety net, we fear that we will "crash". And that is why we have something called imagination. The imagination is a tool. Artists in whatever field they choose, use such powers in building their art. And while the artisitic construct of their mind, is drawn from their imagination, they are able to add more: to share with others their image, their special talent. It can be writing, dance, voice, painting, architecture, sculpture and on, but it's always something, even photography, that holds these unique designs. As in photography, that is about as real as any of the arts, the one who captures reality, makes us see beyond what we see, "into" what we see. That is art. It all begins with an image, and expands. Once touching base with a certain, unamed philosphy that was actually, a cult, I learned that the idea of art or science  is not completley original thought, but that the spirits of all the greats who have gone before us, somehow emit their inventions to those of us, who will reach out and grab them to use. And it is perfectly true, in a sense. It's why people go to learning institutions or sites to draw on the past and apply it to the present. It follows, how the Michelangelos, Mozarts, Shakespeares, Charlie Chaplins and Curies did the same with their past heros to use in their contributions that we, today, continue. So many people say that university  academics are useless, but no, their job is not How-Tos but to reveal to us what was that can become what is. That background exploration is never a waste of time. You can do it on your own. Whether you need to glean, for your own enlightenment or not, the value of imaging as a tool for whatever purpose you decide, there are many methods of teaching yourself to image. Looking, listening, tasting, touching are some.  As many experiences as you can find in all of your senses, makes you only a better mind. If you haven't explored this very useful imaging tool, it's time to do so. Imaging is a learned skill and it costs nothing. All it "costs" is for you to use your senses, and to use them all. Sitting in front of a screen, might be a start, but it misses out on some other crucial senses. Touching is something that many people avoid, but as simply as picking up a leaf or a stone or a twig will add to your sensual ability. Smelling is another ignored sense. Smell leaves not just flowers. Pick up some fresh herbs. Lift and smell fruits at the store. Sense their textures.  Allow your body to absorb to add to your dictionary of sense experiences in order to build images that will expand and enrich the tools you need to find a fuller life.