The reality of imagination: Insights from Henry Corbin, Sufi wisdom, and Carl Jung

I just finished reading Henry Corbin’s 1969 book, Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn ‘Arabi. It had been sitting on my shelf for over two years, waiting patiently for the right time. I’m glad I finally picked it up, because it confirmed something I’ve long suspected but never fully understood: imagination is real. It’s not just “make-believe” or “pretend.”

In Sufi philosophy, the imagination is what they call the “middle world.” Corbin describes it like this:

“For them, the world is ‘objectively’ and actually threefold: between the universe that can be apprehended by pure intellectual perception and the universe perceptible to the senses, there is an intermediate world, the world of Idea-Images, of archetypal figures, of subtile substances, of ‘immaterial matter.’ This world is as real and objective, as consistent and subsistent as the intelligible and sensible worlds…The organ of this universe is the active Imagination…”

This perspective is radically different from how most Westerners view imagination. We hear it in our everyday language: “It’s only your imagination.” How dismissive is that? In contrast, many other cultures honor the imagination as a powerful, real, and necessary part of human experience.

Imagination in Other Cultures

In her book, Dreaming the Council Ways:, South American shaman Ohky Simine Forest offers this insight:

“Imagination is a powerful faculty that has been misunderstood by the Western mind. When you experience an extraordinary perception—let’s say you heard a bird talking to you—if you tell this to a scientist, he would probably tell you, ‘This is all in your imagination,’ as if it were nothing. But if you say this to a native medicine person, our answer would be, ‘Oh, good! So what did it tell you?’”

The difference is profound. While the Western mindset often dismisses imagination as irrelevant, other traditions see it as a source of insight, wisdom, and connection.

Jung’s Fourth Way of Knowing

Carl Jung recognized imagination as a vital part of human knowledge. Traditionally, his framework includes four ways of knowing: feeling, thinking, sensing, and intuition. But some scholars, like Eligio Stephen Gallegos in his book Animals of the Four Windows: Integrating Feeling, Sensing, Thinking, and Imagery, argue that Jung’s fourth way of knowing is better understood as imagination.

This interpretation resonates with me. Imagination feels more expansive than intuition—it’s a direct experience of something beyond ourselves, a connection to Corbin’s “middle world.”

Why Imagination Matters

If the imagination is a real and valid way of knowing, as Corbin, Jung, and other thinkers suggest, then it’s time to start honoring it. Our imaginative capacity isn’t something we outgrow after childhood. It’s essential to being balanced, whole adults.

This realization carries implications for how we approach education, work, and personal growth:

• In Classrooms: We need to give imagination as much weight as thinking, feeling, and sensing. Art, storytelling, and creative problem-solving should be central to learning.
• In the Workplace: Honoring imagination can lead to innovative solutions, deeper collaboration, and more fulfilling work.
• In Personal Growth: Engaging with our imagination helps us connect with archetypal wisdom, explore new perspectives, and access deeper truths.

A Call to Honor the Imagination

As we navigate a world in need of new ideas and solutions, it’s clear that honoring our imagination is no longer optional. The imagination isn’t just a tool for artists—it’s a pathway to wisdom, creativity, and transformation.

Corbin’s middle world, Ohky Simine Forest’s perspective, and Jung’s insights all point to the same truth: imagination is real, and it deserves its rightful place in our lives. The new world that wants to be born is calling us to embrace it.