The role of the imagination is to awaken us
In her timeless book, If You Want to Write, Brenda Ueland captures a profound truth:
“When we ignore the imagination, we stop living from our center, from the creative fountain, and we live from the periphery, from externals.”
Ueland’s words strike at the heart of how imagination shapes the human experience. Too often, we allow ourselves to get swept up in the periphery—the demands, distractions, and external measures of success that pull us away from our center. Yet, it’s in the imagination, the vibrant creative fountain within us, where we reconnect with who we truly are.
Imagination doesn’t just help us think up new ideas; it brings possibility. As the great educator Maxine Greene observed,
“The role of imagination is to awaken, to disclose the ordinarily unseen, unheard, and unexpected.”
Imagination allows us to break free from what is and glimpse what could be. It awakens us to perspectives, solutions, and insights that weren’t visible before. It invites us to dream, to wonder, and to step into a realm of limitless potential.
But imagination isn’t just about grand visions or lofty ideas. It’s deeply nourishing. When we open the doors to our imagination, we create a spaciousness that feeds us on every level—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It connects us to a deeper flow, one that brings not just clarity, but also vitality and inspiration.
The Risk of Ignoring Imagination
When we ignore our imagination, we risk more than stagnation. We risk losing touch with our essence—our creative center. We start to operate from the “periphery,” relying solely on external validation, rigid plans, or habitual ways of thinking. This disconnect can leave us feeling unfulfilled, no matter how much we achieve.
How to Reconnect with Your Creative Fountain
- Make Space for Wonder: Spend time in activities that allow your mind to wander—journaling, daydreaming, or simply being in nature. The imagination needs unstructured space to flow.
- Play Without Purpose: Engage in something creative just for the joy of it. Paint, doodle, write, or tinker with no goal in mind. This playful freedom can reignite your imaginative spark.
- Ask “What If?”: Challenge your usual ways of thinking by asking open-ended questions. “What if I tried it this way?” “What else might be possible here?” These questions encourage your imagination to explore new possibilities.
- Seek the Unexpected: Expose yourself to new ideas, art, or experiences. Imagination thrives on surprise and novelty, so stepping out of your comfort zone can fuel it.
- Trust the Process: Imagination doesn’t always deliver instant results. Sometimes its spaciousness feels uncertain, even uncomfortable. Trust that allowing yourself to dwell in this openness will yield insight and inspiration when the time is right.
Living from the Imaginative Center
When we embrace our imagination, we stop living reactively from the outside in. Instead, we tap into the wellspring of creativity at our core. Life becomes richer, more dynamic, and more meaningful.
As Ueland and Greene remind us, the imagination isn’t just a tool—it’s a lifeline to our most vibrant and alive selves. So, take a moment today to pause, to dream, and to live from your center.
The possibilities are waiting for you.
