Lost Knowledge Of The Imagination - Gary Lachman

Important writing on imagination, by Gary Lachman. This book describes the various ways in which imagination has been (mis)understood, charting the story of its neglect in Western culture, and the figures that sought to preserve and live by this particular 'way of knowing.'

"..it is the source and medium of our other way of knowing. It shows us aspects and dimensions of reality that we would miss without it .... While it can be used for fantasy, illusion, make-believe, and escapism, the real work of imagination is to make contact with the strange world in which we live and to serve as both guide and inspiration for our development within it. It is the way we evolve. Imagination presents us with possible, potential realities that it is our job to actualise. It also presents us with a world that would not be complete without our help."

"..Corbin and Jung and others contend that for them — and potentially for all of us — the 'Imaginal' constitutes an entire world of its own...just as objective as the sensory world, with its own geography, history, laws, and, as Jung discovered, its own inhabitants."

In all the branches of my work (art, depth psychotherapy, and mentoring) imagination is of great significance. I have written some more about this topic over on this page. Working together in psychotherapy or mentoring is an opportunity to take seriously the creative potentials of true imagination, as it find its expression through you.

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Andrew Phillips is a Visual Artist, Psychotherapist, and Creative Mentor.

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