Chapter Two
Imagination
Chapter Inspiration:
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagina tion encircles the world.” –Albert Einstein
“Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as suc ceeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... do not build up obstacles in your imagination.”–Norman Vincent Peale
“There is only one admirable form of the imagination: the imagination that is so intense that it creates a new reality, that it makes things happen.” – Sean O’Faolain
“Imagination is the beginning of creation, you imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw
“An idea is salvation by imagination.” –Frank Lloyd Wright
“You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twai
“Imagine the beauty of an earth without tears. Imagine a world with happy smiling faces.” –Sri Chinmoy
“I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart’s affections and the truth of imagination. What the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth – whether it existed before or not.” –John Keats
“Imagination rules the world.” —Napoleon I
“Imagination grows by exercise.” —Somerset Maugham
Chapter Story:
Once there was a young boy who grew up on a farm. The boy used to lie in his bed at night and be very still. In the peaceful silence he would see himself shooting a basketball and he would picture it swishing through the net over and over again. He imagined himself in different places on the basketball court and how he would shoot the ball from each place. Each time, he imagined the ball going smoothly and perfectly through the hoop. He used his imagination to visu alize or ‘see’ how his hands were holding the ball, how he was preparing the ball, and then how he would let go of the ball. He even imagined how his arm and fingers would stay outstretched after the ball was released.
Then he would imagine himself in different situations during a basketball game. In each situation he would use his imagination to see how he would shoot the ball in that situation. One of his favorite situations to imagine was that it was at the very end of the game and there was only time for one last shot. The boy visualized himself shooting the final shot and of course, in his imagination, the shot was a perfect swish through the basket to win the game! Thousands of times the boy would imagine playing basketball in this way.
This boy’s name was Larry Bird and he became one of the greatest basket ball players in the history of this sport. Of course the skill he was most famous for was shooting the ball. Larry Bird was one of the best basketball shooters ever.
Chapter Overview:
Imagination can be a very powerful and helpful force. People use the word ‘imagination’ quite often, but how do we define imagination? One way to think of it is that it is to see something that doesn’t exist yet, but that will exist or can exist. For example, you can imagine what it might be like on your summer vacation when you go to the beach. In your mind you can ‘see’ the water, smell the salt, and feel the sand under your feet. This way of experiencing things in your mind we can call visualizing. We can also call it seeing with your ‘mind’s eye.’ Or we can simply call this using our imagination. In the chapter story, Larry Bird used his imagination very well to see himself shooting a basketball and being successful as a basketball player. We can use our imagination for many kinds of things. Imagination can help us accomplish whatever goals we have. Imagination can help us to reach for our dreams. Imagination can also help us solve problems.
Chapter Lessons:
Lesson #1 — The invisible heart
Imagine that you have a special place inside you, in the middle of your chest. It is a place that is very peaceful and full of love. We can call it our heart, but it is not the physical heart that is beating and pumping blood through our bod ies. Let’s call it our ‘invisible heart,’ because when we love someone, we say that the feeling comes from our heart, even though we cannot see that heart. Your invisible heart is a magical place where you can go. It is a place where you can feel that you are connected with the whole world – people, animals, plants, even mountains. Close your eyes for a minute or two and see if you can feel your invisible heart.
Lesson #2 – The flower inside your invisible heart
Now imagine you have a beautiful flower inside your invisible heart. At first, the flower is just a bud, but then, petal by petal, it starts to unfold. It begins to spread out and you can see its color. You can even start to smell its fragrance. That flower is full of goodness and sweetness. Imagine that it grows in your invisible heart and that it is always there if you want to see it and feel it. This special flower is like the best part of you. It can remind you of what a special person you are.
Lesson #3 – Expanding and becoming light
Close your eyes and imagine you are looking up at the sky. Maybe it is a blue sky with white clouds, or maybe it is a night sky full of stars. Imagine any kind of sky you wish and that you are looking up at it. Maybe you are standing on a mountaintop or lying on your back in a meadow or at the beach. See how big the sky is. It goes on forever and ever. We can’t know how big the sky is because nobody has seen the end of space. Now as you breathe in imagine you are expanding and becoming light and floating upward. You keep growing and expanding, becoming lighter and lighter, until you are as light as the air. Finally imagine you are as big and wide as the sky itself. How does it feel to be as large and as light as the sky? Stay as big as the sky for as long as you like, and then let yourself shrink slowly back down to your regular size. Now you are back where you were looking up at the sky. Let yourself rest for a few moments and then open your eyes.
Lesson #4 — Your own special place
Imagine you are going on a journey to a most special place. Maybe it is in a forest, a jungle, the seaside, in a meadow, inside a cave, under the earth, beneath the sea, or even on another planet. Imagine you are walking through this special place. What do you see? Are there any special smells or sounds? How does it feel in your special place? Now imagine you find a special object. Maybe it is a stone, a shell, a crystal, a special stick or anything else you want. What is spe cial about this object? Does it have a special shape or color? You can pick it up if you want to or just leave it where it is.
Now imagine you meet a special friend. It could be an animal, a tree, a fairy, an elf, a wizard, a warrior, or any other creature. What does your friend look like? Does your friend have anything to say to you or to show to you? Stay with your friend as long as you want, and when you are ready open up your eyes.
Lesson #5 – Joy
Imagine yourself doing your favorite thing. Is it ballet or soccer, karate or skiing? See yourself doing your favorite activity. How do you feel when you are doing your favorite thing? Now imagine doing your very best performance. Try to visualize exactly the moves or actions you have to do in order to do your best. Pay attention in your mind to the little details of how the different parts of your body are moving. Imagine that your body and your mind are working in harmony. Imagine that everything is flowing smoothly and easily; that everything is hap pening almost by itself, with very little effort. Imagine you are full of happiness because everything is happening as it should.
Lesson #6 – The future
Imagine yourself in the future. What would you like to do? What will you become? Imagine yourself as an adult being happy and successful. Imagine that as an adult you are becoming absolutely the best person you can be. What is spe cial about the person you want to be? Try to visualize what your best self looks like on the outside. How does your best self feel on the inside?
Discussion Questions:
a) What do you think Albert Einstein meant when he said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”?
b) Can you think of some of the things that would not exist if someone did not imagine them first? There are quite a few. You can make a list of them!
c) What are the three most important things you would like to accomplish when you become an adult, things that would make you feel happy and successful?
d) What are the three best qualities about you? Make a list of them. Then draw a picture or write a poem about one of them.
Supplemental Activities:
You can try practicing lesson #5 right before practice, performance or game. Then practice it again one other time during the day, maybe before you go to sleep. Keep a journal in which you write at least three times a week for a month. Write about your imagination practice and how it might change your experience of your performance of your favorite activity.
For any of the lessons #1-6 you can draw a picture or write about what you saw during the imagination activities. You can share these with the rest of your class and display them on the wall or on the bulletin board.
Your invisible heart is where you keep many happy feelings. Sometimes though you might feel sad. This happens to everyone. What do you sometimes feel sad about? Share with the class if you want to. When you are sad you can use your imagination to make yourself feel better. You can imagine your favorite things, imagine something that makes you happy, or imagine just being inside your invisible heart. You can practice any of the lessons in this chapter to help yourself to feel happy and peaceful again.