Rays from the Rose Cross

Mystic Light

Imagination by Elsa M. Glover, PhD.




Page 1

D

EFINITIONS

IMAGINATION IS THE ACTION of

forming mental images. Imagination can be

either active or passive. It is active if one is

creating new and original images. It is pas-

sive if one is attuning one’s mind to externally-

            produced images.

A

CTIVE

I

MAGINATION

When we exercise our active imagination, the

will of our Divine Spirit activates the creativity of

our Life Spirit, which causes an idea to form in the

Human Spirit, which then forms an image in our

Concrete Mind. We may additionally form a desire

in our Desire Body to bring our image into mani-

festation, and then use our Physical Body to bring

about the manifestation.

All that humans do is first imagined. Artists

imagine the pictures they will paint. Composers

imagine musical compositions before they write

them out or play them. Inventors imagine

machines or other devices before they construct

them. Architects imagine buildings before they are

constructed.

Even in the everyday affairs of life, we imagine

doing things before we do them. We imagine our-

selves getting out of bed, eating breakfast, going to

work or school or the store, or saying something

before we do it.

Because actions start in the imagination, if we

wish to change what we do, we need to change

what we imagine ourselves doing. If we have some

habit that we wish to change, we need to imagine

ourselves doing differently. If we want to develop

some quality, we need to imagine ourselves

exhibiting that quality. If we want our physical

bodies structured differently, we need to imagine

how we wish them to be structured.

Because everything starts with imagination, if

we wish to improve our lives we can start by

improving our active imagination. Some things we

may want to keep in mind as we work on improv-

ing our imaginations:

1. We need to focus on imagining what we want to

happen, not on what we don’t want to happen.

2. Imagination takes time. We need to give our-

selves time to imagine what we wish to bring into

manifestation.

3. When we are actively imagining, we need to

concentrate on what we are doing and temporarily

block any external or internal impulses from dis-

turbing the process.

4. The stronger the will to do something, the more

energy is available for making the image. To make

the will strong, we need to know clearly what we

want. Conflicting interests can weaken the energy

focused in any one direction.

5. When we have imagined something as best we

can, bringing it into manifestation will enable us to

see how well we imagined it.

P

ASSIVE

I

MAGINATION

Passive imagination can occur in two ways. The

first way (which we will call Active-Passive

Imagination) is to actively create an image of some

existing being or object or situation, but then

release the image from active imagination and let

that image attune itself to the actual being or object

and pick up information from it. The second way

(which we will call Passive-Passive Imagination)

is to simply leave the mind in a completely passive

state, so that it can receive any images sent to it or

that are floating around in the atmosphere.

S

OME EXAMPLES OF

A

CTIVE

-P

ASSIVE

I

MAGINATION

:

1. When we love someone, we may create a men-

tal image of that person, and then from the image

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sense what the other person is feeling or thinking

or doing.

2. If we imagine ourselves as being in other peo-

ple’s situations, this may help us to feel what they

feel and understand why they think and act as they

do. We may also imagine ourselves being in the

situation of animals or plants to gain an under-

standing of them.

3. When we hear a description in words of some

event (listening to the news, or talking to someone,

reading a book, etc.) we may create mental images

of what is being described, and may sympatheti-

cally feel what the people involved feel, or under-

stand how they view things.

4. During the day, every act that we do and its

effects on others is stored in our subconscious

mind. In retrospection, we create mental images of

the events of the day. These images may attune

themselves to the images stored in our subcon-

scious mind, so that we begin to be able to see and

feel the actual effects of our actions.

5. When some mechanical or electrical device is

malfunctioning, if we can imagine the inner struc-

ture of the device, we may be able to see in our

imagination what the problem is.

6. We can imagine ourselves as being anywhere in

the universe, and seeing, hearing, or feeling any-

thing which we are interested in on any scale

(small or large). If, beyond having chosen what we

would investigate, we keep ourselves in a passive

state, we may see, hear or feel what is actually

there.

S

OME EXAMPLES OF

P

ASSIVE

-P

ASSIVE

I

MAGINATION

:

1. The Recording Angels create the archetype of

our lives as a series of images of the major events

which it will be our destiny to meet. As we go

through our lives, these images arise in our minds

and we generally act them out. If additional input

is needed to get us to meet our destiny, the

Recording Angels may make additions or correc-

tions to these images in our minds. Note that these

images only lead us to the situations which it is our

destiny to meet. We have free will as to how we

handle those situations.

2. Archangels, who have the job of being National

Spirits, infuse the etheric atmosphere of nations

with the images of the customs, culture, religion,

language and patriotic feelings of the nations. The

people in the countries take in these images with

every breath they breathe. The influence of the

National Spirits is weakened by intermarriage

between people of different nations, international

communication, and independent thinking (not

doing things just because they are the custom).

3. During the Fall and Winter months, the Christ

Spirit infuses the atmosphere of the earth with His

vibrations of universal love. Those who are sensi-

tive may feel them.

4. Astrological forces energize various parts of our

imagination. We may leave our imagination in a

passive state and go with the flow, or put ourselves

in an active state and take control of what we

imagine and do.

5. When our minds are in a passive state they may

receive thoughts and feelings from other people,

from animals, from buildings (such as places of

worship, hospitals, prisons, etc), from artifacts or

monuments, etc.

C

ONTROLLING

W

HETHER

O

UR

I

MAGINATION

IS

A

CTIVE OR

P

ASSIVE

Just as we can decide when we talk and when we

listen, we can decide when we will put our imagi-

nation in an active state, and when we will allow it

to be passive. When we want an active imagina-

tion, we form images which are in accordance with

our will, which have the forms which we give

them. When we want active-passive imagination,

we form the initial image, but then release the

image from our control and let it attune itself to

reality. When we want passive-passive imagina-

tion we simply let our minds be calm and quiet,

and let images form in them without any interfer-

ence from us. We, of course, may return from

either form of passive imagination to active imag-

ination whenever we choose.

D

ISTINGUISHING BETWEEN

A

CTIVE

AND

P

ASSIVE

I

MAGINATION

Some people have difficulty distinguishing

between mental images which they generated and

mental images which they received from outside

themselves. Sometimes they think that ideas

received from outside themselves are their own

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ideas. Sometimes they think that messages are

coming from outside themselves when they are

really generating the ideas themselves. For exam-

ple, they may think that God told them to do some-

thing, when actually they told themselves to do it.

They may think that they are sympathizing with

someone else, when actually they are imagining

how they would like the other person to be feeling.

To distinguish between active and passive imag-

ination:

1. We need to be aware of the flow of energies

within ourselves. Just as we would be able to tell

whether or not we are talking, even if we were

totally deaf, by being aware of whether we are

energizing our vocal chords, we can be aware of

whether we are creating mental images by making

ourselves aware of whether we are putting any

energy into the forming of the images.

2. When we are passively receiving images, we

need to avoid letting our desires and our logical

mind in any way influence what we are receiving.

3. It is also good to occasionally compare passive

imagination with reality. If we imagine that people

feel or think in a certain way, we may, when we

have a chance, ask them how they feel or what

their views are. If we imagine that God (or one of

His messengers) is guiding us to do something, we

may check and see if the actions are consistent with

what we know about God (such as, “God is Love”).

S

ENDING

O

UT

M

ENTAL

I

MAGES

Not only do the images in our minds influence

what we do in life, they also radiate outward and,

if received by others, can influence what they do.

When we are actively creating images of others

in our minds, these images tend to travel to the per-

sons we are thinking of and may put suggestions in

their heads if they are in a passive mental state.

They do not have to do what the received images

suggest to them, but if the images are in line with

already existing tendencies within them, those ten-

dencies are strengthened by the incoming images.

Thus, it is important that we not imagine others

doing anything that is not good for them to do.

If people, in the past, have done wrong, we

should not assume that they will continue to do

wrong. We should set up the hope that they will

learn their lessons, and start acting wisely.

When we are creating images of others acting

wisely, we should not be trying in any way to force

then to act as we imagine. Our images may be

offered to them as suggestions, but for their own

evolution they need to make their own decisions as

to what they will or will not do.

Not only can people receive the images we send

out, but also plants and animals and even inani-

mate objects can receive them. Here, also, we need

to make our images constructive.

S

UMMARY

Our imaginations are our means both of direct-

ing our own lives and of receiving information

from outside ourselves. Our imaginations also can

influence those around us. Thus, it is important that

we learn how to use our imaginations effectively.

In the following poem, can you identify which

verses are describing active imagination, and

which are describing passive imagination?

IMAGINATION

Form in your mind an image

Of situations others are in.

The image serves as antenna,

And sympathy will begin.

Form in your mind an image

Of any system or thing.

The image resonates

And understanding will bring.

Form in your mind an image

Of what you would like to create.

Then you can actually make it

At some future date.

Form in your mind an image

Of what you would like to do.

The image then serves as template

For making it come true.

Form in your mind an image

Of the ideal ultimate goal.

Cling to this image firmly.

It will draw upward your soul.

Ë

Elsa Glover

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