Imagination
from various sources
Imagination is one of the four internal senses organically
rooted in the brain itself,
and is a gift of God to mankind. Imagination
is a collection of focused thoughts that creates
a reality in our mind.
It enables us
to put ourselves in the position of another
and explore what are their fears, joys
and feelings. Imagination
therefore forms the basis of empathy
in sorrows and joys. It
enables one to listen sympathetically,
give advice when asked, and to
anticipate reaction so that acceptable help can
be offered.
In the spiritual realm, it allows us to
conceive of the most sublime
and the most awful. Taught by
the Word and the Holy
Spirit, we view the Cross
and our Lord's Passion. We look forward to heaven
with the eye of faith and with the controlled
use of imagination.
Imagination is widely called
on in artistic expression, for example, in visual
art - sculpture, painting, graphic art,
cartoons and photography; in the media
- newspapers, magazines, radio and television
both for intrinsic presentation and advertising, study and manipulate
fantasy and imagination;
the written word, the novel, even the news report, all rely
on imagination to
make their impact; and music, be it orchestral or solo instrument, songs,
opera and ballet all call on imagination
in various ways.
On the negative side, Satan has been baiting people's imaginations ever since the Garden of
Eden. He tempted Eve to
imagine having God-like
knowledge. She wanted
the knowledge, she
liked the fruit's looks and she
saw it was good for food. The combination
of those factors motivated Eve
to sin.
 From the classic spiritual handbook, The Spiritual Combat by
Father Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, we read
about Satan's adverse usage of our imagination: "The frustration of the enemy in his first and second attacks will not discourage him from trying again to bring about your ruin. He would have you unconscious of your actual vices and passions, filling your imagination
with visions of a chimerical perfection which he knows you will never attain".
Satan himself
fell to sin by using his
imagination to envision
himself exalted like
God. Satan
was cast out of heaven
as a result. Likewise, using our imaginations sinfully
places an obstacle
between us and God.
Thankfully, we have the power to control our thoughts
and honor God with
them.
As explained by Saint Thomas Aquinas below,
our Guardian Angel can also
influence our imagination for
the good.
Imagination
from the Summa Theologica of Saint Thomas
Aquinas
 I answer that, Both a good and a bad
angel by their own natural
power can move the human imagination.
This may be explained as follows. For it was said above (110, 3), that corporeal nature obeys
the angel as regards local movement, so that whatever can be caused by
the local movement of bodies is subject to the natural power of the angels.
Now it is manifest that imaginative
apparitions are sometimes caused in us by the local movement of animal spirits and humors.
Hence Aristotle says (De Somn. et Vigil.) [De Insomniis iii.], when
assigning the cause of visions in dreams, that "when an animal sleeps, the blood
descends in abundance to the sensitive principle,
and movements descend with it," that is, the impressions left from the movements are
preserved in the animal spirits, "and move the sensitive
principle"; so that a certain appearance ensues, as if the sensitive principle were being then changed by the
external objects themselves. Indeed, the commotion of the spirits and humors may be so
great that such appearances may even occur to those who are awake, as is seen in mad
people, and the like. So, as this happens by a natural disturbance of the humors, and
sometimes also by the will of man who
voluntarily imagines what he
previously experienced, so also the same may be done by the power of
a good or a bad
angel, sometimes with alienation from
the bodily senses, sometimes without
such alienation.
More Thoughts on Imagination
from "On Cleaving to God"
by Saint Albert the Great
Happy therefore is the person who by
continual removal of fantasies and images, by turning within, and raising the mind to God,
finally manages to dispense with the products of the imagination,
and by so doing works within, nakedly and simply, and with a pure understanding
and will, on the simplest
of all objects, God. (Note bene:
Simplicity is an Attribute of God)
So eliminate from your mind all fantasies, objects,
images and shapes
of all things other than God, so that, with
just naked understanding, intent and will,
your practice will be concerned with God Himself
within you.
For this is the end of all spiritual exercises
- to turn the mind to the Lord God and rest in Him
with a completely pure understanding and a
completely devoted will, without the
entanglements and fantasies of
the imagination. This sort of exercise is
not practiced by fleshly organs nor by the exterior senses, but by that by which one is
indeed a man. For a man is precisely understanding and will.
For that reason, in so far as a man is still playing with the products of
the imagination and the senses, and holds to them,
it is obvious that he has not yet emerged from the motivation
and limitations of his animal
nature, that is of that which he shares in common with
the animals. For these know and feel objects by means of recognised
shapes and sense impressions and no
more, since they do not possess the higher
powers of the soul. But it is different with man,
who is created in the image and likeness of God with understanding,
will, and free
choice, through which he should be directly, purely and nakedly impressed
and united with God, and firmly adhere to Him. For this reason the Devil
tries eagerly and with all his power to hinder this practice so far as he can, being envious
of this in man, since it is a sort of prelude and initiation of eternal life. So he
is always trying to draw man's mind
away from the Lord God, now by temptations or passions,
now by superfluous worries and pointless cares, now by restlessness
and distracting conversation and senseless curiosity,
now by the study of subtle books, irrelevant discussion, gossip
and news, now by hardships,
now by opposition, etc. Such matters may
seem trivial enough and hardly sinful, but
they are a great hindrance to this holy exercise and practice.
Therefore, even if they may appear useful and necessary, they should be rejected, whether
great or small, as harmful and dangerous, and put out of our minds.
Above all therefore it is necessary that things heard,
seen, done
and said, and other such things, must be received without
adding things from the imagination, without
mental associations and without emotional
involvement, and one should not let past or future associations, implications or
constructs of the imagination form and grow.
For when constructs of the imagination are
not allowed to enter the memory and mind, a man is not
hindered, whether he be engaged in prayer, meditation,
or reciting psalms, or in any other
practice or spiritual exercise,
nor will they recur again. So commit yourself confidently and without hesitation, all that
you are, and everything else, individually and in general, to the unfailing and totally
reliable providence of God, in silence and in peace,
and He will fight
for you. He will liberate
you and comfort you more fully,
more effectively and more satisfactorily than if you were to dream
about it all the time, day and night, and were to cast around frantically
all over the place with the futile and confused thoughts of your mind in bondage, nor will you wear out your
Mind and
Body,
wasting your time, and stupidly and pointlessly exhausting
your strength.
So accept everything, separately and in general, wherever it comes from and whatever
its origin, in silence and peace, and with an equal
mind, as coming to you
from a Father's Hand and His
Divine Providence. So render your imagination bare of the images of all physical things as is appropriate to your state
and profession, so that you can cling to Him
with a bare and undivided mind, as you have
so often and so completely vowed to do, without anything whatever being able to come
between your soul and Him,
so that you can pass purely and unwaveringly from the wounds
of His
Humanity
into the light of His Divinity.
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