Imagine all the people, living life in peace
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
These famous lines from John Lennon can be interpreted in many ways. One is to hear them as a daydream, a wish, maybe even magical thinking. Another is to hear them as thinking/speaking/singing magically. The second interpretation holds great power for me. In fact, this kind of imagining has created a huge shift in my life over the past several years.
The distinction between the two kinds of “magical” is important. In the first instance, we live in a fantasy world -- ignoring difficulties and pretending we already live in a world in which all the people live in peace. In the second instance, we recognize what is happening in the world. We give it thoughtful attention and then engage our imagination to create something better. In some way that I do not fully understand -- but certainly experience -- the Universe lines up with our imagination.
During a recent Seekers and Sages program, Cassie Vieten captured this distinction beautifully by reminding us of Martin Luther King Jr. who never denied the existence of racism in the United States. Only a small part of the famous I Have a Dream speech is devoted to acknowledging the problem. The bulk of the speech -- its energy and focus -- is about his dream. He dreamed/imagined a world in which his children would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin -- and much more. This dream inspired a movement that changed the country. The Universe listened.
Imagination has been built into the ITP practice from the beginning. Transformational imaging is an essential part of the Kata and plays a big part in manifesting our affirmations. During that section of the Kata, we vividly imagine -- with all our sense -- the transformation we seek. Not only do we activate that imaging, we also take action. The actions/practices are fed by the dream/image. Our Core Practice Intention states, “I actively engage in realizing these affirmations.” To me, that means, I act.
MLK didn’t only dream. He marched, met with community and political leaders and he spoke out. He organized and taught and preached. All this in service of the dream -- the imagined state of being.
The past year has held many challenges to my hopes and dreams for the world. Many days, even weeks, have seemed hopeless and I have felt helpless. But after a pilgrimage this spring, I realized that I have tools that, over time, have proven effective in manifesting change.
I began to sharpen my imagination -- crafting a vivid picture of a world that works for everyone, where there is safety, community, food, shelter, health care for all of us. In service to that dream, I work in a women’s program that provides an alternative to prison, and I serve food to the unsheltered. While I am aware that these things are a drop in the vast ocean of need, I also know that every drop counts. My dream -- my imagined world -- is what inspires me.
My sense of helplessness is lifting. My sense of hope is growing. My awareness of the world as it is remains clear, and my sense that the Universe listens is solid.