Nurturing the Imagination
Liberating Thinking, Transforming Reality
In a recent On Being podcast, adrienne maree brown was host's Krista Tippet's guest. The author of the groundbreaking book Emergent Strategy talked about radical imagination and how the natural world can teach us how to have healthier relationships with each other.
She shared:
We live in this abundant world, and we've been told it's scarce. We are given all these stories of scarcity. And because of that scarcity, we have to fight each other constantly. We live in a world where there is actually no superiority based upon what we are born into, whether it be skin, sexuality, gender, or any of that. But someone has imagined superiority. And someone has imagined it into a structure.
For maree brown, the world of limited imagination has never been a good fit. She says the work of radical imagination will enable us to stop living in the narratives that some people say are true while dismissing other stories. Her friend Terry Marshall first introduced her to the notion that we are in an imagination battle.
maree brown makes the point that although the collective imagination is limited, countless vibrant stories are also being told by people with vibrant imaginations. She challenges each of us to imagine a world without these limiting constructs, a world where there is abundance and we cause no harm to each other.
In this conversation, Krista Tippett observed that we are born into a worldview of limiting constructs, and she offered as an example the commonly held belief that a leader elected at the top can change everything. While this was never true, Krista noted how this felt truer when we lived or experienced ourselves living in a more homogenous society.
maree brown responded, "In the imagination, if you were someone who would benefit from that power system, then it behooves you to imagine the world that way." She offered herself as a counterexample, where she grew up as a mixed-race child and did not have the same opportunities as her white counterparts. "Often, when you know there is no logic, you know you are in someone else's dream."
adrienne maree brown inspires me because she sees the harsh complexity of the world with clear eyes and an inclusive heart, while recognizing the necessity of pleasure and joy as we work towards transformation and healing.
After listening to this podcast in early July, I wondered how we might nurture our personal and collective imaginations. Our relationship to our own imagination is where we have agency. How or when does the work of individual imaginations build momentum and become part of a powerful collective imagination? Collective imagination is a set of shared ideas within a group and a powerful tool in reframing the world we live in, providing a path towards systemic change.
Imagination is closely related to creativity and problem-solving, which are essential life skills. We best direct change by vividly imagining what some aspect of that new world looks and feels like. Imagination practices help us access our unconscious mind, creating more fluid and bidirectional communication between the conscious and unconscious minds.
I reflected upon the kind of leader who can ignite the collective imagination and tap into its powerful energy for healing and positive change. This kind of leader skillfully connects with the community spirit, genuinely believes everyone has gifts to share, and creates an infrastructure for people to participate meaningfully.
Two weeks after the podcast, Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee, and, importantly, there was an organic, palpable excitement. The surge of energy – the igniting of imaginations – was experienced as hope, spaciousness, buoyancy, and even joy, something not felt by many for some time.
This enthusiasm confused some pundits and standard bearers, as they warned Democrats not to jump too quickly into choosing a candidate. But those who mistrusted the enthusiasm missed or underestimated the power of the imagination to shape change. Imagining boldly doesn't mean that we believe things always go as we imagine or that there won't be bumps along the way. Change happens incrementally, except when an unexpected and seismic shift occurs. Even then, the work of the imagination is not over. We must continue to build and shape the energy.
The term collective does not mean universal or that we all dwell in the same space of imagination. If anything, we are painfully aware that others collectively imagine a very different world. Rather than being in constant conflict with these people, it is more effective to join with those who share our core values and vision. And, critically, let's always remain open and hospitable to those who want to experience the buoyant, healing experience that comes with imaginations that elevate abundance, equity, and acceptance.
When the collective imagination allows for a nuanced view of our imperfect reality and makes room for differences, we can join together and take action to shape and direct change.
Imagination Practices
Imagine the world you want to see every day, first thing in the morning. Visualize specific outcomes you believe will get us there.
Be mindful and limit the media you consume. Whether they agree with or contradict your vision, inflammatory headlines are not friends of the imagination.
The vital work of the imagination is to stay focused on your vision and let your choices and actions stem from this.