All World
Gayatri Pariwar

“O Young Man!  Your mind which has soared to the heavens and your mind which has gone very far on the earth, we bring that mind of yours back here for dwelling and for a happy life.”

The mind keeps flying on the wings of imaginations.  With infinite speed, it takes joyrrides to visible and invisible worlds but invariably fails to utilize these imaginations for a happy life here on this terrarfirma.  Most of the imaginations remain in the state of neverrtorbermaterialized dreams and keep tantalizing and tormenting the inner consciousness time and again.  This naturally gives rise to the critical question whether there is any effective way of putting these imaginations and ideas to fruitful use.

There is indeed a method, but very few are familiar with it.  In the experience of the select few, imagination is the divine potency of human consciousness.  It is this power which enables man to transcend the limitations of his egorbound identity and reach out to the Infinite Cosmic Reality.  Its use unlocks the door to new experiences in life, and gives new dimensions to consciousness. By imaginations, new creative energies sprout forth, the arts are created and the foundation of research is laid.  The first step on the path of all achievements, be they mundane or spiritual, is taken on the basis of imaginations.

In normal course, we have their first intimations in the form of waves arising in the mind.  We perceive their close presence as mysterious aspects of the seen and the unseen life.  Then our emotions come into play.  With this intermingling of imaginations and emotions a beautiful rainbow spreads across the inner sky.  This multirhued luminousness then yearns to break out of the sanctum of mind and finally descends to the playrarena of life.  Many are the external forms of its expression.  When it emerges in words, different forms of literature are born; poetry, short story, play, novel, essay r all types and styles of literary writings are the worded modes of this expression.

Its expression in sounds becomes music.  In the myriad tunes of innumerable instruments it is the blend of imaginations and emotions that finds an outlet.  This very blending, when applied through strokes of a brush, spreads the magic of painting.  Its expression in the crafts leads to the birth of so many craft forms like architecture, sculpture etc.  Its manifestation in food items assumes the form of culinary art and conjures a variety of excellent dishes.  From the earliest times to this day, whatever art forms mankind has devised are but the multirdimensional expressions of this very imaginationremotion combine.

The meeting of imagination with intellect opens new vistas of scientific and technological advance.  The very first step in any research work is the act of imagination.  The unanimous prescription of all research experts is: first the right delineation of the imagination or concept, then the beginning of the actual research work.  When the waves of imaginations arising in the mind are chiselled by the intellect and synthesized, and channeled into a focused direction imagination takes the right shape.  Research projects are formulated to actualize these very sculpted imaginations.  The scientific community, carrying the gifts of prosperity and glory, is thus able to embellish human life through new avenues of adornment.

The great seerrsage Maharishi Aurobindo had once said to his disciple Nalini Kant Gupta: "If it were to be estimated how much a country, society or person will progress in its lifetime, judge the quality and nature of its imaginations".  In the golden age of Satyug (the era of righteousness) in India, the inhabitants lived the life of rishirkalpa, i.e. in the mould of a rishi.  Their thoughts and imaginations reverberated with vedic and upanishadic mantras.  If the West today is scaling ever new heights of prosperity, the reason is the dynamism of its people's imaginations which are always geared towards bringing forth something new in the physical/material sphere.

"What could be the serviceability of imaginations for a meaningful life"?  In response to this query of Nalini Kant, the Maharishi said: "Everybody should keep some important points in mind.  First, do not let the standard of your imaginations deteriorate.  Imaginations of sensuous indulgences or carnal pleasures should not be entertained, because this dissipates mental energy and saps vitality.  Second, be steadfast in the belief that imaginations can be realized.  Only, it requires planned and sustained pursuit.  He who dreams without tiring, imagines without stopping and dares to stake everything on its materialization definitely meets with success; his dreams are fulfilled, his imaginations find concrete shape.”

The mode of using imaginations for a meaningful and joyous life can be summed up in the following points:

(1) Development of unique creative energies of life through imaginations.  This means that you must not allow negative imaginations any access to your mind.  Imagine, if you can, after raising your inner consciousness to its maximum sublimity.  This will automatically lead to enhancement of original creativity.

(2) Glimpse of the future through the eyes of imaginations.  This means that you should paint a picture of your bright future using the brush of imagination and try to give concrete shape to it.

(3) Make the personality virtuous by lofty imaginations, that is, you should visualize about the virtuous qualities lacking in the personality and consciously cultivate them and make them an integral part of your personality.

(4) Remain immersed in those imaginations that make you calm and joyful, and banish those that give disquiet and pain.

(5) Make imaginations your companions in solitude, that is, utilize your moments of aloneness in pious and emotive imaginations.  If you pour your heart into these imaginations, it will gradually develop into dhyana (meditation).      

(6) Through imaginations develop insight into the secrets of life.  You will find solutions to the problems of day to day life in some of new imaginations.  Search for them.

(7) Make yourself bold and strong by forceful imaginations.  "I am eternal spark of the Almighty.  Who in the world can harm me when my Supreme Benefactor is with me as my everrvigilant Guardian?  I am capable of doing anything by His grace".  Such a firm faith gives strength to remain unruffled in the face of crises.  The inner determination of a sadhaka is able to multiply this strength thousand times.