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Comparing the brain to a computer may be a facile explanation of the extraordinarily complex organism that is the human mind – but it does serve its purpose. Your brain is not a 1980′s era Commodore with limited functionality. What is written on your hard drive is not all that your computer is capable of. Our minds are more like today’s fast, sophisticated machines in that they are powerful, upgradeable, and capable of a remarkable host of functions. Just as the internet gives us access to unlimited data, so too does our brain provide us access to more knowledge than we even know. Active imagination, a technique developed by Carl Jung, is similar to connecting to the internet; we are tapping into an alternate source of data that can help us understand the biggest mystery of all: ourselves.

Carl Jung developed a technique called active imagination as a complement to dreamwork. Through this process, one can engage in a conversation between one’s conscious and unconscious selves. Jung wrote, “I was sitting at my desk once more, thinking over my fears. Then I let myself drop. Suddenly, it was as though the ground literally gave way beneath my feet, and I plunged into the dark depths.” And it is in the “dark depths” that you can bridge the gap between your conscious and unconscious selves.

Active imagination is not meditation; meditation, a worthwhile practice in itself, requires you to focus your thoughts, mind, and breathing. You must make a conscious effort to quiet your racing thoughts. With active imagination, you do not let your conscious mind take control. Instead, your goal is to allow your unconscious to act itself out. Practitioners have described it as being in between a waking state and a dream state. It is here that we can ask ourselves questions and let our unconscious illuminate us. In this way, we can access tremendous insight, experience, and knowledge.

So, how does it work? Have you ever daydreamed about what you would do in a specific situation? This, on a very basic level, is active imagination. Advanced work, though, is much more powerful and much less “micro-managed” by our consciousness. Through this process, it is possible, Jung thought, to tap into a new level of awareness, renewal, and insight.

Visualization is one of the ways that one can practice active imagination. This is what Jung did himself. To do so, you close your eyes and think of a place to start. Conjure an image from a recent dream or allow yourself to picture a scene that is particularly germane to your present state of mind. Create this scene as clearly as you can – and then give your conscious a break. Let your unconscious build upon this image. In this blend of fantasy and dream, you are allowing a conversation between your unconscious and conscious minds. Your unconscious guides you, but your conscious mind is still aware and alert.

It is also possible to engage in active imagination through automatic writing, or freewriting. Other activities or artistic endeavors, such as painting, dancing, or sculpting, can help you engage your unconscious in a dialogue. Create a starting point and then let your mind go from there without interference.

Still others use a verbal technique to engage their unconscious. Whether you are speaking to another persona in the room, an object, or even a piece of paper or computer screen, you begin the same way, allowing your conscious to establish the starting point. Your unconscious then starts to converse. With practice, people can switch back and forth between these two aspects of themselves to create a true dialogue.

Active imagination is a skill, but not a mystical or magical one. It is very much within reach. For those who are stable and able to distinguish reality from fantasy, active imagination can be a useful technique for accessing insight, knowledge, and answers.

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