The Unlimited Power of Imagination

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Behind where I am sitting now is a framed poster showing a photograph of Albert Einstein. Underneath his picture is one of my favorite quotes, which says that "Imagination is more important than knowledge." When it comes to human transformation, too much press is given to the power of the subconscious mind and totally ignores the critical role of the conscious mind, which serves as the true captain of neurophysiology. As such, the most capable tool available for guiding us in the direction of our choosing is our ability to use our imagination. Yet, as a resource it is too often subordinated and not given the credit it is due. As a valuable asset our ability to imagine is not just a baseless cliché bantered around by idealistic self-help gurus and inadequately trained practitioners. Rather it is something that has a clear scientific and physiological basis. By understanding that, we can better develop processes and procedures designed to enhance our potential to shape our future.

The existence of imagination as a mental process is a characteristic of the evolution of developed human frontal lobes, which makes possible our highly advanced conscious mind. Therefore, humans have both a capability to be self-aware and can alter at will how they interpret their perception of past, present, and future reality. Nevertheless, despite our superiority the vast majority of our consciousness remains reactive no different than that of the lower life forms and matter. When we sense cold, we shiver. When we perceive safety or danger, we react accordingly down to the sub-cellular level. On the other hand, there is a special human quality that provides us with the amazing ability to anticipate. It is that factor that is the key to our ability to understand the wonderful value of imagination.

One of the exercises that I use with my students is a simple one that involves them holding a heavy object in their upturned palm. This is normally a sizeable book. They are instructed to keep their hand from rising when another person removes the object. This is extremely difficult if not impossible. However, when the subject is asked to remove the book themselves and again attempts to prevent their hand from rising, they find it quite simple. This is because the human brain has the tendency to anticipate and simulate. When the other person removed the book, this was difficult. But when the subject was in control of the situation, their ability to direct their imagination led to their success.

Although conscious awareness is a integral feature for all matter, to include living organisms, it seem that the ability to anticipate and simulate, which means imagine, is more advanced in creatures with the most advanced frontal lobes. In humans these structures represent about 40% of our total brain weight as opposed to 12% in our family dog's brain, 7% in our cat, and almost 0% in a lizard. Going a little further, based upon neurological reports related to advanced brain scanning techniques, it appears that the relative amount of energy that is provided to the right orbitofrontal cortex, which resides just above our right eye, correlates with a our ability to vividly imagine. Indeed, when this cortex is activated a person's capability of using suggestion, imagination, and inhibition seems to be much more powerful. Conversely, should that substrate become not fully functional due to genetics, trauma, or faulty mental processes – such as obsessive thoughts, excessive multi-tasking, and addictions – the features typically associated with that substrate will not be as available. Luckily, for most of us an inadequate imaginative ability can be strengthened through proper exercises such as may be employed by a competent hypnotherapist.

Why is this important? Granted just about everyone would readily concede that humans have stronger imaginative capabilities than the orchid in our garden. So what? The answer here lies in the realization that the rest of our neurophysiology is reactive. It reacts to our environment. As such, it adapts or entrains as it, hopefully, adequately harmonizes. The beauty of our imagination is that it allows us to artificially create an environment to which we react – and transform. For instance, if your imagination interprets a shadow as a snake, spider, or whatever else we have been programmed to habitually fear, our neurophysiology will cause a sympathetic, fight/flight response to be kicked in. Conversely, should we anticipate and simulate an erotic, loving, or otherwise stimulating event, we will get a substantially different reaction. This is much different than a typical stimulus-response reaction. My dog may physiologically react when she sees me repeat a behavior that normally leads to her receiving a treat. However, I rather doubt that when I fail to initiate such symbolic behavior that she is presently sitting at my feet imagining what her next treat will taste like. This is something in which we humans specialize.

Again, the value of our powerful imagination lies almost entirely in its tendency to influence the reactive nature of our neurophysiology. A strong imagined reality, which I normally would describe as being antithetical, creates cascading changes within our brain and body. Just like the adverse effect caused by an imagined fearful phenomena, should we become more appropriately selective as to the content of our thoughts, then we are unleashing the virtually unlimited potential capability to influence our neurophysiology. Previously I have documented numerous cases and research studies in which a person has been able to positively improve their immune system and even increase somatic healing rates by merely imagining. These studies included increasing white blood cell counts in a person's intestines and a 70% increase in wound healing rates. Likewise, the benefit of mental rehearsal of a physical skill, such as playing a violin or making a golf putt, is a clear example regarding the power of anticipation and simulation to create and reinforce new networks of neurons in the brain.

The fantastic power of a human's ability to imagine is due to the fact that we can use it to consciously shape our neurophysiology. When we imagine a wound healing faster and even visualize the desired end state, the correlated neurophysiological structures will tend to entrain and adapt as they harmonize with the imagined reality. In layman's terms this could be rephrased as the territory changing to reflect the map – rather than the other way around. This is like saying take out a map and pencil in a new road. Soon the new topographical feature miraculously appears on the ground. I am not claiming that this "magic" works as dramatically when we talk about our body. Nevertheless, every cell and organ of our body is somehow associated with networks of neurons in our brain. Once we change our thought structure and hence our neurological organization, the body is apparently influenced.

Imagination may indeed be more important than knowledge. Our knowledge reflects the storage of previous events, memories, and thoughts within our mind and body. It is historical and can at best represent our reactive nature. However, imagination represents something much, much more significant. Unlike knowledge, our ability to imagine gives us the ability to shape our future. Yes, pills and surgery are also powerful tools in the hands of the right clinician. But it is the power of imagination that resides within each and every one of us – and that can be guided by a competent hypnotherapist – that probably has the most potential. (But perhaps that is what my imagination is telling me.)

The International Hypnosis Research Institute is a member supported project involving integrative health care specialists from around the world. We provide information and educational resources to clinicians. Dr. Brunson is the author of over 150 self-help and clinical CD's and MP3's.