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"Imagination
is more important than knowledge."
- Albert Einstein,
Physicist, Philosopher
"We did not make Life and we
cannot change It, but we can use It, and the use of Life is through the
imagination; because this faculty has, at its roots, the very
well-spring of life and action. Imagination carries with it
feeling and conviction, which means life and action. It awakens
within us all the inner forces of nature and stirs into action latent
powers which otherwise would never come to surface. Will power may
be necessary in its place, as a directive agency, but as a creative
agency, it is non-existent. Imagination brought the world forth
from chaos. "The worlds were framed by the Word of
God." Imagination is the power of the word, while will is
the directive agency, denoting the purpose for which the word is spoken.
Man reproduces the power to create, and in his own life, controls his
destiny through the activity of his word. This word cannot be willed,
but it can be imagined or imaged forth into expression."
- Dr. Ernest Holmes, The
Science of Mind
Our imagination is a
wonderful faculty of mind that allows us to truly realize what we want
in life. Dr. O. C. Smith told me personally that when he decided
to build a new lobby for the City of Angels Church, every time he drove
into the parking lot of the church, he would pause and mentally imagine
the lobby built. And, the lobby was built and it was magnificent.
It was a striking example of architecture that impressed the mind with
abundance and beauty. It was a symbol of the consciousness that
Dr. O. C. Smith developed at the City of Angels Church. It was
"first class" all the way and Dr. Robbie Smith decorated the
interior to match the magnificence of the exterior.
We are always using our imagination, but we are
not always using it effectively to bring into expression that which we
desire to experience. Too often, we begin to use our imagination,
but we don't expand on what we are imagining. I believe this has
something to do with the idea that imagining is sometimes thought to be
the same as day-dreaming. It is not. Day-dreaming is
"thinking of something" while imagination is allowing
something that has caught our attention; an idea, a thought, or a
desire, to be fully realized in our mind. In other words, we allow
our mind to image that which we are directing it to imagine. As we
consciously allow our imagination to expand upon the idea, the thought,
or the desire, we can image the thing from something better, to the
best. As we use our imagination to bring forth the best about
something, we can consciously choose what it will be by dismissing the
images that do not appeal to us and strengthening within our mind a
conviction for the images that really appeal to us.
I have found that
using the imagination as part of affirmative prayer or spiritual
treatment, gives me the advantage of having a greater conviction that
the thing that I desire is mine. In spiritual treatment, we always
speak our word as though we have what it is that we desire, and our
effective use of imagination works in the same way. Don't imagine
that you "will have" or "will be" or "will
do" something ... but imagine what it looks like and feels like
when as you "have it" or "be it" or "doing
it" ... now. When we have created the perfect image in our
mind and are completely satisfied with what we see, then we speak the
words that describe what we see and feel, perfectly as though it is true
for us right in this moment. What we see in our mind and affirm
with our words, expresses in our outer world of affairs according to our
belief that it is so. Our words have power, even without using our
imagination, but what we imagine requires our word to be powerful.
I believe that the Master Mind Jesus imagined
the multiplication of the loaves and fishes before they were multiplied.
Einstein tells us that "imagination is more important than
knowledge" ... knowledge gives us what is already known,
imagination takes us into the realm of the unknown ... even that which
has been believed to be impossible. Jesus was not moved by the
impossible, for he declared and demonstrated that "... for G-d, all
things are possible."
Everything proceeds from "what
is" ... we can increase the good we have, or we can create
something new from what we have gained knowledge or awareness of.
As you can note from the examples of Dr. O. C. Smith and the Master Mind
Jesus, each increased what he had. Dr. O. C. Smith already had a
church ... but he increased its size and beauty tremendously. The
Master Mind Jesus did the same with the 5 loaves and 2 fish ... he
multiplied them to feed a crowd reported to be 5,000 people. Now,
I wasn't there, so I don't know if there were 5,000, but, I would
believe there were more than a few, otherwise the story would not have
lasted through the ages.
Imagine for a moment
that your imagination is powerful ... then realize within your mind that
since G-d is All-Power, our imagination is aligned with the One Mind,
which is G-d ... and this is what makes it so very powerful. From
Dr. Frank Richelieu:
"Say to yourself right now: I use my
imagination in a constructive manner. I do not let myself indulge
in idle, negative thinking. I let any hurts that come to me act as
stepping stones to a higher good. I know life is always blessing
me and that by the right use of my imagination I can create a better
tomorrow." Right now, right where I am.
AND
SO IT IS!
Keep
the faith!
Rev.
Dr. Henry Lee Bates
Visit Rev. Bates BLOG: Living
the Science of Mind
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Bates on the Radio
