Poziomy

Za Robert A. Johnson

"Inner work using dreams and active imagination for personal growth"

I find that the varieties of Active Imagination fall into three basic levels, depending on the use that is made of it:

1. Horse-trading

2. Embracing the unconscious 

3. Experiencing the spiritual dimension

Horse-trading, as I call it, is the most practical, personal level. It is the use of imagination when you need to

negotiate with your inner personalities, to make those compromises

and trade-offs that are sometimes required to keep practical life

functioning. If “horse-trading” seems a rather undignified name for

this use of Active Imagination, it is because it is a somewhat

undignified activity: It is a blatant process of bargaining with

the inner parts of oneself so that some agreements can be reached

and life can proceed.

Embracing the unconscious is the level at which we actively try to bring up the undiscovered parts of ourselves from

the unconscious so that we can integrate them into our conscious

functioning. It is the level at which we are trying to become

acquainted with the unknown, inner parts of ourselves. Most of the

examples we have given so far are from this level. It is the

primary function of Active Imagination, and the purpose most people

have in mind when they begin.

Experiencing the spiritual dimension is the level at which one is seized by a deep experience of the great

archetypes. The Active Imagination is perceived as a vision and

gives rise to religious insight. This is a rather uncommon form of

Active Imagination, but it is experienced by many ​individuals, and

therefore it is good to be aware of it.