The great gift of imagination bestowed upon human beings can also cause us great pain. Being able to imagine something opens up new ways to learn and to explore. Being able to imagine something different from what we concretely experience right here can give us strength to craft a different life, to modify our environment, to work with our inner resources so as to make the situation ‘better’ (whatever that means for us). And also, being able to imagine a “picture perfect” life that will always be elusive because it is not real. The imagination is powerful in so many ways: it is a great healer, a great enabler; and sometimes, it is a dangerous source of self-inflicted longings and unreachable fantasies that limit our ability to enjoy life as it presents itself. In most cases, activating the imagination starts with a willingness to suspend disbelief, to entertain a ‘what if…’
So much in so few words: What if…I were different [taller, shorter, stronger, lighter, prettier, smarter]? What if…I had skills and qualities I just don’t think I possess in reality [anything from random talents to supernatural powers]? What if…I could live life differently [travel through time, be all-knowing, be less/more sensitive and so on]? What if…I could provide what my loved ones need right now and in the future? What if…I could design a world that is better, fairer, more just, more caring than what I witness today?
So many possibilities contained in a simple game of ‘what if’. Many exciting promises, many dreams fulfilled by mere projection into a made-up world that feels almost real. Many painful memories healed or even erased almost by magic. But also, many causes for sorrow reminiscing the past and rejecting the wisdom of the lived present, many regrets revisited and reopened. It is thus timely to focus on the power of ‘what ifs’.
Just like many aspects of our psyche, the ‘what ifs’ are constructive, providing we understand what we try to access, what we try to summon to our consciousness. A ‘what if’ rêverie can reveal a great deal of our shadow, a great deal of our secret dreams. Are we ready to face what will unfold once we open that door? Are we ready to accept responsibility for the emotions that may arise, some less agreeable than others? Are we ready to play the game of ‘what ifs’ with the honesty it demands?
The ‘what if’ can be wonderfully therapeutic if we are willing to engage with the fantasy in a truthful manner. On the other hand, if our mindset is full of bitterness, anger, resentment or frustration, our ‘what if’ fantasies may simply reinforce the projections and complexes that cause us suffering, and fail to alleviate the anguish of not being enough.
So, how can we tell the difference? Strangely, the cues are in the body rather than in the mind. While it seems natural to focus on the words or images that cross our mind when we play the ‘what if’ game, it is our body who anchors us in the truthfulness of what we can imagine. It is our body – through the slight excitement in the belly, or a soft twinge across our chest, or a tightening of our jaw or our shoulders – who can signal to us whether we are accessing a fantasy that is truly ours, or whether we are expressing dreams that do not belong to our individual self. We may be projecting something that is culturally relevant, but that may not be reflective of our unique experience. We may be imagining something that seems ‘ideal’, but is it our own ideal? Our body has an intimate knowledge of our soul since it wraps it up. It does not lie, it just tells it as it is – whether our conscious mind agrees with the answer or not. And this embodied wisdom is precious indeed when we are set to harness the transformative power of the ‘what ifs’.
Next time you find yourself musing with ‘what ifs’, try and ground your body beforehand. Then, observe the subtle cues your body sends you each time you formulate a fantasy in response to your ‘what if’. Does it feel good? Does it feel adjusted or aligned? Does it feel comfortable or light? If so, ask again and observe the new cues. If not, explore another fantasy and see what your body validates this time. Enjoy!