Disciplined Imagination
A highly developed imagination sees the smallest of details easily. Seeing fine details clearly is one of the keys to developing a finely honed imagination.
Most people only feel the details at first. It's only later that they learn to see detail.
Start by feeling detail first.
It's all in the details. The more able you are to retrieve detail from your imagination, the more disciplined your imagination becomes.
An interesting thing about people is that a person can be disciplined in one area of his life and not so disciplined in another. And so it is with the imagination. You may have a disciplined imagination in one area of your life but not another.
In the area in which you are disciplined, you have very specific ideas about what to do. When your ideas become very specific and well targeted, you are demonstrating clear evidence of a highly disciplined imagination.
To discipline your imagination, go about learning to see things in fine detail. This takes time and happens naturally as you become more and more absorbed in your particular field of interest.
Don't worry too much about seeing everything in fine detail. Just start with seeing some things. Start where you are and you'll see more later.
If you can't see in fine detail, then feel in fine detail. If you can't can't feel in fine detail, then hear in fine detail. Find some way to sense the fine details that is natural for you.
It's by starting where we are that we build a finely honed and disciplined imagination.
©Edward Abbott 2002-2004