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Archive for March 10, 2012

Imaginary Creatures

A fun way to enhance your imagination is to imagine a create, any type of creature or organism. It can be realistic or unrealistic or even fanciful. Do you remember Sesame Street with Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover and Elmo, and so many more wonderful imaginary creatures? Jim Henson and his Muppets stole the hearts of many children and adults.  Do you recall Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood that fabulous program on PBS that featured Trolley and the Land of Make Believe? Many of the children’s programs we grew up with engaged our imagination and taught invaluable lessons of caring and compassion. 

Today, you are invited to imagine and make a creature. To get the most out of this activity, it is recommended that you have paper, paint (or at least markers or crayons) and scissors. In the above image, Creatology­™ Non-Toxic Glitter Paint and a standard sheet of blank printer paper were used. A few dots of paint were randomly placed on the paper, then the paper was folded in half, top to bottom.

The paint was spread from the fold toward the edges using a hand or a stiff plastic card. Then the paper was gently opened and rotated until an image that looked like a creature emerged. If paint is not an available, use your scissors to cut along the fold in any pattern. When you open it you will see a symmetrical shape. Use your markers or crayons to make a creature.

If you are a savvy artist or a writer, you can simply draw or write about whatever fanciful creature that comes to mind. Consider the following questions: How large is your creature? Will your creature have an internal skeleton (like a dog or human) or external skeleton (like an insect or shellfish)? What outer covering will your creature have: skin, fur, feathers, scales, warts, hair, slime, etc.? How many eyes, legs, arms, etc. will your creature have? What does it eat? Where does it live? Could it live in out space? Is it equipped to withstand different temperatures? Can your creature transform into a gas or liquid or another form? Does your creature have sharp teeth? Does your creature have its own language? Does your creature have its own technologies? Is your creature friendly?

This is your imaginary creature, so it can be anything you wish. You have the choice to make it unique/one-of-a-kind or give it a family or society. You may even wish to create a story around your creature. You can do this exercise anytime you want to expand your imagination and creativity. This imagination activity help to develop one’s ability to problem solve as one seeks new ways of thinking about creatures and how diverse and unique they can be. Is that not great? Enjoy this activity as you pretend to be a child again in the land of make-believe. 

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REMINDER: SPRING AHEAD, iMaGiNe ThAt!

Most of us in the United States will need to advance our clocks one hour before bed time. At 2 a.m. Sunday morning,  it will really be 3 a.m. Imagine that….we really do control time. Or do we? As a result, we will see daylight longer into our evenings. Stay tuned later today for another activity to play in our imaginations. 

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Imagine Your Perfect Space

One of the best things people can do to enrich their minds is to engage in activities that allow them to play in their imagination as if they were children again playing in a sandbox. Using the imagination is a form of playing that anyone can do alone. Like deep breathing and meditation, engaging imagination allows people to deflate the stresses in their lives.  When people are in a more relaxed state, they become more aware of their environments and they can take in the simple joys in life that they had not noticed before, such as seeing a gorgeous sunrise, a squirrel exploring or the emerging flowers of Spring. 

One of the side effects of using imagination is having a longer attention span and heightened awareness of one’s immediate environment. As people practice using their imaginations, they will find that they are able to focus more! A great exercise in expanding one’s imagination is to design or create something specific.

Today, I invite you to design your ideal space in your mind or on paper. You can write about it, doodle it, draw it, paint it or even sing about it. It can be as real or surreal as you like. Consider the following questions: Is your space indoor or outdoor or something in between? What elements or objects are in your space? What is the temperature like? What colors do you see? What textures are around you? What fragrances do you sense? What sounds do you hear? Is it music, the ocean, a waterfall, birds chirping, or is it completely silent? Is it daytime or nighttime? Are you in a wonderland where anything is possible like living underwater or in ice?

This is your perfect space, so it can be anything you wish. And, it can change from day-to-day. The choice is yours. You can do this exercise anytime you need to be in your perfect environment. As you imagine your perfect space, your mind will put you there just like it is real. How cool is that? Have fun with this. 

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Inspiration, Intention, Joy, Life, Psychology

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