The Healing Power of the Imagination

Abstract

In this conceptual article, the author demonstrates how fairy tales, folk tales and myths offer the child medicine for the unconscious. Through the power of the imagination children develop the ability to incorporate an image of God as eternal presence and limitless consciousness, a sense of object constancy, a sense of self to help battle the intrinsic hardships of childhood, and a map for the journey of oneness, separation, and reunification with oneness at a higher level of consciousness. The article also calls upon the power of a particular therapeutic fairy tale from a collection by this author and demonstrates its value as a teaching aid in the classroom, a tool for psychotherapists who work with children and adults who were traumatized as children, and a resource for parents in the development of their children's spirituality.

This article is based, in part, on a presentation delivered as a special interest seminar at the 1998 Summer School of Alcohol and Drug Studies, Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA entitled ‘The Healing Power of the Imagination’

Notes

This article is based, in part, on a presentation delivered as a special interest seminar at the 1998 Summer School of Alcohol and Drug Studies, Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA entitled ‘The Healing Power of the Imagination’