The Ancient Greeks considered inspiration the maddening possession of an artist by the muses. Centuries later, Carl Jung described inspiration as a ‘creative fire’ that makes an artist its instrument. The wilderness of our force of creativity can often feel completely beyond our conscious control. Sometimes we feel helpless against the relentless fire of inspiration, and other times we remain cold in its absence, unable to rekindle it. Fortunately, there is a method of calling upon the muses whenever we feel uninspired, a method of being willfully possessed by their fire, a method Jung called active imagination.
How Is Inspiration Connected to the Unconscious?
Inspiration is a creative impulse that springs from the depths of the unconscious. In states overcome by inspiration, it is the unconscious that holds the pen with which we write and the brush with which we paint; it is the force that moves our body when we dance and molds the clay between our hands. The unconscious is the hidden artist behind all inspired artworks. Its contents are simultaneously personal and collective to all humanity, which is why art can resonate across numerous cultures and generations. Whenever the unconscious erupts in states of inspiration, it renders an artist “nothing more than a helpless observer of events”, transforming her into a vehicle through which it expresses itself.
Inspiration is a state where our conscious will is relatively subdued by the creative impulses of our unconscious. Our ability to create inspired art is hence directly proportional to the extent of our receptivity to these impulses. While typically inspired states erupt organically, in some people more than others, there is a method of accessing inspiration whenever we wish by increasing our receptivity to the unconscious. This method, known as active imagination, was devised by Carl Jung in 1913 and is simultaneously a therapeutic and creative method.
What Are the Steps of Active Imagination for Creative Expression?
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Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterThe two principle steps of active imagination for creative expression comprise of 1) allowing the unconscious to emerge and 2) giving it form. The first step determines our receptivity to the unconscious. Some Jungian analysts describe it as an ‘invitation’, because it consists of setting an intention and waiting for the unconscious to emerge spontaneously. In this stage, your creative medium should be ready and accessible. For instance, if you are a painter, prepare your colors, brushes, and canvas beforehand.
The second step varies for each person. Sometimes the contents of the unconscious first appear in your mind before you express it through your creative medium, and other times the contents of the unconscious are expressed directly unto the art form. For instance, you may see an image in your imagination before you paint it, or the unconscious can guide the painting process itself so that you are painting without knowing what exactly you are painting.
The key to unlocking your inspiration using active imagination is to completely withdraw your conscious control over your art form, allowing your unconscious to fully take over your creative process. As Jungian analyst Joan Chodorow noted, “Jung described a wide variety of forms that include writing, drawing, painting, sculpting, weaving, music, dancing, as well as the creation of rituals and dramatic enactments” (Chodorow, 1997). Whatever art form you use, allow the process to be spontaneous and playful. As Jung continnuously emphasized, “Imagination must be allowed the freest possible play” (Jung, 1916).
Is Playfulness the Key to Inspiration?
Playfulness is the key to inspiration. In the same way you imaginatively played with colors as a child, the blank page a plane of infinite possibilities, your mind free of doubt and driven by an attitude of curiosity and experimentation, so can you ease into a state of playfulness during your creative process as an adult. Playfulness is integral to the state of receptivity that characterizes states of inspiration. Without it, the mental rigidity of our conscious mind will interrupt and censor the flow of the unconscious during active imagination, hindering our ability to remain inspired. In the absence of imaginative play, “no creative work has ever yet come to birth” (Jung, 1921).
Among the many ways Jung described the method of active imagination, he seemed to prefer those alluding to childish play: “Every good idea and all creative work are the offspring of the imagination, and have their source in what one is pleased to call infantile fantasy”, (Jung, 1921). According to him, “the debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable” (Jung, 1921).
