Brian! Is It Really You? Or Am I Making It All Up? (Part III)

[kaiponohea]

Is there a difference between the Imaginal World and the world of fantasy? If so, then how do you know when you’re interacting in the Imaginal World and when you’re in the fantasy world?

This might seem fairly unimportant, but it’s not: it speaks directly to the question of whether these characters are real or “figments of our imagination.”

Comments

Fantasy vs. the Imaginal World

[fansee]

Outside of dreams, I think that the line between fantasy and the Imaginal World is fuzzier than you suggest. That is, I've had experiences where I sat down with a specific plot in mind and ended up writing something quite different. Somewhere between working out my plot and writing it, something intervened and changed the content. I've always ascribed that to wayward fingers, personally, but I'm willing to entertain other explanations

Re: Fantasy vs. the Imaginal World

[kaiponohea]

Wow, FanSee, thanks so much for this detailed response! So interesting to hear someone else's experience!

I think that the line between fantasy and the Imaginal World is fuzzier than you suggest. Yes, I think you're right about this. It's tough to try to explain something without "pinning it down" and making it too simplistic. I had initially thought that somehow they were completely different, but even as I was writing this yesterday I began to realize that it wasn't nearly that simple

Re: Fantasy vs. the Imaginal World

[fansee]

Moi: All I can say is that as soon as my fictional Justin started shedding his clothes...and that too was unplanned...the rest of the narrative flowed. It wasn't writing, it was typing.

Kai:Is this the kind of thing you mean when you say you “transcribed a conversation” between Gale and Randy?

Storytime: In my fangirl capacity, I hear all the recent rumors about Gale-in-The-Unit, Gale-as-Wyatt-Earp, then Gale-the-Government-Agent, and my heart flutters in my chest. Then I learn that Simon flew out to spend this weekend on the Coast with Randy. Randy in L.A., Gale in L.A., Simon on his way West, Randy and Gale in bed. From that point the dialogue wrote itself. I hold no brief for the authenticity of the language of either character...to come even close, I'd have to listen intently to as many hours of their conversation as I have of Brian's and Justin's...but I knew what my fictional constructs would say. No struggle, no rewriting (and I adore rewriting), just straight typing

Re: Fantasy vs. the Imaginal World

[kaiponohea]

Hey FanSee. Just got your reply but I'm braindead from trying to balance my budget all afternoon (using MS Money--it's a BAD thing when two reports from the same program don't give you the same results, eh?) so I'm in no shape to respond tonight other than to say thanks!!!!

You can contact me privately via LJ email: kaipohonea@livejournal.com. Give it a try--I tested it and it seems to work OK. I'd give you my regular email but it has my actual name (horrors!) and I don't want to post that here, ya know....

Hi!

[bythebootstraps]

Nice post! I found you because you're one of five LJ users who lists Pacifica as a school. I did the MA counseling program, graduated last may, and am back in the PhD Depth Psychotherapy program (the new one).

I hope you are amenable to being added. Nice to find you, and this post is helping me clarify my own thoughts for a paper I have to write, so thanks!

Re: Hi!

[kaiponohea]

Hey there, fellow Pacifica person! Not too many of us out there, and it's good to hear from another one. What's this new Depth Psychotherapy program? The Clinical one? I'm finishing up the PhD-Depth Psychology program, you know, the one that doesn't prepare you to actually DO anything at all... LOL!

I've been away from this board for a couple of weeks but will try to catch back up and post some, and will also take a look at your journal. I've friended you back....

[xie_xie_xie]

Hi there, can I ask you to email me? xie_xie_xie@livejournal.com