The "Plastic" Imagination and the Step Two Sensory Concentration
© 2002
>> I have a question... when Bardon say to imagine the object plastically... what does he mean by plastically? <<
"Plastic" in this case, indicates something molded by the mind. Something created by the mind and shaped by the mind, etc. Ideally, it would look solid to *your mind's eye*.
>> Like the object you are imagining: is opaque or is translucent ok? If translucent is ok, what percent translucent is ok? <<
With your eyes closed, the object should appear completely solid and opaque since here, it is easier to rely solely upon your mind's eye instead of your physical eyes. With your eyes open however, you must use your mind's eye while also using your physical eyes. The imagined object will have no density to your physical eyes, but it should have the opaque density to your *mind's eye*. This exercise teaches you, among other things, how to separate the focus of your mind's eye from that of your physical eyes, and how to hold both simultaneously. It further refines your mental discipline.
The Step Two sensory concentration exercises are not about learning to condense your visualization to such a degree that it is apparent to the physical eye. That will come later. For now however, what is important is the training of your *mind's* eye, ear, nose, tongue and feeling. When these mental senses have been strengthened sufficiently it is then a small step further to make them supercede your physical senses; at which point your visualizations *will* be visible to your physical eyes and, given time and practice, visible to the eyes of others. But this is not expected at the level of Step Two.
My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
04 Oct 2002