Time for Old Magic: Reclaiming Our World through Imagination

Something has been stolen…

Whether it’s the past few years of isolation, the increased automation, and the growing intelligence of new technology, or the polarizing effect of divisive social issues, people are feeling a great disconnect with the world around them. It’s like someone has slipped in when we weren’t looking and made off with aspects of our humanity.

In our all-too literal world, where we use facts, data, and algorithms to quantity and qualify everything, we are falling short in finding meaning with the lives we are living.

In great numbers, people have lost their bearings, feeling like they don’t know what’s real or fake any more. It’s as if the once solid ground beneath their feet has crumbled away, leaving only an abyss of confusion and despair in its place.

We have abandoned the world of myth and imagination at the cost of our own sanity.

Back in the 19th century, philosopher and psychologist, William James, presented the concept of depersonalization, now known as a dissociative disorder. The Mayo Clinic describes this disorder as:

When you persistently or repeatedly have the feeling that you’re observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you aren’t real, or both. Feelings of depersonalization and derealization can be very disturbing and may feel like you’re living in a dream.

Lately, we have all felt the pangs of the world slipping into madness, one that cries out for meaning, understanding, and empathy. Perhaps, it is time to set this dissociative world aside, and re-enter our own imaginations?

Maybe, it is time for the Old Magic once again….

These are the tales that have survived over years of telling, tapping into the primal human condition that connects us all. These fables come to us through our own imagination. Though they aren’t literally real, they offer something no news story or fact sheet cannot — a glimpse into our own nature, a new perspective regarding our human condition and our purpose on this planet.

The Old Magic refers to the fantastic stories of myth and legend from around the world, and our willingness to retrieve and engage with them. In their book of folk tales, entitled Time for Old Magic, May Hill Arbuthnot and Mark Taylor share:

“Even though we are in the midst of a revolution in communication and technology, the desire to hear the old tales and old songs may be stronger than ever. While there is much to distract us and draw us away from folk tales, there seems to be a heightened awareness of the world and a greater-than-ever readiness to be interested in the life and thought of other peoples. Since folktales echo the heartbeat of humanity, it is vital that we hear, read, and savor them.”

But to tap into this Old Magic, we must be willing to suspend disbelief and cross over from the realm of what is, to the place of what just may be. The path forward is now the path back. Like the stages in the collective hero’s journey, we now have the opportunity to explore old myths and legends in a contemporary light, crossing the threshold into the “undiscovered country” of fantasy, and our own imaginations, in the hopes that we will return a little more worldly and wise than when we entered.

Fantasy provides an opportunity to escape into the imaginary, allowing us to explore and experience the unknown, while learning some great life lessons along the way.

In his WIRED article, “Why Fantasy Matters,” R.L. Lafevers points out that:

“If we only expose people to what actually exists, only the basic realities of the world, we have for all intents and purposes limited the world they live in. How will we know to look beyond the next horizon, to reach past the stars and planets we see today, to approach a problem in a completely new and unfamiliar way?

But it’s not just about their career choices and the ability to shape the world they live in. It is also critical in their personal lives. How can you dream big if you have no imagination? How can you strive beyond the everyday if you have no idea what the fantastical might look like? If you’ve never seen a hero embark on a quest for the impossible — and achieve it, where will you find the courage to try? If no one has ever told you stories of someone reaching for the unreachable, how will you ever know to reach for the stars?… Another oft ignored connection is that imagination is a key component of empathy. How can you empathize with someone, if you can’t imagine what they must be feeling?

By helping people to exercise their imaginations, we help them expand their internal, external, and emotional worlds.”

The alternative title of J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” is “There and Back Again.” This name hints at the importance of the journey out — rife with the danger and adventure that plunges us into the unknown. It is also a cue to the adventurer’s return, where we can bring what we’ve learned back home, to incorporate into our lives as we move forward.

Even Gandalf knew of the importance of embarking on a journey, as he imparted this wisdom to Pippin:

Pippin: I didn’t think it would end this way.

Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path… One that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass… And then you see it.

Pippin: What? Gandalf?… See what?

Gandalf: White shores… and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.

Pippin: Well, that isn’t so bad.

Gandalf: No… No it isn’t.

Ultimately, our best realities lie somewhere between fantasy and fact, a state where we can go see a glimpse of that “undiscovered country,” and bring back the fresh concepts and ideas that will preserve our humanity, feed our creative minds, and add value to the workaday world.

For we know if something precious is taken from us, we often must go to the ends of the earth to retrieve it, gaining new wisdom and experience all along the way.