Radar

Sitting at Denver airport just before going back home, I’m wondering about the radar of the imaginal thinker. Betty Maxwell mentioned this item in our marvelous lunch-conversation.

We all know that airplanes and boats have radars. They use it to scan the surroundings, so they know where they are and which other planes, boats or port is in their neighborhood. This helps them to keep in contact and also to stay on the right track. Vice versa the flight controllers at the airport use radar to spot all the planes in the air.

What tells this metaphor me about the tracking system of an imaginal thinker?

Scanning the surroundings.

While writing this, I became aware of my behavior in the cab getting to the airport.
Of course, I was looking outside, but I wasn’t just looking at the scenery: I was constantly checking on which road the cab was driving, which route the taxi driver was following, and what my position was in relation to the hotel and the airport. After staying in Denver for a week I knew enough of the layout of the city to follow the route. We drove north first and then east.

It was astonished that I had not been aware of this behavior before. Now that I know this, I realize that I am always doing this.
That’s why I like to have a map sitting next to my partner, who is finding his way with a navigator tool.

The next question I ask myself is: “Do I use this radar also for other purposes for instance to scan the atmosphere around me?”
Is this how I meet interesting people? This seems to be one of my talents according to my travel companions.
The radar has now my full attention.

The Off button

Back to the airplanes. They have an on-off button on the radar. Is this also possible for me? Can I willingly put the radar off?
Asking the question is trying it.

Sitting in the airport café I’m searching for my button. Looking around, dreaming, scanning in on the other people, I am feeling it’s getting on. Looking back to the paper on which I’m writing this column it’s more or less off. Just thinking this puts the radar on again. I’m conscious of my surroundings again.

Concentration

What an insight I get with this experiment. Has concentration to do with putting the radar off?
I will go on to examine this interesting item. I like to invite you to do the same.
It will reveal much about the spatial awareness of an imaginal thinker.

Mechel