Doctor Julian Jaynes wrote about a woman who talked daily to her long-dead grandmother, who she saw sitting in a chair each morning. As far as the doctor could tell, the woman never suffered any ill effects from this. In fact, she readily accepted that it was a hallucination, which didn't bother her at all. She just found the conversations, and her grandmother's advice, helpful.

Advice From Ghosts

Hallucinations aren't necessary, but why not have a conversation in your head with somebody helpful? If you want advice on love, talk to the Dalai Lama. Talk to Andrew Carnegie or Lee Iacocca if you want to make a factory more productive. Albert Einstein might even give you a creative idea or two.

Imagination Needs Form To Function

You have a powerful imagination, but you may not have a powerful way to use it. This is what you get with a conversation in your head; a way to access the creative power of your mind. You'll be surprized how often your imaginary Einstein comes up with an interesting idea, or asks you a question that produces something useful.

Use an image of someone you respect and know something about. This helps you easily imagine what they might say. It can be a fictional character, and this may be better in some cases. Talk to this person, and listen to what they have to say.

Maybe you've seen those WWJD pins. WWJD stands for "What Would Jesus Do?" Young christians wear these pins for guidance. Whether or not you're a christian, you can see how in a time of confusion, this simple question can clarify the situation and allow a right decision.

Consider this for a moment. The information needed to make a right decision is there in a young man's head already, yet he is confused. Then he imagines what Jesus would do or say, and he immediately "sees" what he has to do. Inspiration from a voice in his head.

Why not start talking with imaginary friends and advisors? Ask for help with personal, business, and moral issues. Get creative ideas from them. This is a powerful way to draw on the power of your unconscious mind, if you give it a chance.