To the Hermeticists, imagination is real. It is an aspect of consciousness and the door for entering the reality of the soul. Without imagination the soul is not perceptible. Dreams and visions, as in shamanism, are valued and open us to communication with the gods. Skill at focusing imagination is gained through the practice of meditation, and this skill can help consciousness to effect changes in physical reality. Magic is actually the craft of working with the imagination.

Robert M. Place