The Marvelous World of Metaphors
Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up moreinsight into your own innovation. Nobody can do it better thanyou can!
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrasethat means one thing is used to describe an object or ideasto which it is not literally applicable -- a ship is said to plow the sea.
Denise Shekerjian
Webster defines Metaphor:
The application of a word or phrase to an object or concept,which it does not literally denote: in order to suggestcomparison with another object or concept, as in "A mightyfortress is our God."
A figure of speech founded on resemblance, by which a wordis transferred from an object to which it properly belongs toanother in such a manner that a comparison is impliedthough not formally expressed, thus, "that man is a fox" is ametaphor; but "that man is like a fox," is a simile orcomparison.
Whenever we explain or communicate a concept by likeningit to something else, we are using a metaphor.
Tony Robbins,Awaken the Giant Within.
Don't let bad metaphors be a part of anyone's master plan.Especially yours! Change your metaphors to a process ofrenewed awakening.
All of us and most businesses when advertising use Metaphors.
"Get right to the top and reach out!" Picture a beautifulwoman mountain climber, reaching out with outstretchedarms on the top of a snow-capped mountaintop.
webseller.net
Metaphors are common groups of words, which contribute apunch to a meaning by association.
There are different ways of defining metaphors. For instancedictionaries explain it as a word or a phrase to illustrate areal thing or action in its relationship to something else.
In our capacity to illustrate the importance of metaphors increativity we are going to use them in association as relatedto the qualities which are attributed to creative people.According to most authorities creative people have thefollowing characteristics. But don't we all have them? Wehope to share ways in which you can use them to initiate yourinterpretation in the transformation of your own life.
• Innovative - Ideas -- Change
• Originality
• Diversity -- Versatility -- flexibility - resilience
• Humorous
• Aware,--Focused--Committed
So let's go and see how we can apply some of thesemetaphors to each of these characteristics as applied tocreativity. It is interesting how metaphors can stimulatethinking into so many different avenues by association.Applying your own interpretations to metaphors can lead to aremarkable world of similarities in your own thinking andassociation to incredible dimensions.
We are all familiar with the everyday usage of popularmetaphors such as:
"Do you see?" "When you can see through the Hype!" "I'mbursting at the seam!""The eyes of the customer." Am I on a Wild Goose Chase?"The list is endless.
Let's start our journey into the exhilarating "constellations ofcreativity."
Ideas, Innovation, Change. Freshness.
"No idea is more than an imaginary potency, a mushroomcloud (destroying nothing, making nothing) rising fromblinding consciousness."
Saul Bellow, The BellarosaConnection.
Think of what Saul means by imaginary potency? Doesn'tour imagination rule everything? You can interpret this inmany ways but one can imagine a mushroom in our minds,stimulating our thinking into an expansive mushroom ofthought. For instance, another perception of mushroomingmay be illustrated by the enormous mushroom effect of theatomic bomb rising into creative explosive productive ideas.Aside from the devastating effect of the atomic bombvisualize only beneficial ideas for mankind, instead ofdestruction. What is your interpretation?
"In the mind-world ideas are the indestructible elementswhich form the jeweled constellations of the interior life."
Henry Miller "The creative life"
Can you picture one idea leading to a constellation, ofmultiple ideas to hold sky full of them? One idea of buildingon the other leading into "Who knows what?" Notice evenanother metaphor "Who knows what?" Is used to explainanother thought!
"Here,/in the rule of my life/the objects keep changing."Anne Sexton, "The room of my life"
One of the main characteristics of creative and innovativepeople is their ability for flexibility and change. In our worldthat is dramatically changing so rapidly isn't it exciting that wecan be a part of it? We are living in one of the mostexhilarating eras for creative changes in all aspects of ourlives. Thankfully most of them are good. Think of ways inwhich you can become more flexible, resilient andadaptable? Is the room in your life opening doors andwindows to let your inner self out?
"Luck never gives, it only lends."
Anon, Swedish proverb
What are you doing to stimulate the luck in your life? Are youready for success? Or are you afraid of success? Manytimes we don't think about the actual fear some people haveof success. Think hard about it!
"All owned the affairs of men hang by slender thread."
Ovid"El Ponto"
One can relate this metaphor with simple events, changes,and incidents and just about anything that can make theslightest change in our lives to greatness or despair.Thinking of the slender thread can remind one of themetaphor, "The Sword of Domacles" when his King, in orderto remind Domacles how precarious his position in life wasat the Palace. At a banquet in honor of Domacles, the Kingplaced a sword directly over Domacles head, hanging by afew horsehairs. The implication, "Just a reminder of who isreally the boss!" Couldn't anyone of our simple deeds ofkindness be that simple strand of hair leading to the turningpoint in our lives?
Originality
"They sun themselves in the great man's light, and feel it tobe their own element."
Ralph Waldo Emerson, speech "The American scholar,"Harvard college, Aug. 31, 1837. (They as the masses andthe herd)
Isn't it interesting how Emerson conveys the thought that mostpeople in this world will bask in the accomplishments of allthose marvelous creative and innovative risk takers? It's awonderful experience instead of "following the leader, tobeing the leader." A good feeling is when you are thecontributing mentor and "the masses and the herd" bask inyour contributing greatness to their dignity and welfare?What's wrong with you being their best coach?
"And this I swear by blackest brook of hell,/I am no pick-purseof another's wit."
Sir Philip Sydney, "Sonnet 74"Astrophel & Stella.
It appears somebody accused him of pilfering an idea asmany other writers, artists, coaches and just about everybodyelse has borrowed from somebody else.When Dad belonged to the National Speakers Association,he conveyed to us a common statement. "When the speakerborrows a quote or idea from one speaker, that's stealing butwhen he borrows from a whole group of speakers, that'sresearch!"
We should be grateful that we can contribute to somebodyelse's creativity by the letting them copy from us?
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Diversity
"Every human being is a colony."
Pablo Picaso's Epigraph
The uniqueness of metaphors is the meaning it has only toyou and what perceptions it conjures in your imagination!
Jog your memory as to what the colony of your life is? Whatmakes up the different colonies within your life that stimulatesthe different worlds of your imagination. It could be family,associations, work, hobby or just about anything that isempowering and having that phenomenal, enrapturing andenergizing effect in your life?
What does this overused metaphor still mean to you?"Variety's the spice of life, that gives it all its flavor." William Cowper, "The Timepiece"What type of variety do you have continuously adding towonderment and resourcefulness?
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Flexibility
"The rulers (in Japan) our politicians and large businesses.The ruled our everyone else, the "Grass people," so apathytermed because they bow in whatever direction the windblows."
Reiki Hatsumi
Are you one of the "Grass people?" Are you one of themedia junkies who let's the newspapers, TV news, Internet-ions, headlines and all the other distractions vying for yourmind, direct you to the way their wind blows? Think of theenormous possibility of flexibility you can choose to have?
"Of course you don't change a persons nature you retouch it."
Andre', "Home Port Maurois"
Isn't it nice that you can still make choices?
You can choose to change.
You can choose to grow.
You can choose to be your own person.
You can choose love.
You can choose to be creative.
You can choose all of your own choices.
"You must learn to drink the cup of life as it comes, Connie,without stirring it up from the bottom. That's where the bitterdregs are."
Agnes Sligh Turnbull, The Rolling Year
Have you ever thought of all of the bad memories,experiences and episodes in your life that you may be stirring"The bitter dregs" each day that detract from your potentialcreativity and innovation?
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Humor, Wit
"A sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to our stepsas we walk the tight rope of life."
Anon
Humor is a learned experience. Learning to laugh can betaught to anyone. It only takes a change of your perception.Humor is one of the chief characteristics, as related by someauthorities, stimulating our creativity and innovation. Humor is also great for your health. It not only stimulates your immune system but it also energizes our brain cells withthose funny little chemicals that make life more interesting.
"Wit ought to be a glorious treat, like caviar. Never spread it about like marmalade."
Noel Coward
"Humor is really laughing off a hurt. Grinning at misery."
Bill Mauldin
"Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can."
Elsa Maxwell
Awareness
'Voynitsky: We used to think of you as almost superhuman,but now the scales have fallen off my eyes and I see you asyou are."
Anton Chekhov, Uncle Vanya
Think of yourself with whatever blinders you have coveringyour eyes? Each of us perceives everything differently. Ofcourse, this difference in our perception is what makes us sounique.
But depending on our background and images planted bysources even unknown, we may have scales, like someanimals, over our eyes. Removing these scales over oureyes creates our awareness to the awakened mind.
"On the surface, life is much the same as before?But it isthrough-the-looking glass world."
Jeffrey Schmalz, The New York Times, December 20. 1992
Some awareness leads to an allusion as to how we see ourworld. How do you see your world?
What is wrong with creating beautiful allusions of what somepeople call the "Real World?"
We all experience the awareness of our "Real World" dailybut why not change your world?
"Be the change you want to see in the world."
Gandhi
Copyright © 2005 Ted Borgeas, All Rights Reserved
Ted Borgeas, Author, 35 years Self-Coaching Yourself.
Helps people get insight on Career & Life Transitions.
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We have all heard from the financial gurus, grow with "Other Peoples Money." Ted believes and lives on the premise cultivate and enlighten "Other Peoples Youth" it nourishes your own youth.Dr. Ted's mutiple careers include being a prominent Keynote speaker. A proponent of "It ain't Braggin' If you'ver done it" one of his books.His latest book is "Grandpa is a Giggle" How to turn Adversities into Adventures! 8 books are on amazon.com under Borgeas. Loves to hear from everybody and answers all mail.
email: ted@atborgeas.com
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Dr. Ted Borgeas is a 75 year old retired Foot Surgeon-Podiatrist who is a master of transcending through life transitions and piggybacking careers and attitudes to success.
He limits his coaching to Doctors and other professionals. Dr. Ted had been a Podiatric consultant inside a Federal Prison for 15 years and inside a state mental hospital for 7 years. The author of 11 books, 8 books on amazon.com.