How I Use Visionary Fiction And It Uses Me
I like to use the nice stuff, the good stuff. I put my feet on the coffee table, I use my best dishes, and I squeeze every ounce of practicality out of my spiritual beliefs.
I like the good stuff. Visionary Fiction is the ultimate in good stuff. You can find a far more definitive explanation of it here, but here’s the very humble, boiled down, practical version I use for myself: Visionary Fiction promotes views of life that encourage us to live it in harmony.
Notice, I do not say “in lock step”, or “in preparation for the next.” I don’t say “in accordance with specific rules, or teachings, or dogma, or tenets.”
Live it in harmony. In harmony with one another. In harmony with our planet. In harmony with life itself. In harmony with a greater intelligence, love, power, and beingness that, try as we might, we can’t truly articulate, much less define. In harmony with the highest and best that lives within us all.
But, we’re human. The minute we start reaching for that harmony, we start making rules about how to achieve it. And we tell stories about how we came to make the rules. And we share them. And enshrine them.
Visionary Fiction is about breaking the rules. It’s about remembering that we write our own stories. The true function of our stories is enabling a harmony between our condition and the Divine. They should inspire us to live our best lives, provide signposts on the journey. They should help us burst through the self-imposed bubble of our human potential to possibilities we can only imagine when we’re mired in chaos, conflict, and survival.
Some VF authors take us on the journey to break through. Still others explore the possibilities beyond. I like to root around in religious texts and stories, old and new, and pick out the good stuff. I use VF to blur the lines of dogma. I like to illuminate the ‘Golden Threads’ –the commonalities that run through various belief systems. I also love to celebrate the diverse, astonishing, amazing, and just plain woo-hoo, ha-ha, fun possibilities suggested by their stories. And heroes. I really love heroes. The kind of heroes who use their beliefs and break out of that bubble.
I like to mix it up, put the pieces together like voices in a choir, and let my readers recognize the echo of their own distinct voice within the greater… harmony.
That’s how I use Visionary Fiction.
How does Visionary Fiction use me? I have no idea. No way of actually knowing. Not really.
But, I could tell you a story…
t./
Theresa Nash Website: Mixing Miracles Adventures in Life and Fiction ( www.ishowasdaughter.com ) Email: Theresa@ishowasdaughter.com
This is very helpful, Theresa, and succinctly worded.
I especially like: "I use VF to blur the lines of dogma."
That's what I tried to do in Crashing Eden, employing esoteric material from Gnosticism that subverts our traditional concepts of God.
Thanks, Michael. I love reading about Gnosticism – it was one of my first forays into alternate beliefs when I started reaching beyond my childhood dogma. I can't wait to get to Crashing Eden!
"I like to mix it up, put the pieces together like voices in a choir, and let my readers recognize the echo of their own distinct voice within the greater… harmony."
Beautifully stated, Theresa. For me, writing a book is my spiritual outward expression. If my stories have the above reaction, I'd be very humbled and know that I've done my job.
Theresa,
Like Eleni, I loved this piece of your post:
“I like to mix it up, put the pieces together like voices in a choir, and let my readers recognize the echo of their own distinct voice within the greater… harmony.”
What greater outcome for our readers than this!.
Your emphasis on harmony comes across strongly, and makes me eager to read your novel "Mixer on a Strand"
Thanks, Theresa. I love this, especially: "I use VF to blur the lines of dogma. I like to illuminate the ‘Golden Threads’ –the commonalities that run through various belief systems." Here is a common thread I see within VF itself, between you and me. Thanks for sharing your vision.
Hi Theresa…thanks for this post. It reminded me of why I feel that my writing fits into the Visionary Fiction genre better than any other. While my novel "Finding Grace–A Transformational Journey" doesn't explore supernatural themes, past lives, or other paranormal experiences like some of them do–it does do much of what you say by creating "harmony between our condition and the Divine." From a very practical and down-to-earth perspective, I too enjoy blurring the line beyond dogma, and exploring the golden threads and commonalities that link us all together. I believe all of us are searching for deeper meaning and understanding of the Universe and Visionary Fiction offers a wonderful way for people to feel connected that reaches far beyond the usual confines of religion, our culture or the ordinary. Thanks for the great reminders….
A newcomer here, so just getting to this article for the first time. An excellent, simple exposition of VF (pertinent as we face the task of naming, defining and promoting our genre.)
As the author of The Anathemas, a Novel about Reincarnation and Restitution , which uses both historical sources and visionary techniques to dramatize how reincarnation (and other classical teachings) were stigmatized into oblivion during the period when the Roman Empire and Christian Church were merging, I especially like your phrase: "I like to root around in religious texts and stories, old and new, and pick out the good stuff. I use VF to blur the lines of dogma. I like to illuminate the ‘Golden Threads’ –the commonalities that run through various belief systems."
And there's ishowa's reference to Gnosticism in the comments: so pervasive a "Golden Thread" throughout religious, spiritual and metaphysical history that I once whimsically wondered if Gnostic Fiction might not serve as an appropriate label for our genre.
I Love your "Style" 🙂
Had to tweet this post out………