Imaginal knowing in action research

Abstract

This article explores how imaginal knowing can contribute to learning and action research. I relate this to a need for organizations to learn differently for bringing sustainable results that nourish the world. I position imaginal knowing as a reflexive way of being, which informs awareness beyond language and discourse. An arts-based researcher, my paintings are imaginal reflections of lived experience. I found how engaging with the imaginal enables a more profound presence with that experience. This process, which I refer to as growth-in-connection, can generate unexpected insights and learning. For me, artistically expressing imagination became a reflexive practice to deepen understanding and voice. This article consists of a practice-based strand where I share drawings, paintings, and an inquiry into client work. In the other strand, I explore theoretical ideas from Art-Based Method, Critical thinking, Reflexivity and Action Research.