An imaginal figure is an autonomous agency that possesses an internal life and emerges from the transformation of unconscious material into conscious thought and form. Through the act of imagination, this unconscious material gains a richness of inner life, creating an autonomous entity which can be related to in a creative and meaningful way. Imaginal figures may also manifest themselves in the form of figures in dreams and fantasies, linking the conscious world to the unconscious and allowing for deeper exploration of the unknown.

See also: phenomenological approach, developmental psychology, conceptual framework, imaginal dimension, imaginal practice