I agree with DarkestDarkness that the term definitions could easily differ from person to person. I'm wondering if the way "active imagination" is defined could vary somewhat based on how easily an individual enters a particular state, too. For instance, MoonageDaydream described active imagination as requiring a meditative state, but for me I can pretty much just sit down and close my eyes and my imagination starts up right away (although the visuals aren't as clear as they might be in a dream). If anything I have to work harder at turning it off again, which is why I found the suggestion of creating a ritual to get in and out of the session really helpful - so that I can cue my mind when I'm finished. I think while people may be able to enter similar states, they likely differ in how easily they can enter particular ones. Kind of like how some people are more receptive to hypnosis than others. So, if we're trying to define active imagination by the balance between level of consciousness and unconsciousness, it can get a little tricky to pin down and measure exactly what that balance is. Especially if we're using how easily one enters the state as part of the definition.

P.S. Did this remind anyone else of playing make believe as a kid?