Are you ready to unlock your creative potential and transform your artistic journey? Introducing Creative Spirit, an innovative online course hosted on Teachable’s beautiful, interactive platform. Designed to guide you through the depths of your imagination, this course offers lifetime access to guided visualizations, prescribed exercises, and an extensive collection of books from our “Inspiration & Creativity” series.

Why Choose Creative Spirit?

In today’s fast-paced world, finding time and space for creativity can be challenging. Creative Spirit is your sanctuary—a place where you can explore, nurture, and expand your creative abilities. Here’s what you can expect:

Guided Visualization: Your Personal Sanctuary

Through immersive guided visualization sessions, you will create your own sacred space. This sensory-rich environment will become your go-to retreat, providing instant calmness and inspiration whenever you need it. Imagine closing your eyes and being transported to a place where your creativity flows effortlessly—this is the power of guided visualization. But it’s more than just relaxation. Cognitive research shows that guided visualization can improve focus, reduce stress, and enhance problem-solving skills. By regularly engaging in visualization, you’re training your brain to enter a state of deep concentration, which can lead to more innovative thinking and greater creative output.

New Insights: Understand Your Creative Self

What drives you to create? Who are you as a creator? Creative Spirit helps you answer these fundamental questions through thought-provoking prompts and exercises. As you gain clarity on your motivations and identity, you will find new ways to develop and express your creative ambitions. This self-reflection isn’t just beneficial for your creative projects; it also enhances cognitive flexibility—the ability to switch between different concepts and perspectives. By understanding yourself better, you improve your capacity for creative thinking and problem-solving across various contexts.

Overcoming Barriers: Break Free from Creative Block

Every artist faces barriers, but they don’t have to hold you back. Creative Spirit addresses common psychological obstacles such as fear of failure and negative self-talk. Learn strategies to work with your inner critic rather than against it, and watch your creative confidence soar. Overcoming these barriers not only boosts your creativity but also enhances your resilience and mental agility. By tackling these psychological hurdles, you become more adept at managing stress and adapting to new challenges—skills that are valuable in both personal and professional settings.

Getting into the Zone: Access Your Creative Flow

Imagine being able to tap into your creative flow state at will. This course teaches you techniques to quickly and easily enter the zone, where your creativity and productivity are at their peak. Plus, with free access to the entire Inspiration & Creativity series, you’ll have a wealth of exercises to keep you inspired. The ability to enter the flow state is linked to increased productivity and heightened cognitive function. When in the zone, your brain operates at an optimal level, allowing you to work more efficiently and generate higher-quality ideas.

A Holistic Approach: Creative Spirit as a Way of Life

Creative Spirit goes beyond traditional creative techniques by integrating the five domains of wellbeing: intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical, and time. This holistic approach ensures that your creative practice supports your overall health and happiness, helping you navigate even the most challenging phases of your journey. Engaging in a creative practice that balances these domains can lead to improved mental health, better stress management, and a more fulfilling life. Creativity becomes not just an activity, but a lifestyle that nurtures your entire being.

Sustaining Momentum: Protect Your Inner Artist

Creative journeys can be long and winding, with many highs and lows. Learn how to protect your inner artist during vulnerable phases and sustain your creative energy over the long haul. With the right tools and mindset, you can see your projects through to completion. Sustaining creative momentum builds perseverance and enhances cognitive endurance. This continuous engagement in creative tasks keeps your brain active and adaptable, fostering long-term cognitive health.

Transformation Plan: Your Blueprint for Success

At the end of the course, you’ll bring together everything you’ve learned into a comprehensive transformation plan. This simple template will serve as your roadmap for continued creative growth. And if you need additional support, 1:1 creativity coaching with Val is available to help you refine your plan and achieve your goals.

What Our Students Say

“Creative Spirit takes you on a journey of connecting your mind, body, and spirit to unleash your creativity. As a creative and a therapist, I experienced great insights from this course which now help me get into the flow with ease. Val is a supportive and welcoming guide on this journey and provides valuable reflections on the things that get in the way of expressing your creativity, and how to overcome these barriers. If you’re interested in exploring your creativity, this is the place to start.”

“If you have always wanted to explore your creative side more and discover your creative potential, ‘Creative Spirit’ is a fantastic starting point. A brilliant step-by-step course that takes you on a creative journey using different tools and methods to tap into your creative inspiration and sources of creativity within you. I highly recommend this course to anyone craving some kind of creative outlet and wanting to build on their creative abilities. This course would also be a very thoughtful gift for any friends or family members.”

Enroll Today and Begin Your Creative Journey

Don’t let your creative potential remain untapped. Enroll in Creative Spirit today and start your journey towards a more inspired, fulfilling, and creative life. With lifetime access to this transformative course, you can revisit the material as often as you need to maintain your creative momentum.

In the fast-paced world of professional development, finding innovative ways to tap into your creative potential can be a game-changer. Whether you’re an artist, writer, innovator, or professional striving to enhance your creative capabilities, Creative Visualization: Access Your Imagination and Enhance Your Creative Practice offers a comprehensive toolkit designed to unlock your full creative potential.

A Deep Dive into Creativity and Visualization

Creative Visualization: Access Your Imagination and Enhance Your Creative Practice (2016) provides a rich exploration of both the art and science behind creativity and visualization techniques. This insightful guide takes you on a journey through several critical areas:

• Theoretical Foundations: The book starts with a concise review of the literature on creativity and creative visualization, establishing a strong theoretical base for practical applications.
• Practical Techniques: It introduces multiple creative visualizations and guided meditations specifically crafted to enhance your creative abilities, offering a hands-on approach to creativity.
• Workplace Creativity: Delve into the characteristics of creative workplaces and discover how they influence practice and inspiration.
• Meditation and Creativity: Understand the profound link between meditation and creativity, with methods to harness this connection for your benefit.
• Skill Development: Learn strategies to develop key skills such as focus, concentration, and the ability to harness all five senses in your creative endeavors.
• Overcoming Barriers: Techniques to release fear and self-doubt, allowing for freer expression of ideas.
• Harnessing the Inner Critic: Transform potential obstacles into stepping stones for success by learning how to use your inner critic to your advantage.
• Integration of Insights: Practical tips for capturing and integrating insights from your visualizations into your actual creative work.
• Envisioning the Future: Exercises to visualize and construct your creative future, helping you shape a path forward with clarity and purpose.

Why This Book is a Must-Read

Creative Visualization: Access Your Imagination and Enhance Your Creative Practice is a powerful tool designed for anyone looking to enrich their creative practice through innovative techniques. The book’s practical exercises are rooted in centuries-old meditation techniques combined with contemporary applications, offering a blend that is both timeless and relevant.

Reader Reviews Highlight the Impact

The book has garnered glowing reviews from readers who have experienced its transformative power. Here are a few highlights:

• Power of Imagination: “I really like how this book shows us the power of our imagination and also provides exercises on how to strengthen it.”
• Accessing Inner Resources: “The author recognizes that each individual possesses a vast reserve of internal resources and imagination, waiting to be explored.”
• Personal Growth: “By incorporating the principles of creative visualization, readers can experience profound personal growth and unlock their true creative potential.”
• Practical and Transformative: “This excellent book is for anyone who wants to be creative but feels that their creative engine is sputtering or stopping.”
• Bridging Imagination and Reality: “A transformative guide that empowers artists to tap into the untapped potential of their minds.”

These testimonials reflect the book’s ability to not only enhance creative practice but also to provide a meaningful and practical approach to personal and professional development.

Embrace Your Creative Journey

In a world where imagination knows no bounds, “Creative Visualization” stands as a beacon for those looking to enhance their creative practice. This book offers a unique opportunity to delve into the depths of your imagination, overcome creative blocks, and integrate new insights into your work. Get your copy of Creative Visualization: Access Your Imagination and Enhance Your Creative Practice today and take the first step towards transforming your creative vision into reality. Whether you are seeking to enhance your professional skills or simply unlock your creative potential, this book is your guide to achieving profound results. Available on Amazon, worldwide.

Navigating the tumultuous waters of grief can be one of the most challenging experiences in life. Yet, within these depths, there lies a potential for profound transformation and healing. Beyond Blue: Creative Approaches to Releasing Grief and Flying Free offers a compassionate and insightful guide for anyone on this journey, providing creative tools and perspectives to aid in the healing process. 🌟

Discover the Transformative Power of Creativity

“Beyond Blue” is not just a book; it is a resource filled with actionable insights that encourage you to harness your innate creativity as a powerful tool for healing. Whether you are personally experiencing grief or supporting someone through their journey, this book offers valuable perspectives on managing emotional pain with grace and artistry.

Inside, you will explore:

• Understanding Grief: Delve into the phases of grief recovery and understand various types of grief, including collective, personal, delayed, and complex grief.
• Healing Stories: Be inspired by interviews with professional artists and writers who share how personal losses reshaped their creative expressions and facilitated emotional release.
• Creative Exercises: Engage in unique, guided exercises that use creative visualization to manage and compartmentalize pain at your own pace.
• Metaphoric Transformation: Learn from the poignant metaphor of a caterpillar’s transformation, relating it to breaking free from the binds of grief and learning to fly anew.
• Sensory Engagement: Utilize techniques that involve all five senses to articulate and alleviate grief.
• Personal Care and Forgiveness: Implement strategies for self-care and forgiveness as pivotal steps towards recovery.
• Narrative Healing: Gain guidance on how to articulate the story of your loss, which is crucial for emotional processing and recovery.
• Lifestyle Adjustments: Identify and implement lifestyle changes that support your journey to recovery.
• Clearing Negativity: Eradicate negative self-talk that can hinder the healing process.

Uplifting Testimonials from Our Readers

Here’s what readers have to say about “Beyond Blue“:

⭐ “This book provides a powerful message: using the turmoil and deep emotions of grief as a key motivator for creating something beautiful and meaningful. In turn, the creative effort helps to calm and order the traumatic loss.”

⭐ “Grief and creative expression are deeply intertwined. In this book, you’ll find helpful information, resources, and personal stories that will help you through your grieving process.”

⭐ “A helpful guide to more intentionality when it comes to grief and healing. The author’s style is very much appreciated and offers a comprehensive approach to processing grief.”

⭐ “An excellent dive into the many kinds of grief, the stages of grief, and the ways we deal with grief. The focus on creative expressions of grief is particularly powerful and transformative.”

⭐ “This book was comforting as it explained grief very nicely and addressed some healthy, creative ways to help process the emotions that accompany grief.”

A Path to Healing and Transformation

Embark on your path to recovery with Beyond Blue: Creative Approaches to Releasing Grief and Flying Free and transform your grief into a testament of your resilience and creativity. Let this book be your companion as you find new meaning and joy in the aftermath of loss. Embrace the journey of healing and fly free, one creative step at a time. Discover the healing power of creativity and begin your transformative journey today. 🌈✨

According to mainstream science, human creativity is a complex phenomenon influenced by various factors, including brain structure and function, dopamine levels, personality traits, cognitive processes, emotional state, and environmental factors. Each of those factors, on their own, are complex enough, but when you add them all together, to varying degrees, applied in unique ways, you probably get an infinite combination of possibilities for individual creativity making it almost impossible to explain why a person is creative and in what context their creativity shines.

Early influences

If I were to pinpoint one influence or one moment in time in my life, when my creativity was stimulated, it would have been when I first read: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. At seven years of age, I was probably open to influences more than any other time in my life. (Mainstream science seems to suggest that seven is the age when our cognitive processes finally become clear.)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

I own many copies and versions of the book, each with their own unique style of illustration, and I love them all. They are my babies, in a way. Some forty years later, I still read them and every time, I am struck by the genius of the writing and the plot. Having written a series of magical adventure stories for children aged 7-12 years, I now understand how and why “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” has stood the test of time, surviving as an icon of creativity and imagination. Here are a few reasons:

• Imaginative World-Building: Carroll creates an entirely unique and whimsical world filled with fantastical creatures, bizarre rules, and surreal landscapes. Wonderland defies logical conventions, inviting readers into a realm where anything is possible.
• Original Characters: The book introduces memorable and eccentric characters such as the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, and the White Rabbit. These characters are not only distinct and imaginative but also challenge conventional character archetypes.
• Playful Use of Language: Carroll employs wordplay, puns, riddles, and nonsensical poetry, showcasing a deep creativity in language and storytelling. The poem “Jabberwocky” is a prime example of his inventive use of made-up words and imaginative scenarios.
• Surreal and Absurd Logic: The narrative structure and the events in Wonderland follow a dream-like, often illogical progression, which mirrors the fluid and unpredictable nature of a child’s imagination.
• Encourages Imagination: The fantastical elements of the story encourage children to use their imagination, envisioning the curious and often bizarre scenes described in the book.
• Promotes Creative Thinking: By presenting a world where normal rules do not apply, the book encourages children to think outside the box and consider alternative perspectives and solutions to problems.
• Engages with Playful Ideas: The whimsical and humorous tone of the story, along with its playful ideas, can inspire children to approach life with curiosity and a sense of playfulness.
• Stimulates Interest in Language: Carroll’s inventive use of language can spark an interest in words and storytelling, prompting children to play with language and create their own stories and poems.
• Exploration of Identity and Curiosity: Alice’s journey is also a metaphor for self-discovery and the pursuit of knowledge, themes that can resonate with children as they explore their own identities and curiosities.

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is undoubtedly a creative masterpiece. Its imaginative world, original characters, and playful use of language not only highlight Lewis Carroll’s creativity but also have the power to stimulate creativity in children. The book invites young readers to explore their own imaginations, think creatively, and embrace the whimsical aspects of storytelling, making it both a creative work and a tool for fostering creativity.

Are you ready to embark on a journey that will elevate your creativity, deepen your spirituality, and enhance your overall wellbeing? The Creative Spirit online course is designed to help you achieve just that. This unique course uses guided visualizations to unlock your imagination, offering a plethora of tools and techniques to generate new ideas and integrate them seamlessly into your creative practice.

Discover the Power of Creative Visualization

At the heart of the Creative Spirit course lies the powerful technique of creative visualization. But what exactly is creative visualization, and how can it benefit you? Creative visualization is a method that uses the imagination to create images and scenarios in the mind, which can then be used to manifest those visions into reality. This technique is not only a powerful tool for generating new ideas but also for enhancing your overall creative process.

What you will learn:

• Techniques for Creative Visualization: Understand the fundamentals of creative visualization and how to apply them to capture new insights and ideas.
• Integration of Ideas into Creative Practice: Discover methods to seamlessly incorporate these new ideas into your existing creative projects, ensuring a constant flow of innovation.
• Unification of Creativity and Spirituality: Explore fun and engaging ways to align your creative practice with your spiritual journey, fostering a deeper connection to both.
• Overcoming Creative Barriers: Gain access to quick and easy techniques for breaking through common creative blocks, allowing you to maintain a steady stream of inspiration.

What You Will Receive:

• Course Booklet: A comprehensive guide that complements the online materials, providing you with a handy reference as you navigate through the course.
• Inspiration & Creativity Series: Enjoy free downloads of all books in our Inspiration & Creativity series, offering additional resources to fuel your creative journey.

Why Choose the Creative Spirit Course?

• If you are committed to developing your creativity, finding new sources of inspiration, and learning how to integrate fresh ideas into your practice, you will love this course. Here’s why:
• Lifetime Access: One of the best features of the “Creative Spirit” course is that it offers lifetime access. This means that you can revisit the materials as many times as you like, ensuring that you can benefit from the content at any stage of your creative journey.
• Continuous Growth: Creativity, like life, is ever-evolving. The course is designed to support you through different phases of your creative process, providing relevant advice, suggestions, and exercises that can be revisited whenever you need a boost.
• Holistic Approach: By balancing creativity, spirituality, and wellbeing, the “Creative Spirit” course offers a holistic approach to personal and professional growth. This balance is essential for sustained creativity and overall happiness.

Benefits of Creative Visualization

• Enhanced Creativity: By regularly practicing creative visualization, you train your mind to think outside the box, leading to more innovative ideas and solutions.
• Improved Focus: Visualization helps in honing your concentration, allowing you to focus better on your creative tasks.
• Stress Reduction: Engaging in guided visualizations can be a form of meditation, reducing stress and promoting a sense of calm and wellbeing.
• Greater Confidence: As you see your visualized ideas come to life, your confidence in your creative abilities will grow, encouraging you to tackle even more ambitious projects.

How to Get Started

Enrolling in the Creative Spirit course is simple. Visit our website and sign up today to begin your journey towards a more creative, balanced, and fulfilling life. With lifetime access, you can explore the materials at your own pace and revisit them whenever you need a spark of inspiration.

Final Thoughts

The Creative Spirit course is more than just an online program; it’s a gateway to unlocking your full creative potential. By combining the power of creative visualization with practical tools and techniques, this course will help you break through barriers, generate new ideas, and integrate them into your creative practice. Moreover, by balancing creativity, spirituality, and wellbeing, you’ll achieve a holistic approach to personal and professional growth. Whether you’re an artist, writer, musician, or anyone looking to enhance their creative skills, the Creative Spirit course offers something valuable for everyone. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your creative journey and achieve a new level of fulfilment and inspiration.

In today’s fast-paced world, creativity is not just an asset for artists but a vital skill that enhances productivity, problem-solving, and overall well-being. Art for Happiness: Finding Your Creative Process and Using It by Val Andrews offers a comprehensive guide to unlocking your creative potential, with benefits extending far beyond artistic endeavours.

The Intersection of Creativity and Productivity

Creativity is often perceived as an innate talent reserved for a select few, but Art for Happiness debunks this myth by illustrating that creativity is a skill that can be developed and honed. This book provides practical tools and techniques that can be applied to any field, helping professionals enhance their productivity and problem-solving capabilities. From quick exercises that stimulate creative thinking to strategies for overcoming mental blocks, the book equips readers with methods to integrate creativity into their daily routines.

Practical Techniques for Professional Growth

In Art for Happiness, you will find a variety of exercises designed to get you into the ‘creative zone’ swiftly and effectively. Techniques such as stream of consciousness writing and drawing allow you to freely express and organize your thoughts, leading to more innovative ideas and solutions. The book also introduces advanced methods like synaesthesia, synectics, and active imagination, which can be particularly beneficial in brainstorming sessions and strategic planning.

Managing Stress and Enhancing Well-being

Creativity is closely linked to emotional and mental well-being. Engaging in creative activities has been shown to reduce stress, increase happiness, and improve overall mental health. Art for Happiness offers insights into using creativity as a tool for managing stress and enhancing well-being, making it a valuable resource for professionals looking to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Harnessing the Power of Visualization and Goal-Setting

The book delves into the use of creative visualization and goal-setting, powerful techniques that can significantly boost your professional growth. By visualizing your goals and using affirmations, you can harness the law of attraction to bring your aspirations to fruition. This process not only improves your artistic skills but also enhances your intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical health.

Building a Creative Culture in the Workplace

Art for Happiness emphasizes the importance of fostering a creative culture in the workplace. It provides strategies for creating an environment where creativity can thrive, including the effective management of time, the creation of vision boards, and the recycling of ideas. By integrating these practices, organizations can encourage innovation and enhance employee satisfaction and productivity.

Testimonials from Professionals

Readers from various fields have praised Art for Happiness for its practical and transformative impact. One reader noted, “This book is well-researched, concise, and very educational. The exercises spark creativity and are applicable to both personal and professional development. It’s a must-read for anyone determined to accelerate their creativity.”

Another reviewer highlighted the book’s relevance to non-artistic professions: “Val Andrews provides insights that apply across the board for those of us who bring something out of nothing. Her practical advice on increasing and maintaining creative productivity is invaluable.”

Start Your Creative Journey Today

Unlocking your creative potential can lead to a more productive, fulfilling, and balanced life. Whether you are an artist, writer, business professional, or entrepreneur, Art for Happiness: Finding Your Creative Process and Using It is your guide to harnessing the power of creativity. Get your copy today and start transforming your professional and personal life through the power of creativity. 

Meditation is sometimes shrouded in mystery and confusion, even though it can be an incredibly simple practice. While there are many different types of meditation, it can generally be defined as the practice of relaxing the mind, letting go of thoughts as they arise and surrendering to the moment.

Scientific research undertaken in recent decades has found that regular and effective meditation practice has significant health benefits. Measurable reductions in blood pressure, anxiety and depression have been repeatedly reported among people who regularly meditate.

The meditation process often begins by focusing on something. Anything will do. Most people choose to focus on their breath, while others choose to focus on a single, unchanging sound, or a flower or candle flame. There’s no right, or absolute way, only the way that works best for the individual. Most people notice the inevitable array of random and distracting thoughts when they begin, and over time, get better at letting them go without analysing them or seeking explanations for them.

Meditation and creativity

There’s a great deal of contemporary research to demonstrate that regular, brief meditation practice (for a little as 3 minutes per day) can have a significant impact on inspiration and creativity. Inspiration is that fleeting, aha! moment when a new idea seems to suddenly download into your conscious stream of thought. Creativity is your capacity to do something unique with that new thought. Having a mind that’s clear and calm helps both inspiration and creativity to flourish.

The flow of mental clarity and well-being that comes from regular meditation practice tends to open the mind to creativity. Many people find they are far more productive and successful when they take time out of a busy day to meditate, even if only for a few minutes. A more intuitive and effortless way of being seems to emerge after meditation; one in which things are accomplished more effectively and in a more creative way.

In their book Mindfulness (2011) Williams and Penman state that meditation and mindfulness bring us out of the mode of ‘doing’ into a mode of ‘being’ in which our preconceived ideas are no longer with us. This is because our mind is more open to a range of possibilities when the core of our being is calm and alert.

Sally Newbigging raises the point of judgement and preconceptions in her book Mind Calm (2014). She calls it ‘the judgement game’ and says must stop before intuition and creativity can emerge.

Jon Kabat-Zin makes a similar point in his book Wherever you go, there you are (2004), asserting that creativity benefits from detachment from all the conscious effort required to make or do something. He explains that meditative practice “… opens channels to deep reservoirs of creativity, intelligence, imagination, clarity, determination, choice and wisdom within us.”

In his book Flow (2008) Mihaly Csikszentmihaly identified the blissful state of complete immersion in moments of creativity, describing it as a state in which nothing else seems to exist but the creative work itself. This state of bliss, he found, is common among high performing musicians, artists, writers, and athletes, and it can only be reached with a calm and open mind.

Creative visualization

A great deal has been written about creative visualization during the last few decades. Most of the literature has been offered to readers who want to improve the circumstances in their lives and / or achieve specific goals. There’s also some literature about using creative visualization for healing purposes.

Whilst these are fascinating, my interest has always been in the possibility of using creative visualization techniques to access the imagination and enhance creative practice. To suggest that our internal resources and imagination comprise a gold mine is an understatement. Almost everyone has a wealth of untapped potential that can be accessed through creative visualization techniques which is probably why they’ve been part of Buddhist spiritual practice for centuries.

Yet the term ‘creative visualization’ was only coined by 20th century athletes who were seeking ways to improve their performance by repeatedly visualizing their success until their unconscious minds were programmed to make their body take the necessary physical actions required to achieve success.

The practice of creatively visualizing success has also been used by countless celebrities, entertainers, and public speakers to help them achieve top levels of performance. One famous example is actor Jim Carey who, in 1987, wrote a cheque to himself for $10 million for ‘acting services rendered’. He post-dated the cheque to 1995, by which time he’d earned that exact amount of money for his performance in the film Dumb and Dumber. Not so dumb, hey?

In her best-selling book The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity (2002) Julia Cameron talks about visualizing goals so clearly, and in so much detail, we can begin to feel we’ve already accomplished them and are living with the results.

In her book Creative Visualization (2002) Shakti Gawain defines creative visualization as “… the technique of using your imagination to create what you want in your life.” Drawing upon the science of physics, she says that at the most fundamental level, all things in existence are made from tiny, vibrating particles and their energy is in a constant state of movement. By tapping into that energy through meditation and creative visualization, she says we can directly shape the circumstances of our lives.

Ronald Shone offers some simple exercises in his book Creative Visualization (1988) to help readers reconnect with their imagination by calling upon their five senses of sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. My book Creative Visualization: Access your imagination and enhance your creative practice (2016)offers several exercises to activate all five senses; aware that each reader will have at least one or two senses that are stronger than the others.

These are just a few examples from the vast body of published research on the topic of creative visualization. But how do we ‘do’ creative visualization?

Starting with guided visualizations

For anyone completely new to the concept and practice, it can help to begin with a guided visualization exercise. Usually, this involves closing the eyes, relaxing, and listening to someone’s voice as they guide you on a journey to a beautiful place, or a safe place, or a successful outcome, or whatever the purpose of the guided visualization may be.

In my online course, Creative Spirit, I guide the listener through beautiful scenes, asking them to notice what they see, hear, smell, touch and taste. After each guided visualization, I talk them through a series of exercises that capture what they experienced, and how they could use it in their creative practice. Here is a simple one I like to begin with:

Feel the space around you, claiming it as your own. Focus on your breathing. Breathe slowly and peacefully. Release any areas of tension in your body. Feel your muscles relax with each breath. Let your breathing slow down as your body relaxes.

When you’re ready, picture in your mind, a place where you can completely relax. Imagine what this place looks like, sounds like and feels like. Make it a place where you feel calm, safe, and deeply relaxed, without be bothered by anything or anyone. This place could be anywhere. It’s your choice. You’re completely in control of this experience. Ask yourself:

• Are you alone here, or is someone with you?
• Are there any animals or birds?
• Is there any natural vegetation, plants, or flowers in this place?
• Is there water around you, or just solid land?
• Do you hear the sounds of nature or music, or just silence?
• What colors do you see?
• What temperature is it?
• Is there a breeze or is the air still?

Everything in this place is created by you, so you can change the look and feel of this place at any time you like. You may wish to sit still and just enjoy this place, or you may wish to be active and explore. The choice is yours. Take your time to get to know this place in as much detail as possible, knowing that it’s your place and you can return any time you wish.

Integrating the new insights

Slowly bring your attention back to the present moment. Bring your awareness into your body. Stretch your fingers and toes. Stretch your arms and legs. Roll your shoulders up and around behind you. Take two or three deep energizing breaths and exhale fully. Slowly open your eyes. Take a few moments to adjust. Notice the feeling of your body where it’s in contact with the ground or chair you’re sitting on. Pick up your journal, recording device or sketchbook and follow the action points below.

Action: Describe your special ‘go to’ place in detail. Capture as much detail as possible. Comment on the light, color, shapes, movements, sounds, and feelings evoked in this visualization. Be sure to use all 5 senses.

This type of action works well for creative writers. There are, however, other actions that can be used to enhance other forms of creativity, and I offer these in the course and my book. I also remind my readers and listeners that when they’re in the thick of the creative work, more ideas will come to them, because action stimulates thought and thought stimulates action and so on. It’s a self-sustaining cycle of creative energy.

The key is to know yourself well enough to know what’s happening for you at various points in the creative process, for example:

• Sometimes you may need to go off on a tangent and explore something new, but sometimes you need to stay on track and follow a concept to its logical conclusion.
• Sometimes you need solid chunks of uninterrupted time to do the work, but sometimes you’ll be better off doing it in short bursts.
• Sometimes you’ll finish a piece of work quite suddenly, knowing that it’s fully complete, and sometimes the ending just can’t come soon enough.
• Sometimes you need to ask your inner critic to be silent and sometimes you need to listen to it.

These are some of the decision points that people can struggle with at various points in their creative work, and it can be helpful to know when your inner critic is working for you and when it’s working against you. My advice has always been to send the inner critic out of your creative space during the early phases of your creative work and invite it back in when you’re finished. Find the book on Amazon, worldwide.