Creative Visualization: Access your Imagination and Enhance your Creative Practice

Inspiration & Creativity Series #3

by Val Andrews

For centuries, creative visualization has been used in meditation to focus the mind. In more recent times, it’s been used to help people achieve their goals and enhance their performance. Building on these approaches, this book offers a series of unique exercises to help the reader access the deepest part of their imagination and bring their creative practice to a new level. To suggest that your 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 and this book will help them do it. Research demonstrates that creativity is a natural part of the human condition and those who choose to engage with their creativity tend to experience greater levels of happiness and well-being. There’s also substantial evidence demonstrating that creative individuals tend to perform better at work, and that organizations harnessing the creativity of their people tend to be more competitive in the global marketplace. That said, this book is written for the individual, for the person who wants the time and space to think these things through for themselves, to explore their own imagination and enhance their own creative practice in whatever form that may take. Part 1 of this book asks the reader a series of questions to help them understand their own thoughts about creativity and explore ways in which they can bring creative approaches to the work they do. It also offers the reader a broad introduction to the key concepts associated with creative visualization and meditation while drawing on the scientific research about creativity. The myth of the ‘creative genius’ is blown apart, and replaced with common sense explanations of how big ideas happen and how creative outcomes are achieved. Part 2 of this book offers 14 unique creative visualization exercises, ranging from quick and easy introductory exercises to longer and more complex exercises. It is recommended that the reader do one exercise every alternate day, as this will give them the opportunity to integrate what they’ve learnt from each exercise and decide how they’re going to use it in their creative practice. Following this suggestion, it will take the reader about one month to work their way through the book. Part 3 of this book offers the reader some practical advice about moving forward and using what they’ve learned from the exercises to enhance their creative practice. It explains how they can integrate these key insights into their work, and make their inner critic work FOR them, not against them. It also offers advice about getting back into the flow of creativity after a rigorous session with their inner critic so they can produce work to the standard they aspire. There is also an extensive list of further and recommended reading, at the end of this book, should the reader wish to explore some of the exciting research findings available on the topics of creativity, meditation and creative visualization techniques.

81 pages, ebook

Published February 18, 2016

About the author

Val Andrews is a visual artist and author of books about creativity and the craft of writing. The books in her series: "Inspiration for Authors" are supported by contemporary research, examples from critically acclaimed works, and practical writing prompts. They have been enjoyed by novice writers and professionals alike. The books in the series are:

1. Sensory Writing: How to Write Unforgettable Stories by Using Sensory Detail
2. Creative Nonfiction: How to Blend Reality and Imagination in Your Writing
3. Travel Writing: How to Write About People, Places, and Experiences From Your Travels
4. Epic Adventures: How to Write the Best Adventure Stories of all Time
5. Eco-Fiction: How to Write Amazing Stories Inspired by the Natural World
6. Science Fiction: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing 30 Subgenres
7. Sci-Fi Romance: Master the Art of Writing Science Fiction Romance
8. Paranormal Romance: How to Write Enchanting Stories of Love That Transcend Realms

The books in her "Inspiration & Creativity" series are the result of many years of research, interviews with creative people, and delivering workshops to people who want to unlock their creativity. These books have helped readers find new sources of inspiration, navigate their own creative processes and see their creative projects through to completion. They have been enjoyed by novice creatives and experienced creatives alike.

Learn more on the author's website: https://opaltreepress.com

Reviews

[Michael Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Universal techniques applicable to any task not just creative ones

KindleUnlimited review. Another quick read by UK writer Val Andrews. If you like books about creativity, then this is for you to help prompt creative thinking. The first section one asks questions about you - how you think and feel. The author delves into what is and is not "creative" highlighting scientific research and other books on the topic coupled with her own extensive professional experiences. The second part provides 14 visualization exercises to help unlock your creativity. These universal techniques apply to almost any task, not just the creative kind. The third part has suggestions on utilizing the visualization techniques in your future creative endeavors. If this short book whets your appetite for creativity the author lists 35 books in the reference section that will more than satisfy your curiosity.

[Julie Schooler · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want some guided exercises to bring forth your creativity, this book is for you. I also enjoyed the well-researched first section which talked about how important creativity is and why we may not be as creative as we could be.

[Val Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the author's "Inspiration & Creativity" series. It provides a comprehensive summary of the history of creative visualization: what it is, how it was used of the ages and how it is used in modern times. The author explains that the practice is creative visualization is often used in the personal development / success arena, but the author's interest was more around using the technique of visualization to help readers find new sources of inspiration for their creative practice. She has written several visualization exercises that readers have enjoyed and benefited from.