What do you think?
Rate this book
Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
Creative Visualization is the art of using mental imagery and affirmation to produce positive changes in your life. It is being successfully used in the fields of health, education, business, athletics, and the creative arts. With more than 3 million copies sold in the U.S., and translated into twenty-five languages, this pioneering bestseller and perennial favorite helped launch a new movement in the personal growth field when it was first published twenty years ago. Completely revised and updated, Creative Visualization contains meditations, exercises, and techniques that can become part of your everyday routine to increase your personal mastery of life.
177 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
1487 people are currently reading
29144 people want to read
About the author
Shakti Gawain
111 books356 followersShakti Gawain is an author and proponent of what she calls "personal development". Her books have sold over 10 million copies, according to her website. Gawain's best known book is "Creative Visualization". She has also written "Living in the Light", "Awakening", "Meditations", "The Path of Transformation", "The Four Levels of Healing", "Creating True Prosperity" and "Developing Intuition". She is the co-founder, with Marc Allen, of New World Library Publishing Company and founder of Nataraj Publishing, a division of New World Library.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 632 reviews
October 27, 2008
A great intro to imagery and guided meditations however, I would not recommend this book to anyone who is not clear or certain about what thier spiritual beliefs are. The book takes the approach that 'if you think right, life can be in your hands' and that philosophy has proven itself fatalistic throughout history. There is one great small section on affirmations that can be integrated into changing our thoughts to plant seeds of new growth.
June 27, 2015
Shakti Gawain describes that every moment of life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly giving. So what you need is to just put forth a clear and goal-oriented request and everything you truly desire comes to you.
Creative visualization uses meditation techniques to help shape positive attitudes towards life and change your everyday experience into a more loving and happy one. It’s fully applicable to the humanity in every age or era. (And it’s not at all a new age-y cliché!) Essentially, the methods proposed in this book aim to teach (or remind) us of how to (re)gain touch with our higher selves and thus feel powerful and responsible to bring change to our lives...
هرچیز که در جستن آنی، آنی
(مولانا)
Creative visualization uses meditation techniques to help shape positive attitudes towards life and change your everyday experience into a more loving and happy one. It’s fully applicable to the humanity in every age or era. (And it’s not at all a new age-y cliché!) Essentially, the methods proposed in this book aim to teach (or remind) us of how to (re)gain touch with our higher selves and thus feel powerful and responsible to bring change to our lives...
هرچیز که در جستن آنی، آنی
(مولانا)
February 4, 2010
I think this is a good book to read every few years, and even just keep as a reference book. I recently RE-read it over the holidays -- which was a wonderful time to because of the natural instinct to VISUALIZE the new year and this new decade! A very positive, simple, straightforward guide on setting intentions, goals and realizing what you truly want ~ or maybe DON'T want. I feel like 2010 is off to a great start for me and I also think it's because I read this book again! Great birthday gift too!
May 11, 2016
This isn't just a bad book, it is a genuinely toxic one. I am a strong believer that visualization and affirmations are effective techniques for self-improvement, but this book takes it to a ridiculous level. I'm sorry, but the human imagination is not a magical wishbook where you can point at what you want (new job, new apartment, prosperity) and just wait for it to show up on your doorstop. The author glosses over any notion that hard work, creativity, or anything involving genuine ACTION are involved in changing your own fate.
Much, much worse are the author's nonsensical concept of mental and physical health. At one point the author, talking about being unafraid of self-reflection, says something to the effect of "nothing inside us can harm us." It's a naive dismissal of mental illness, PTSD, and trauma that I found outright offensive. Later, in a rambling section on health, the old chestnut of "hey, maybe we subconsciously will ourselves to be sick" gets dragged out about. Dear author, no. There are things called viruses, germs, and cancer and being cheerful doesn't make them go away.
Furthermore, the crap in this book isn't even original. I kept waiting for the author to include citations to the ideas she lifts wholesale from other sources, or some of the affirmations that are lifted word-for-word from other books. Nope. Just as well, since the nonsense in this book gets plagiarized and turned up to 11 in "The Secret" years later.
For anyone looking for genuine visualization exercises, I would highly recommend "Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One with the Universe", which is both original and avoids the self-centered nonsense of this book.
Much, much worse are the author's nonsensical concept of mental and physical health. At one point the author, talking about being unafraid of self-reflection, says something to the effect of "nothing inside us can harm us." It's a naive dismissal of mental illness, PTSD, and trauma that I found outright offensive. Later, in a rambling section on health, the old chestnut of "hey, maybe we subconsciously will ourselves to be sick" gets dragged out about. Dear author, no. There are things called viruses, germs, and cancer and being cheerful doesn't make them go away.
Furthermore, the crap in this book isn't even original. I kept waiting for the author to include citations to the ideas she lifts wholesale from other sources, or some of the affirmations that are lifted word-for-word from other books. Nope. Just as well, since the nonsense in this book gets plagiarized and turned up to 11 in "The Secret" years later.
For anyone looking for genuine visualization exercises, I would highly recommend "Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One with the Universe", which is both original and avoids the self-centered nonsense of this book.
January 22, 2011
This is has been a very useful book. It "found" me at just the right time. I've known for a long time that we can rewrite our negative mental programming, but I'd never taken the initiative until recently to start monitoring my thoughts and what I found made me realize how much I needed to "change the tapes". This book gives a lot of very simple and effective techniques (affirmations, meditations, etc...) I've taken notes and started doing some of the exercises and already feel a difference in my energy level and interactions with the world. I know I will be working off of this book for quite a while.
May 15, 2007
This book "found" me in the sense that it jumped into my line of vision as I walking down the street in Bangalore. It was amongst a spread of books being sold on the street by a roadside vendor. It's nicely formatted for easy reading, and I have to say...if you put it into practice, you might really be surprised by what happens!
What's really interesting to me about this book is how it's written by this new agey guru with an Indian name from the Bay Area and yet it has a pretty huge following in India! :) Kinda interesting to see an American guru with followers in India for once! :)
What's really interesting to me about this book is how it's written by this new agey guru with an Indian name from the Bay Area and yet it has a pretty huge following in India! :) Kinda interesting to see an American guru with followers in India for once! :)
November 22, 2008
I found this book in a used book store. Within 5 minutes I stumbled across it and it has been a staple since.
What I learned from reading this book is how to use my imagination to create the life I am intended to live.
No longer fearful and afraid of what the future holds or consumed with what has happened in the past.
Looking forward to more fearless journeys.
What I learned from reading this book is how to use my imagination to create the life I am intended to live.
No longer fearful and afraid of what the future holds or consumed with what has happened in the past.
Looking forward to more fearless journeys.
July 8, 2010
This book changed my life and taught me how to shape it. It helped me to know myself, set goals, take control of my destiny and make something out of nothing. This is the book that taught me to make a Treasure Map or Dreamboard, long before that was the thing to do. It continues to influence me daily and I return to it again and again.
March 29, 2015
Fabulous Book! - Seminal work on Creative Visualisation
I love this book! I read it in about 1992 although it first came out in 1978. It explains in simple and luminous terms, how to do creative visualisation.
Creative Visualisation is an astonishingly powerful technique of imagining which helps to draw our desires and wishes into reality.
Shakti Gawain explains the principles in simple and inspiring terms, and then gives a number of wonderful creative visualisation 'journeys' - imagined stories that you can follow to activate, harness and create with various areas of your sub-conscious mind - and your life!
It is a small, slim book, simple - and wonderful! I actually prefer it to some of Shakti's later and more advanced books - the simplicity of this book makes it so enjoyable to read and very beautiful. It is 'pure' in a sense.
I often recommend this book to friends and students - and in fact that is how the book first became a success - everyone who read it wanted to share it!
Great book!
Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
I love this book! I read it in about 1992 although it first came out in 1978. It explains in simple and luminous terms, how to do creative visualisation.
Creative Visualisation is an astonishingly powerful technique of imagining which helps to draw our desires and wishes into reality.
Shakti Gawain explains the principles in simple and inspiring terms, and then gives a number of wonderful creative visualisation 'journeys' - imagined stories that you can follow to activate, harness and create with various areas of your sub-conscious mind - and your life!
It is a small, slim book, simple - and wonderful! I actually prefer it to some of Shakti's later and more advanced books - the simplicity of this book makes it so enjoyable to read and very beautiful. It is 'pure' in a sense.
I often recommend this book to friends and students - and in fact that is how the book first became a success - everyone who read it wanted to share it!
Great book!
Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
February 13, 2009
While it definitely has its fluffy New Age moments, this is, overall, a great book. Much more realistic than the highly-popular and bestselling Rhonda Byrne book (The Secret), Creative Visualization (originally published in 1975) does not come across as a cosmic cash cow waiting to be milked like the aforementioned tome. It is about changing your life by changing your negative state of mind. For example, this quote from page 10 sums up the book quite nicely in my opinion:
"The process of change does not occur on superficial levels, through mere 'positive thinking.' It involves exploring, discovering, and changing our deepest, most basic attitudes toward life."
Along with this special 30th Anniversary Edition comes with a fantastic 60-minute meditation CD that guides you through the exercises in the book. It is a great tool for those who work better when being verbally guided in meditation sessions.
"The process of change does not occur on superficial levels, through mere 'positive thinking.' It involves exploring, discovering, and changing our deepest, most basic attitudes toward life."
Along with this special 30th Anniversary Edition comes with a fantastic 60-minute meditation CD that guides you through the exercises in the book. It is a great tool for those who work better when being verbally guided in meditation sessions.
March 19, 2013
I picked up this book because of a mention in a blogpost on Raptitude (which showcases clear, pragmatic, thoughtful writing) and was horribly disappointed. Then I was disgusted.
This book is a stain.
It's new age bullshit that will make eastern contemplatives blush and western neuroscientists cry. I don't mind losing an hour of my time reading it. What I despise is the fact that this charlatan sold 6 million books, misrepresenting both Buddhism and Physics in the process.
Shame on her.
This book is a stain.
It's new age bullshit that will make eastern contemplatives blush and western neuroscientists cry. I don't mind losing an hour of my time reading it. What I despise is the fact that this charlatan sold 6 million books, misrepresenting both Buddhism and Physics in the process.
Shame on her.
April 26, 2022
Almost as bad as 'The Secret'.
I went through this book hoping to find a layman's explanation of 'visualization' as a technique for improving your own performance in any field, but I came across a collection of false naive ideas about how to get anything you may desire, without having to strive for it. A perfect instance of bullshit!
I went through this book hoping to find a layman's explanation of 'visualization' as a technique for improving your own performance in any field, but I came across a collection of false naive ideas about how to get anything you may desire, without having to strive for it. A perfect instance of bullshit!
April 6, 2021
کتاب کسل کننده ای که رسیدن به موفقیت را در تفکر خدا و کائنات و اینکه طوری به آن بیاندیشید که انگار هم اکنون هدف در دستان شماست نه اینکه درآینده می خواهید به آن برسید خلاصه می کند!
November 20, 2008
Creative Visualization is a special Thirtieth Anniversary Edition of Creative Visualization by multiple bestselling author Shakti Gawain. The set includes the contents of the bestselling book and a 60 minute CD of associated meditations and visualizations.
As the name suggests, Creative Visualization uses meditation and visualization techniques to help change unhealthy negative thought processes into more positive loving messages. Essentially, these methods are used to clear away blockages and uncover beliefs or ways of thinking that are limiting the individual. Affirmations are then used to replace negative beliefs with more positive ones. Possibilities are then opened up and manifestation of dreams can then be attained.
The theory and methods presented in Creative Visualization are timeless. Even though it was originally published thirteen years ago, the exercises are still invaluable. It is still one of the most important books for those looking at manifesting.
As the name suggests, Creative Visualization uses meditation and visualization techniques to help change unhealthy negative thought processes into more positive loving messages. Essentially, these methods are used to clear away blockages and uncover beliefs or ways of thinking that are limiting the individual. Affirmations are then used to replace negative beliefs with more positive ones. Possibilities are then opened up and manifestation of dreams can then be attained.
The theory and methods presented in Creative Visualization are timeless. Even though it was originally published thirteen years ago, the exercises are still invaluable. It is still one of the most important books for those looking at manifesting.
February 11, 2016
Well it's one of those books which is easy to read. Easy to understand and finally small and easy steps to implement. Anyone who has some knowledge about the law of attraction, creative visualisation falls on the similar lines. There are some really great insights into affirmations and writing things down. Writing your goals down or affirmations on a daily basis has a profound long term effect. Also, Shakti has provided very good meditation techniques. I myself found it pretty beneficial. Visualisation as a tool has always and I mean it when I say, always given me the desired results.
I would recommend it to everyone who is interested in stirring their lives in some purposeful direction and focusing thoughts by means of meditation into producing desired results.
I would recommend it to everyone who is interested in stirring their lives in some purposeful direction and focusing thoughts by means of meditation into producing desired results.
December 24, 2007
A universe of infinite happiness and love. Mentally manifesting our physical reality. If you just believe....
January 3, 2020
¡Este es EL LIBRO!
“La visualización creativa es la técnica de utilizar la propia imaginación para crear lo que se desea en la vida. No hay nada en absoluto nuevo, extraño o desusado en la visualización creativa. La venimos usando todos los días, todos los minutos. Es nuestra natural capacidad de imaginación, la energía creativa básica del Universo que utilizamos constantemente, aunque no seamos consciente de ello”.
Soy una persona muy visual, me importa la imagen, los colores, la disposición de las cosas y hasta hace unos años tuve una memoria casi fotográfica. No soporto una cosa que esté fuera de su lugar. Soy visual hasta el punto que puedo confundirme sí una historia la leí, me la contaron o la vi en una película. También puedo recordar nítidamente una escena. No obstante, mi visualización tiene de grande lo que tiene de limitada. Empiezo a ver las imágenes borrosas cuando debo yo recrearlas totalmente, puedo visualizar una novela entera o un suceso de hace 30 años, pero mis metas, imaginarios y aspiraciones quedan como imágenes difusas, incluso a veces son inexistentes. Empecé a identificar los límites de mi visualización con algunas meditaciones que la requieren y cuando empecé a trabajar lo que se conoce como la ley de la atracción. Incluso gracias a este trabajo encontré este libro, ya que Félix Torán lo referencia (entre otros títulos que los veo como “antojadores”) en su libro Consciencia cuántica: La ley de la atracción se acerca a la física cuántica (sin hacer mezclas).
Y es que empecé a ser consciente de lo que es la visualización con las meditaciones y la ley de la atracción, pero la realidad es que está en todos los aspectos de la vida como en la salud, la psicología, el trabajo, las metas, el cambio de creencias limitantes, ¡la creatividad!, porque ¿qué es la vida si no es un acto constante de creación?
Este libro de Shakti Gawain me ha encantado porque además de practico siento que hay una conversación con el lector. Es un libro para empezar desde cero con la visualización creativa, tiene ejercicios y responde a los posibles obstáculos o situaciones que se le pueden presentar al lector. En muchas cosas que ella decía como usted puede pensar, usted puede asumir que, a usted le puede pasar esto, usted puede decir que, yo era ese usted. Y eso es clarificador y reconfortante. Clarificador, porque cuando yo estaba meditando (meditaciones guiadas, por ejemplo) o empezando a trabajar con la ley de la atracción, generalmente me decían que visualizara tal o cual cosa como si fuera normal, natural, fácil, y yo me sentía insegura o que tenía mucho que mejorar, y eso me hacía ser muy dura conmigo misma y sentirme insatisfecha; y reconfortante, porque la autora responde a todas esas dudas y lo hace con respeto. Pero el libro no se queda en el nivel básico, avanza y se llegan a visualizaciones para todo tipo de objetivos, salud, trabajo y metas, por citar algunos, y lo logra porque hay muchos ejercicios, muchas meditaciones y muchas afirmaciones, que son divertidas, interesantes o ambas.
Para mí este es EL LIBRO de la visualización. Y considero que es muy útil para no solo los que meditan, están en algún camino espiritual oriental o están en el estudio y practica de la ley de la atracción, sino para todos, porque la visualización creativa es integrante del proceso de pensamiento.
¡Pasa a mis favoritos!
August 30, 2011
This was the first book I ever read on visualisation. For me, this and the audio book, are the best grounding available in honing visualisation skills. The book contains an explanation of the techniques and exercises to help learn them. Shakti makes it all very easy to understand. It did help having a copy of the exercises in audio form, so that I could follow them easily.
Perhaps this book changed my life the most out of any other book. After completing some of the exercises in this book, I emigrated to a new country and started a new life.
I have to admit, however, I did not take on board many of the spiritual lessons in the book, as I focussed mostly on the meditative/visualisation techniques presented therein.
Perhaps this book changed my life the most out of any other book. After completing some of the exercises in this book, I emigrated to a new country and started a new life.
I have to admit, however, I did not take on board many of the spiritual lessons in the book, as I focussed mostly on the meditative/visualisation techniques presented therein.
November 2, 2007
ساعت 3 بامداد بود یکی از اون موقع هایی که که غرق کتاب شده بودم ناگهان ایده ای کاری به ذهنم رسید که تمامی مسیر زندگیم رو عوض کرد .
هیچ وقت اون لحظه را فرامووش نمیکنم.
هیچ وقت اون لحظه را فرامووش نمیکنم.
August 29, 2020
A sweet reminder that you are the creator of your story...
November 16, 2010
Until reading this book it never really clicked in my brain the power of attitude and mental power we all have. I have always been very focused on physical health which is important but after reading this book and trying out some of the meditations it is amazing and so cool to feel how much power we have in our visions and attitude. It made me realize how really I can create anything I want out of life :) Yay I would reccommend this book. Its a quick read and im guessing wont be a waste of your time. Well worth it!
July 2, 2010
This is what you want to read instead of "The Secret." She's not trying to sell you on the concept (as opposed to The Secret, which spends pages and pages telling you how easy "it" is and how good "it" is before ever telling you WHAT "it" is...) and she offers practical ideas for visualizations that will stick with you and aren't all new-agey-touchy-feely-cliche.
January 30, 2022
Great book with great tools and tips on creating your life through visualization. I will be adding many of these tips to my repertoire.
July 23, 2018
I have a few goals in my life I’m trying to achieve and my therapist recommended trying Creative Visualization. I like the ideas presented here. I can easily incorporate some of this into my daily meditation practice. The chapter on goal setting was excellent.
I found this lacking a step-by-step practical process. I didn’t see a lot of proof that any of this works. Affirmation heavy.
I will take a few things in here and leave the rest. Time will tell if any of it works, but it can’t hurt. I’ll keep you posted and keep it positive. 🙂
I found this lacking a step-by-step practical process. I didn’t see a lot of proof that any of this works. Affirmation heavy.
I will take a few things in here and leave the rest. Time will tell if any of it works, but it can’t hurt. I’ll keep you posted and keep it positive. 🙂
October 2, 2022
Reading this book is easy as well pleasing. This one is not for reading but for practicing. Author detailed so many concepts on universal powers, positive visualization, abundance, affirmation, love, health, self-healing, and many more.
It's manual for practice. Soon, I will try to reread and practice it. I was dejected to know about the demise of the author on Wiki. As I remember, the references to soul and spirit are rare in this book. My sincere tributes to her. She gifted some great works to the people of this earth.
It's manual for practice. Soon, I will try to reread and practice it. I was dejected to know about the demise of the author on Wiki. As I remember, the references to soul and spirit are rare in this book. My sincere tributes to her. She gifted some great works to the people of this earth.
February 3, 2021
Fabulous book and can be life changing.
September 26, 2022
Creo que es uno de los libros más cañeros
.. junta tantas cosas y tantos ejercicios que tienes que leerlo más de una vez
.. junta tantas cosas y tantos ejercicios que tienes que leerlo más de una vez
January 25, 2023
Wowie ⛅️💫🌝
May 10, 2023
Actually a pretty good little book. Activate the power of your imagination! Very much like the Secret, but a great reminder and practical tips.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 632 reviews