talks, workshops & coaching

“the elixir of creativity” – how to access the realm of creative imagination

For many, the idea of bringing Creativity into their everyday work can be challenging. Somehow we have come to associate being creative with a high level of risk. It is also a common misconception that only certain types of people are creative. Many organisations prefer to let others be creative – take the risks – and only when they see something working adopt a new idea. I firmly believe and have seen it proved countless times in my dealings with a whole range of different companies and high level executives, that using techniques to heighten Creativity is a major key to success in today’s multi-layered world. Certainly creativity will increase profits and productivity, it will help bring meaning and purpose to what we do in the world. In essence, the risk lies in not finding ways to activate our Creativity.

What exactly do we mean by Creativity? The English Dictionary defines the word Creative as “The use of the imagination or original ideas in order to create something.

Predictably, the above is a rather dry description of something that carries such enormous potential. We instinctively know that Creativity is far more. As one spiritual teacher describes it as “…a fragrance of real health. When a person is really healthy and whole, creativity comes naturally, the urge to create arises.”

What’s really being described is a state of being that allows us to bring forth unique forms, make exciting new connections. Creativity is an active, moving energy. In this state we have a sense of discovery, exploration – a feeling of novelty and challenge. In this state we feel relaxed and energised, able to experience a greater level of discrimination and control over the challenges we are presented with. We literally rise to meet the challenge.

Creativity is like a muscle – the more you use it, the more it grows and enables a sense of trust and belief in our success.

Let’s experiment…

I’d like you to Imagine that you meet a Wizard whilst walking through a beautiful and mystical forest. He explains that he is looking for someone on which to test one of his new magic potions. He hands you a tiny gold flask. It gleams in the crisp morning sunlight. You gently open it and immediately smell the most beautiful sweet aroma. The Wizard tells you that he has spent many years perfecting the Elixir of Creativity. It smells so wonderful that it takes all of your will power to prevent yourself from drinking it immeadiately.

But suddenly you become suspicious. What if this is some kind of trick, you think…I’ve never met a Wizard before, so how can I tell if he’s good or bad? However, you talk for longer and continue walking. You make a point of looking into the Wizard’s sparkling eyes and see kindness and compassion, yet there is still a part of you that finds it difficult to let go and trust. A nagging voice in your head tells you to wait and see if the Elixir works for someone else before you try it.

In the past, you have let this voice guide you. On this occasion though you decide to reserve judgement and take a deep breath. Soon you begin to notice a different voice emanating from deep inside you and recognise it as your inner wisdom. You listen, and it tells you that it’s perfectly safe to trust this magical person.

Clutching the tiny gold flask, you begin to raise it to your lips. But before you can drink a single drop, the Wizard gently reaches out and clasps you by the wrist.

“There is one thing that I haven’t told you my friend,” he said in a soft, gentle voice. “There are some very strong side effects to the Elixir of Creativity, and I must be totally honest with you before you go ahead with the experiment.

Surprised and a little annoyed that he hadn’t mentioned this earlier, you see that your original suspicion was correct after all. In a somewhat suspicious voice you ask, “What are these side effects?”

The Wizard smiles and his entire face is bathed with pleasure as he replies, “Success, joy, fun, purpose, meaning, satisfaction, confidence, health, energy, greater choice, balance, opportunity, wonder, curiosity, abundance…”

The moral of this little home-spun tale is that when we actively encourage creativity there are really only benefits. We discover that creativity can be introduced into everything, not just the big stuff. Our work literally becomes love made visible. We ask empowering questions and discover more effective and enjoyable ways to express who we are through work.

“Imagination is intelligence having fun.” Anon

The 4 hour workshop

This is an amazingly playful and dynamic workshop in which we explore a myriad of techniques to heighten creativity and experience ourselves and the world in a more exciting and expansive way. In effect it is about opening to possibilities. When we can clearly see a range of alternatives we are less likely to suffer from stress and begin to notice opportunities instead of problems. Working with vision, sound, movement and rhythm you will be guided on an experiential journey through the senses.

The ability to think in ‘sensory images’ instead of words is an essential first step towards mastering the flow of creativity. Mental images are the most natural and direct way to experience thoughts. Recent studies by scientist at the University of Columbia show that our minds can remember visual images far better than words or numbers. This extraordinary capacity for retaining and manipulating mental images is one of our most powerful gifts. Albert Einstein, when asked what kind of thinking he used to produce his creative work, replied, “The words or the language, as they are written or spoken, do not seem to play any role in my mechanism of thought.”

Visualisation is a crucial element of creativity; by seeing things, which have never been, or visualising events before they have taken place we can truly invent the future, just as we can invent a work of art or a new machine. However in our ‘logic based’ culture, this gift rarely functions at anywhere near its full capacity. Through a series of powerful yet playful exercises including thought sculpture, free-form drawing using right and left brain. You will learn many valuable techniques to substantially increase your powers to think with images.

Davide will also lead you through the most advanced methods to stimulate what are called ‘theta’ waves in the brain which produce the optimum states for visualisation and the emergence of true creativity. The really good news is that the longer we can stay in this wave pattern, the more intelligent we become as a result. Theta is also a highly relaxed state, which promotes a feeling of well being and allows the body to heal. The simplicity of how to achieve this, along with the incredible health benefits such as reduction of stress and conditions such as hypertension and back pain may astound you - we are simply never given this information.

In conclusion, not only will you emerge from this workshop more creative than when you went in, but you will also have a wonderful set of tools to increase you health and vitality.

Davide is also available to give talks on this subject and offers coaching for those who wish to explore the above areas in more detail.