Talking to Volleyballs and Beyond

This post ties into my last topic (June 2), about imagination and journaling, even though I didn't plan it that way. So much the better! I credit my subconscious with much of what ends up here on my blog, anyway. :-)

Remember Tom Hanks' character in the movie "Cast Away," who was stranded alone on a deserted island? Taking on an imaginary friend (in his case it was a volleyball, animated only by his imagination) was probably the sanest thing he could have done! Refer back to my June 2 post for more about imaginary friends and how this helpful psychological tool grows with us and shows up in different forms at different stages of our lives.

If you remember the details of the movie, you'll recall one conversation in particular that Hanks' character, Chuck, had with the volleyball that saved his life. Chuck was preparing to commit suicide, when he imagined the ball (whom he named Wilson) advising him to test his method of demise first. He did so, and after the test clearly failed, Chuck had a change of heart and decided to focus on staying alive instead.

On the movie site, http://www.imdb.com/, Wilson the Volleyball is listed as a character, played by himself. :-) He even has a short bio on the site! He's also mentioned in the awards list for the film. The Broadcast Film Critics Association named him "Best Inanimate Object" for 2001, while the Teen Choice Awards recognized Wilson and Tom Hanks for their on-screen "chemistry"! MTV Movie Awards nominated Hanks and Wilson for "Best On-Screen Team."

Most of us who have had imaginary friends in some form have had ones without movie credits, but they may have served an important function in our personal lives, as they did for Chuck.

The whole concept reminds me of Gestalt Therapy (see my June 2 post), but Chuck didn't have a name for it. He just developed his relationship with Wilson in a seemingly spontaneous way that his instincts led him toward to safeguard his sanity and clarify his thinking. He even had arguments with Wilson, and complained to him about the "laxative effect" of coconut milk! :-)

Maybe your "Wilson" is your journal or what you call your Muse. In any case, never underestimate the power of the imagination. As Einstein said, it's "more important than knowledge." And Einstein did all right for himself!

Imagining the best for you,
Susan

P.S. Two quick reminders:

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***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

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A Sign of Creativity That's Often Overlooked

Did you have imaginary friends as a child? If so, chances are you've grown into an intelligent, creative adult! Imaginary friends are not a prerequisite for high IQ and creativity, but they are one way that children express these traits.

We use imaginary friends to help us navigate our unfamiliar worlds: the one inside our heads and the one around us. As we get older, the friends sometimes show up as entities such as "Kitty", to whom Anne Frank wrote her journal.

I often use journaling as a way to dialogue with my subpersonalities, or "masks." It's amazingly effective! In Gestalt therapy, a similar technique is employed orally, with the client changing seats each time the speaker changes. It gets to information that we can't can't access while thinking in our everyday patterns, which is why we go into therapy in the first place!

Also as adults, we tend to pick role models that we haven't even met, and ask ourselves, "What would Oprah do?" or "What would Bill Gates do?" Writers of fiction know they've hit the mark in character development when the characters start to take on what seems like lives and minds of their own. My guess is that this is made possible by our subpersonalities, too.

The ability to imagine others and/or others' responses in given situations should be celebrated! It's a wonderful gift from the muse and from our inner healer that can serve us well throughout life!

Be well,

Susan

P.S. Whether you live around the globe or around the corner, you can email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for a complimentary trial tele-coaching session!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

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Another Look at My Bookshelf

Here's some commentary on my Cameron collection favorites. If you're not a fan of Julia Cameron yet, take a look at these.

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

This book, which Cameron wrote with Mark Byran in the early nineties, is still in print and has become a modern classic.

Here's my history with it in a nutshell:

• 1994: I resisted it.


• 1995: I read it.


• 1996: I lived it. I loved it.


• 1997: I went to Omega Institute for a great workshop with Cameron.


• 1998 to the present: I recommend it whenever I can; it has been pivotal in my own development!

It has what was for me a whole new way of looking at creativity. It also has lots of great exercises. My favorite is called "Blasting Through Blocks," which is about how fears and resentments get in the way of our creativity.

Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance

This is a very personal account of Cameron's financial, emotional, and artistic challenges over the years, which made mine look small by comparison. At the same time, it is very instructive and inspiring. Sometimes we forget that we are not the only ones who have struggled to make our artistic lives work.

Supplies: A Pilot's Manual for Creative Flight

This is a playful book with lively illustrations by her sister, Elizabeth Cameron. It contains thought-provoking questions and warnings of pitfalls to avoid.

My only complaint is that Cameron's comments on the usefulness of therapy were somewhat one-sided. Almost by definition, creatives see and feel more deeply in this world. I feel that for the balance we need to function and feel at this level, many of us find therapy to be very helpful, and I would not want to discourage anyone from seeking the help of a skilled, compassionate therapist.

The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart

Here Cameron uses the metaphor of a journey through the kingdoms of Story, Sight, Sound, Attitude, Relationship, Spirituality, and Possibility. It contains lots of activities that take you along this path.

Walking in This World: The Practical Art of Creativity

This is the sequel to The Artist's Way, and it takes you through 12 weeks of discoveries. Again, there are lots of activities to assist you with those discoveries. I especially like the one called the "Ta-Dah!" List.

Please comment on your experiences with these books or others that you love!

Thanks,

Susan

P.S. My guided journal, The Whispering Heart, makes a great holiday gift for Cameron fans or even for beginning journalers! Email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for details.

Multi-Tasker's Delight!

Greetings!

Are you a multi-tasker? Here's a buffet of practices and healing modalities that double as jump-starts for your creativity and intuition!

Hydrotherapy
Let's start with a very easy and accessible one that you do already every time you take a shower! Your mind wanders and leaves space for the ideas to come through. A bath is great, too, and a whirlpool is even better! What a great invitation for your right brain to kick into gear!

Journaling
Journaling expert Kathleen Adams calls her journal her "79-cent therapist," because it's always ready to listen without judgement. Julia Cameron, best-selling author of The Artist's Way, has an exercise in that book called "Blasting Through Blocks" that I use a lot in my journaling.

The guided journal I've written, The Whispering Heart, contains fifty quotes and accompanying questions to get your thoughts moving. It's available through me for $10 US. Please email me for more information at scleaver@dejazzd.com. Tax and shipping will depend on where you live.
Or you can ask for a free 5-page sample!

Meditation
Meditation is also great for getting out of your own way to let the ideas and intuitions come through. Meditating with a group is even more powerful. If you have trouble with sitting meditation, try walking meditation. The rhythm of the movement is a plus.

Reiki
Intuitive pops are common during Reiki treatments for both the giver and the receiver. Reiki practitioners generally see this get stronger over time in themselves. Level One practitioners can give Reiki to others and to themselves.

If you'd like to know more about Reiki, you can send me your questions anytime at scleaver@dejazzd.com. I've been at the Master-Teacher Level of Reiki for about a year, and I've noticed some interesting ways that is has affected my outlook (and therefore my output.)

Massage
Again, this is a way to open the door and let the "still, small voice" be heard. I particularly love Shiatsu massage, which works by stimulating the accupressure points along the body's meridians.

However, as long as the method you choose is gentle enough to be relaxing, I believe it can double as a welcome mat for creative ideas and intuition.

Dream Study
You can do this on your own, or better yet, with a therapist who is experienced in working with dreams. Dreams are loaded with creative and intuitive messages! A good therapist will know what questions to ask to help you make connections between your waking life and your dream life. Keep a notebook and pen by your bed so the dreams don't slip away. The symbols and metaphors will amaze you!

Labyrinth Walks
This ancient form of meditation takes you on a meandering path to the center of the Labyrinth, where you can sit and meditate for a while and then meander back out. It produces a similar quieting of the mind as I have discussed above, and again, it invites your creativity and intuition to come out of hiding.

There are indoor Labyrinths, outdoor Labyrinths, and even finger Labyrinths that I've seen carried in catalogs. Give it a try!

Life Coaching
Coaches are trained to ask expansive questions, to be thoughtful listeners, and to be effective brainstorming partners. We also encourage you and hold you accountable during that bumpy stretch between your "ah-ha!" and your finished product.

Please contact me for a free trial phone session at scleaver@dejazzd.com!

Gestalt Therapy
This is an interesting and revealing ride, and your imagination is in the driver's seat! The therapist will guide you as you act out dialogues between one part of yourself and another or between you and another person, object, animal, dream figure or creative project! And because you are doing this without forethought, you get to the heart of the issue quickly. Your left brain doesn't have time to interfer or object!

Please post your comments about your experiences with these practices!

Thanks,
Susan