Megamind: “All men must choose between two paths. Good is the path of honour, heroism, and nobility. Evil… well, it’s just cooler.” Psychologist Rollo May explains the classic Greek conception of the “daimonic” or darker side of our being (unlike the demonic, which is merely destructive) is “as much concerned with creativity as with negative [...]
In another outstanding post, cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman includes a wide range of material on creativity and mental health. Here is an excerpt: In the movie Black Swan, the ballerina Nina Sayers (played by Natalie Portman) is asked by the director to “lose herself” in the role of the black swan in the ballet [...]
One simplified definition of confabulation is, “An attempt to fill in memory gaps by fabricating information or details.” (Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine.) It’s probably something our minds do regularly. Painter Robert Genn notes it can be “the confusion of imagination with memory, and/or the confusion of true memories with false memories.” So what does this [...]
“You’ll never finish your novel.” “You’ve wasted your life.” “You’re too complicated. Who would ever want to be with you?” Sometimes my inner critical voice is so clear I can argue with it. Most of the time, the negativity I wreak upon myself is unconscious and harder to fight. Lisa Firestone and Eric Maisel provide [...]
The term “nervous breakdown” may be loose and non-medical, but still somewhat useful and descriptive. If it is extreme enough, the experience may get called a psychosis. One of the things that intrigued me in the story below is the symptom of “word salad” – which the Wikipedia page on Schizophasia explains is “confused, and [...]
What lies beneath our usual waking consciousness provides so much of the material we can use for creative expression. The Red Book is a new publication of Carl Jung’s journals and explorations into his soul and psyche. More on that later, but first – two artists talk about using their subconscious for creative inspiration. A [...]
Morty Lefkoe, creator of the Lefkoe Belief Process, notes that by changing or eliminating limiting beliefs, “You not only change your behavior and feelings, you actually change the reality you live in.” He points out, “Even the environment in which an organization operates is largely a function of its beliefs. “When I do workshops for [...]
Our shadow side is the multitude of personality qualities, instincts, urges and thoughts we may be offended by and actively ignore, deny or try to cover up. But this secret or unexplored inner landscape can be a source of personal growth and creative expression. It isn’t a matter of freely acting on our urges or [...]
“Your thoughts are powerful. They are real, they are measurable, they are energy. “The conscious mind has: – Limited processing capacity. – Short term memory (about 20 seconds) – The ability to manage 1 to 3 events at a time -Impulses that travel at 120 to 140 mph – The ability to process an average [...]
Is creativity a universal trait? Is creativity possible for any of us? Yes, it is a pretty dumb question, but it can be all too easy to take on some form of belief that only kids or “artists” or “professionals” can use their minds in truly creative ways. In one of his sermons, Reverend David [...]
A new look at the Wizard of Oz John Beebe, MD is a Jungian analyst, and co-author, with Virginia Apperson, of the new book, The Presence of the Feminine in Film. In a Shrink Rap Radio podcast interview, he talks about how movies bring to life female characters and the feminine aspect of our psyches, [...]
The latest form of bibliotherapy Being mindfully aware of our reactions to movies can be a potent way to explore our inner life, and enhance our mental health and personal development. A Psychology Today article, Reel Therapy by John W. Hesley, notes, “Although people might be surprised when a therapist recommends a movie, using fiction [...]
Ken Wilber : Eckhart Tolle says that what he is doing is essentially a reestablishment of Eastern forms of meditation and in one sense that is certainly true, although we do find this in Western forms of contemplation as well…paying attention to the timeless now, to the pure present and doing that as a gateway [...]
“The unconscious is our best collaborator. I try to let the participants [in my movies] have downtime before shooting and after rehearsal, so our secret collaborator can do its work. I have learned to trust and encourage that more.” That perspective of director Mike Nichols [from the page Depth psychology] articulates what many artists know: [...]
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Site author: Douglas Eby, M.A./Psychology, is a writer and researcher on the psychology of creative expression and personal growth, especially for high ability adults. He is publisher of the Talent Development Resources series of sites.
