Standing at Water's Edge: Moving Past Fear, Blocks, and Pitfalls to Discover the Power of Creative ImmersionFor most people who seek to create — whether they are artists, writers, or businesspeople — the daily task of immersing themselves in their creative work is both a joy and a profound challenge. Instead of stepping easily into the creative state, they succumb to chronic procrastination and torturous distraction. In Standing at Water’s Edge, psychologist Anne Paris calls on her extensive experience in working with creative clients to explore the deep psychological fears that block us from creative immersion. Employing cutting-edge theory and research, Paris weaves a new understanding of the artist during the creative process. Rather than presenting the creation of art as a lonely, solitary endeavor, she shows how relationships with others are actually crucial to creativity. Shining a light on the innermost experience of the artist as he or she engages with others, the artwork, and the audience, Paris explores how our sense of connection with others can aid or inhibit creative immersion. She reveals a unique model of “mirrors, heroes, and twins” to explore the key relationships that support creativity. Paris’s groundbreaking psychological approach gives artists valuable new insight into their own creative process, allowing them to unlock their potential and finish their greatest projects. |
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able activities actually admired allow anticipation anxiety appreciate artist artwork assumptions audience aware become begin believe blocks capacity challenge chapter child comfort complete confidence connection continue create creative process critical dance darkness deadlines depression described develop disengagement dive dream efforts emotional energy engage enhanced example experienced expression face fact fantasy fear feel felt give heroes hope ideas imagine immersive experience important individual internal involves keep kinds lack learning lives look means mother move nature never occur offer once ourselves pain painting parents person phase play positive powerful preparation present psychological psychotherapy reach realms reflection relationships response risk safe sense share someone space stage strength strengthened struggle sustain talent thing thought trust turn twinship understand understood vulnerable writing
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Page 15 - You have come a long way round to reach this place, whither I would have carried you in a few moments. But it is very well.' 'What must I do ?' said John. 'You must take off your rags,' said she, 'as your friend has done already, and then you must dive into this water.' 'Alas,' said he, 'I have never learned to dive.' 'There is nothing to learn,' said she. 'The art of diving is not to do anything new but simply to cease doing something. You have only to let yourself go.