Daydreaming: Unlock the Creative Power of Your Mind

By F. Diane Barth

Book Overview

Much has been written on the significance and interpretation of nighttime dreams, but what about dreams that occur during the day? Here is the first book to explore this rarely researched... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 067086403X
• ISBN13: 9780670864034
• Release Date: January 2016
• Publisher: Viking
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 7.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

A straight-forward, comprehensible, intelligent exposition of the value of daydreams!

Daydreaming is a very fascinating phenomenon. For as long as I can remember, I have been a daydreamer. According to experts, daydreams are "coded communications" which can yield abundant clues, when examined, about ourselves & our hidden needs, desires & potential. Ever since I have read about Albert Einstein's daydreaming ventures which eventually inspired him to fine-tune his famous Theory of Relativity, I have been hooked by this subject. This book is one of my first books on the subject. I acquired it because, firstly, it was written by a highly-respected psychoanalyst & psychotherapist, which gives the book some credibility. Secondly, I was trying to tie up some "loose ends" in my understanding - & further application - of strategic thinking & scenario planning. In the three leading books, among many others, on strategic thinking & scenario planning, namely, `The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World', by Peter Schwartz, 'Scenarios: the Art of Strategic Conversations', by Kees van der Heijden, & `The Living Company: Habits for Survival in a Turbulent Business Environment', by Arie de Geus, there was specific mention about the work of Dr. David Ingvar, a neuro-scientist in Sweden, concerning `memories of the future.' In short, he talked about the brain's innate ability to anticipate the future through imagined stories (or scenarios). Parallel in my relentless pursuit, I have read & digested a few brain books by another neuro-scientist, Dr. William Calvin. He talked about `ballistic prowess": in short, the brain's natural propensity for strategic visioning (thinking about the future). This book, especially Part 1: - what is a daydream; - understanding the symbols in your daydreams; - searching for the familiar in the unfamiliar; - using daydreams to cope with fears; - how day dreams & night dreams connect; - using your daydreams at work; has enlightened me tremendously, particularly to the application of daydreaming at work & to its practical connection to strategic thinking & scenario planning processes. Now I know, daydreaming is more subtle, whereas strategic thinking & scenario planning are more deliberate attempts. Combining all these approaches in a systematic manner & synconvergently (with apologies to Michael Gelb), & as part of further experimentation, I want to make more deliberate conscious as well as subtle unconscious attempts to allow the more vital, hidden clues to surface. This will serve as my work in progress as I continue to pursue better understanding of these subjects through reading & experimentation. The author's suggested practice exercises are well-thought of & the recommended personal dream journal is certainly a helpful aid. Despite the `new-agey' connotations of daydreaming, I am impressed that the author has blessed readers with a straight-forward, comprehensible, intelligent exposition of the value of daydreams. With my personal in

WOW!

This book has helped me widen my horizons. I am now able to stay awake during the day instead of dreaming all the time. It's great. Read, you may be able stay awake too!

Yields clear and intuitive insights

A smooth and compelling narrative yielding clear and intuitive insights. Contains provocative examples and exercises culminating in enhanced self-awareness. Extremely helpful for anyone interested in expanding their choices in their day to day lives.

An enlightening and motivating professsional work

Ms. Barth has written not only an enlightening book but one that both motivates and enables a general reader to begin to understand and touch his or her heretofore, unexamined, but very common human behavior. Daydreaming is an area all of us experience almost daily. Yet it is appalling how such little attention has heretofore been brought to the subject, by professionals who are sufficiently knowledgeable about personal behavior, to attempt to make the subject so effortlessly available to oneself. Ms. Barth's book is intellectually stimulating while thankfully straightforward. This capacity to write so lucidly about a relitively unexplored subject, while clearly demonstrating her competence in psychotherapy, makes the reader wish that she would write her next book very, very, soon. Simon K. Mencher