I’ve worked directly with metaphor for 30 years, both professionally and personally, and there’s one image that has never let me go: I’m a plant rooted in rich, fertile soil. On a personal level, when I don’t know what to do or something in life is troubling me, all I need is to open myself…
Creativity happens when we make unusual connections, turning what is familiar into something strange. We often assume certain things naturally go together—like a boat, duck, and water. But when we pair unexpected elements, we step into creative terrain. For example, imagine the absurd combination of a “ham sandwich” and “hair gel.” While clearly nonsensical, this…
Do you ever feel there’s more to you than what you’re currently experiencing, but you don’t know how to access it? Or perhaps you find yourself stuck in confusion or overwhelm? John O’Donohue beautifully describes this experience of feeling marooned on the surface of our minds, unaware of the vast, rich world that lies just…
I recently had a thought-provoking conversation with a friend about whether the images and metaphors that surface in our subconscious are “real.” Like dreams, I believe these images have something to teach us, and on that point, my friend and I agree. However, his concern lies with what I call a “key image.” Key images…
There was a child went forth every day.And the first object he looks upon, that object he became.–Walt Whitman The late poet Stanley Kunitz believed that writers often have a “key image” that threads through their work, shaping their creative journey. He suggested that writers might spend an entire lifetime exploring a single key image,…
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