In this episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, host Kate Shepherd sits down with Cory Allen—author of Brave New You, mindfulness expert, and prolific musician—to explore the journey of breaking free from self-limiting beliefs and reconnecting with the authentic self. Cory shares his own story of overcoming a traumatic childhood, turning inward through Eastern and Western philosophies, and discovering the power of mindfulness as a tool for deep self-awareness.

Together, they discuss:

• How to identify and reframe the negative stories we tell ourselves.
• The difference between the voice of creativity and the voice of fear or conditioning.
• Practical techniques to navigate the inner world and access deeper creativity.
• Why mindfulness is key to unlocking your true potential and breaking free from self-doubt.

This conversation offers profound insights into how we can learn to trust our intuition, listen to our inner voice, and stop allowing old stories to block our creative power. Cory’s wisdom will inspire listeners to start seeing the world as full of possibilities rather than obstacles, and his actionable strategies will help anyone on the path to self-discovery and creative expression

What if you could use your dreams to accelerate personal growth, heal past traumas, and unlock your full creative potential? In this episode, lucid dreaming expert Andrew Holecek reveals how meditating in the dream state is seven to nine times more powerful than in the waking state. Tune in to discover how you can start practicing lucid dreaming tonight, and prepare to have your mind blown by the cutting-edge neuroscience behind subconscious programming that may be holding you back!

In this mind-expanding episode of the Creative Genius Podcast, Kate Shepherd sits down with Andrew Holecek, renowned author and expert in lucid dreaming, meditation, and the intersection of neuroscience and spirituality. Together, they dive deep into how lucid dreaming can be a transformative practice, how ancient tantric teachings claim dream-state meditation is seven to nine times more effective than waking-state meditation, and the surprising ways our subconscious mind is programmed during childhood.

Andrew shares fascinating insights on the hidden power of our dreams, the science of personality development, and how we can break free from societal conditioning to cultivate more creativity and presence. Plus, Andrew offers listeners a simple yet powerful practice to start lucid dreaming tonight. Whether you're new to lucid dreaming or looking to deepen your spiritual practice, this episode is packed with actionable tools and wisdom to transform your waking life.

• Andrew Holecek’s Books: I'm Mindful, Now What? & The Lucid Dreaming Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Your Dream Life – A comprehensive guide with exercises and tools to start your lucid dreaming journey.
• Lucid Dreaming Mantra: "Tonight, I'm going to have many dreams. Tonight, I'm going to remember my dreams. Tonight, I'm going to wake up in my dreams."
• Key Concepts from Tibetan Buddhism: Dream yoga, non-duality, and the transformative power of meditating in altered states of consciousness.
• Neuroscience Insights: The brainwaves we experience in early childhood and how they hypnotize us into adopting cultural norms and behaviors.

James offers practical prompts for generating flow states and presents a genius solution for utilizing cherished but out-of-place creative gems.

The conversation delves into the importance of discipline and flow in a healthy creative practice, the value of human creativity, and the concept of ownership over creative works. This conversation prompted Kate to create the 21 days of Rituals for Creativity which you can access by signing up for a Creative Genius Patreon Membership

James also shares a poetic vision for society's relationship with creativity, leaving listeners inspired and motivated to tap into their own creative potential.

What we talk about

• James Miller's journey as a writer and the genesis of A Small Fiction
• The commitment to daily writing for nearly eight years and its transformative effects
• Harnessing creativity as a tool for processing emotions and overcoming anxiety and depression
• Practical prompts for accessing flow states in creative endeavours
• Ingenious solution for utilizing beloved but misfit creative pieces
• The relationship between discipline and flow in a healthy creative practice
• Exploring the value of human creativity and ownership of creative works
• James's poetic vision for society's embrace of creativity

One of the most powerful moments in this episode was when Kate and James talked about James's commitment to daily writing for nearly eight years. The transformative power of a consistent creative practice is hard to ignore. Through his journey, James experienced significant shifts, gained a substantial readership, and secured a publishing deal. The conversation emphasizes the therapeutic nature of creativity, particularly in dealing with anxiety and depression. Listeners are encouraged to tap into their own creative potential and explore the ways in which creative expression can facilitate personal development and emotional well-being.

Thank you for joining us on this marvellous conversation with James Miller.