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  • Published: 15 October 2024
  • ISBN: 9781529912302
  • Imprint: Square Peg
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $40.00

The Pathway to Flow

The New Science of Harnessing Creativity to Heal and Unwind the Body & Mind





A new scientific 7-step process for achieving mindfulness and unlocking your creativity at will.

What if you could enter a calm and focused state where you feel entirely absorbed and productive, without any effort at all?

If you've ever experienced the blissful feeling of being fully immersed in a project, of ideas and solutions coming to you naturally, or of getting lost in thought when cooking, playing music, or dancing, then you've accessed the flow state. Often we stumble into it, but what if you could access and unlock its healing and energising powers whenever needed?

While this may sound too good to be true to anyone who has suffered from writer’s block, neuroscientist and former ballerina Dr. Julia F. Christensen will prove to you how creativity is, in fact, always within our reach.
Backed by cutting-edge science, research and case studies from artists and everyday people, The Pathway to Flow charts the path to unlocking creativity at will and using it to improve our wellbeing regardless of artistic ability. Using ancient solutions to solve modern problems, this book will reveal how we are all artists, and teach you how to harness the flow state with seven simple steps to help improve your mind-body connection, unleash your creativity, and strengthen your ability to be calm, focused and inspired throughout your everyday life.

  • Published: 15 October 2024
  • ISBN: 9781529912302
  • Imprint: Square Peg
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $40.00

About the author

Julia F. Christensen

Dr. Julia F. Christensen is a Danish neuroscientist and former dancer currently working as a senior scientist at the Max-Planck-Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Germany. She studied psychology, human evolution and neuroscience in France, Spain and the UK. For her postdoctoral training, she worked in international interdisciplinary research labs at University College London, City, University London and the Warburg Institute, London and was awarded a postdoctoral Newton International Fellowship by the British Academy.

Praise for The Pathway to Flow

Fascinating, engaging, fun, astonishing and absolutely delightful! I enjoyed every minute of this fabulous book. I learned a lot, both about the science of flow and its relation to the arts, but also about writing well.

Professor Joe Devlin, former head of Experimental Psychology at UCL

Wow, I love this book! - the integration of neuroscience, creativity and play; the bringing together of how our brains work and why we need play in order to heal and live.

Dr Jeff Rediger, Harvard Medical School, author of 'Cured'

Engaging in an activity that activates the flow state can enhance our sense of growth and purpose in life, which is known to be beneficial for mental health. As Christensen had observed during her dance practice, it can also calm ruminative thinking, helping us to find greater mental peace long after we have finished the activity.

The Observer

I thoroughly recommend reading this beautiful book

David Robson, author of 'The Laws of Connection'

An illuminating, fun read into the science of creativity, awash with practical tips on how to ‘reverse engineer’ the sort of flow state we all desire to achieve in our lives.

Dr Camilla Nord, scientist and author of The Balanced Brain

Outstanding. Creativity has been waiting for a book to be written by a scientist of Christensen’s calibre.

Professor Vincent Walsh

Intelligent and accessible with great insights and research ... I can already think of several people I'd love to send this to!

Helen Russell, author of 'How to Be Sad'
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