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The Pathway to Flow by Julia F. Christensen
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The Pathway to Flow

The New Science of Harnessing Creativity to Heal and Unwind the Body & Mind
Due to publisher restrictions, this audiobook is unavailable for purchase in your selected country.
Narrator Sidsel Rostrup

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Length 10 hours 21 minutes
Language English
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Brought to you by Penguin.

Whether you feel in the zone – in the flow state – by playing an instrument, cooking, drawing, dancing or crafting, research shows that just 15 minutes of creativity a day can transform your life. Using neuroscience insights and inspiring stories of everyday artists, Dr Christensen uncovers how flow can help you experience the benefits of mindfulness without meditating.

After an injury derailed her career as a ballet dancer, Julia was unable to dance as a mode of expression, and felt more stressed and less energetic. She realised then that creative expression has a deeper impact than entertainment and embarked on a new career in psychology. Now working as a neuroscientist, she’s spent the past decade unlocking the secrets of flow, mapping out what happens in our brains when we create and play, and how both can soothe and sharpen the mind.

This book teaches us to harness our creativity every day, and reveals:


  • Why we ruminate or procrastinate – and how to snap out of it

  • Why making even ‘bad’ art can be a mood booster

  • How adopting a creative practice can improve problem-solving

  • How to build a science-backed practice that suits you best

  • Why art can be your trusted companion during trauma-healing


The Pathway to Flow offers cutting-edge insights into why all of us are artists at heart, and how embracing this part of our humanity can help us regulate our nervous system, enjoy the current moment and reconnect with our bodies.

Wow, I love this book!Dr Jeff Rediger, Harvard Medical School

Absolutely delightfulJoseph Devlin, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL

©2024 Julia F. Christensen (P)2024 Penguin Audio

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.

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Reviews

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. 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. 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. Expand reviews
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