Deep Creativity ― Inside the Creative Mystery

Deep Creativity reveals the findings of Victor Shamas’ 30-year exploration of the creative process. Rather than observing creativity in others, he delved into the experience directly in order to uncover hidden truths and break free of common misconceptions. Deep Creativity turns fundamental assumptions about creativity on their head while offering fresh perspectives on the scientific method, fractals, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, plate tectonics, mind and consciousness, hero myths, the life cycle, sleep and dreams, mothers’ intuition, the nature of wisdom, peak experiences, and even the Gospels. Written from a research psychologist’s perspective, Deep Creativity portrays the creative experience as a bold adventure filled with passion, turmoil, inspiration, sacrifice, sheer joy, self-transcendence, and unconditional love.

Victor Shamas, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of PlayHaven, a charitable organization that promotes creative play for people of all ages. In 2016, he retired from the Psychology Department at the University of Arizona after a 22-year teaching career. His lifelong investigation into the role of consciousness in the creative process is chronicled in Deep Creativity: Inside the Creative Mystery. This work challenges fundamental assumptions concerning the nature of human creativity, including the way creativity is defined, the source of new insights and ideas, and the dynamics of the creative process. Shamas’ research is based on documenting both the verbal reports of creative individuals and his own first-person exploration of the creative process.

The effectiveness of Shamas’ approach to creativity is reflected in his own prolific creative output. He is the author of three other books, including Repose: The Potent Pause, co-authored with Jhan Kold. The Repose technique described in that book has direct applications to human creativity, as detailed in Deep Creativity. Shamas has also written several hundred musical compositions; recorded a music CD and over 200 instructional videos; started an international network of chanting circles called Global Chant; developed and taught 25 university courses, including an honors’ seminar on creativity and innovation; organized a global event called WAVE1 that involved approximately one million participants in 40 countries; designed multimedia materials on the neuroscience of addiction; invented a solar water distiller; created an anti-inflammatory health program, called Victor’s Inflammation Mend (VIM), to lower the risk of chronic illness; and directed the Intuition in Pregnancy study, which has been featured in the national media, including USA Today, Pregnancy magazine, and NBC’s Today show. Shamas currently resides in Tucson, AZ.