Think Links - Edward de Bono

When I studied advertising one of the people we were incessantly told about was Edward de Bono. He is the champion of lateral thinking, of breaking grounds to allow your brain to think wonderful things. I was a great journal writer and I remember filling one of my books with only lateral, autonomous thinking. That means you write without thinking. Yes - that's right. You write without thinking - without giving your words form, function and structure - you write what you see and feel without trying to make sense. Not only is it great fun but it's also supposed to be great for the subconscious - it relieves possible issues blocking up your thinking and feeling space.

I hadn't thought of autonomous thinking until I came across this box set at a fete last week. I snatched it up straight away as I was keen to delve into any world de Bono wanted us to stretch our minds in. It's got a full book listing loads of games to play as adults and with kiddies - but I have, out of pure habit, reverted to my lateral and autonomous thinking to break thought patterns I have built up over time...



The box set has picture and word cards. I have shuffled them and have been selecting three cards to work with. The above image is of today's set.

Brown cldness in a stale room with slippers underneath a chenille without chenille.

To elect anyone is ruthless selfishness and to sleep without fear is unheard of.

Quiet, still, flickers the twitching television as the paper creases in the flickering fire and the flat smells of mildew.

Should elections take us down that particular road then may we hide ourselves in fantasy-land and cuddle our lovers we may not have forever.

That's a little example.

Why don't you have a go and let your brain think what it wants to think? All you need to do is look at the images and write. But don't censor your writing. Just write. The more you do it the more creative you will be - and you'll see themes come out. Yes, you will. You'll see your brain wants you to think about certain things - and, you know what? It's quite cathartic to listen to your brain and think on them :)