I was excited for this one...but I struggled to connect.  It was far too verbose for me to get into.  I did like the tips and the accompanying yoga positions...but it just didn't work for me.

A Wonderful Approach To Creativity

Jilly Shipway induces this book by stating that it takes a prayerful approach, but this approach is beneficial and suitable for those of all religions or none. She explains that by using the term “prayerful ,” she only means that we should quieten down and open ourselves to guidance and creative inspiration.

The author states that she dedicates a chapter for the discussion of each of the seven chakras, and that each of the chakra chapters of the book has its own yoga practice. Furthermore, she discusses the seven chakra and their yoga practices so that they may stimulate our creativity, by incorporating into the yoga practices the element, color, mantra, and affirmations that are associated with each chakra. 
Below is an outline of some of the primary concerns that influence the design of each chakra-inspired yoga practice:
1. Root Chakra: Grounding and building strong foundations
2. Sacral Chakra: Fluidity, getting your energy flowing 
3. Solar Plexus Chakra: Strength and empowerment
4. Heart Chakra: Heart opening, creating a loving space to hold and heal emotions 
5. Throat Chakra: Expression, finding your voice 
6. Third Eye Chakra: Developing intuition and clear sightedness
7. Crown Chakra: Opening to the possibility of bliss and enlightenment

Additionally, the author discusses some main creative concern of the chakras, each chakra meaning, the chakras' location, associated color, main creative Bija (Hinduism and Buddhism Sanskrit term for origin) concern of mantra, and each chakra associated element.

In relation to creativity, the author discusses each chakra's quality as it relates to creativity, for she states that the sacral chakra links your creativity to the umbilical cord of life, and you learn about the attraction of opposites, and your ideas are fertilized and grow. The author outlines this relationship for each chakra in the respective chapters.

I found this book very enlightening in regards to connecting our chakras with the aspect of creativity. I do recommend it for anyone to view different understandings of another's viewpoints.

I personally struggled to consume this book. There are too many walls of text for me to stay engaged and it felt like work trying to find the motivation to read it. I really need something more easy on the eye, something fun and easier to consume. Unfortunately, the layout of this book prevents me from enjoying it.

I’m of the opinion that once you’ve read one or two books on chakras you’ve read them all and at some point you need to put what you know into practice.  However, the spin on creativity with this book intrigued me so I decided to give it a go.  I’m happy to report that I was mistaken; I had not read every book I needed to read on chakras and this just might be the only book you need.
 
The author does, indeed, focus on working with the chakras to enhance creativity, but the term “creative” is used fairly broadly here.  She’s not just talking to painters and poets, but to anyone who wants to add or enhance any form of creativity and/or remove limiting blockages from their life. 
 
The chakra specifics don’t start until about midway through the book.  First, she walks the reader through the benefits of yoga and different forms of reading and writing meditations.  She delves into her own history and how writing meditations have not only enhanced her creativity, but also serve as an outlet for trauma.  (On a side note, I use writing meditation as a form of working out issues, but I’m not sure if I’d try to work out true trauma without the help of a professional).  Regardless of my differing viewpoint, I did appreciate how in depth she shared and how she has used her own techniques beneficially.
 
Then we get into the actual chakras and yoga.  For each chakra, she provides the physical location; element; color; yantra; seed mantra; affirmations; main creative concerns; how a balanced, excessive, or deficient chakra may act; life issues affected by that chakra; and healing practices.  After that, she discusses how opening each chakra can help with creativity and provides a series of yoga poses, walking meditations, and writing meditations.  I took time to work through the series of yoga flows for the root and sacral chakra and while I’m not a huge fan of following a yoga routine from a book, even a novice like myself had no trouble with the poses.
 
This might possibly be the only chakra book you’ll need.  I’d have given it a full five stars if my copy contained the pictures (to help with the yoga poses) that will be in the final published product.  As it is, I’ve bookmarked the rest of the chakra yoga practices to come back to once I’ve spent some time on the root and sacral chakra.
 
4.5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐+
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Llewllyn for providing the ARC ebook.  I’ve left my review honestly and voluntarily.

This book is great. It really helps you understand the relationship between chakras and creativity. I've been working with chakras for a bit and really found this book helpful.

This a very awesome concerto and perspective to read about. It one I would add to my shelf to go back for idea and answer to thoughts etc

Give me a well written chakra book and I am a happy woman {plus the quote from Alice Walker at the onset is golden.} 💫

As an energy healer, crystal practitioner, yoga teacher and voracious reader, you better believe I’ve read many chakra books. And I’m constantly reading new ones because I always learn something new. A new perspective or inspiration for a new technique.

I practice yoga and meditation most days — yet sometimes my practice ebbs and flows and when it ebbs more than flows, I need a spark of inspiration, some zest to reinvigorate my commitment … and voila, this book.

On the intro she gives brief and succinct descriptions of the chakras, definitely good for newbies and she goes deeper later in the book too. ✨

Mostly I  invoke Ganesh at the start of a new project, yoga class or anything new actually! But Jilly Shipway suggests invoking the wisdom of Gonika at the start of a new creative endeavor and she leads you through a beautiful visualization to do just that. I’m certainly going to try this and see how it fits! 

Onward, I wholeheartedly agree that walking can be a superpower for clarity, focus and release. The chapter on walking meditations served as a good reminder and I’m willing to bet it’s the spark someone needs to start meditation practice, especially anyone that finds stillness meditation to be challenging.

Once you get to the individual Chakra practice chapters things get a little more in depth, The stick figure yoga Asana suggestions work for me b/c that’s how I design + prepare my classes on paper. I absolutely love to see the bija mantras incorporated into a sequence — Shipway speaks my language! ✨

And then there’s the chakra walking meditations. Simple and easy to implement for most, it’s a great tool to focus your mind, move your body and call in some Chakra balancing. Highly recommend.

I fully enjoyed this book! Working with your Chakras requires time, patience, and proper information so you can live your best life and help others too.  
The author takes you step by step through various spiritual tools like meditation, Yoga, and visualization. Each step is well detailed and easy to understand.
I would recommend this book to others.

What does it mean to be creative and how can your chakras add to your creativity?  That’s what this book will answer for you.  It also provides a series of exercises you can do to tap into your chakras to do this.  

While I recommend this book, I did deduct a star for the poor drawing provided for certain yoga poses.  I just couldn’t figure them out and I would suggest that having put this much of yourself into writing the book, you would have been better served by actual pictures than drawings.

I am pretty new to reading about chakras and I feel like I really learned a lot. I liked the writing, too. Will definitely purchase to peruse again and again when I need inspiration.

A beautiful book on creativity and chakras. Great detail on the chakras themselves, especially related to creativity, which I loved. Also many exercises and  meditations to do. Enjoyed this book. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.

The first part of the book describes what it means to be creative, the seven major chakras, and chakra exercises for enhancing creativity. The second part of the book describes each chakra and their exercises. Included for each chakra areyoga practices, chakra meditation, walking meditation, writing meditation and meditation questions. The e are stick figure illustrations of the poses. I found that, in some cases, it was hard to visualize the poses from the stick figures. Footnotes. Illustrations. Bibliography. Recommended resources