Celebrating My Unique Brain: Why I Don’t Need Fixing
Understanding My Neurodivergent Identity My brain is wired in such a way that I fit the diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. A disorder, in most people’s minds, means that there’s something wrong that needs fixing or curing. But here’s the thing—I do not need fixing. In fact the idea of being ‘fixed’ or cured is terrifying to me. I don’t feel that there’s anything ‘wrong’ with me. I am just different from the norm. That’s all. I’ve never seen myself as someone with a disability, perhaps because I adjusted my expectations and desires to account for my challenges. What I want to do is what most nurtures me and mostly aligns with what I know I can handle. There are certain jobs I’ve always known were out of my reach because I couldn’t physically manage them. I look back now and realize that, yes, this…
Into the Liminal: A Threshold of Light and Spirit
Have you ever stood alone in a forest and felt watched—but not in a fearful way? More like a whisper in the trees, a shimmer in the air, as if something ancient and unseen is aware of your presence? This is the feeling that inspired Into the Liminal: The Realm of the Forest Spirits, my newest Psychemagination video artwork. It’s a deepening of the journey begun in my last piece, which danced with the playful fae of the Australian bush. This time, I wanted to step further into that strange and sacred space where the material world begins to loosen, and what remains is light, movement, and presence. Accompanied by the hauntingly beautiful track “The Winds of Past Regrets” by Kris Newland, this film explores not just spirits of nature, but the energy field they inhabit—and invite us to witness. The creatures here are more abstract, more elusive, and part…
Discovering Introspective AI Art: A Journey of Self-Exploration
Have you ever used art—not to express something to others, but to understand something within yourself? That’s what introspective AI art is all about. It’s a gentle, open-ended practice I’ve been developing over the past year—using AI-generated imagery as a mirror to reflect what’s going on in the psyche. It’s part art-making, part inner work. Sometimes it’s soothing, sometimes unsettling, but it always brings me closer to self-awareness. What Is Introspective AI Art? Introspective AI art is the practice of using generative AI tools like Midjourney, DALL·E, or Stable Diffusion to create visual representations of your inner world. But instead of focusing on aesthetic perfection or audience engagement, the intention is personal insight. You begin with an emotion, memory, question, or life situation. Then you translate that into a prompt—not to make something beautiful (though it often is), but to see yourself more clearly. It’s not therapy. It’s not analysis.…
Meditation as ADHD Medication: A Personal Journey to Clarity
A Morning Ritual I’ve just finished my meditation, and my mind is crystal clear. It feels like focusing a camera on something that might otherwise be fuzzy and distracted. After meditation, my ADHD brain is totally focused. When I meditate in the morning, I get things done and am much less distracted throughout the day. The difference is huge. Discovering ADHD and the Power of Meditation When I did massive amounts of meditation over a couple of decades, I didn’t know I had ADHD. It wasn’t until around six years after I stopped that the effects of meditation began to wear off. I found myself becoming incredibly distracted, with a scattered quality to my mind. Around that time, I discovered I was autistic and had ADHD. I had given up on meditation as a formal practice, but I missed the clarity it brought. I went back to meditation to see…
Seeing the World Differently: A Neurodivergent Perspective
As someone who has spent decades immersed in words—either reading, writing, editing, publishing—you may know me as a thoughtful observer of human nature. But there’s a part of my inner world you might not have seen, one that has shaped everything I create. I’m neurodivergent. For some, that word might conjure images of extreme disability or seem like a trendy label, but for me, it’s a key to understanding why I’ve always experienced the world so differently. In this post, I want to offer a glimpse into what being neurodivergent really means—not in terms of diagnosis, but in how it shapes perception, creativity, ethics, and connection. (Short on time? A brief version of this post is available on my Substack.) Feeling Like an Alien: The Early Signs of Neurodivergence While growing up, I often felt like I had been mistakenly dropped into the wrong universe. It was as if I…
The Hidden Forest: A Gentle Tribute to the Life Beyond Sight
There’s a kind of magic in the forest that doesn’t show itself to the eye, but can be felt in the body—especially when we walk slowly, quietly, and listen. When I enter the bushland near my home on the south coast of NSW, I don’t just see trees and birds and fungi—I feel a hum beneath it all. A kind of quiet, nurturing aliveness that seems to exist just beyond the visible. It’s as though the forest is full of hidden helpers—tiny beings that keep the energy flowing and the system alive. Not in a literal sense, but in a deeply felt one. That’s what inspired The Hidden Forest, my latest AI-generated music video. Set to Kris Newland’s meditative track Frozen in Time, this short video is a gentle celebration of that unseen world. Cute forest spirits, fungi sprites, glowing birds, curious koalas, and leafy guardians wander through dreamy digital…
Balancing Creativity and Ethics in AI Art
How do I balance the ethical and environmental concerns around the role of AI art in my videos and illustrated books? Read on, or if you’d rather listen, watch the video on this topic at the end. A New Art Form: The Psychemagination Series When I first started using AI to create illustrations for my introspections and considered putting them into a book, I worried that people might reject my work thinking I was taking a job from an artist. But I realized that my AI use wasn’t taking jobs away from human artists, rather the AI art generator was enabling me to create something entirely new. I could never have afforded to pay an illustrator, but more than that, I would never have considered illustrating my writing. My skills as a traditional artist simply weren’t up to the task of illustrating books, and even if I did have the…
What’s the Point of Self-Examination? How Looking Inward Can Change Your Life
Do you think we need to understand ourselves deeply to live well—or can we just go through life without paying attention to what’s happening in our minds? It’s a fair question. The tendency in our culture is to try to avoid looking at ourselves too deeply. Most people think that introspection is something you do only when things fall apart. A last resort. But the deeper I’ve gone into self-exploration, the more I’ve realized how essential it is—not only in times of crisis but also in everyday life. Self-examination isn’t about overthinking or turning your feelings into a tangle of analysis. It’s not self-judgment, either. It’s about slowing down long enough to hear yourself—really hear yourself. It’s asking gentle questions, being honest, and becoming a witness to your own inner landscape. What Is Self-Examination? At its core, self-examination is the practice of noticing. Thoughts. Emotions. Patterns. Reactions. Desires. It’s the…
Unlocking the Inner World: Using AI Art for Self-Reflection
Art as a Pathway for Self-reflection Art has always been one of humanity’s most powerful tools for self-reflection. It gives form to what we feel, know, and dream—often revealing truths that words alone can’t touch. But for many of us, especially those who are not trained or unskilled in traditional art forms, accessing that creative expression can feel out of reach. That’s where AI art comes in. AI-generated art is transforming the way we approach creativity. It’s not about replacing the artist—it’s about collaborating with a tool that helps bring our inner world to life, even if we don’t have formal art skills. AI art democratizes the creative process, making it more accessible, and if worked at in an introspective way, it can be deeply personal. When you’re trying to express a complex emotion or navigate a life change, traditional art can be both a balm and a barrier. You…
Books: The Thread That Weaves It All Together
A Lifelong Affair with Books Books. I love books. Do you? My love affair with books began in my childhood and has only grown stronger over the years. Whether it’s the tactile pleasure of a physical book or the convenience of an e-book, my passion for reading knows no bounds. Today, I want to share my journey with books and how important they are in my life, especially as a multi-passionate person. The Allure of E-Books: Convenience Meets Affordability E-books have revolutionized the way I consume literature. They’re cheaper than paperbacks, allowing me to indulge in more fiction without breaking the bank. The digital format means they don’t take up space on my shelves, and I can carry an entire library in my pocket. The ability to adjust font size and read in the dark with an external light adds to their appeal. For these reasons, e-books have become an…