At this moment, strewn across the world, there exist over 7,200 pages of Leonardo da Vinci's notes. These pages are not only echoes of a distant past–embodying the inquisitive spirit of the Renaissance–according to scholars and historians they represent the 'greatest record of curiosity ever created'. Join me for this special two part series, as we dive into the thoughts, artwork, and paradoxes of Leonardo da Vinci's mind. A mind whose brilliance is exteriorized for us on the pages of these...

This is a Guided Meditation episode about one of the most perplexing aspects of creativity: Intuition. What is it and how do we engage it more effectively? This meditation is based on a technique I've been developing called: Intuition Mapping. Grab a cup of coffee / tea, and give this guided meditation a test drive to see what compulsions are pushing and pulling you. Some helpful notes: • Motivations push you. Intentions direct you. Intuitions pull you. • To find your motivations...

Leonor Fini did not limit art to the confines of the frame, for her, it spilled out into all of life itself. Every year, Fini and her two lovers, Stanislao & Kot, would host soirees at an abandoned monastery on the island of Corsica. If you were invited, it meant you were part of her inner circle. The only requirement was: come dressed in a mask and costume–the more elaborate, the better. Join me on a masquerade through Fini's imagination. Along the way we will witness a battle of wits...

Leonor Fini was one of the most prolific and mysterious artists of the 20th century. Her career spans an impressive 67 years, she completed over 1,100 oil paintings, and her art was featured in over 350 international gallery exhibitions during her lifetime. Yet she is virtually unknown to us today. Her art and career are shrouded with the mystery of a sphinx's riddle. This is the story of Leonor Fini, one of the 20th century's great creative geniuses. Visit the companion gallery for this...

Why make art during times of turmoil? Why make art in times of war? Why should you even be creative when it feels like the world is burning? In this minisode, we explore the reason why we need art to help us transcend our darkest times. --------- Cover Art: Photograph by Joseph Eid, 2017. The man pictured is Mohammed Anis, a civilian in Aleppo, Syria. He sits on his bed, with a pipe in his hand, listening to a vinyl record on his gramophone–surrounded by the bombed wreckage of his...

On this episode, we will conclusively answer this question: why was Gnosticism so important to Dr. Carl Jung? Along the way, we will dive deep into Sermons 5 thru 7 to answer these questions: what is the relationship between spirituality and sexuality? How does Jung's libido theory differ from Freud's libido theory? What is the significance of the dove and the serpent in religious symbolism? According to the Seven Sermons to the Dead: what is the goal of life? As mentioned in the...

When the Nazi Party came to power in Germany, in 1933, one of their first goals was to reshape culture by force. The Nazis organized book burnings, stormed artist studios, confiscating work they disagreed with, and fired contemporary artists from teaching positions in universities. The goal was to place limits on human expression–an ominous display for what was to come.  Visit the companion gallery for this episode here: https://mjdorian.com/dangerous/  The celebrated 1800's German poet,...

In 1916, Dr. Carl Jung wrote his most mystifying work: The Seven Sermons to the Dead. In this episode, we continue our quest to understand it the way Jung understood it, exploring Sermons 3 & 4. We will attempt to answer these questions: Who is Abraxas? Why is he a god above gods? Who is Basilides? Why does Jung credit him as the writer of the Seven Sermons? And what leads Jung to have this creative breakthrough? Does it come from a point of inner turmoil or inspired grace? It’s time we...

This is a special Video Bonus episode of Creative Codex! Our show has been selected by Spotify to showcase the new video options for podcasters on Spotify. If you dig it, please share it with someone! (The video playback is currently only supported on Spotify.) ( This video bonus first appeared on the Creative Codex Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9xwt3hz49VBbgqN80driTQ ) --------- Info: Our story begins in the late 1800's, with one of history's most beloved artists:...

In 1916, Dr. Carl Jung experienced a strange phenomenon that possessed him with tremendous creative force. The experience inspired him to write a philosophical & psychological scripture he called: The Seven Sermons to the Dead.  This is Jung's most mystifying work. It appears in the final chapter of The Red Book, and it embodies the culmination of Jung's numinous inner explorations from 1913 - 1916. On this special episode, we will dive deep into Sermons One and Two, to attempt to...

This is a special clip show of some of the best moments from the last 3 years of Creative Codex! The focus of this episode is: sonic simulations. In the show, sonic simulations are the use of sound design, music, and narration to convey an experience, time, or place.  The clips featured in this episode, in order of appearance are: Nikola Tesla’s Earthquake Experiment (Episode 5) Discovery of Emily Dickinson’s Poems (Episode 18) Robert Johnson Goes to the Crossroads (Episode 15) Meeting...

Does boredom play an important role in creativity? If so, is technology ridding our lives of boredom at a perilous cost? On this Creativity Tip minisode, the truth gets 'curiouser and curiouser.' Along the way we explore research in neuroscience regarding the Default Mode Network, and psychological research that potentially proves the link between boredom and creativity. Try the Mental Cigarette Break Challenge: • Five minutes. Every day. For seven days. • Turn your phone notifications...

On this episode we sit down with multi-talented singer / songwriter: L'FREAQ. (Also known as Lea Cappelli.) We dive deep into all of the most interesting topics: Does creativity feed on despair and depression? How do you get to the gold? What is L'FREAQ's songwriting process? Do you hear music on the cusp of sleep? Listen to L'FREAQ's phenomenal new album, Showgirl: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6yIxwhGx8Mq6i1WwgRSfkQ?si=LeKcBiROTw-hW4Xy5xL9OA&dl_branch=1 Showgirl is also available on...

Is art dangerous? On this minisode, I share a personal story about the art project that almost killed me. I call this: The Devil Wood Incident. This is Exhibit A in a miniseries exploring the theme: Art Is Dangerous.  Here is a link to the Devil Wood music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TTL-GKBMTk If you would like to share your own Art Is Dangerous story for a future episode, reach out to me: [email protected] Instagram of singer / songwriter / vocal alchemist, Shelley Thomas:...

On this episode we explore the tragic death of Vincent van Gogh. We seek to answer, once and for all, was it: suicide or homicide? In the process we discover that the two popular theories explaining Vincent's death are deeply flawed, and a new theory emerges.  This episode follows the events of that fateful day through Theo's perspective. After a thorough investigation, we explore the aftermath, and meet the woman who made Vincent van Gogh a household name: Johanna van Gogh-Bonger. The...

On May 8th, 1889, Vincent van Gogh checks in to a mental asylum. What begins as a three month stay extends into a year. A period of time during which Vincent paints 141 masterpieces in between bouts of debilitating psychotic attacks. On this episode, we dive into Vincent and Theo's letters to finally uncover all of the details about Vincent's yearlong stay in the asylum.  The original music of this episode features a very special guest, singer & songwriter: L'FREAQ. (Also known as Lea...

What is the 10,000 Hours Rule? How can you apply it in your life? I first stumbled on this theory in the book: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. The basic premise is this: to achieve mastery in any skill that requires complex cognitive processes, you need to put in roughly 10,000 hours of effort, spread across a 10 year span. In other words, if you want to become a master at something, you will have to clock in about 10,000 hours into that domain. That could be anything from cooking, computer...

On this special episode, we dive into the full truth about the most infamous event in art history: Vincent van Gogh's ear incident. The 'ear incident' serves as a catalyst event, which signals the onset of a mental affliction which will torment Vincent van Gogh for his final three years. Paradoxically, at the same time his mental health is in decline, his paintings are showing the signs of a creative genius.  Explore all of the paintings mentioned in this episode at this companion gallery:...

Can madness and genius be contained in one individual? Can psychosis and the rarest artistry be contained in one mind? These contradictions pervade the story of Vincent van Gogh. And in the final three years of his life, they culminate in a whirlwind. You may think you know Vincent, you may have heard about him on a TV show or a podcast. But not like this.  Over the next three episodes, we will explore Van Gogh’s personal letters, doctor’s reports, police reports, and family letters, to...

This is a special Guided Meditation episode called Discover Your Heart. (You do not need to have any experience with meditation for this experience to work for you. Give it a try!) Oftentimes we only truly listen to our body when we are feeling pain or pleasure. This means we ignore the subtle sensations which are happening every minute of every day. This meditation specifically focuses on your heart. The engine of your body. Your body is the vehicle you will be using for your life journey....

Is there a line between genius and madness? What is the difference between the madness of artists and the madness of genius? This is a brief opening lecture which I presented for an event called The Madness of Genius, which was held on April 20th, 2021, on the Clubhouse app. This was the first event held by the Creative Codex Club, and featured two special guest speakers: Emily Dickinson scholar, Justin Horm, and holistic psychiatrist, Dr. Kelley O'Donnell.  If you have Clubhouse, follow...

In 1948, Salvador Dali wrote a notorious treatise with the intention to "save modern art from chaos and laziness". On this feature length episode, we explore Salvador Dali's 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship.  We focus on ten essential secrets from this bizarre treatise including: the secret of the painter's pointed mustache, the sleep technique known as the 'slumber with a key', rules for lovemaking, the secret of having a spider as a pet, pigments to rely on and those to banish from your...

How do you find the ideas that excite you? How do you encourage inspiration within a fixed structure of habit? Ideas thrive in the unfamiliar. Take your expertise and engage it through something related but unfamiliar. This is a Creativity Tip mini-episode. If you found it helpful or interesting, please share it with someone you think will enjoy it! If you would like to listen to all of the Creativity Tip mini-episodes head over to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mjdorian Thank you so...

Join us for a special Listener Q&A episode of Creative Codex, where the spotlight is on you, and your thoughts and questions. Questions covered on this episode include such gems as: How do you decide on a creative figure for your next episode? What's up with NFTs and thoughts on digital art? Could you discuss Austin Osman Spare and his theory that art and magic are somehow linked? Why do more intelligent people tend to be atheists? How closely do you think mastery is related to...

Join us as we dive deep into the enigmatic mind of Emily Dickinson. In this episode, we explore her creative process, her most intimate letters, the mysterious details about her illness, and the secret to her creative genius: solitude. Episode Guide including the featured poems is available here: http://mjdorian.com/emily/ The voice of Emily Dickinson is performed by: Frances LaVette. Follow Frances and her projects on social media here:...