RESOURCE

Creative Keyboard Machine: an exercise in imagination

Gil Dekel and Natalie Dekel [Authors’ info]

13 July 2024 – Vol 2, Issue 4.

1. Close your eyes and randomly click a letter/number key.
2. Click ‘Get Prompt’. If something not working, simply search the letter from the list below.
3. Reflect on the question in the prompt.
4. Act:
   • Sketch a symbol representing your reflection.
   • Write a one-line journal entry, or a short letter to your future self.
   • Create a mind map, or draw a mood board.

‘Click a random key’, by AI/Gil Dekel. 2024.

Alphabet key themes/prompts

• A – Authenticity
  Reflect on a moment when you felt most true to yourself. How can you bring more authenticity into your creative process today?
• B – Balance
  Creativity requires a balance of the inner and the outer worlds. What is one small thing you can do to restore balance in your life today?
• C – Courage
  Reflect on a moment when you saw true courage around you. How could this inspire your current work?
• D – Discovery
  Discovery is the art of seeing the extraordinary within the ordinary. Have you ever seen something special in the mundane? How can this help you uncover new creative ideas?
• E – Exploration
  Exploring new territory often uncovers hidden strengths. Recall a moment when you explored something and discovered skills or talents you didn’t know you had. How can this boost your confidence and help you in the future?
• F – Flow
  Flow is the state where creativity feels effortless, and time fades away. Reflect on a moment when you felt completely in flow. What conditions helped you reach that state, and how can you create them again?
• G – Grounding
  Grounding is aligning your energy with your core, like a tree anchoring itself into the soil. Reflect on a moment when you felt rooted and steady—how can you use that connection to nurture and support you today?
• H – Harmony
  The union of opposites in art is very powerful: light and shadow, warm and cold colours, bold and subtle shapes. Did you ever embrace contrasting elements? What did you find in that experience?
• I – Intuition
  Pause and listen to your inner voice. What is it encouraging you to do right now?
• J – Joy
  Joy is an inner spark that resonates with our deepest truths. Think of a time when that spark illuminated you, making everything feel aligned and purposeful. How might you reconnect with that joy, to shape your work today?
• K – Karma
  Actions create ripple effects, affecting others and eventually yourself. Reflect on a time when a decision came full circle and shaped your journey. How can a ‘ripple effect’ help you today?
• L – Legacy
  Which art influences you the most? How does the artist’s spirit, style, or message inspire you?
• M – Mastery
  Reflect on a technique or skill you’ve refined and mastered. How does it feel to move effortlessly within your expertise, where each action flows intuitively?
• N – Now
  Listen, look, or simply sense the 360-degree environment around you. Can you notice something you’ve overlooked before? How can this help you?
• O – Overflow
  Overflow happens when creativity flows beyond boundaries. Recall a time when your ideas poured out effortlessly—how can you tap into that flow again?
• P – Perspective
  Shift your perspective and view your challenges differently – consider how challenges can be opportunities. What insights emerge when you see things from a new angle?
• Q – Questioning
  Questioning is curiosity in action, a tool to peel back assumptions and uncover deeper truths. What hidden message emerges if you question an idea with curiosity today?
• R – Renewal
  Renewal is the cycle of letting go and embracing the new. What area in your life is ready for change? What can you release, and what can you invite?
• S – Sensitivity
  Sensitivity connects us to the energies of ourselves and others. Reflect on a moment when you felt moved by something subtle—a glance, a tone, or a gesture. How can you cultivate this attunement to enhance your creativity?
• T – Time
  Time is like chewing gum; it is elastic and can stretch or squash. How do you feel time? When does time ‘pass so quickly’ to you, and when ‘slowly’? Do you affect these feelings?
• U – Unity
  Unity is the connectedness in all things. Reflect on how your work, relationships, and inner world form a larger whole. How can harmony among them inspire balance and creativity?
• V – Visionary
  A visionary sees beyond the present to what could be, by imagining possibilities. What possibilities do you see within or around you now?
• W – Willpower
  Willpower is the strength to keep going despite challenges. Reflect on a time when perseverance led to a breakthrough. How can you tap into this inner strength in your current pursuits?
• X – Crossroads
  Creativity often involves choosing between different paths. Recall a time when you stood at a symbolic crossroads, having to choose between a few options. What guided your choice, and how can that wisdom help you today?
• Y – Yonder
  Yonder is a distant horizon, a place of mystery and potential. Reflect on what lies ahead in your creative journey. What goals, dreams, or uncharted territories are calling you? How can you take a first step today?
• Z – Zenith
  The zenith is the highest point, a moment of clarity and triumph when all your efforts align. Reflect on a time when you experienced a peak moment in your life. What made that moment possible, and how can you reach it again?

Numbers:

• 0 – New Beginnings
  0 represents limitless possibilities and the starting point of creation. If you could start fresh with no limitations, what would you create, and how can you take the first step today?
• 1 – Unity and Wholeness
  1 symbolises oneness and the indivisible source of all. Consider how embracing oneness can influence your creativity. What can you do today to align your work with a greater sense of unity?
• 2 – Duality
  2 is the balance of opposites, such as masculine and feminine. Think about two opposing forces in your life or work. How can you integrate these contrasts to create something meaningful and innovative?
• 3 – Harmony
  3 represents resolution. It takes duality (the number 2) and adds to it another element, forming a third dimension. Reflect on how adding a new element—an idea, a feeling, or a perspective—can shift the way you view a situation. What third dimension could you bring into your current creative process to create a more complete vision?
• 4 – Structure
  4 is the foundation and structure of stability. How can you strengthen your foundations to provide greater strength in your work?
• 5 – Transformation
  5 represents motion. It is the number associated with the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water), each of which interacts and transforms into the other. Think of one part of your life—a feeling, habit, or situation—that is changing. What is it changing to? How can this change help you move forward?
• 6 – Symmetry
  6 represents symmetry and stability, where all parts are in balance. Think about a project you’re working on. Do the different elements in balance? Is something off balance? What adjustment do you need to make?
• 7 – Spiritual Depth
  7 represents spiritual wisdom. Think about a piece of wisdom you’ve received from a mentor, a book, or your own experience. How can you apply this wisdom? What insights can help you make decisions or overcome challenges in your work?
• 8 – Infinity
  8 symbolises infinity and continuous flow. If something in your life feels stuck or blocked right now, what needs to be set in motion to restore the natural flow? How can you tap into infinite possibilities to allow things to flow freely again?
• 9 – Completion
  9 represents completion and the end of a cycle before renewal. Reflect on a project or phase in your life that has reached completion. What have you learned, and how can it inspire the next chapter of your journey?

Symbols and Special Keys

• / (forward slash) – Continuity
  Forward slash represents connection and continuity. It links different parts, creating a smooth transition or flow between them. Reflect on two separate ideas or areas in your life. How can you allow the flow between them to generate new insights? What happens when you let these differences collaborate?
• ; (semicolon) – Pause
  The semicolon is a gentle pause. Take a moment to pause. What insight might arise from stepping back before moving forward?
• ` (Backtick) – Pause and Reflection
  Use moments of pause to reflect on your creative process. How can brief intervals of rest rejuvenate your inspiration?
• # (hashtag) – Identity and Self-Expression
  Just as hashtags highlight themes, consider what defines your own creative identity. What values or qualities would you “tag” yourself with?
• = (equals) – Equality and Shared Humanity
  Art fosters empathy and equality. Reflect on a way your creativity can contribute to a sense of equality or understanding in your community.
• – (hyphen) – Connecting
  Hyphens connect ideas, just as balance connects different parts of life. How can you find harmony between your creative pursuits and other responsibilities today?
• [ (brackets) – Boundaries and Focus
  Brackets contain information, much like boundaries contain our energy. Think of one boundary that would help you focus on your creativity today. How can you set it?
• ] (brackets) – Boundaries and Focus
  Brackets contain information, much like boundaries contain our energy. Think of one boundary that would help you focus on your creativity today. How can you set it?
• . (full stop) – Completion
  The full stop represents the end of a thought. It is a pause that marks the conclusion of one phase, allowing space for closure. Think about a project you’ve completed. How does the sense of closure feel? What can you gain from that moment of finality—accomplishment, relief, or a renewed focus for your next step?
• , (comma) – Pause
  The space between ideas, a brief pause. It allows ideas to breathe and grow. Think of a project or idea you’re currently working on. Where do you need to introduce a short pause to allow your thoughts to breathe?
• ‘ (apostrophe) – Individuality
  The apostrophe connects words seamlessly and makes them shorter when combined, for example: You’re (You are). What processes in your life can you simplify, streamline and shorten?

© Journal of Creativity and Inspiration.

About the authors

Gil Dekel is a doctor in Art, Design and Media, specialising in processes of creativity and inspiration. He is a lecturer, designer, visionary artist, Reiki Master/Teacher, and co-author of the ‘Energy Book’. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Coin, in recognition of his dedication and commitment to pastoral work in the UK.

Natalie Dekel, MPhil, B.Ed, BA, is a fully certified hypnotherapist (dip HSOH), Reiki Master/Teacher, Yoga Teacher and visionary artist. She has been offering healing and guidance since 2007. Natalie is the co-author of the ‘Energy Book’.