Morgan Harper Nichols

This book investigates the complex interrelationships between neuroscience, arts, technical design, and the spectrum of neurodivergent conditions, introducing the emerging topic of neuroarts. It emphasizes the power of art and technologies as a multisensory tool for helping neurodivergent individuals discover their sensory preferences, and for neurotypical individuals to broaden their understanding of the world by simulating different sensory experiences. Drawing on the enactivism theory, which posits that cognitive processes are inherently shaped through the dynamic interplay between an organism and its environmental context, the authors discuss the applications of emerging technologies and propose a new theory to discuss and identify ‘neurotribes’ based on their relation to sense making or the body. A timely and well-needed resource for scholars in the fields of neuroaesthetics and neurodiversity, as well as art therapists, clinical psychologists, and medical practitioners specializing in neurodiversity and sensory perception disorders, this book can also serve cultural institutions developing inclusive experiences for a neurodiverse public, and professionals in the tech industry focusing on AI, augmented reality, and sensory technology.

Amid the pressures of the modern world, it has never been more necessary to cultivate a hopeful imagination in life. Morgan Harper Nichols sheds light on how we can use the powerful techniques of 'worldbuilding' to harness our potential and improve our sense of connection and wellbeing. Growing up, life for Morgan Harper Nichols was a constant struggle for belonging. She found her refuge in drawing, each creation serving as a reflection of her inner world. It was only when she received an autism diagnosis at the age of 31 that she could fully understand the challenges she'd faced throughout her life - but in the meantime she had been cultivating a strong imagination in order to survive, finding her resilience through the practice of worldbuilding. Worldbuilding usually refers to creating fictional worlds, but when applied to our lives, it can be a tool for crafting a supportive environment and a hopeful vision for the future. In A Necessary Imagination for Being Alive, Morgan Harper Nichols weaves personal stories with practical advice to explain the crucial role of imagination for mental health, neurodiversity and humanity. Breaking the concept of worldbuilding down into actionable steps, she equips readers with a robust toolkit to help them find joy and optimism within their own stories and live life on their own terms.

INSPIRING AFFIRMATIONS: Morgan Harper Nichols' gorgeous paintings are paired with hopeful, powerful words to keep you going: You are free to begin again. One day you will look back and see that all along you were blooming. BEAUTIFUL GIFT: This calendar packed with color and joy will brighten anyone's days (and walls). NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Workman wall calendars are completely plastic-free! Now printed with an extended paper flap closed with a fully recyclable seal-no more shrink-wrap!

This book investigates the complex interrelationships between neuroscience, arts, technical design, and the spectrum of neurodivergent conditions, introducing the emerging topic of neuroarts. It emphasizes the power of art and technologies as a multisensory tool for helping neurodivergent individuals discover their sensory preferences, and for neurotypical individuals to broaden their understanding of the world by simulating different sensory experiences. Drawing on the enactivism theory, which posits that cognitive processes are inherently shaped through the dynamic interplay between an organism and its environmental context, the authors discuss the applications of emerging technologies and propose a new theory to discuss and identify ‘neurotribes’ based on their relation to sense making or the body. A timely and well-needed resource for scholars in the fields of neuroaesthetics and neurodiversity, as well as art therapists, clinical psychologists, and medical practitioners specializing in neurodiversity and sensory perception disorders, this book can also serve cultural institutions developing inclusive experiences for a neurodiverse public, and professionals in the tech industry focusing on AI, augmented reality, and sensory technology.

Find the inspiration you need to embrace your next adventure in life with confidence. It can be difficult and scary to take that first step into your future and surrender to the unknown. This illustrated collection of poetry and essays will empower you to strike out on your journey with courage and grace, drawing on invaluable lessons from nature. In You Are Only Just Beginning, popular Instagram poet and bestselling author Morgan Harper Nichols reimagines the classic heroine's journey—from the very first call to adventure, through trials, hardships, and new relationships, all the way back home—and offers key lessons and affirmations to encourage and equip you every step of the way. As you travel your own journey of self-discovery, you're invited to:Cultivate the courage you need to follow your passionsDevelop curiosity about the natural world around youFind comfort and inspiration for the inevitable trials on your journeyReflect on how your past has prepared youStep out in wonder and faith, knowing there is more for you Morgan's signature art fills every page of You Are Only Just Beginning, making it a gorgeous addition to your bedside or coffee table. This is a beautiful and empowering gift to give yourself or others for birthdays, holidays, graduations, or New Year's—any time there's a new beginning ahead. You cannot control all of what's to come, but You Are Only Just Beginning will help you see that what you need for the journey ahead is already embedded in the world around you. Come and find the courage to honor your soul's divine cravings—to step out in faith knowing that goodness and Grace are never far away. The unknown waits for you and now is the time to go. Follow Morgan on Instagram @morganharpernicols (along with her millions of followers), and look for more beautiful, thought-provoking poetry in her other collections:All Along You Were BloomingHow Far You Have Come

Perhaps in no other way do we more vibrantly reflect our creator than with our creativity. Whether through music, writing, baking, painting, posting on social media, dancing, or any other form of artistic expression within our grasp, we were created to create. Yet, there are times we may be unsure about our art, times when our creating and making doesn't feel possible or purposeful or practical. Rachel Marie Kang wants you to know that your art is not peripheral to life--it is at the very heart of why you exist and what you have to offer to yourself and to the world. In Let There Be Art, she gives you permission to embrace the peace, pleasure, and purpose inherent in your art and in the process of making it. This passionate, creative, and cathartic journey invites you to create truthfully out of the broken and beautiful pieces of your life, as well as offer your heart and your art in hopes of helping a hurting world.

When you breathe in all the grace available to you and release everything that is outside of your control, you'll discover peace that surpasses your circumstances. All it takes is practice. If you feel overwhelmed with anxiety about the future, you're far from alone. For many of us, when we're not worrying about what is to come, we find ourselves wrestling with things from the past. Where does that leave us today? Morgan Harper Nichols has learned the answer to this question. She has examined stories from her own life and the lives of people around the world and noticed a common thread: we all long for peace. We're all seeking light and life. But these things don't happen passively. Peace Is a Practice invites you to become an active peacemaker in your own life, starting right where you are, and in some of the most unexpected places. As these words and images inspire you to take daily steps toward peace, you'll uncover the key to:Embracing the beauty of the presentLetting go of regret of the past and fear of the futureDeveloping a path toward meaning and authenticityApproaching life's challenges with faith and a calm confidenceFeeling peace even in the midst of uncertainty or difficult times In every moment, there is something as deep and boundless as a winding river waiting to be found--a true peace that flows, beckoning you to rest and be still.

What is it like to be an Enneagram Five? Instagram poet and artist Morgan Harper Nichols reflects on this question in a spirit of honest self-assessment and with a desire for personal and spiritual growth. She draws wisdom from the deep wells of counseling and spirituality using illustrations from both Scripture and life. Each of these forty readings concludes with an opportunity for further engagement such as a prayer, a spiritual practice, or a reflection question. Morgan's art enhances the readings as well. Any of us can find aspects of ourselves in any of the numbers. The Enneagram is a profound tool for empathy, so whether or not you are a Five, you will grow from your reading about Fives and enhance your relationships across the Enneagram spectrum.

In the midst of the hurt and the mundane, the questions and the not yets, you can forget just how far you have come. This illustrated collection of poetry and essays invites you to reclaim moments of brokenness, division, and pain and re-envision them as experiences of reconciliation, unity, and hope. Popular Instagram poet and bestselling author Morgan Harper Nichols weaves together personal reflections through her signature poems, reflecting on the moments that shaped her. She invites you to:Awaken your heart and recognize how your own story has made you who you are todayEnter into a deeper understanding of pressing on and pressing in, of transformation and surrenderDiscover meaning in the losses and embrace anticipation for the splendor aheadBecome who you are in the moment you hold right now How Far You Have Come is an excellent gift for college and high school graduations, celebrations and anniversaries, life transitions, and birthdays or simply a gift for yourself. Follow Morgan on Instagram @morganharpernicols (along with her millions of followers), and look for more beautiful, thought-provoking poetry in her other collections:All Along You Were BloomingYou Are Only Just Beginning

In a world that's difficult to make sense of, and a season that's so often overtaken by consumerism, here you'll find heart-stirring illustrations and thought-provoking meditations designed to show you the raw, powerfully sacred story of Christmas in a new light. Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren't alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it's a story that's still happening today? From celebrated artist and storyteller Scott Erickson comes Honest Advent, 25 days of illustrations and meditations that will help you rekindle the wonder of this season. Honest Advent creates a space for you to encounter the Incarnate Christ in unexpected places: like a pregnancy announcement in an era of political unrest and empirical bloodshed, the morning sickness of a Middle Eastern teenager, and the shocking biology of birth that goes far beyond the sanitized brand of Christmas as we know it today. Within the pages of Honest Advent, Erickson teaches us the valuable lessons he's learned about:Finding hope and light in the darkest wintersWhat it means to embrace the unexpectedHow God uses everyday vulnerability to help us understand ourselves, and our faith, betterThrough powerful benedictions, prayers, and questions for honest reflection, you'll discover how the wonder of God-with-Us is still happening today: in your unexpected change of plans, your unaccomplished dreams, your overcrowded lodging, and your humble stories of new beginnings. Praise for Honest Advent:"Scott Erickson's beautifully crafted book helped me see God-with-Us with fresh eyes. Honest Advent is no shallow seasonal gift book; it's an invitation to explore the divine flourishes of everyday human vulnerabilities. A transformative read, regardless of the time of year."--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch "Beautiful. Evocative. A wake-up call to the mystery of life."--John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

A celebration of hope. An encounter with grace. A restoration of the heart. A healing of wounds. An anthem of freedom. This illustrated collection of poetry and prose invites you to stumble into the sunlight and delight in the wild and boundless grace you've been given. Popular Instagram poet and bestselling author Morgan Harper Nichols gives you the ultimate love letter to your mind, heart, soul, and body, reminding you:There is a purpose in every seasonNo matter how you want to race through this day or run away from this place, you are invited to live fully—right here, right nowLight will always find you, even when the sun sets and you sit awaiting the dawnYou are always blooming in the way you were meant to All Along You Were Blooming is perfect for self-gifting for your own affirmation or giving to others on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, birthdays, and other holidays and milestone days. In each small moment, whether in the light or the dark, you can make room for becoming, for breathing, for stumbling, and for simply being—for there is grace, today and every day. Follow Morgan on Instagram @morganharpernicols (along with her millions of followers), and look for more beautiful, thought-provoking poetry in her other collections:How Far You Have ComeYou Are Only Just Beginning

For over a decade, many of the stories and poems I have written eventually turned into songs, and for that, I am grateful. Over the past year, much of what I have written has turned into letters: letters to people, their stories, and the seasons they are in. Even though I suppose, technically, what you will find in this book is considered poetry, I hope they read as letters: letters for people, places, things, seasons, years-letters for the story and for the storyteller. There are one hundred poem letters in this book. I share them with you because I believe you have a story to tell, and I hope these poem letters encourage you to keep telling it. -Morgan Harper Nichols Writer, Artist, Musician