Thank you, Abstraction.

When I closed my eyes and heard the word "rage", images shot through my mind. The abstraction exercise was one of the most powerful writing exercises I have ever done. As strange as it sounds, I felt as if I were in a hypnotic, dream-like kind of place. It fascinates me to focus on the subconscious mind, it has too much to offer, so much to tell; which is probably why we choose to ignore it most of the time. Translating the vivid images I saw onto paper was simply remarkable. The words that were used in the exercise (rage, generosity, control, and charm) offered a world of words through images.
We link ourselves to words, and I suppose, that they have linked their meanings to ourselves as well. The word generosity conveyed to me, the visual of: change gently dropping to the bottom of a dixie cup held by a homeless hand, covered by tattered and frayed gloves.
When reading poetry, it always irks me when the poet inserts words such as happy or beautiful...by abstracting images from these foundation words, one is sure to create a more impactful depiction of their point (if there is one...).
We can choose to listen to each word, and expand on them specifically. In this sense, I believe it can make the individual (willing to do so) become a better writer.