Jung's Technique of Active Imagination 

A beta state corresponds to conscious attention and concentration, the conscious state. The alpha state is more relaxed. One is still awake of course. The active imagination occurs in an alpha state so that the production of images is more spontaneous and the story line is not always directed by the conscious will. There is always some movement back and forth between beta and alpha especially with writing, art, and music but the creative state is always alpha.