| |
| |
|
Creativity Information |
|
|
|
Mindfulness and Creativity: The Wow of Wonder
You are so creative. Don't deny it. Whether or not you consider yourself a creative type, the truth is that you are constantly creating ideas. Mindfulness invites you to be aware of this constantly flowing river, and offers an opportunity to choose to sit beside it instead of swimming in it. By watching the ideas from that calm riverbank, you can more clearly see the ones that float to the top and sparkle in the sun. But mindfulness is more than just mind watching mind. When we are engaged in the process of creating--whether that's words, numbers, music, art, or movement--without getting swept up in the concept of where it might be leading, that is a very pure form of mindfulness. If creating is mindfulness in action, the little push that gets things moving is the thrill of discovery. As humans, we are fascinated by novelty, and we are pulled by our joy of seeing something in a new light. Mindfulness allows us to approach the world with childlike wonder, to play with new concepts, and to see things from a shifted perspective. You can't always engage in new activities, but through mindfulness, you can look at the same-old same-old with fresh eyes. The Wow of Wonder is what stimulates us to be creative. Without it, we are likely to come down with our culture's most prevalent malady--mindlessness. Mindlessness causes us to move through life without really connecting to any of it. It's living on auto-pilot. It's living without wonder--or fun. Here's a helpful reminder: fun is good. We don't have to make mindfulness HARD. There is nothing hard about it. We were incredibly mindful and creative as children, and guess what? We had a lot more fun then, too! The things that captivated you as a child were objects and ideas that triggered your sense of wonder. You noticed something new, and jumped right into the Wow of Wonder. And there were plenty of things that elicited that response every single day. A bug you'd never seen. A card trick. Something under a microscope. A new musical instrument. A dance move. A song. An animal. A poem. A historical fact. A new flavor of candy. Mindfulness is a catalyst for wonder. You notice something. An idea is sparked. A distinction is made. A perspective shifts. There is a fullness in that moment, ripe with possibilities but unburdened by expectations. The Wow of Wonder is what allows us to transcend what we "know" and float in that river of ideas without sinking under the weight of evaluation. In our most mindful moments, it is wonder that saves us from overthinking and keeps things light. There's no need to work at making mindfulness a part of your life. It's already there, and you can glimpse it in all of your favorite memories. Being right there in the moment, full of wonder, and playing with discovery--this is you being a creative person! Pay attention to your moments of fun, and you'll see that there's a hefty dose of mindfulness in there. You are smiling. You are fully present. You are creating ideas and responses. You feel alive. Becoming mindful is simply getting reconnected to wonder about the world and your place in it. Look for the Wow of Wonder, and you'll find yourself immersed in mindfulness. Isn't it wonder-ful? Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Creativity - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Be Creative to Get Money Creativity alone can make you money and no matter what anyone tells you or what you think, anyone can be creative. Creativity is like a skill that needs to be developed. Brainstorming Effectively BRAINSTORMING: The basic tool used in generating many possible solutions to a problem is brainstorming. To use the brainstorming process effectively requires following a prescribed set of rules very closely. Should You Quit Your Job for Your Dream? The next time you're moodily sitting in your office, wishing you were living your dream instead, answer the following questions? or answer them now! They'll give you a sense of whether or not now's the time to make the break.My job is making me crazy; so crazy I'd do anything to quit. Becoming Radiant: Boost Your Teams Creativity with Mind Mapping I don't take notes anymore. Instead, I create one wildly colorful, creative and inspiring page whenever I need to make a decision, prepare a presentation, or plan an event. 9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity Time is the great equalizer. Everybody has the exact same number of hours in each day. How To Discover Hidden Talents Within You And Begin Appyling Them In Your Life Now Have you decided it may be time to start creating some new excitement in your life? If you are now retired, soon to be retired, or just now reaching those "golden years" do you feel your life has become a little dull? Uneventful? Maybe even a little discouraging?After all, when you reach this period in your life, your routine may have changed, your energy may have dwindled and even your drive may have simply slowed down a bit. So if you are not happy with this situation what do you do about it? Well here's something to think about that could just change the whole picture. Unlock Your Creative Secret Weapon It seems like this week a ton of people have been asking me how they can become more creative. I even had one client jokingly accuse me of being in cahoots with the Devil in trade for my creativity. What Every Manager Should Know About How to Think Creatively You may have heard of Roger von Oech's book, A Whack on the Side of the Head: How to Unlock Your Mind for Innovation. It's as much fun to read as its title suggests. Stress VS Creativity Now when I use the term "creativity", I mean the kind of states of mind and body where thoughts and ideas flow freely; where there is a STREAM of data information that comes clearly from a very different place than one might normally inhabit and which translates smoothly and perfectly into colours, visions, sounds, patterns, movements, actions and resolutions.These are very beautiful states, very precious; this flow of "creativity" is nourishing, enlivening and one can do so many things for a long time without feeling in the slightest bit tired; when it is done, one is happy, very much at peace and delighted, too. Tapping into Your Super Creative Power Do you consider yourself creative? How about super creative? Most people may not think of themselves as creative, but I believe that everyone has the potential for great creativity. They just need a little understanding and practice. Magic In Your Spice Rack Variety is the spice of life, but spices, historically are the stuff of magic! A spell, after all is really just a recipe and traditionally many of them involve plant life or herbs. Magic doesn't have to be complicated to work. Are You A Creative Meathead? Remember Archie Bunker's description of what a Meathead was on All in the Family?Dead, from the neck up!When it comes to creaivity, innnovation, coming up with ideas that magically turn into money - are you alive?Ever wonder how some of the big names in business are able to continually come up with new, innovative product ideas, marketing programs and publicity projects?New ideas are the lifeblood of leaping to the top of your field.Without diving into the bowels of scientific theory, it is absolutely true that to fuel creativity, your brain needs new input. SoulCollage - Combining Collage Fun with Spiritual Practice SoulCollage? is a unique blend of spiritual practice and the fun of collage. Using our intuition and imagination, we create a deck of collaged cards where each card reflects a different aspect of who we are. Rejuvenate & Re-Fuel Your Inner Drive I believe that as solo-entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives we all need a pat on the back. Give yourself commendation. Get your Creative Juices Flowing Copyright 2005 Cherry Communications/Be Heard SolutionsThe creative arts enhance our lives in countless ways. They make us think. 12 Ways To Boost Your Creativity At Work As workplaces continue to rightsize and downsize, we all find ourselves doing more with less. How do we stay ahead of the workload while staying sane? The key is to put your creativity to work for you so you can do more with less and shine like never before. Seeing Problems From Their Creative Side Did you know that winning actually puts less wear and tear on the body than worrying? And did you know that you could worry yourself sick to the point that you'll end up in a hospital bed? And that, depending on the severity of the problem, when it becomes chronic and acceptable mode of conduct, it could lead to options beyond hospitalization? It could very well lead to imprisonment or interment!Dr. Charles H. Attraction: What We Attract With Our Creative Choices I used to be a jazz singer. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, they were wonderful and I strived to sing like they did. 5 Ways to Enhance Your Creativity We're born creative. However, this innate characteristic becomes buried as we get older. Improve Your Bottom Line, Kens Idea Saved over $100,000 Engaged employees can show us the way to continuously improve. Customers want our products and services to be better, delivered faster, and produced less expensively.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
