95 percent of your brain’s activity daily is unconscious.
95 percent!
You are going about your day thinking about what you see, reflecting on your day, and experiencing your life all at once, whilst it’s all unconscious to you.
There are few ways to access what pschologists call the subconcious mind.
Some of the methods are therapy, creativitiy but the most powerful is mindfulness.
Mindfulness and your creative expression are so closely linked together that fostering one of the pair directly effects the other.
If you are more creative than usual you will notice more than you usually do.
More importantly, if you are more mindfull you WILL be more creative.
It’s just how it works.
Understanding the Link Between Mindfulness and Creativity
Mindfulness is the art of noticing.
So much of the things you experience daily aren’t even conciously seen, just ignored never to be thought about again.
With this ignorance of majority of our environment we lose nuggets of inspiratoin that can be found in every moment of our day.
In this way fostering mindfulness fosters a receptive and open mindset.
In this incredible study they experimented with using mindfulness and the creativity of the indivudals.
What they found was that their was certaintly a relationship between the use of meditation and the way the participants thought.
Mindfulness positvely effects your mood, calms your mind and totally changes the way you think about things.
The Art of Mindful Observation
Mindful observation as I’ve said is the art of attention.
Slowing down and reflecting on what you see is the simplest form of mindful observation.
You can use this form of mindfulness at ANY time.
You need only focus on your environment. Allow your thoughts to wander about your envirnonment, be grounded in the present and deeply observe your environment.
Doing this will not only make you feel better but open the gate to your subconcious mind to seep into the concious.
If you mindfully observe you WILL begin to notice small things in your life that interest you and can be used in your next writing project.
Mindfulness Exercises for Cultivating Creativity
There are 3 main mindful observational activities I want you to try to benefit your creativity when writing;
- The five senses exploration
- Natures Symphony
- People Watching
The Five Senses Exploration
Imagine your writing as a canvas waiting to be painted with vibrant hues. To infuse life into your creations, embark on a journey through the five senses:
Guided Observation:
Close your eyes and engage each of your senses deliberately.
What scents linger in the air around you? What sounds form the backdrop to your moment of stillness?
Allow your fingertips to explore textures, taste the essence of the present, and open your eyes to the visuals that surround you.
Descriptive Alchemy:
With heightened awareness, translate these sensory treasures into words.
Write it down.
Craft a paragraph that vividly describes the experience, drawing your readers into the rich tapestry of sensations.
Let the aroma, soundscape, and tactile nuances become the palette for your literary brushstrokes.
Nature’s Symphony
Step into the embrace of the great outdoors, where nature’s symphony awaits:
Outdoor Observation:
Find a quiet spot in nature—perhaps a park, forest, or your backyard.
Close your eyes and attune your senses to your environment.
What melodies do the birds compose? How does the wind dance through the leaves? Let the sun or rain caress your skin. Immerse yourself in the sensory feast that nature provides.
You can do this sitting still, I do this when I go on my walk.
Inspiration Harvest:
Reflect on the experience and consider its potential impact on your writing.
How can the tranquility of a forest glade shape a fictional setting? Could the rhythm of falling rain inspire a poignant moment in your narrative? Allow the peace of nature to infuse your imagination, creating a reserve of inspiration for your stories.
People Watching
Navigate the bustling life of human interactions with a purposeful gaze:
Observing without Judgment:
Choose a public space—a cafe, park, or city square—and observe people as they go about their lives.
Resist the urge to judge; instead, absorb the intricacies of their expressions, gestures, and interactions.
Every person is a potential character in the grand theater of your writing.
Character Tapestry:
Delve into the stories that unfold before your eyes.
Consider how the nuances you observe can breathe life into your characters.
What secrets might hide behind a stranger’s smile?
How can the way someone carries themselves reveal aspects of their personality?
People watching becomes a treasure trove of inspiration, offering authenticity and depth to the characters you create.
Embrace these exercises with an open heart and a keen eye, for in the art of mindful observation, lies the key to unlocking your subconcious and your creativity.
Cultivating a Daily Mindful Writing Routine
If you’re going to benefit from mindfulness in the long term you NEED to create a daily mindful routine.
It doesn’t take time in fact it fills time.
I find it happens naturally in the boring moments.
When your waiting in line, waiting for food, or someone to show up you can’t help but observe the people and environment you’re in.
The next step that not many writers take is writing it down.
Carry a pocketnotebook with you to write a description or your feelings or thoughts in these slow times and you WILL reap the benefits of this practice.
I GUARANTEE that.
In Conclusion . . .
In our journey, we uncovered the profound impact of mindfulness on creativity.
By cultivating a mindful presence, writers can open channels to deeper observations, heightened sensory experiences, and a more receptive mindset.
Scientifically proven or creatively intuitive, the connection between mindfulness and creativity is a bridge that leads to uncharted landscapes of inspiration unlocking the gateway to the subconcious mind.
As you face your writing adventure, I invite you to embark with a mindful and observant spirit.
The canvas of your imagination is vast, and every mindful brushstroke adds layers to the masterpiece you are crafting.
Embrace the power of mindful observation not just as an exercise but as a continuous practice that breathes life into your writing.
So, dear writer, step forward with intention, notice the world around you, and let the magic of mindful creativity guide your pen.
May your words flow effortlessly, and may your creativity dance with the rhythm of your mindful heart.
Happy writing!
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