Came upon a thought whilst reading........

[Ozark Wizard]

“Certainly the revolutionary thinker must go beyond thought. He knows that almost all his best ideas come to him when thinking has stopped. He may have struggled and struggled to understand a problem in terms of old ways of thinking, only to find it impossible. But when thought stops from exhaustion, the mind is open to see the problem as it is—not as it is verbalized—and at once it is understood.”


Isn't that how it is sometimes?


How many times do we consider the axiom,

"Let me sleep on it"

Cool stuff

 

[Timbo]

Very zen Oz but also very true. Oftentimes I think something to death but it's when my brain relaxes, either from smoking my pipe or doing something that requires concentration like cooking, then the ideas come.

Like everything else, the brain requires downtime every now and then.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Dutch]

I've heard it said before, that the average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think.

 

[Stick]

When I'm in the mountains, from time to time a thought pops into my head (usually borne of an emotion triggered by my surroundings) that I know I must record. These are the beginnings of my creative writing pieces. I have no control over the when this might happen. I have also discovered that I can't force this process by setting out with the intent to write as the catalyst will usually be missing.

Interesting post OW!

 

[mark]

I agree,,,the thoughts pop in after the struggle,,,the older I get ,,,uhh,,,where was I ,,,

 

[Brewdude]

Pretty deep stuff Ozzy.

I can relate on a certain level, in that where composing music is concerned I've always found it fruitless to try and write something consciously. Meaning, that no ideas will flow if I try and force something that isn't there.

In this instance, if there's an idea or melody that needs to be expressed it'll make itself known to me when I'm not trying. And then it usually leads me along as though I've known it all my life, until the thing is finished. And then I wonder, where did that come from? Almost like someone else was dictating it to me.

I can sometimes have dry periods where I don't write anything for weeks or even months. And then something snaps and they start flowing out of me again. Right now I'm having a particularly inspired period. Wrote 4 more tunes this weekend alone!



Cheers,

RR

 

[Boulder&Briar]

I definitely agree and understand this. It is the exact reason I work well under pressure, and the reason I tend to "pull it together" last minute. While doing pretty much anything that utilizes a thought process to create or bring an idea to fruition, I tend to over think the idea rather than focus on the process. I believe it is ADD. I've realized after having a son with ADD that I clearly had and still have ADD. I will spend hours on an idea until I get frustrated and walk away. Once I realize my time is running out, if there's a deadline, I suddenly just know exactly what to do and how to do it. Of course listening to some music and smoking a pipe usually tames the symptoms. Most high functioning people call it procrastination. I call it preparation.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

I definitely agree and understand this. It is the exact reason I work well under pressure, and the reason I tend to "pull it together" last minute. While doing pretty much anything that utilizes a thought process to create or bring an idea to fruition, I tend to over think the idea rather than focus on the process. I believe it is ADD. I've realized after having a son with ADD that I clearly had and still have ADD. I will spend hours on an idea until I get frustrated and walk away. Once I realize my time is running out, if there's a deadline, I suddenly just know exactly what to do and how to do it. Of course listening to some music and smoking a pipe usually tames the symptoms. Most high functioning people call it procrastination. I call it preparation.

When I am invited to speak publicly, I am often asked where my notes are when I arrive. I smile wanly and assure them it will be fine. I find, for the most part, that I am better "in the clutch". I get the overthinking thing totally. I used to be able to 'multitask', but have relaxed into a philosophy that no matter how hard I try, things work out.......

Better to let the flow work through us, particularly with artistic endeavors. I believe it is more of us as the devices that release the art, not so much force something into being.

 

[pipetrepid]

perhaps it is when we try(too hard?) that past experience, prejudices get in the way of open and free thinking. when we free our selves of these things, our minds are able to produce clear and fresh thoughts that allow creativity to bloom. just a thought, bill

 

[Ozark Wizard]

perhaps it is when we try(too hard?) that past experience, prejudices get in the way of open and free thinking. when we free our selves of these things, our minds are able to produce clear and fresh thoughts that allow creativity to bloom. just a thought, bill

Too often we are predisposed to trains of thought precipitated by our environment. Thus, it is difficult to jump outside the box, so to speak, and as you say, prejudices are some of the steepest walls to climb..

 

[Psmith]

I heard a good expression once, "living under the tyranny of the immediate". Explains what happens at my job as a school principal all the time. Racing around dealing with unpredictable events that consume your thoughts and rarely getting a chance to sit back, reflect and look at the bigger picture.

 

[deathmetal]

But when thought stops from exhaustion, the mind is open to see the problem as it is—not as it is verbalized—and at once it is understood.

Language is a form of programming that can easily erect layers of interpretive barriers. Thus the genius of meditation, or its equivalent, long walks through the woods.