It’s hard to go a day without seeing an article extolling the benefits of meditation. Which means that over time it becomes all-too easy to dismiss. Oh, it’s just another fad. It’s just the latest trend. It’s not really that useful.
But meditation does have some serious positive effects. One of these is helping us to cultivate our creativity. I spoke with Sukey and Elizabeth Novogratz, authors of the book Just Sit: A Meditation Guidebook For People Who Know They Should But Don’t, all about that.
What I really like about their work is their accessible, down-to-earth, practical approach to meditation. For instance, they suggest meditating while feeding your baby, with your cat on your lap, or in your driveway after getting home from work. They suggest meditating at the office in front of your computer with headphones on, and adding music or a guided meditation.
Below, you’ll find their insights on what meditation really is and why it helps with creativity, along with other tips to try.
Q: How do you define meditation?
A: Meditation is the act of noticing. Sitting in meditation is no more mysterious than focusing on your breath. When you find yourself thinking about your to-do list or a recent argument with your partner, [this] is a huge clue that you are no longer focused on your breath. When that happens, gently go back to the breath without judgment. This is normal, it’s what the mind does.
Q: Why is meditation powerful in helping people cultivate their creativity?
A: Meditation is a brain detox, it filters the chatter and allows the good stuff to come in, which is why many people notice all sorts of creative gems once they’ve established a practice. When you are not ruminating over a conversation that you had with an ex 10,000 times, you will notice that there’s much more space and clarity for creativity.
Q: What are the most common myths about meditation that tend to stop people from meditating?
A: The top three that we hear are:
- I can’t sit still
- My mind doesn’t stop
- I don’t have time.
We say not true to all three. If you can sit through a TV show, then you know how to sit still. Now, sitting still without distraction is a different story; but that’s why meditation is called a practice—it takes training.
Our best advice to building up sitting time is to start tiny. Try 2 minutes every day for a week and build it from there. To make it really doable, try linking it to something else like right after brushing your teeth or the second after the kids leave for school. Do it for a week and then increase it to 4 minutes.
Q: What do you suggest readers do if they believe the myth “my mind doesn’t stop,” which prevents them from meditating?
A: That is what the mind does: It tries to convince us that it needs to stay busy, but that’s just another form of resistance. Meditation has nothing to do with stopping thoughts, instead it is about observing them. Without judgment.
Q: How do you suggest readers start meditating to help them foster their creativity?
A: If you are experiencing a creative block or lack of flow, then spend 5 or 10 minutes sitting first. Once you close your eyes, let go of the pressure to be creative, just be, just breathe. We promise that the creativity will come if you stop chasing it.
Q: What’s another meditative practice for cultivating creativity?
A: Journaling is a fantastic practice for cultivating creativity. Write as much as you can for 15 or 20 minutes without thinking too much about what you’re writing—almost like speed writing. It is a thought detox for the mind, which will allow the creativity to flow in.
Q: What’s your favorite way to meditate?
A: With each other. We are enormous fans of meditating with a buddy. We sit together at the start of every work day. It helps to sync us to write together, it gives the day meaning and intention, and it directs the flow of our energy. We highly recommend mediating with co-workers, creative partners, friends, or even your next-door neighbor.
Q: Anything else you’d like readers to know about meditation and creativity?
A: Creativity, like meditation, is a practice.
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You can learn more about Sukey and Elizabeth Novogratz and their book at https://justsit.com. And you can find more tips from their book in this piece.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.
from Psych Central Blogs https://ift.tt/2L5iISD
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