Where Does Creativity Come From?

Sometimes I literally have to lie down for ideas to spring to mind. Other times, I start on a project and just can’t stop!  I’ve heard that it actually helps if you have some ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) since then you’re more likely to put unusual ideas together and come up with something new.  Recently, I was told that I had ADHD, (not by a qualified practitioner, however) but it would explain a lot!  For example, here’s a little creative excursion I went on today at what I’ll call “Xylophone Bridge”:

Click the photo to listen and watch the Xylophone Bridge Clip on youtube !

This enlightened view of creativity really touched me:

According to Eckhart Tolle, true creativity originates from a state of inner stillness, presence, and “no-mind,” rather than intense mental effort.

It flows when an individual moves beyond the egoic, thinking mind and taps into a formless, intelligent consciousness—a state where “being” precedes “doing”.

Here it is, in his own words:

“So there are two ways of knowing anything in this world. One is through conceptualization, judgments of the mind, and one is through pure awareness. But the second type, which is the deeper, which is also the dimension where creativity arises, in order to be able to think, to have any creative thoughts, anything new, no matter what it is, anything that’s new, you need to have at least a little bit of access to the deeper level of non-conceptual.

For example, two seconds of no thought. Look, there are people who are creative who don’t even know that this is how it happens. Two seconds of no thought, and out of these two seconds of no thought, this creative new thought arises.

And then, for example, it could be even a simple thing like a stand-up comedian. Some of the things they prepare, but they also interact with the audience sometimes. And then, suddenly something creative… it comes to you, suddenly it comes from, (unless it’s a stupid joke), it comes from some deeper place.

Anything you say, that is, if you write a poem or whatever it is, a new way of putting words together that nobody’s done before, a new way of looking at something, or suddenly all that comes from a moment of connectedness, and then it disappears again. “

Key Aspects of Creativity According to Tolle:

• Stillness and Presence: True creativity arises when the mind is quiet, allowing for fresh ideas that are not merely recycled past thoughts.
• Formless Consciousness: It comes from a, deeper, formless intelligence that transcends the individual ego.
• Enjoyment in Doing: Creativity flourishes when there is deep enjoyment in the process itself, rather than excessive desire for a specific outcome or result.
• Alignment with the Universe: Tolle suggests that when a person is aligned with the present moment, they become a channel for the universe to express itself through them.
• Inner Spaciousness: All creativity emerges from this inner, silent space, often described as a, “no-mind” state.

Essentially, Eckhart teaches that you must become “still” to allow this creative, universal intelligence to operate through you.

That’s basically what “Meditative Music Making” is all about.  Learning the art of stilling the mind to let your musical creativity shine through. I would describe it as a fulfilling and absolutely delightful nourishment for the soul!