Creative Visualization

One eye sees, the other feels. Paul Klee

Our minds are miraculous. Our senses ceaselessly gather information about our environment which is instantaneously sifted and sorted through a myriad of interconnected memories. Certain information is critical to our survival – stoplight!; fire; hunger;… Some information is gathered but is not readily of use, and our marvelous minds drop it into subconscious collections for later reference. Additionally, our senses filter out so much. Our eyes see, but also, in a sense, experience the worlds around us. This visualization process begins with the act of seeing (physically or mentally).

Some things attract our attention, draw us in. Some intrinsic quality radiates a hint of awareness, whispers of mystery in our ears, excites our curiosity. We refocus on the object or sensation and temporarily enter into its world. In these curious moments our minds employ more than the standard five senses. Something has reached out beyond the standard sensors and commanded a deeper consideration. We enter a flow state. This triggers of our deeper consciousness lead to moments of inspiration and sometimes glorious epiphanies.

I used to teach writing in China. Creative writing in a foreign language is incredibly difficult. Some lazy students would copy, and be caught (too easy to spot a massive improvement in writing 🙂 Better students would write in Chinese and translate, but this brought in all manner of grammatical mistakes. For example: the word order in Chinese is different, lack of prepositions, no verb tenses. My best students would think and write in English. These marvelous students still bring a smile to my face. I would advise all my students on how to become inspired, wander without thinking, stand and stare quietly out a window and drink it all in. The “A-Ha” moment would come, but it could not be forced. For instance, I find inspiration while wandering the beach randomly following my curiosity along a winding circuitous path.

How many sensors do we have? Some are nested one inside the other within our wondrous minds while others elude our conscious understanding. It is necessary for human survival to regularly cross the border from the material to the mystical. Connect to the Universe in ways beyond the five senses. We must begin to see with new eyes.