Mindfulness and Creativity: Are they connected?

Mindfulness is the quality of attention we bring to the events in our lives. It is the process of bringing our awareness to what we are doing at the time we are doing it. It is purposely being engaged in our actions, feelings, physical sensations, and thoughts. Becoming aware of where our attention is, we can bring it back gently to its original intention, return gently to our original purpose. This increases our choices in a situation, preventing automatic reactions from diverting us from our path. –Ottawa Mindfulness Practice.

Creativity: “what is creativity exactly, besides a continuous series of moments of inspiration? Which begs the questions: what is inspiration and where does it come from?..... wiktionary offers us this definition:To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration. And this: To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.” -Susan Piver

It appears from these definitions that mindfulness and creativity are somehow connected. That perhaps, one begets the other.  Seven creative individuals who practice mindfulness on a day to day basis also seem to say this. Here are some of the ways to begin and sustain a practice of mindfulness and creativity:

1. Meditate
2. Practice awareness of your moment to moment experiences.
3. Remind yourself to cherish the 24 brand new hours before you every morning.
4. Allow nature into your life- Partake in birdbath, garden.
5. Watch and learn from toddlers about staying present and creative in every step.
6. Just write, not with an intention to produce something but just to write.
7. The act of procuring, preparing and imbibing tea can be a spiritual one.
8. Treat failures as steps towards greater focus. Accept what happened and return to your breath
9. Connect with your life- try slice your apple differently, make eye contact with those your interact, make your own bed, paint and so on. Be where you are, fully and completely.
10. Make art a part of your everyday life. Create every day, non judgementally
11. Go for nature walks
12. Create scared spaces for calming down and meditating.
13. Look at things from a different perspective, literally (by doing a headstand if you will) or figuratively by asking yourself how else can this situation be looked at.
14. Create little nudges, reminders that will help you stay mindful and creative
15. If you forget to be mindful or creative, remember and return to mindfulness or creativity.
16. Above all, please practice. 

The Art of Now: Toddler Art!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's what the seven fabulous interviewee's actually said:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LYNETTE GENJU MONTEIRO

When I was in a deep depression, I tried a practice taught by Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.  It is a little gatha or verse recited upon waking up each morning.

Waking up, I smile.
Twenty-four brand new hours are before me.
May I meet each one and everyone with the eyes of compassion.

For the first few months, I just recited them and became discouraged because it didn't seem to be working.Then I realized I actually had to practice what I was reciting.  I had to smile.  It felt really silly and stupid but I made the commitment to do it because I was really so desperate to get better.  The early attempts at smiling were quite awful (I checked in a mirror).  Then over time, I felt this tiny smile begin in my chest as I came to consciousness each morning.  Now, I try to hold that sensation in my heart as I go through the day.  When I meet the difficult and unwanted feelings in a day, I remind myself that there is this space in my heart I can come into just for a moment, just for that moment when things seem beyond my understanding.

Creativity arises from that respect for my capacity.  I also practice writing everyday.  Not journalling or anything with an intent to produce.  Simply writing.  I aim to have a blog post each day.  Although I actually write it all in one afternoon, I revisit each post the day before and consider if I still feel good about what I wrote.  "Good" is in the sense of the question: Have I been true to my understanding of the dharma?  Creativity is a fickle guest.  It needs to be entertained by visible effort or it leaves as quickly as it shows up.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

SUBHORUP DASGUPTA

The greatest lessons in creativity and mindfulness for me have come from yoga and pranayama and the philosophy broadly referred to as Buddhism. I try to treat each moment as a lifetime in itself. I work on keeping away from complaining or comparing as both of these take me away from what is in front of me in the present.

Allowing nature into your life in simple form such as plants and a birdbath not only lets you assume a partnership but also lets you share in their creativity and mindfulness. My greatest creative inspiration are toddlers. They are immersed in the present, and their entire existence is one of creativity and exploration.

Daily life for urban dwellers is so hectic that all of these seemingly foolproof strategies often do not work. Our world attaches undue importance to success as an event. I have learned to treat failures as steps towards greater focus, as part of the process that success really is. I say to myself, so that is what happened, and return to my breath.

My family and I share a joyous and creative relationship with tea. The act of procuring, preparing and imbibing tea can be a deeply spiritual one. I believe that the process of drinking tea is all about the transmission of the life, wisdom and insight of tea. Most fine teas are cultivars derived from tea shrubs that are sometimes hundred years old. Being present to the tea leaf as it brews and listening to what it has to say about life is truly a meditative experience.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LISA WILSON

By not making creativity and mindfulness anything other than my day-to-day life. 

I was once told that how we do one thing is how we do all things, and only recently has that begun to make sense.  If I pretend that creativity is only something I do when in my art studio or that mindfulness is something I can only find on my zafu (meditation cushion), I cheat myself out of the opportunities that are present every moment.  Over and over I forget that, but that only means another opportunity to remember and practice.

In a practical sense, that means I try a different way to slice the apple each day.  I try to look my daughter in the eye each time she talks.  (Try.  Try.)  I engage with techniques in the Wild Elephant project.  I make my bed each morning and brush my teeth and paint and write and voila.  I’m living creatively and mindfully in my day-to-day life. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOU SAHA

I have made art a part of my daily life. Whether I'm writing an article for a magazine, blogging, designing a workshop, or just having fun with my children, I try to make something each day.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

MAIA DUERR

I try to anchor myself every day in the practice of zazen, sitting meditation. That's fundamental for me! Sometimes I miss a day, but when I am consistent in my practice, it creates a kind of alchemy in my life that cultivates awareness and creativity. Without it, I'm lost : )

In addition to that, I take walks whenever I can in the beautiful area surrounding my home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We're up at 7000 feet, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos mountain range, and I feel so blessed to be here. As I walk, I take in the changing light on the mountains and the incredibly expansive blue sky, as well as all the creatures who live here (rabbits, coyotes, lizards, birds of all kinds). This really helps to nourish my creativity as well.

I think the kinds of spaces that we create and designate for various activities is important too -- when I meditate, I'll go next door to Upaya Zen Center (how handy!) and sit in the temple there, or at home I have made a special corner of my home the 'meditation space.' And when I write or do other creative work, I've got a small studio to work in (with a view of the mountains) or else I'll head to a local coffee shop if I need a little more buzz and stimulus from people walking by.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KATE WILSON

To stay connected to creativity and mindfullness is a life long practice. I forget and then remeber, over and over again. I create little nudges like - 'see a feather and remember hope' or 'notice when the numbers 11.11 appear and focus on love'. Everyday life is an ebbing and flowing of remembering and forgetting and then remembering again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LIZA LAIRD

To stay creative and mindful in my day to day life I always try looking at things from a different perspective. This may mean I do a headstand to change my view or I contemplate other ways to look at things. In the morning I spend anywhere from 5 to 60 min writing to clear my mind and explore the day with and open and compassionate heart. I also take time to be present with my cat, Ike and dog, Cosmo. Their joy and curiosity always inspire me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The key to beginning and sustaining a life of mindfulness and creativity is practice. So what ways of mindfulness and creativity do you commit to practice from today?

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter