Are You Giving Creative Ideas the Space to Arise?

Have you heard the story of a university professor who travelled to China to interview Nan-In, a Zen master?

The professor came on the pretext of wanting to learn about enlightenment and better understand the Zen Buddhist path, but Nan-In rightly intuited that the professor was cynical and had come to expose rather than discover.

The master welcomed the professor into his drawing room. As they exchanged small talk, the master began pouring tea into one of the cups and continued without taking his eyes off his guest.

The tea flowed.

And flowed.

It flowed until the cup could hold no more; then it overflowed, forming a pool on the table. Eventually, the tea began dripping onto the floor.

The professor could no longer contain himself. "Stop," he blurted out. "The tea is getting everywhere."

Nan-In paused, and then explained, "Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

Listening Is Learning

Teachers often tell students that listening is learning. Another favourite is that we have two ears and one mouth, so we should spend twice as much time listening as we do speaking.

Many writers operate in two modes — idea acquisition and idea sharing. Acquisition takes many forms. Writers are often stereotyped as voracious readers, but we come in many shapes and sizes.

Some are inspired by the world around them and love nothing more than people-watching. In today's digital age, it is not unusual for highly intelligent people to skip reading altogether, preferring to learn from YouTube videos and self-appointed experts on social media platforms.

Idea Generation Vs Naturally Occurring Concepts

There are many ways to generate ideas. We can go deep into a topic and consider the key discussions. Asking "what if" questions can also be a fruitful way to provoke innovative thinking. Proposing a debate idea can also lead to rich exploration of the subject.

These methods are all contrived in some way. They depend on intention. The writer is striving to find ideas.

The art of meditation, "non- doing", of being still, present, and watchful, allows ideas to develop naturally without any push from our conscious mind. These brains of ours rarely stop whirring, which is why many people avoid sitting silently with the noise in their heads —turning to music, videos, interaction… anything to mask reality.

Which, of course, leads to the issue at hand: having to devise ways to think up ideas. It is like playing heavy metal at full volume in the middle of the forest and being disappointed at not being able to hear the birdsong.

Being Present

When I meditate in the forest, no matter how much I try to let go, to not encourage or indulge in thinking, I notice things. It is as though we are programmed to sense patterns, and nature is rich with life lessons. The trees are like guardians of the land, supporting entire ecosystems, feeding and feeding from the soil, silently witnessing history unfold for decades, sometimes centuries.

Forests are alive with the sounds of life's greatest symphony — birdsong, leaves rustling in the wind, and insects buzzing. Metaphors shout at me. Similes present. I sense analogies from all directions. Arguably, many concepts borne from meditation are spiritual in nature, especially in sacred spaces such as the forest.

For anyone searching for the meaning of life, nature tells it as it is, with no fluff, as captured by this poem that explores the brutal reality of survival.

Mindful Living

But is there a way to apply the same principle to how we live, so we can be more aware, more mindful, and notice more, including the thoughts that arise by themselves?

Yes, there is. After forty years of loosely identifying as a Zen Buddhist, I have started to take the practice more seriously. One aspect of this is to make the most of the present moment.

If I am driving, I try to focus fully on the task. That is not to say I have been driving mindlessly for decades. It means I have removed all distractions — no background music or radio chitchat. Is this something you do already? If not, are you willing to give it a go?

Initially, it might feel a little strange, but if you stick with it, you realise just how noisy even the quietest car interiors are. You hear all the things that are usually drowned out by the radio — your hands on the wheel, your feet on the pedals, the engine, the air con. The experience becomes much richer. Your perception becomes clearer and sharper.

Don't stop with driving. Try making your home quieter for the day and notice the world of sound, inside your mind and around your home, that you have been missing. Every action comes alive. Even mundane things become interesting.

Avoid Distraction and Collect Your Winnings

You are surrounded by prompts for stories, thoughts, and reflections. Unless you live in a vacuum — and even that is a provocative idea — you cannot avoid them.

You don't need to look for inspiration. You don't need to reach for ideas. They are under your nose.

Stop.

Receive.

Discover.

Did you find this article interesting? Consider reposting this story so more people can read it.

If you'd like my professional help as an editor on your fiction or non-fiction project, I charge slightly less than an arm and a leg. Drop me a line — martin@martinmorrison.me