How mindfulness can help in becoming more creative

1. Creativity
Does the practice of Mindfulness help ?

2. Creativity
• If we knew what it was we were doing,
it would not be called research, would
it ?
• Any one who has not made a mistake,
has never tried anything new.
• Creativity is seeing what everyone
else has seen and thinking what no
one else has thought

3. Creativity
• Your Subtopic Goes Here

4. Creative Process
• Preparation
– Define and distill the problem
• Incubation
– Internalize into sub-conscious mind
• Insight
– Sudden flash of creativity, …dreams
• Verification
– Validating the insight

5. Factors that promote/hinder
Creativity

6. Factors that promote Creativity
• Domain knowledge
– Learn the rules before you set to break them
• Widen knowledge base – cross domain
knowledge
– Synthesize ideas from more than one domain
• Observe : creativity in nature
– Metaphors and similes

7. Factors that promote Creativity
• Patience , endurance
• No fear of failure
– willingness to take risks
• Less intellectual rigidity
– appreciation of changeful nature of perception
• Less bothered about self-image
– willingness to discuss ‘stupid’ ideas

8. Factors that promote Creativity
• Beginners Mind : child like curiosity
• Non-striving : let go and relax!
• Equanimity
• Compassion

9. Factors that hinder Creativity
• Cognitive Rigidity
• Anxiety , emotional imbalance
• Self-consciousness
• Mental Chatter

10. Meditation and Creativity

11. Mindfulness
Emotions
Thoughts Mindfulness
Body : postures,
Activities,
movements,
sensations
Moment
by moment
Non-
judgmental
Open
curiosity
Feelings
Perceptions
Non-
reactive
Being
Consciously
aware of

12. Studies on Meditation and Creativity
• Meditation helps creativity in following
ways
– Increased concentration , less digressive
thoughts
– Observing things as they are
– Increased self-confidence; reduced fear
and anxiety

13. Studies on Meditation and Creativity
• Meditation helps creativity in following
ways
– Reduced self-consciousness
– Helps learn the art of letting go
– Creates conditions for insight
– Increased compassion

14. Studies on Meditation and Creativity
• Brain activity during divergent thinking tasks is very
similar to activity during mental relaxation
• Most of us use only the left hemisphere of brain
associated with analytical, rational and logical
processing, while the right hemisphere associated
with abstract thought, non verbal awareness, visual
& spatial perception etc. is rarely used.
• Practicing mindfulness help us shift towards right
brain mode so that the capability of the whole brain
is utilized.

15. Latest research in
Meditation & Creativity
• Colzato et.al. Leiden Univ., Netherlands,
Frontiers of Psychology, 2012
• Studied the impact of FA and OM meditation on
divergent thinking & Creativity
• FA : No effect [focussed attention]
• OM : Increases creativity [open monitoring]