Creative flashes

[Korpo]

Lately I get sudden creative flashed when being in certain states that resolve problems I was pondering before.

Today for example someone at work made a big effort to push an engineering proposal that not only was developed ignoring my team, but also puts my team at a big disadvantage. It would create huge efforts throughout the project but push the agenda of a small group of people perfectly. My team has made big investments in time and sound engineering only to be now exposed to such a "submarine proposal" intended to destroy all our hard work.

I was pretty shocked. I had seen the slides the first time when the phone conference started, I was only indirectly invited, and the whole proposal was presented in a way that downplays all issues and the huge effort. Other people from my site where taken aback, too. I was pretty stressed out.

When I boarded my train home (the proposal was presented at the end of my usual work day) I was agitated. After I calmed down a little I popped "Deeper Than A Zen Monk" and tried to focus on my breath. Every once in a while my mind went back to churning the problem, so I had to bring it back to my breath. I was not actively contemplating a solution.

Then, all of a sudden I had a complete, good and comprehensive solution for this new challenge in my head. From one moment to the other. The whole information had rearranged itself, the pieces of the problem had formed a new picture, and it was very favorable. This new proposal would leverage the work my team has done, be doable in way less time, would require much less effort and benefit all if people are willing to consider it honestly. It sports most of the advantages of the other proposal without its disadvantages.

It appeared from one moment to another. It was a creative solution to a problem I was faced with. All it took was quieting my mind (and possibly dropping down to at least theta if not delta state).

On another occurrence I woke in the night, and in this state of not being really awake I came up with a working solution for a small but tricky problem we are having with a piece of furniture. Again, not a process of deliberate planning, but a swift move to a possible and workable solution.

I would call this a creative flash. I'm sure you guys had these, too. So, what were yours?

Oliver

[CFTraveler]

I've done something like this in dreams.
When I worked in electronics, there'd be that weird 'one piece of equipment' that no one could figure out, and what I'd do is ask my subconscious to work on the problem for me, and I'd go to sleep. The next morning, I'd get an 'idea' :idea: and I'd try it, and 98% of the time it'd be the solution.
The other 2% got ditched.
Just in case you wondered.
But it's not the same thing, I know.

[Korpo]

Well, you didn't try to solve it by thinking it through and you get the solution still.

Sounds like it to me. 8)

Oliver

[ButterflyWoman]

I get these. Because I work with graphic design, it usually takes place in that area. I'll be working with something and having trouble making it work, and then, boom, it just all falls into place, sometimes something totally different than I had in mind to begin with.

Also, a few weeks ago it was extremely hot here for several days, and the power kept going out. Our poor old fridge just conked out, couldn't cope. The freezer part is still fine, but the fridge doesn't keep cold the way it ought to now. We haven't got the means just at the moment to get a new fridge (we will in a few weeks), so we needed to figure out something in a hurry. Totally out of the blue I had a sudden thought to put ice in the vegetable keeper at the bottom of the fridge, to lower the overall temperature inside and keep it cool enough that the pump can maintain it. We tried it, and found it works perfectly (somewhat to my surprise). We should be able to keep the fridge going well enough through the use of inexpensive bags of ice until we can arrange for the new fridge (and where/how to get that arrived quite synchronously into my awareness, as well).

[boris]

I get these too, sometimes with 'life problems' but mainly with musical inspiration. There have been times when Ive been just plodding around not feeling very creative and I will suddenly just be drawn to my guitar and knock off a really nice little tune from nowhere, the guitar would almost shine out at me and my fingers would just find really unconventional notes that I would never normally think of using, Id put these occasions down to some kind of channeling or spirit contact, it very much felt like some kind of 'overshadowing' but of a positive and creative nature, I might post a few of these 'channeled chunes' at some point if i can find them.