When someone asked Thomas Edison where he got all of his ideas from he replied something like “They are all around us in the ether of the air and all we have to do is capture them.”
Personally, I just might be my happiest when my subconscious mind is running full speed cranking out new ideas that I might capture. Often artists and authors and such talk about their “muse“ almost as if their muse is a personal friend, a sort of idea factory waiting at their beckon call. Sometimes I feel that my personal muse has already given me enough great ideas to last anybody’s lifetime and when I reach in that part of my brain where my imagination has a workshop I come back with an empty hand.
I was having one of those dry mornings and I decided that I needed a change in my environment. I took our car into the Tire Shop and sat down in the lobby next to a young man who’s fingers were flying over his computer’s keyboard, hoping that some of his youth and energy and creativity might rub off on me. People were all around that big room where I sat and a television had a game show staring back at me straight ahead. Just the same I focused in on that yellow pad and my pen and soon the words started falling down onto my pad so fast and beautifully that I felt wonderful all over.
My muse was happy. I was happy. I hope what I captured here will make you happy too.
Next time your mind gets in a rut take a yellow pad and a pen and sit down in a room full of busy people.
Remember years ago a songwriter saying that Bob Dylan is clearly at the headwaters of the stream that inspires songwriters and gets all the best stuff first. All the other songwriters get what is left downstream from him.
It is interesting that most of the significant inventions seem to always come from dreams and often more then one person has the dream, too. So many discoveries have come into existence almost at exactly the same time or within weeks of each other (sometimes on different continents) like the radio and flight.
To get in touch with my muse I like to lean against a tree or simply walk in nature as far away from cell towers, utility poles and things of that nature (Inverse Square Law in physics) to get inspiration. Walking barefoot on the ground or meditation works, too.
Love the Thomas Edison quote. Have never heard it before!