# Cultivating a State of Mind Where New Ideas Are Born ![[Attachments/ddcfc242cb6d738cf6344895bba4ac71_MD5.jpg]] ## Metadata - Author: [[Henrik Karlsson]] - Full Title: Cultivating a State of Mind Where New Ideas Are Born - Category: #articles - Date: 2023-07-26 - URL: https://www.henrikkarlsson.xyz/p/good-ideas - Fulltext: [[CLIP - 2023-07-31 - Cultivating a state of mind where new ideas are born]] ## Highlights added 2023-07-26 - Pablo Picasso: “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” James Baldwin: “Perhaps the primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid: the state of being alone.” Bob Dylan: “To be creative you’ve got to be unsociable and tight-assed.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a05yr7m3x4xf5kwcvxgqmj)) - Note: LOL - In practice, however, what they are referring to as solitude is rather something like “a state of mind.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a06ja3gsxwh1qpg3b0mz71)) - to. In particular, I’ve found the notes of the mathematician [Alexander Grothendieck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Grothendieck) and the film director [Ingmar Bergman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingmar_Bergman) revealing ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a06xar007dbe1xrjneg4f1)) - It is as if there existed, for what seems like millennia, tracing back to the very origins of mathematics and of other arts and sciences, a sort of “conspiracy of silence” surrounding [the] “unspeakable labors” which precede the birth of each new idea, both big and small[.] — Alexander Grothendieck, *Récoltes et Semailles* ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a07ca16dq3rv0pcn051cw2)) - These notes, written not for publication but as an aid in the process of discovery, are, in a way, partial windows into minds who inhabit the solitary creative space which the quotes above point to. In particular, I’ve found the notes of the mathematician [Alexander Grothendieck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Grothendieck) and the film director [Ingmar Bergman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingmar_Bergman) revealing. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a1ywdbtqcdts2bm8rb7s3k)) - He is concerned by what he sees as a tacit disdain for the more “feminine side” of mathematics (which is related to what I’m calling the solitary creative state) in favor of the “hammer and chisel” of the finished theorem. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a22f3f1f0zxnw2fcyqawqz)) - Note: poor phrasing but i relate to this. It is also what kept me from [[Mathematics]] and made it such an ordeal, or rather an incomprehensible box that I could not open at university. - By elevating the finished theorems, he feels that mathematics has been *flattened*: people only learn how to do the mechanical work of hammering out proofs, they do not know how to enter the dreamlike states where truly original mathematics arises. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a23mc0q4cx68re7sxw85p6)) - Note: Dreamlike states or maybe play is the name I would use. Transcendental play? Play freed from the shackle of physicality, of the self. - To counteract this, Grothendieck in the 1980s has decided to write in a new way, detailing how the “work is carried day after day [. . .] including all the mistakes and mess-ups, the frequent look-backs as well as the sudden leaps forward”, as well as “the early steps [. . .] while still on the lookout for [. . .] initial ideas and intuitions—the latter of which often prove to be elusive and escaping the meshes of language.” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01h6a2726mjrn615bb9vfxv11j)) - Note: That is pretty cool. I ordered the two books in french, so it'll take a while to get here, and they'll probably get lost in the big pile of unread books by then, as I'll have forgotten why I got them, but at least they'll be on my horizon. --- > [!ai+] AI: > Here is a bullet point summary of the key points made in the article: > > - Grothendieck developed his capacity for creative work during 3 years in isolation as a teenager, where he independently reinvented parts of mathematics already known. This allowed him to develop a sense for his own interests and a capacity to think independently. > > - When you are raised inside a system it can be hard to think beyond it creatively. Solitude gives you a pure form of your own curiosity to become familiar with. > > - Many creative people had periods of intellectual isolation and confusion during childhood where they pursued their own odd interests, sometimes reinventing already known things. This builds capacity to listen to your own mind. > > - Willingness to linger with confusion instead of seeking the safety of the known is key to forming original questions. Talent for answering questions is more common than talent for original questions. > > - The creative state is fragile. Techniques like strict daily routines, delays before releasing work, and defiant self-talk in private notebooks help access and maintain the state of open perception needed. > > - Bergman wrote in a workbook daily as self-hypnosis to slip into the state where ideas flowed freely without self-censorship. The defiant thoughts in the workbook shielded his impressionable mind. > > - Knausgaard argues that reminders like "I must not be intimidated" can't directly access the creative state - you need to morph into a boundless "sub-Bergman" mode of thinking. > > - The key is learning to embody the creative state, not just knowing abstractly that you need solitude and independence. Rituals and private writings help build the right mental representations. Another attempt: > [!ai+] AI: > Here is a bullet point summary of the key points from the article: > > - The article discusses the solitary creative state of mind where new ideas arise. It provides examples from the mathematician Alexander Grothendieck and filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. > > - Grothendieck spent 3 years in his late teens working alone to reinvent mathematics, giving him the capacity to be alone and not rely on others' approval. This allowed him to later do groundbreaking work without being constrained by norms. > > - Bergman kept detailed notebooks to cultivate a defiant personality to protect his ideas. He also developed strict rituals around writing in the notebooks daily to access the creative state of mind. > > - The creative state requires patience with confusion and loosening attention to allow subtle questions to arise. Reinventing existing ideas can build capacity for attention rather than being wasteful. > > - Many creative people have an early period of solitary work where they build familiarity with their inner space. This helps them maintain integrity when they later join a community. > > - Reminding yourself of the need to be creative is not enough. You need rich mental representations of the feeling and practice embodying it through habits and rituals. > > - Introducing delays, avoiding judging the work prematurely, and other techniques help maintain the creative zone where boundlessness prevails. Asking for more links: > > Here are some other authors and works that provide insights into the creative process and cultivating a creative state of mind: > > - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" on achieving flow states > - Steven Johnson - Book "Where Good Ideas Come From" on environments that foster innovation > - David Bayles and Ted Orland - Book "Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" > - Austin Kleon - Books "Steal Like an Artist" and "Show Your Work!" on creativity > - Twyla Tharp - Book "The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life" > - Julia Cameron - Book "The Artist's Way" on the creative process > - Annie Dillard - Book "The Writing Life" on the challenges of writing > - Lewis Hyde - Book "The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World" > - Mason Currey - Book "Daily Rituals: How Artists Work" on the habits of creative people > - Adam Grant - Book "Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World" on creative nonconformists > - Rollo May - Book "The Courage to Create" on creativity and inner strength Now that is some boring stuff. Asking form ore scholarly answers: Here are some more scholarly works that provide an academic perspective on creativity and the creative process: > > - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Book "Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention" > - Howard E. Gruber - Book "Darwin on Man: A Psychological Study of Scientific Creativity" > - Dean Keith Simonton - Books "Origins of Genius: Darwinian Perspectives on Creativity" and "The Science of Genius: The Genetic, Social, and General Psychology of Creativity" > - R. Keith Sawyer - Book "Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation" > - Robert Weisberg - Book "Creativity: Understanding Innovation in Problem Solving, Science, Invention, and the Arts" > - Margaret Boden - Books "The Creative Mind: Myths and Mechanisms" and "Creativity and Art: Three Roads to Surprise" > - Teresa Amabile - Book "Creativity in Context" > - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Handbook chapter "Society, Culture, and Person: A Systems View of Creativity" > - Jerome L. Singer - Book chapter "Daydreaming and Fantasy" on the role of fantasy in creativity > - Colin Martindale - Book "Cognition and Consciousness" on neural models of creativity Now more esoteric: Here are some more esoteric or philosophical works exploring solitude, transcendence, and unconventional aspects of creativity: > > - Henry Thoreau - "Walden" on solitude, simple living, and self-reliance > - Rainer Maria Rilke - "Letters to a Young Poet" on solitude, spirituality, and creativity > - Friedrich Nietzsche - Writings on solitude, the creative act as revelatory > -Martin Heidegger - Writings on poetry, language, unconcealment, and bringing-forth > - Gaston Bachelard - "The Poetics of Space" on poetic reverie, daydreaming > - Erich Neumann - "Art and the Creative Unconscious" on art, myth, and the unconscious > - Jacob Needleman - "The American Soul" on solitude, individualism, creativity in American culture > - Rudolf Steiner - Lectures on esoteric aspects of creativity, imagination, and spirituality > - Julia Cameron - "The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart" on spirituality and creativity > - Natalie Goldberg - "Writing Down the Bones" on zen and the creative process > - Susan Sontag - "The Aesthetics of Silence" on the spiritual value of creative silence > - James Hillman - "The Soul's Code" on creativity as a calling and innate image And psychedelic: Here are some works exploring psychedelics, altered states of consciousness, and their connections to creativity: > > - Aldous Huxley - "The Doors of Perception" and "Heaven and Hell" on mescaline experiences > - Stanislav Grof - "LSD Psychotherapy" and "The Adventure of Self-Discovery" on LSD psychotherapy > - Timothy Leary - "The Psychedelic Experience" on using psychedelics for self-discovery > - Richard Evans Schultes - "Plants of the Gods" on psychoactive plants and shamanic traditions > - Terence McKenna - "Food of the Gods" on psychedelic plants and human consciousness > - Amanda Feilding - Writings and research on psychedelics enhancing creativity and cognitive flexibility > - Rick Doblin - Research on psychedelics facilitating mystical experiences and personal meaning > - James Fadiman - "The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide" on creative problem-solving with microdosing > - Robin Carhart-Harris - Neuroimaging studies on how psychedelics alter brain activity and connectivity > - Mendel Kaelen - Research on how psychedelics impact music appreciation and creativity > - Willis Harman - "Higher Creativity" on psychedelics and problem-solving > - Myron Stolaroff - "Thanatos To Eros" on using psychedelics for personal transformation Asking about parallels between leary and bergman and grothendieck, nothing too interesting here: > It's hard to say for certain how Grothendieck or Bergman would have been directly influenced by Timothy Leary's writings, since there is no evidence they engaged deeply with his work. However, some speculative connections can be made: > > - Leary championed the use of psychedelics like LSD to alter consciousness and tap into creative potential. Grothendieck and Bergman seemed to cultivate altered states through intense isolation and imagination rather than drugs. But Leary's interest in "breaking set" and expanding awareness could have resonated. > - Leary encouraged people to "drop out" from mainstream society and authority. This aligns with Grothendieck and Bergman's belief in rejecting external pressures and following inner truths. Leary saw this as freeing one's mind, which they may have related to. > - Leary was fascinated by Eastern mysticism and spoke of transcending ego. Grothendieck in particular was drawn to spiritual ideas and transcendence through mathematical discovery. There may have been some philosophical parallels. > - Leary was very focused on individual empowerment and transformation. He saw psychedelics as accelerating this process. Similarly, Grothendieck and Bergman were interested in actively cultivating their inner potential through contemplative practices. > - However, Grothendieck and Bergman seemed to value a more solitary and sober approach centered on their craft. Leary's enthusiasm for social utopianism and drug experimentation may have been too counter-cultural for their tastes. > > Overall, Leary's writings contained some themes and aspirations resonant with their aims, but likely differed greatly in lifestyle and methodology. Their paths to creativity were more introverted and anchored in dedicated work. But the desire to explore inner worlds was a shared sentiment.