Inspiration, revelation, and creativity.

[deacon blues]

What does the unconscious have to do with creativity? I've been recently working on two creative projects that were both inspired by dreams. At least one of those dreams may have been triggered by a movie I watched the night before. Am I receiving revelation? Shades of Russell Nelson! Is my unconscious prompting my creative thoughts? As a (mediocre, to be sure) jazz musician, I am placed in situations where I create music spontaneously. Notable jazzers of the past and present have recorded evidence of making spontaneous sublime music, far beyond my capability to produce. But I can appreciate it. How about discussing what this could mean. I'm off on my morning walk.

[Palerider]

I would never say that some creativity isn't spiritually inspired from time to time. But my general experience has been that the more educated a person is in a given field the more prepared they are (if they have an open mind) to "see" things in a different way. Too much dogmatism, whether in the arts or whatever field can smother inovation and experimentation.

I remember trying to learn a piece on the guitar from a friend one time. I had him take me through it slowly and methodically. I didn't see him for six months or so and then we ran into each other and he wanted to hear how I'd done with that piece. I had practiced it a lot and when I played it for him he said, "How did you learn to play that that way, kind of amazed. I said "I just followed what you showed me." He said, I never showed you that!

Apparently in all my practicing I had incorporated fingering and movements that he was unfamiliar with that were really nice. It was news to me. I thought I was just copying his instructions.

I think humans are beyond creative brains shaped by evolution. I think there's something more built into us. But I don't know how one would go about scientifically proving that.

[deacon blues]

Interesting story. We are each unique.
I have heard stories of artists from writers (Victor Hugo) to composers (George Handel)say things like “I don’t know where it- the inspiration for the piece- came from. But it seemed to come from outside of the conscious mind.” When Russell Nelson or Boyd Ricks (oops, I mean deacon) have new ideas it SEEMS to come like lighting out of a blue sky. But it really comes from our individual subconscious, or what some might interpret as God.
This is the kind of thinking I do that never went over well in Gospel Doctrine classes.

[deacon blues]

Interesting story. We are each unique.
I have heard stories of artists from writers (Victor Hugo) to composers (George Handel)say things like “I don’t know where it- the idea or inspiration for the piece- came from; But it seemed to come from outside of the conscious mind.” When Russell Nelson or Boyd Ricks (oops, I mean Deacon ) have new ideas it SEEMS to come like lighting out of a blue sky. But it really comes from our individual subconscious, or what some might interpret as God. At least Pres. Nelson, or somebody like Billy Graham might interpret it as coming from God.

This is the kind of thinking I do that never went over well in Gospel Doctrine classes.