“Where is the life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?” — T. S. Elliot, Writer
The danger of overthinking… thinking all the time, thinking too much. It’s the great dilemma of our times. It used to be that the lack of access to information (i.e. data) was the reason for a lack of opportunity or the capacity to move forward. Today, information is everywhere, inexpensive and instantly available. What has been the most troubling obstacle rather is our inability to sort, select and use the information in a way that is beneficial.
As artists, we can’t be overthinking. We need preparation and vision but overusing our minds has us thinking safe and makes us tentative. Being an artist is never safe. Art cannot be safe. Art is proactive; we feel it in our gut and we must move forward.
“Intuition comes from being present, not the conditioning of the mind.” — Eckhart Tolle, Spiritual Teacher
I think that there’s always a tendency to believe that the answers are “out there” when in fact, the solutions lie within. This is evermore the case with creation. We must free ourselves from our conditioning — and that may mean our education, the propaganda of our governments and corporations, and even possibly our own family upbringing. We must have faith in our true individual uniqueness and in our passion. This comes from someplace else, someplace indescribable. It is there where we draw our strength and bring forth our creativity because art lies in the dream, in play and imagination. When we think, we’re judging and criticizing, and that discrimination is always based on material that has come from outside.
“Knowledge is the outcome of past registrations (for) the unknown cannot be perceived by the known.” — J. Krishnamurti, Philosopher
Thinking, no matter how clever or rational, is always imperfect and always flawed because we must never forget that reality is a concept; none of us really see the world for what it actually is. After all, all experience is relative to our unique perception. If we don’t acknowledge this, we’ll live imprisoned in our own little lies, in stories full of noise and activity that culminates in nothing but an endless succession of meaningless moments, or, in what the philosopher Alfred N. Whitehead calls “the fallacy of misplaced concreteness.”
“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” — Bob Marley, lyrics from Redemption Song
If we fall silent — disregard thought, disregard words — we can raise our level of awareness. Then we look and can see, listen and be able to hear. To do meaningful work, this is a requirement. It is, of course, not an easy thing to do. Hence, we must find our spaces, havens where we can find not solace but redemption. Genuine rest and refrain from busyness and distraction brings forth both clarity and innovation. We must have faith that we have gathered enough information and, that after having given ourselves the time to sort and absorb what is good, we can trust that our natural action, unobstructed by the mind, will also do good. Great art is made this way.
If you don’t fashion an environment where creators and originators can get things going, you wont’ have any new ideas.” — Nathan Myhrvold, Inventor
Think less, do more. It’s something I have to tell myself periodically. It’s good to be detached from our expectations, fears or desires. Know that the mind — the ego — will always find an excuse to stall and prevent you from doing what’s most important — your art.
“For a while as a painter I feel I have in my possession the means of moving others in the direction in which I myself am driven. I doubt whether I can give the same sure lead by the use of words alone. — Paul Klee, Artist