Meditation’s what you need
About five years ago my wife bought me a Transcendental Meditation course for my birthday. I went down to a little house in Beverly Hills and spent about an hour a day for four days learning the practice.
Since then I’ve meditated for twenty minutes every day. I used to do it twice a day, but now I only do it in the mornings, after I brush my teeth, lying in bed with my cat on my chest.
Lots of very creative people, from the Beatles to Oprah Winfrey, practice TM, and David Lynch has even set up a foundation to promote it in schools and the armed forces (lots of info about that and TM in general can be found here).
Describing how it works and how it makes you feel is kind of tricky, but the TM people put it like this: your mind is like an ocean, and your normal consciousness is like the waves on the top: occasionally choppy and immediately subject to the positivity and negativity of external forces. But then there’s your deep consciousness, like the still infinity of the deep ocean. Things don’t really move around so much in that great vastness, so spending time down there is very calming and refreshing for your mental state. The practice is effortless and the sensation is remarkably pleasant.
If you’re prone to getting angry, stressed or anxious you might want to give TM a go. You might also find that tapping into that subconscious tranquility could help to reveal new layers of your creativity.
It worked for the Beatles and Mr. Lynch (and Paula Abdul). Why not see what it can do for you?
Great stuff Ben. I started about 3 years ago and it has really helped. I can do it anywhere no need for silence or wearing white. Just me n my mantra. If things are tough I’m on 2 a day. If not just once in the morning. I have found it amazingly helpful. It doesn’t always work. But that’s ok. You just have to accept it. For anyone in the creative industry who’s ever felt anxious or insecure. So that’s all of us then. I massively recommend it. Thanks Ben Hx
I’m glad a few people are coming out f the woodwork as meditators!