Enhancing creativity with drugs, how to replace it?

[CoolStuff]

I'm mostly referring to weed, alcohol doesnt work as well.

I've noticed this summer, after I have grown as a person, I have definitely been a lot more creative overall. I have immersed myself in creativity this summer pretty much, even starting a little before summer. I started using my right side of the brain more (at least I think so). I even look at things completely different, like I'll see something in real life, it could be anything, and it'll completely in right brain thinking, all abstract. Like today I saw the side of the streetcar, and just suddenly I was looking at it completely abstractly (right side of the brain). I just saw it as colored rectangles in perspective going towards a vanishing point (I didn't think of it in all those art words though, I just saw it). Normally this is the stuff that happens on drugs. So I know that it's possible to get this creative energy without drugs.

I have Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill which talks about different ways to get energy. It helps, but weed really seems to enhance creativity. But this one example alone from today proves to me that I can do it without weed. So how do you do it?

[cylon]

Try exercise? The reason drugs and alchohol seem to "work" is because they lower your inhibitions (usually, pot can make you paranoid though) and so you aren't really judging what it is you're creating, which when you're caught up in ego, is exactly what happens. They aren't adding to anything, they are just assisting in removing that extra barrier that is blocking off what you already have.

Having a clear mind, and just focusing on what you're creating in the moment, I think is the solution.

[opinestle]

Originally Posted by CoolStuff

I'm mostly referring to weed, alcohol doesnt work as well.

I've noticed this summer, after I have grown as a person, I have definitely been a lot more creative overall. I have immersed myself in creativity this summer pretty much, even starting a little before summer. I started using my right side of the brain more (at least I think so). I even look at things completely different, like I'll see something in real life, it could be anything, and it'll completely in right brain thinking, all abstract. Like today I saw the side of the streetcar, and just suddenly I was looking at it completely abstractly (right side of the brain). I just saw it as colored rectangles in perspective going towards a vanishing point (I didn't think of it in all those art words though, I just saw it). Normally this is the stuff that happens on drugs. So I know that it's possible to get this creative energy without drugs.

I have Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill which talks about different ways to get energy. It helps, but weed really seems to enhance creativity. But this one example alone from today proves to me that I can do it without weed. So how do you do it?

Didn't you just say how you did it?"Just suddenly I was looking at it completly abstractly"

IMO,there really isn't a formula,or set of instructions to go by to be a right brained thinker.


So,I am going to get all abstract on you.....

look at the big picture.

read between the lines.

the universe is speaking to you.


As for pokin' the smot......

That is a personal choice


but you don't need it for right brain thinking


opinestle

[MadHyeNa]

Think outside of the box. Drugs are temporary, have side-effects and aren't cheap at all.

There are various ways to enhance your inner creativity.

First and foremost, you need to realize that you are the most creative when you are in low alpha/high theta brainwaves. You will be struggling to get creativity if your analytical mind dominates therein in a high beta state.

Calm down. Be an optimist. Eliminate negativity. Take time each day to relax and meditate. Overcome and conquer your possible fears, anxieties, stress and so forth. Make time for yourself. Relax and reflect. Watch the birds singing, the clouds on the sky, the way the music flows, or actually "listen" to the silence out there. Yes, you can do that!

You must maintain a happy and laid-back attitude. You need to realize that regardless of how "silly," "abstract," and "weird" ideas will you generated, they may be valuable or not, it is your responsibility to decide that and due to this, you need not to rely on others' opinions.

Stimulate yourself and be grateful for the ideas that you will come up with. Give yourself space. Play with your imagination. How would a flying furnite look like, eh? Now what about a wild lion powered by NO2? Or a cheetah eating an ice-cream. Hamsters playing gambling, three year old boys dressed in Navy SEALs outfit, anything. There no such thing as "pervert" or "silly" imagination. Period.

Creative ideas will pop into your mind in a fraction of second, just like that! You absolutely cannot rely on "remembering them later on." You need to record them right away. Use a notebook, cards, sheets of papers, or like I tend to do, I've got a "bla.txt" on my desktop and I always write a new entry in it if the chance arises. Then there's your cell phone, write memo's, SMS yourself, or PDA, anything. Track your ideas because later on as soon as you proceed developing or working on them, they will lead into a train/sequence of thoughts!

Endeavor into cognitive techniques like brainstorming, freenoting, borrowed genius, image streaming, mind mapping, etc. Read materials from Csikszentmihalyi, M.; Win Wenger; and Tony Buzan. Especially "The Einstein Factor" by Win Wenger, "Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery" and "Happiness and Creativity", these two by Csikszentmihalyi. Also, Google his name.

Play the numbers game. Studies have shown that the most famous eureka "a-ha!" moments happen while showering, working out in the gym, driving a car, riding a bus/any other public transporation vehicle, but also while walking in the nature, jogging and so forth. Do these more often. Increase your odds, will you?

Ultimately, play with brainwave entertainment. Consciously lower your brainwaves down to high theta/low alpha states. This is when sudden creative ideas might blink just like that. However, this state per se does not equals with an overzealous number of ideas, it certainly can be helpful. You may use binaural beats to achieve this, or use the traditional meditation techniques.

As an addition, it is crucial to develop your vision of future. Set goals, split them into sub-goals, set deadlines, create a strategy that backs up your plans, and take charge of your life. Find your passions and motivate yourself on a 24/7 basis. Play again with your imagination. Live in "that" world for a half of hour or so. Get creative. See your goals already accomplished. Go through multiple days as you would be living that kind of lifestyle right there...

Do puzzles and other mind-tickling little exercises. These help to increase your pattern recognition, and depending on the exercise, some may boost your spatial-temporal reasoning (wiki: link.)

Get clear on your purposes. WHY do you want to be creative? Answer this question to yourself clearly. Then and only then can you consciously spark and access the dormant parts of your mind.

[skinnyninja]

Motivate yourself to create something, anything at all, without a big expectation on the outcome. Tell yourself it is just a brainstorming session. Just get the mind flowing, start drawing or painting or singing or whatever it is you are trying to do. Get active. Move your feet and your brain will follow. Start with basic forms and start playing with them....creativity will follow.

The key is to get active. Don't sit and wait for a million dollar idea....start DOING something, and let the creative things bubble to the surface. Creativity is a process....it doesn't matter much were you start, but get moving. Get motivated. Go make something.

Drugs just get in the way....and you'll look back when you're sober and realize it wasn't that creative at all.

[CoolStuff]

opinestle, thanks!

MadHyena, interesting. I have started carrying a notebook because it lets me remember goals and other things.

skinnyninja, LOL yes very true. Yeah I have noticed that just doing is a good start.

Originally Posted by cylon

Try exercise? The reason drugs and alchohol seem to "work" is because they lower your inhibitions (usually, pot can make you paranoid though) and so you aren't really judging what it is you're creating, which when you're caught up in ego, is exactly what happens. They aren't adding to anything, they are just assisting in removing that extra barrier that is blocking off what you already have.

Having a clear mind, and just focusing on what you're creating in the moment, I think is the solution.

Yeah I want to reach complete ego death and other similar states, like Osho.

Yeah exercise helped me, I walk at least 30 minutes, at least 5 days a week.

[nightdiamond]

I have a suggestion too, just a small one; practice combining 2 different concepts together even if they sound strange.

In the beginning, whoever thought putting a radio, airconditioner, heater in a car would make sense?

An inventor who invented the sewing machine by combining a hole and a needle at the tip to create the sewing needle.

Wheels attached to a shoe = rollerskate.

With art it would probably twice as easy....

Tell us what you think, take care....

[CoolStuff]

^ Hmm honestly I haven't tried that much, I think finding the two things to combine is hard enough. I think it's because it forces me to think too much about the final outcome of combining them.

I just want to be able to get in a creative mood. Music helps. It helps me create music too, but it's not as effective as I wish it would be.

[ticktockclok]

Self-hypnosis! I've been using scripts in a book I bought to hypnotize myself, and they've been great! I know there's one to enhance and promote creativity too.

Here it is on Amazon.