Where do Ideas Come From?

I just responded as follows to the question, on a forum for writers and editors on Linked In, Where do Ideas Come From?:

Somebody once said to me (this was in terms of painting) that a successful passage of painting was just ‘accidental’, i.e. a lucky stroke of the brush. That struck me as wrong, but I couldn’t figure out why. Then it came to me. It’s not the accident itself, but what you DO with the accident. That takes perception and skill. it takes being open to ‘accidents’, which one artist will identify with his/her spirituality and another to his/her psychology. Or both. Or some other source. It takes learning the skills and finding the tools needed to translate the metaphor embedded in the ‘accident’ into a work of art.

Oh and I gave up long ago believing in ‘accidents’.

I’d also suggest, if you want to point a finger towards a concrete place for the source of ideas, that you read Deepak Chopra‘s Quantum Healing. Phenomenal book that is also a map, which is an added reason for why it speaks to me so profoundly (of course!). I’ll be doing a review when I’ve finished reading it. Though it is so famous it hardly needs one.

What is the source of your creative inspiration?

Ann

When Does Science Become Pseudoscience? (bigthink.com)
Finding Story Anew (kmhubersblog.com)
Deepak Chopra Releases New Book ‘Super Brain’ This Week, Revealing the Secrets to Unleashing the Power of the Mind to Achieve Greater Happiness Fulfillment (prweb.com)
Deepak Chopra Quote (lovelyseasonscomeandgo.wordpress.com)
This column will change your life: pseudoscience (guardian.co.uk)
You Can Self-Help By Justine Parkin (benrolnik.wordpress.com)
Integrative Medicine Pioneers Drs. Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil to Teach the Keys to Mind-Body Health this March 2013 at the Chopra Center’s Journey into Healing Event (prweb.com)
Fulfilling Your Dreams with the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, M.D. (namastehealingcenter.wordpress.com)
Can’t Stop Painting (littlestfinch.com)
No Accident is Accidental (awakenedlifenow.com)

2 Responses to Where do Ideas Come From?

Matthew L. Campbell says:

December 16, 2012 at 15:47

Psychology, philosophy, mythology, and nature are what inspire me most. But inspiration can be like a hunger pang – anything can trigger it when you haven’t allowed yourself time to eat.

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- annisik51 says:
  
  December 17, 2012 at 11:50
  
  Thanks for responding. Perceptive. Most interesting that you equate inspiration with hunger. I suppose the constant hunger to create that drives artists is an open door on inspiration.
  
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