Experiences
Creative Walking and Driving
Often when I take a walk, my mind goes into creative overdrive. In fact, it is very difficult, if not impossible to control. Popular blogger and author Steve Pavlina has an article called Go for a Presence Walk
on his website. Steve’s article deals mainly with the concept of trying to keep this rush of brain activity under control and practice living in the moment while walking. There are others who have pondered the possible reasons for this phenomenon including this article at WomenFolk.com.
I notice a similar phenomenon while driving and I have heard that many bikers have a similar experience while on the road. While performing live music, I have had very intense experiences especially while singing and playing simultaneously. Could this be a hypnotic experience caused by the cadence of movement and sound and augmented by the visual impact of the passing landscape or lights? Is it possible that breathing plays a role?
We have all most likely had the experience of driving home without incident and with little memory of the details of the drive. It would seem that the human body is well adapted to deal with the task of monitoring the environment while we go on these mental or actual walk abouts. Similar mechanisms exist for keeping us safe while we sleep and dream. The existence of sleepwalking demonstrates that these systems are not completely reliable. Before getting behind the wheel, I have begun to consider my state of mind.
Share Your Experiences with Creative Walk or Driving
I would like to invite comments and discussion based on the personal experience of the reader. Please feel free to provide input on the following items and whatever else you would like to add.
- What experiences have you encountered while walking or driving?
- What other activities have caused a similar phenomenon for you?
- Have you had any safety problems?
- Do you consider this a gift or a curse?
- How do you preserve your creative thoughts at such an inconvenient time?
- Can you share any scientific research or other writing on the topic?