| Second Chapter; Incubation Stage |
VALUING INTUITION AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE RISK IN INCUBATION STAGE
It is by logic that we prove. It is by intuition that we discover," Henri Poincare
While with an eye made quiet by the power
of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.
In these lines from Tintern Abbey, Wordsworth's quiet eye reflects another quality that links intuition and mindfulness. They are both relatively effortless. Both are reached by escaping the heavy, single-minded striving of most ordinary life.
Bach also spoke of the effortless Flow of musical ideas. Asked how he found his melodies, he said, "The problem is not finding them, it's—when getting up in the morning and getting out of bed—not stepping on them."
In an intuitive or mindful state, new information, like new melodies, is allowed into awareness. This new information can be full of surprise and does not always "make sense. If we resist, and evaluate it on rational grounds, we can silence a vital message. (source: Mindfulness by Dr. Ellen Langer)
The reliability of our decisions rests ultimately upon our ability to "feel" the situation, upon the degree to which the "peripheral vision" has been developed. The exercise below is an example where the "peripheral vision" sees all the pieces. Later the intuitive mind will put all the pieces together.
Follow the instructions on top of the picture. Start with 5 seconds of concentration on the dots and see if you can intuitively see. If not, increase the concentration on the dots to 10 seconds. The less you need to concentrate on the dots is an indication that your peripheral vision or your intuition is stronger.
|
|---|
At the moment you have been concentrating on the four dots, your peripheral vision has already put the picture together and once you close your eyes, it will input the right picture to your mind.
In incubation stage one must have the capacity for making intuitive decisions to reach motivation. Intuition means relinquishing control of the thinking mind and trusting the vision of the unconscious. Intution has the ring of truth, because it is grounded in the ability of the unconscious to organize information into unanticipated new ideas.
Continue Second Chapter Section 4