In September 2021, I penned a post for this column entitled “How to Jump-Start Your Creativity Using Mindfulness.” The piece centered on the creative implications of mindfulness as a stimulant for both imagination and inventiveness. Since that post was published, I have discovered new research and several commanding practices that underscore the importance of mindfulness as a “spark plug” for our creative endeavors. Let’s take a look.
What the Research Says
A 2024 empirical study of 894 secondary school students examined how dispositional mindfulness (one’s natural tendency to be mindful) was related to several creativity measures, such as divergent thinking, creative combination, and creative problem-solving. The researchers noted that mindfulness was positively associated with creative functioning and that it enhanced creativity by boosting internal psychological resources such as resilience and optimism.
Another study released in 2024 sought to determine the relationship between mindfulness and scientific research creativity in graduate students. Results demonstrated that mindfulness directly predicted higher levels of research creativity. Additionally, the researchers showed that mindfulness is also a predictor of creativity, with flow experience and creative self-efficacy serving as mediators in that process. Also discussed were the implications of mindfulness as a relevant element of applied educational and professional endeavors.
An additional study (2021) sought to examine the interplay between mindfulness, mind-wandering, and creative thinking abilities in a select group of undergraduate students. The researchers focused on how mindfulness might mediate the influence of different types of mind-wandering on creativity. Their findings demonstrated that mindfulness mediated the relationship between deliberate mind wandering and several creative abilities, such as flexibility and fluency.
Research Into Practice
Mindfulness involves focusing the mind on the present moment—the physical sensations one notices, as well as any mental thoughts. It’s a process of observing what’s occurring right now without needing to interpret it intellectually. So, too, is it a return to the here and now; an escape from what could be or should be. It’s also a check on reality—an active process of collection and consideration. Author Padraig O’Morain, a practicing psychotherapist, puts it this way, “Mindfulness is the practice of returning your attention again and again to what is going on… rather than spending time and energy on a struggle with reality. Mindfulness does not change reality directly, but it does change your relationship with it. And in doing that, it changes everything.”
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some mindfulness practices designed to enhance your creative spirit and rekindle the vibrant imagination you experienced as a child.
- Focus your complete attention on a common object (e.g., coffee mug, flower, prescription bottle, house key, lamp, shoelace). Spend 2-4 minutes observing it silently and carefully noticing its size, shape, color, weight, shadows, texture, etc. Do not assign any labels or make any judgments. Just observe quietly, looking for subtle (and sometimes hidden) details. Afterward, write down 5-10 unusual uses for the object (e.g., coffee mug: Jello mold, hat for a garden elf, rain gauge, substitute for brass knuckles, domicile for a mouse, all-purpose nutcracker, or a scoop for garden soil).
- Sit in your favorite chair. Close your eyes and focus directly on your breath for 4-5 minutes. Count silently to seven as you breathe in and then count silently to 11 as you breathe out. Keep repeating this sequence. As your mind settles, ponder a creative question (e.g., “How will I lay out the vegetables in my garden this year?” or “How will the murder happen in the novel I’m writing?”). Don’t force the question; let it arise naturally. By the same token, don’t evaluate your responses as good or bad. Just let them happen. When practiced regularly, this activity will stimulate your associative thinking and accelerate your creative spirit.
- Purchase a bag of blue marbles (from a toy store or online). Place each of several marbles in various locations. For example, place one in a desk drawer, one on your vanity, another beside your computer, another in the glove compartment of your car, or perhaps one in your purse. Make them easily accessible and easy to locate. Carve out a few minutes in your day and hold one of the of the marbles in your hand. Focus on its color. Breathe slowly, in and out. Don’t force your breathing; let it come naturally. Carefully observe your breath rising and falling. Notice how that concentration shifts your attention toward a more peaceful mindset. Note: The color blue is often associated with words such as “wisdom,” “hope,” “reason,” and “peace,” as well as psychological well-being—all elements of a creative mind.
- While on a walk through a neighborhood park, a stroll along a sprawling beach, or a loping run along country roads, take a moment to pause. Look around and find a geographical feature that incites a level of awe. It may be a congregation of rocks or an array of seashells, a small gully, or simply a unique bend in the road. Stand still and take in the beauty, wonder, and simple awesomeness of that feature. Consider what makes it outstanding. Close your eyes for a moment and see the feature with your mind, rather than your eyes. Listen carefully for the quiet; the pervading silence. Give yourself time to be still; time to contemplate fully the wonder of what you see. After a few moments, open your eyes and consider this place. How was it awesome? How will you remember it? Know that mindfulness activities in nature have been shown to increase insight and idea fluency, particularly when practiced regularly.
When mindfulness becomes a regular practice, it has the potential to stimulate imaginative impulses and dynamic ideas—no matter the intellectual challenge. Mindfulness calms our mind, allowing time and space for new possibilities and creative discoveries.
