Room 38a. The Significance of Rituals.

11 thoughts on “Room 38a. The Significance of Rituals.”

• My rituals mainly revolve around various picture blogs (Tumblr and Pinterest) where I both discover and post pictures that inspire me. It can become quite mesmerising, and I frequently have ideas whilst doing this, both related and unrelated to the images at which I’m looking. Very interesting post!

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• My ritual for thinking—normally when I am doing something that does not require intense concentration. The thinking side of the brain shuts down and the day-dreaming side wakes up. With Einstein on this one, in that the bath is a good place; and also my long train journeys for commuting. If I’m stuck on the seat against the window I tend to just gaze blankly and then creative thoughts come as well

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• Thank you for your observations. The ritual of writing those “morning pages” (from the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron) seems to work. It frees those encumbering words that would otherwise bog down the creative play. The process of “doing” creative play comes more easily after I have pried away the words. It also helps me to have “no expectations” beyond “doing” when I enter the studio.

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• It is definitely not a ritual, but, having asthmna, I often wake up coughing and spluttering at 2am. Struggling to get back to sleep, I start thinking about work in progress, and whilst it certainly doesn’t help me get back to sleep, the half asleep, disassociated, drifting, thought, often produces good ideas. If it is nearer 5am than 2am, I might even get up and start painting, drawing or printing. I find thinking in the middle of the night is almost a guilty pleasure, as long as I don’t have to hit the deck, running, for 7am!

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• Do rituals feed creativity? Perhaps we are at our most creative when we leave ritual behind. The child playing with water in the science museum for the first time will be more creative than her next visit; when she will to some extent fall into a habit or pattern of her previous experience. The third visit leaves less room for her to be truly creative, and more opportunity to repeat previous rituals.
  I think of Monet, who spent many of his latter years painting water lilies. Now don’t, get me wrong, the guy had talent, but what about going outside the garden Claude!

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• I think it’s really important to allow that time away from busy schedules and I have two rituals I use. My favourite which I try to do once a week is to go and buy myself a coffee and people watch. It’s very important in the winter that I sit by the window and in the summer outdoors. I just gaze, I watch and then leave it behind. Ideas form later.
  The other one for me is listening to music either at home or at a live venue. I find that music really brings out abstract ideas for me – it’s about emotion and feelings. Only later do I find use for these when they return in a more solid idea.

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• Similar to Mags, I do find that looking at work or engaging in discussion on the forums often stimulates ideas and I get a great deal out of that.
  My other main one is to go out for a walk. It’s important in these walks not to have a definite agenda – sometimes I don’t know where I’m going until my feet are on the doorstep and I have to decide which way to turn, and sometimes I know roughly where I’m heading, but I am always guided by what looks interesting as I walk rather than a formal route. I also walk slowly and try to be open to what’s around me. I think it’s about having time out – a mental space where you are not rushing towards a task. I seem to get into a different way of being as soon as I become aware of how the air feels on my face and start tuning into sounds and sights. It is also about being open and trying to really see what’s around you rather than just glance at things in passing. Yesterday I discovered a really interesting new area near where I live, just by turning down a road I wouldn’t normally have any reason to travel down. The light was very bad for my purpose at that time – really strong sun and harsh shadows – but I’ve made some visual notes and will come back to explore it.

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• Daydreaming happens regularly to me. It can happen at any time – when I’m watching the tv, taking a shower, in a coffee shop… the list is endless. I love those moments when you realise you’ve been daydreaming and look back at where you’ve been. Refreshing, enlightening and good for the soul! Long may they continue

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• Thanks everyone! Yes I can relate to most of those. Writing, people watching and daydreaming all being particular favourites.
  I think we might easily get confused with switching off, helpful rituals and getting stuck in a rut and it’s good to be mindful of which is which.

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• I always value the time I spend walking on my own on the Common with the dogs. I enjoy the sense of feeling freer and out in the open and always have lots of ideas about new projects and how to work round issues with current ones. Another time is that time between sleeping and waking when thoughts come unbidden and slowly become more formed.

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• I had a few hours in Dublin last Friday between flight and train and decided to go and see the Book of Kells. Unfortunately, it was closed for maintenance. As it was before 11, most galleries weren’t yet open. I wasn’t sure what to. I decided just to wander. I’m glad I did. I came across parts of Dublin I had never seen before. I ended up in a photography gallery and because of my mood I decided to go in with a completely open mind. (I’m not normally attracted to photography exhibitions.)I found one of the photographers work very inspiring and spent a long time looking at it. So, although not a ritual, I think wandering around and chancing upon things is a good thing to do- not to have any p[articular plan and to be open to things that i don’t normally go for.

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