Movement Stimulates Ideas

Issue #54

What is the connection between movement and creative energy? When I am sitting at my desk writing, I often feel the urge to stand up and walk around. Sometimes, I am able to control this urge, while on occasion, my subconscious takes over, and I suddenly find myself walking around. I also find that some of my most creative thoughts come when I walk or jog late at night or early in the morning.

I taught a three-day workshop for thirty years where students sang and danced multiple times. Now, the dance was not so much dancing as physical movement. The impact on the students was incredible. During the workshop, people bonded and connected. The usual barriers between strangers fell away, and people willingly shared stories from their lives.

Several years ago, I attended a workshop that combined movement, journey, and creativity. We were encouraged to move about an open room with no chairs and find our place in that room — our home. Then we were asked to see some destination — someplace we wanted to visit. We were to create a path around the room from our home to our destination. We were to move along that path multiple times until it became familiar. We were creating our life story through movement. We also expressed our feelings through writing while on this journey. I found the workshop creatively stimulating.

Movement is an essential aspect of creativity. There is a connection between the physical movement and the creative side of the brain. The next time you feel the urge to stand up and move about, do so. You will be surprised at how movement stimulates your creative thoughts.

Plant seeds of hope in the hearts of others!