creativity

An important function of the Alpha State is to foster the initiative to think beyond the boundaries of what is. The purpose is to promote the kind of thinking that will be needed to meet the needs of a rapidly changing corporate technology and an even more rapidly changing marketplace. In Alpha you make use of those particular states of mind that provide access to the power of creativity.

As we leave the Industrial Age and move into the Information Age there is a need to develop different skills. In this new age, the two most important skills become making things up, and figuring things out. In the past, many people did much the same jobs, as in the factories on the assembly line. In the future, specialization is becoming more and more prevalent; and, in the office, everyone is doing something different. We can no longer depend on the same old answers, because we are creating brand new problems. The key to the future involves creativity and problem solving. How we experience our problems is a more significant factor in our happiness than are the specific problems that we experience. As we said, life is not about becoming free of problems, rather it is about becoming a better problem solver. Instead of complaining and worrying, we can learn to see our problems as creative opportunities that give us the chance to grow and improve. We can take on our problems as puzzles to be solved, or as challenges to be overcome.

When we get into stressful beta states, the filter or reticular activating system closes down, denying us access to memory and creativity. By utilizing the alpha state you get in touch with your problem solving capabilities. With the filter open, you can use your imagination to go beyond what you know into all that could be. Often it is difficult to solve problems because we can't clearly see the problem for what it truly is. This is the "you can't see the forest for the trees" syndrome. We get caught up in the emotions and sometimes seem to blow the problem all out of proportion. Sometimes we need an alternate perception in order to see the problem in a different way. Step outside of the problem, and change our perception, and the problem seems to change .

Imagine that the problem belongs to someone else. If this were true, what kind of advice would we give them? What would we say that their first step could be? How would we help to motivate them and get them going? What resources would we suggest that they utilize? How can we help them be confident of their process and their ultimate success? Pretend that the problem is already solved. Think backwards from the solution back to the first step. Remember how we did it. Where we were when we figured it out ,what we were doing? Realize how good it feels to have it solved. Be proud.

Sometimes we can solve a problem simply by realizing that it is not really a problem at all. Many problems can be seen in a positive light, as creative opportunities to exercise our minds and our talents to create some positive change.

For every problem there are solutions. Some are better than others. One of the most limiting forms of thinking is to assume that there is only one right answer to your problem. This rigid and restrictive thinking process comes from the rigid and restrictive experiences we had in school. One right answer to each problem and anything else is wrong. We must break out of that mold in order to truly be effective problem solvers. If you relax your mind and use your imagination and your creativity you will find unlimited resources at your disposal.

Almost all of the great problems that have ever been solved have had their solutions begin in some woman's or some man's daydream. It is the daydream-like alpha state where most great ideas are born. One little clue or creative idea is all that it takes to begin solving the most perplexing problems. Alpha is a great tool to get in touch with your memory and imagination. It is a wonderful technique to improve your capacity for problem solving and to enhance your creativity. You can program your mind to help you solve your problems. We can program our minds to open up to a very powerful channel of creative energy. We can program our minds to enhance our insight, intuition, and inspiration. We can inspire our mind to reach levels of genius.
Practice with all these Alpha Exercises, and invent some of your own. The secret to success is not only knowing what to use but also using what you know, and using it over and over again with great passion. Persistence and passion are the keys. Changing the way you read is a metaphor for life. With the same techniques, you can reprogram any habit, attitude, or behavior you choose. Remember, change can often bring up doubt and fear. Realize that if getting some assistance would be of service to you as you experience your changes, then you deserve it. With Alpha, you know you have the power to manage change, and knowing you can, will let you realize that you must.

When we were newly born, just about all there was, was creativity. Each time we would awaken from one of our frequent sleeps, we were in a place where we didn't know what to do. There were no habits, no automatic responses beyond our survival needs. We basically made it up. We saw something moving, or brightly colored, and our attention was instantly drawn. We created a whole universe inside of this one thing. We faced problems with innovativeness and ingenuity. There was no preconceived method for rolling over, or for sitting up. We attempt many things, eliminate those that don't seem to work, until we discover a "right combination". There are a lot of "right combinations" of movements that lead to rolling over or to sitting up. We find those "right combinations" that are easier than the other "right combinations" until we get pretty good. Early childhood is made up of daydreaming, pretending, and figuring things out.

Our creativity flourishes in a structure were there are so few rules, and where it's okay to be wrong. Curiosity is the driving force, and fascination is the reward for the experience. At a time when our creativity is peaking, we run head on into a very sobering experience called school.

The Industrial Age process of schooling children blocks their creativity. To some extent that is it's point. Essentially, schooling is the process of taking all of the children of the same age, putting them in the same room, and have them memorize the same things, at the same time, in the same way, all at the same speed. In school, there is only one right answer, and you best not color outside of the lines. This process called schooling was designed to meet the needs of the society that existed when it was instituted. At the time what we needed was millions and millions of assembly line factory workers. People who could follow directions and do repetitive tasks at precisely the same speed as everyone around them. School was perfect for creating students to meet the needs of an industrial society, where being the same (conformity) is more important than being different (creativity). The result of schooling for many, is the acceptance of this assembly line mentality (the experience of averageness) which has, to a great extent, blocked most members of our society from experiencing the creativity (the specialness and uniqueness) that is their natural birthright.

Healing, intelligence and love are all the same thing. They are all the life force. This is why hateful people are often sick and stupid. If you block your life force by blocking your love, you also block your intelligence and healing. There is only one force. There is no opposing force. There is darkness, but it is not a force. It is the absence of the force called light. There is freezing cold, but it is not a force. It is the absence of the force called heat. The one force is the life force.
In order to be successful, one must utilize the life force to create a fit body and a fit mind.

From the brainless beauty, to the dumb jock, without an accompanying agile mind, the attractiveness soon ends. Whether it is performance at work, on the court, or in bed, the difference between good and great is mental. It shows in your face, in the way you carry yourself, in the wit and wisdom which comes from your mouth. To anyone closely involved with a college football team, it becomes immediately apparent that the key difference between the first string and the second string is above the neck. Their bodies are equally toned and reflexes fast, yet it is their ability to lead, focus, size-up the opponents, and make quick decisions that makes for great players. The ones whose minds are focused.

Just what is a unfocused mind? Unfocused minds create unattractive people who lack confidence and get stuck in habits and patterns. Unfocused minds tend to wander instead of wonder. They frequently have trouble concentrating, and seem to forget things a lot. They often have a low threshold for pain (both emotional and physical), and a limited sense of humor. Unfocused minds tend to have problems with love, money and sex. They are unstimulated, uninterested, and uninspiring. Flabby minds create poor posture, weak personalities, lifeless eyes and dull looking faces. Needless to say, people with unfocused minds are not a whole lot of fun to be with. As with muscle tone, it is a matter of degree, but a lot of people have unfocused minds. They live their lives on automatic pilot doing much the same thing day after day. They get tired and bored and feel like their life is in a rut. They get up, go to work, come home, watch TV, and go to bed. These very flabby brained people exist, but they don't really live. Focused minds are very different indeed. They are very attractive (the inner beauty always shows through), and very alive. They thrive on changes and challenges. Doubt and fear are good friends that assist them in their success. Doubt leads them to clarity, and fear leads them to confidence. Doubt provides them with the opportunity to learn, and fear provides them with the opportunity to grow. Focused minds are competent and confident. People with focused minds are a pleasure to be around. It really doesn't take much to keep your mind focused and in shape. Some minds get a workout solving problems on the job. Others minds get tested facing the challenges of relationships and raising children. Some minds make music and some minds play chess. Some minds read books, and some study the stock market. The minds that take on challenges with passion and focus, avoid becoming unfocused. School as we pointed out, also contributes in some ways to the unfocused minds syndrome, with its over emphasis on memorization. It doesn't take a great deal of mind power to memorize something. After all, even a parrot can do it. The mind is much more challenged by other forms of learning, like having to make stuff up and having to figure stuff out.

In fact, there are no longer any jobs for fact memorizers. To promote focused minds we must create a system of education geared more towards bringing things out of our children's minds rather than stuffing facts into them.. Education from the Greek work "Educare" means to drawn forth, to bring out of, to cause to grow. The first step in combating flabby brain in our educational system is to shift the focus from teaching children what facts they should memorize, and to put it instead on helping them develop skills they need for understanding how to learn them. There are so many unfocused minds out there that are just filled with untapped intelligence, unused imagination, unexplored creativity, and untouched intuition. Much the same as muscle tone, if you don't use it, you lose it. From couch potatoes to drug addicts; all of those who choose avoidance or escape as a lifestyle don't get the mental that is necessary to avoid having an unfocused mind.

Focus brings to bear the power of the conscious mind, and Passion brings to bear the power of the subconscious mind. When the two minds come together in harmony, something magical happens. They create a third mind; a higher consciousness. This is literally a second level of thinking. With Focused Passion, all the power is in the second level of thinking. You get to think about your individual thoughts and feelings, and choose to empower the positive ones, and choose to release the negative ones. In this way you come to enjoy all of your thoughts and all of your feelings. Do this and you will discover that there is a side effect. It is called happiness. Happiness is not about your particular circumstances. Happiness is not about your initial thoughts. Happiness comes from what you think, about what you think.

Here is a simple and powerful technique for creating the state of Focused Passion. Focus comes when you move away from stress, just a little of the way toward sleep. Passion comes when you enjoy what you are doing.

Focus Passion is moving from divided attention (multi-tasking) to paying attention to just one special thing. Do this and you slow down your mind. You move toward stress when you feel endangered. To move into Focused Passion you need to feel safe.

Close your eyes.

Most of the input that comes in through your five senses comes in through your eyes. Close your eyes and you slow down your mind. It's the first thing you do when you want to fall asleep. Focused Passion can be reached with your eyes open, but closing your eyes cuts out many of the potential distractions.

Take a deep breath and imagine that you are in a very safe and peaceful place.

By making this safe place, a place that you love to be, you add passion to your state of focus. When you feel stressed you tighten your muscles and hold your breath. Release your muscle tension and let go of your breath and you will begin to feel safe. Choose this place with your intuition. Let it be the first safe place that comes in to your mind. Imagine that you can see this place, or that you can hear the surrounding sounds. Simply pretend and get the feeling that you are there. If your mind goes off to a different place, just notice this and then bring yourself back to your first place. Always return to this same place each time you wish to re-create this state of Focused Passion.

With Focused Passion you can solve the only two problems that you face. One problem is that you know what you want, but you don't know how to get it, and the only other problem is that you don't know what you want.

When you don't know what you want, you go to your place of Focused Passion and you ask. Then you listen for the answer. This is called meditation, introspection, reflection, or prayer. If you believe in a higher power then you might believe that the answer comes through you. If you don't believe in a higher power then you might believe that the answer comes from you. Either way the process is the same. You ask, and then you listen for the answer.

If you do know what you want, then you tell. You imagine what you do want, as if you already have it, over and over again, with GREAT PASSION! This is called mental programming, visualization, self-hypnosis, or auto-suggestion. It is an application of the amazingly powerful law of attraction.

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with far less stress, and much more passion?

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