Meditation and design are creative tools to invent yourself
“I just got an idea! A great idea! Wow! What a sensational idea! I think I’ll be very successful with this idea!”
In the field of design, and, well, I’m an industrial designer, we know this situation as the “Love Syndrome at First Idea”. It is a great daydream, in which the mind rambles on about the wonderful consequences of wealth, innovation, status, and contribution to saving the world because of a mind-boggling idea.
However, it turns out that an idea is a thought. Just a thought. No more than that. In design, in the creative process, we learn not to be enthusiastic about the first idea, we learn to put it aside and generate other ideas, 100 ideas. Then, we select the best one in order to develop a product. This selection is made without dazzle, without much enthusiasm. It is a rational choice.
I am not my thoughts
Since I started meditating with Peace Revolution, I have noticed that something similar to the process of selecting ideas in design has also happened in meditation. I learned that my thoughts were just thoughts, not me.
It was – it is – myself that chooses my thoughts, my own ideas about myself. In other words, because of meditation, I became more aware of what kind of thoughts I was feeding my mind with and how I was giving them a sense of personal identity.
By this point, I can say that I came to see myself as a project, as a design. It was no longer about designing chairs, jewelry, trophies, clothes, things that I designed for years in my life. It was about learning to project myself, to select my thoughts more discerningly. Feeding my mind with more positive ideas for my well-being, without being attached to first illusions, first ideas, and first thoughts deeply related to my ego, my desire.
I started to observe more
For example, I used to have ideas of judgment and retaliation for someone who had hurt me. Because of the practice of meditation, I gradually replaced those thoughts by thoughts of compassion and mercy. That was definitely revolutionary in my life.
However, it didn’t happen overnight. I’ve been meditating since 2013, but only recently I realized that I’ve been able to change some mental patterns such as the angry mind to a clearer and more benevolent mind.
I could say that I stopped designing products, and I learned to design my thoughts. No dazzle. No passions. No wandering. Without attachment. I started to observe more.
Learning to create the best of yourself
I am infinitely grateful to Thai monks and Peace Revolution meditation program, the World Peace Initiative Foundation and all the staff. They gave me the tools (meditation techniques), as well as the opportunities (meditation retreats free of charge) to get to know myself.
I can also say that meditation has allowed me to better evaluate my ideas, and has improved my creative process, being able to better separate what is illusion from what has a real potential to benefit myself and others.
So, that is why I invite everyone here: how about learning to create the best of yourself? How about understanding your thoughts better and coming up with good ideas from self-awareness?
Access the Self-Development Program at peacerevolution.net and start meditating, as simple as that. For more questions, you can send me a message or an e-mail from my website ethicalfashionbrazil.com.
I am open to value and stimulate the personal development of everyone around me! We are together. Big hug and infinite gratitude.