“And never have I felt so deeply at one and the same time so detached from myself and so present in the world.” — Albert Camus, Writer
With information so readily available, everything so close and so immediate, we’ve become ever more attached to a world that seems to have gotten smaller and smaller even as the human population on this planet reaches 7.7 billion. And all the time we are busy with our thoughts — our desires, fears and feelings dominate almost every waking moment. Amidst this celebration of global communication and connection, we’ve become so self-absorbed that we’re no longer able to focus completely on the tasks that sit before us. Everywhere our attention is sought both from within and from without. This inability to concentrate nor hold a controlled or patient thought for any extended period of time is a huge danger to the creative (and to humanity at large). How then can we deal with this problem?
Steve Cutts satirical animated short film “Happiness.” The selfish preoccupied mind loses not only his ability to perform, he risks losing himself.
The key to attention paradoxically has to do with not more intense attachment of ourselves to our preoccupations but our detachment from them. Detachment is an extension of humility. So the first step, clearly, is to take our pride and ego out of the equation. Only then can our perspective and focus be guided towards more meaningful goals — goals that align with our truth.
Here are some steps we can take to be less attached to things that might impede our concentration and from the process of being a creative.
a) Have no desires/expectations.
“When an archer is shooting for nothing he has all his skill.
If he shoots for a brass buckle
He is already nervous.
If he shoots for a prize of gold
He goes blind
Or sees two targets –
He is out of his mind.His skill has not changed, But the prize
Divides him. He cares,
He thinks more of winning
Than of shooting –
And the need to win
Drains him of power.”— Chuang Tzu, Philosopher
Having goals doesn’t mean having expectations. Goals are mere targets, a direction to aim in. The divided mind — that is, the one that’s separately attending to the work while concerned with the impact the results of that work will bring — is doomed from the start. Personally, I have never seen this truth not play itself out. The path — the practice — is the only way towards success. The most interesting results come often as surprise and delight. This can’t happen if we expect it to, even if the results are as we hope. For all truly engaged action is detached action, and all detached action is unselfish action.*
*Paraphrased from the Hindu holy text, the Bhagavad Gita.
Phillipe Petit’s astounding 1974 high-wire stunt performed between the now defunct Twin Tower buildings in New York City is a testament to not only preparation and talent but detachment. Each moment (1350 feet from the ground) must’ve demanded every essence of his concentration on nothing but balance. From the documentary, Man on Wire.
b) Aim for quiet and simplicity.
“Only in the stillness of detachment can the soul yield up her secrets.” — Elsa Barker, Poet
Be in search of that still and small voice. The detached individual gives intuition a chance. This means really listening. In so doing, we become intensely present and proactive. A receptive mind is one that’s forward-thinking. A mindset where the goal AND the action become one and the same. So whenever interruptive thoughts arrive — be it hope, doubt, fear or anxiety — we go back to listening. We simplify and realign ourselves to the work. We do not focus on our feelings about the task or the feelings about the feedback that our art gives us. Instead, we assess the feedback and work with it — distancing ourselves while actively engaging ourselves at the same time. No emotional state should interfere; we choose to limit its impact. Like a meditation practitioner who turns away from the interruptive thoughts that emerge and returns to his breathing or mantra, the creative must do the same. This is no doubt incredibly difficult. We hop on the passion that drives us initially but do not allow it to throw us off course. Only via detachment do we stand a chance at accommodating the ebb and flow of things with grace. Our emotions — which are usually reactive and self-concerning — can confuse our intuition and readily pull us down towards chaos. Once a creative journey has begun, we must exercise the discipline to carry it through.
c) Make no assumptions
“There is nothing so expensive, really, as a big, well-developed, full-bodied preconception.” ―
Nothing might be as dangerous to mankind as assumptions. All miscalculation, misjudgement, and prejudice can find their roots here. Sometimes making assumptions might seem like a short cut to success, to gain quick approval or attain greater efficiency but the price we often pay is gross error and misconduct. For the artist, making assumptions slides us back into the misguided afflictions of expectation and ego. It stands in the way of paying attention to what’s standing directly in front of us because we’re closing our eyes. Whether dealing with our tools, our craft or other individuals, making assumptions make us sloppy and careless, even negligent. So contrary to what a typically conservative mind might think, detachment doesn’t mean not caring in the ethical sense — in fact, it’s actually opposite — but caring deeply enough to sacrifice our own personal concerns for the sake of the doing the job right. Being detached means holding ourselves to the highest ethical standard by being absolutely devoted to the demands of the work (especially when it’s being done for the benefit of others.) And to do things right means to assume nothing before or during the process.
d) Acceptance and letting go
“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” — William James, Psychologist
Letting go or overcoming difficult situations is perhaps one of the hardest things we have to do in life. The reason is because our powerful attachment to pain — of failure, loss, or regret — is deeply rooted in our biology. The remembrance of pain and painful situations serve as warnings and lessons. It’s designed to help us and protect us. Unfortunately, the price we pay for this biological “advantage” is its incessant irritation and disruption to the creative process and the process of living. Clinging onto the past is detrimental to our state of mind. Often times, to do something great, we must move on from the past, even if it was good. I recently had to destroy a good painting in order to make it better. As long as I held on to what it was, I couldn’t move on. Unless we accept that life — and everything in it — is transient, we fossilize. Paralysis by analysis and the fear of change has its roots here. Only when we detach, can we move on. Once we accept that the past can’t be altered, we can grow and experience wonder — wonder that can only come from the risk of experiencing something new.
The creation and destruction of the Tibetan Sand Mandala serves not only as a meditative practice but that of developing existential understanding and acceptance of the transience of life and possible transcendence from ordinary existence.
Summary:
Having no attachments — to either the materialistic or the idealistic— isn’t easy. But only when we are detached can we possibly find real connection with things outside of ourselves.
“It’s life that matters, nothing but life—the process of discovering, the everlasting and perpetual process, not the discovery itself, at all.” ―