conscious creativity & the conquest of time

I had an amazing time, last Friday, at TEDxSödertälje. Stay tuned for my talk on 'Conscious Creativity and the Conquest of Time'.

(Photographer: Carl Jansson)

future creativity - a TEDxUmeå talk

'What got you here, won't take you there.'

That's my subtle message of a talk I recently gave at TEDxUmeå.

Topic: 'Future Creativity' based on three strong contemporary trends. Remember, however, that trend is direction. We choose what becomes.
So let's choose wildly and wisely!

 

make a wish

Instead of going after what you want; make a heartfelt wish in silence and wait for it to come to you.

Wishful thinking is powerful thinking.

given

What is given to us is far from always evident to us. 

Sometimes, you need a gentle someone to mirror the self-evidentness about you. Your most natural state of being is your greatest gift to the world.

To be brilliant or look brilliant - European Commission promotes glossy pink science

It’s difficult to provoke me enough to feel upset these days. But the European Commission seems to have succeeded today. And judging by the comments on social media, I’m not the only one affected by this. Men and women seem equally upset. Comments vary widely from people ‘laughing out loud’ to people nauseously ‘throwing up’, in rhetorical terms at least. What am I talking about?

The European Commission campaign to promote young women to consider a career in science or research; 'Science: It’s a girl thing!' A friend of mine, a young female EU-sponsored PhD candidate, spotted some of the campaigning live outside the EU Parliament last week. Her comment today, as the topic is discussed on social media, is that “I'm glad that it isn't just me who wonder why they spend so much time and money trying to reinforce gender stereotypes”. I’ve even heard men expressing that they feel insulted by the content of the campaign. How can it go so wrong?

I obviously have no idea. But I’m curious to know. I’m pretty sure neither young women nor researchers were consulted for this campaign. What I don’t want to know is how much the European Commission paid for the production of this campaign which deserves to hit the history books as a big joke.

Take a look at the campaign video (below). Instead of communicating ‘science as the new black’, it’s rather communicating ‘science as the new pink’. Glossy pink. With lipstick and high heels. In short, I’d describe it as a Spice Girls-inflicted James Bond-movie inspired trailer. If that’s what we want out of life, we’d go to Hollywood instead of a European research lab. And speaking of American film production, I’d say that CBS Television out measures the European Commission attempt in attracting women to science. How? Simply by developing a character like Abby Sciuto to be in charge of the Navy CIS forensic lab.

Then why is Abby Sciuto so attractive? She is brains with a personality. In this very case a very charming gothic styled young woman who nearly always solves the intricate mysteries with a combination of imagination and intelligence. Don’t get me wrong here, dear European Commission; I’d actually be the first one to defend high heels and a colourful wardrobe (including glossy pink) for a female researcher (or male for that matter) if that’s the personal preference. I know that I did an active choice during my first weeks as a researcher to maintain and express my personality in a formal hierarchical male dominated work environment. But it takes strength.

So really, that might be the first thing we need to discuss when we want to attract young women to secure the future research in Europe, or just anywhere: How to make room for young adults, individual expression and feminine force in more stiff, formal, traditional, male dominated hierarchies.

The other thing we definitely need to appeal to if we want to attract young women (or ‘girls’ as the EC campaign refers to) is personal driving force. That is what makes you choose a career path and follow that. That is what makes you get out of the bed every morning and passionately carry on your important work five days a week or more, year after year. Our plausible passion for creative clothing and dancing, we’ll take care of after work. I promise you that, European Commission. Don’t worry, we can both be brilliant and look brilliant. But only if we really want to.

former bubbles and future bloom

Artist: Petr Kratochvil

So... it wasn't that long ago we based the economy on the blooming of tulip bulbs. The Dutch bubble burst in 1637 and bubbles have frequented our economic history ever since. Tulip mania has taken on many forms. For better and for worse. What if we, finally, were to realise that societal development should be based on the blooming of people? Wouldn't that pave way for a healthier and more holistic approach?

Now, what flower are you blooming to?

Co-Creation and the New Internet Generation

No man is an island. And no wo-man should stand home alone in the kitchen without interacting with the rest of the world. The wo-man of the 21st Century is conscious enough to know this – and we should make use of this knowing to create newness. An important part of this newness is co-creation. I believe we’ve only seen the beginning of what we can accomplish by conscious co-creation and I’m looking forward to being a witness – and participator – of it for the next decades to come.

Studying the history of creativity, one most acknowledge that we’ve been creating from the beginnings of time. However, the word ‘creativity’ has only been widely used during the last sixty something years. In the 20th Century, creativity was very much associated with the lone male genius – often being a scientist, artist or crazy inventor. And yes, by all means; do embrace some of that craziness of yours. And share it. Let’s be crazy together. Let’s push boundaries together. Let’s expand together. Because we’re nothing in relation to nothing. We are in relation to each other.

No Nobel Prize is won without a team effort. And no scientific discoveries are being made without a long lineage of former discoveries by other researchers. What we do today is the sum of the efforts of so many before us. Every new discovery bridge past and future discoveries. We are all linkages and building stones. And why bother negatively if someone proves me wrong? Let’s celebrate even that. Every right and wrong helps in the revealing and uncovering of truth. And let’s be humble; all good science is about discovering what already is. No master mathematician, physicist, biologist or chemist would argue with that.

It’s basically the same with all kind of creation. We are shaping and creating a form to what already is. Possibility is infinite and it always is. That’s why we can make the most out of creative activity by creating together. And how can we do that? Only by acknowledging the greatness in each other and by striving for synergies and value added by the fact that we are contributing differently. Differently means complementary.

Why don’t we thank the World Wide Web for granting us a platform that teaches us and allows us to create together? The examples of joint exercises are so many, everything from Wikipedia, to Harry Potter fan-works to blog operas being created by a large number of contributing writers. A whole new generation formed by, and co-creating in, the Internet is growing up to change the structures also in the physical world. And they have new ways of doing things, compared with the old. These new ways of doing things are based on new values. These are some of the more crucial value changes of the new Internet Generation:

• Ideas lead the way and co-operations are about trust and collaboration; not about hierarchies or suspicion. The organizations are never strictly formal; rather open and temporary.
• The uprising Internet Generation is therefore more bothered with the network than the institution. Flexibility is key. Depending on what is to be accomplished, different constellations of individuals and actors are necessary.
• Collaborative creativity is often experimental. The focus is much more on the process than on the result. To expect a certain result is to inhibit creativity and, thus, the joy of creating.
• When ideas and the joy of creating together lead the way, the role of the ego diminishes. As I put aside my wish to own, the part of my ego afraid of losing becomes marginalized. When I experience the happiness of co-creation, my ego can easily let go of the illusory idea of separation as a necessary component of life.
• When we no longer believe in separation as a necessity of life, and when we no longer attach happiness to certain properties, we stop competing. When we stop competing, we learn how to complement each other.

As we stop separating things and people from each other, the rules of competition is of course outplayed. So are the ways we value things, and especially the way we have put prizes on things. If we no longer can determine who the monetary value belongs to in relation to a creative process, we put the monetary system as we know it out of order. When we put then monetary system out of order, we put politics as we know it out of order. When we threaten the political sphere as it knows itself, that’s when it tries to circumscribe the free activities of the Internet – as is happening in many nations around the world and now even in the EU.

But let me tell you this, it’s too late to circumscribe the effects of the Internet; it has already taught a whole new world wide generation about co-creation, completion, unity and connectedness.

recalling

With a pen in my hand, I close my eyes and bring out words from deep inside. I don’t even recall that Carlos brought his camera that day.

hands

St. John the Baptist. Leonardo da Vinci 1513-1516.

"Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art."

- Leonardo da Vinci

have a beautiful weekend!

Choose to start the day in a beautiful way! [Epigraph.] Imagine all the ways we can contribute to each other’s gentle awakenings. I commenced this Saturday by receiving a delivery of flowers from my dear mother who wanted to share the spring sun of northern Sweden. I’ll gladly let it shine through the rest of my weekend which will be devoted to a nice walk, love, yoga, love, books, love, food, love, meditation, love, dance, love, chocolate, love. Approximately in that order. ;) I wish you too a very happy weekend!

you decide!

I read that we - consciously and subconsciously - make five decisions per minute, implying some 5000 decisions per day. Can you imagine, that's how decisive you actually are!

ready to rise

Aslan: Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia!

Prince Caspian: I do not think I am ready.

Aslan: It is for that very reason, that I know you are.

(From: 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian', 2008)

real, yet unseen

I am the light in your sky.

I am the cause of your smile.

I am the ocean you swim.

I am the bridges you pass.

I am the breeze through your hair.

I am the touch on your cheek.

I am the kiss on your lips.

I am the warmth in your heart.

I am the love that you feel.

Yet, I’m unseen.

inspiring women II

"What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you."

- Mary Magdalene, The Gospel of Mary

Mary Magdalene in the Grotto, Jules Joseph Lefebvre 1876, Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg

Mary of Magdala is one of the very first Christian leaders. She is renowned as the ‘beloved disciple’ who lived closest to Jesus, as well as ‘the apostle to the apostles’ thanks to her deeper understanding of Jesus’s teachings. Despite this very quote, only a few fragmentary manuscripts of the ‘Gospel of Mary’ have survived into modern time. The mystery of Mary Magdalene will keep on fascinating us.

Co-blogging with Sanne Aronsson.

inspiring women I

“You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some future time will think of us”

― Sappho, The Art of Loving Women

Roman bust of Sappho

Sappho, Σαπφώ, was an Ancient Greek poet, born on the island of Lesbos sometime between 630 and 612 BC. She was one of the first published female writers. Sappho was by later Greeks proclaimed one of the ‘nice lyric poets’. Much of her poetry has unfortunately been lost, but her strong reputation remains through the beauty of surviving fragments.

new blog series: inspiring women

Reflecting on March 8 and the International Women’s Day, I might not be able to speak for the global debate on the topic, but I may very well speak about the Swedish media coverage on that day. It focused on sad stories, figures and facts about oppression of women in Swedish homes. Living in the country that supposedly is world-leading in gender equality, I find it immensely important to talk about what’s still lacking in terms of equal opportunity (it terms of eg. career development and salary levels) as well as equal safety (in terms of eg. women finding a way out of abusive relationships).

I would however have hoped for a day like the International Women’s Day to better lift and light the beauty of women. The other side of vulnerability is strength. Hence, my marvellous friend SanneAronsson and I sat down to list inspiring women throughout world history. This is our way of honouring the giants on which shoulders we’re standing upon. We’ll let them speak for themselves. And for all of us. One by one. A new blog series.

festival of colours

Like love is the sum of all feelings, white is the sum of all colours. Let them blend toghether!

The Festival of Colours is currently being celebrated in India. Happy Holi, dear friends!

see the seeds

Every situation in life is a seed of golden opportunity to grow from.

new week

Breathe slowly on Monday. Feel peace on Tuesday. Be happy on Wednesday. Feel gratitude on Thursday. Encourage others on Friday. Dance on Saturday. Let life surprise you on Sunday.

Have a wonderful week!

happy shivaratri

Wishing my friends in India and elsewhere a warm and joyful Maha Shivaratri!

~ Om Namah Shivaya ~