Resources For Learning About Mindfulness and Creativity

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will. 

~Vernon Howard

I could write for hours, with great poetic emphasis, on the topic of learning. But I’m not going to – even in this space dedicated for it. Why?

I want to encourage you to learn. (See what I did there? Two Bliss Habits on one!) I want you to learn – not just learn about learning.

As this series is about The Magic of the Mundane, there’s no better topic that I can think of to lead you into learning.

 

So for those wanting to learn more about mindfulness, presence, and this creative moment, here are some resources to explore (ones I’ve read / used and recommend – and no affiliate links, just shared love!):

(Be sure to read on after the resources to discover why just reading these won’t do you any good…)

BOOKS

I’ve many books that have stuck with me and influenced my thinking and actions. These are just a few I pulled from my bookshelf. Oldies but goodies. 

• Flow by Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi

• The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life by Thomas Moore

• The Everyday Work of Art: Awakening the Extraordinary in Your Daily Life by Eric Booth (definitely one of my favorite books)

ONLINE

• A wonderful list of reading topics on mindful and creative living, compiled by my dear friend Aarathi Selvan. (http://aarathiselvan.com/2014/09/19/reading-lists-from-the-world-of-mindfulness-creative-living/)

• An article, There Are No Artists, by the Skinny Artist (one of my favorite online writers). (Great short read to get you thinking about perspective, and being creative in your daily life.) (http://skinnyartist.com/there-are-no-artists/)

• Ellen Langer on The Science of Mindlessness and Mindfulness. (Both a blog post, a podcast, and related resources. Part of an excellent series offered through OnBeing.) (http://www.onbeing.org/program/ellen-langer-science-of-mindlessness-and-mindfulness/6332)

APPS and PODCASTS

• CALM.com : a free app that offers soothing videos overlayed with nature sounds and music. Comes with the option for timers and guided meditations. (I’ve used this many times; including letting my daughter watch it to help her fall asleep!)

• Insight Timer : a free app (with paid upgrade option) for timing meditations. Guided meditations also offered. (It also keeps track of your meditation frequency and times…it can be kind of fun to get little “stars” as rewards!)

• OnBeing : a podcast that offers interviews by Krista Tippett with a variety of leaders, philosophers, poets, scientists, religious figures, and so much more. Always an enjoyable listen to get you thinking.

There are SO many more. Do you have a favorite?

Please share in the comments!

A final thought: there is a difference between intellectual learning and embodied learning. You can read all of these resources, memorize them, and still feel quite distant and empty if you don’t put them into practice.

If you are limited on time, might I encourage you to explore just one resource and to actually practice it. Implement it in your life. Whether that is reading parts of The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life at night and putting the wisdom into practice on the following day, pausing to listen to CALM during your lunch break, or waking each morning with 5 minutes of sitting using the Insight Timer, remember that it is the practice that will help you find the benefits. 

You learn by reading, studying, observing, and doing. But it is in the embodiment of your learned wisdom that you truly discover the magic of this mundane moment.