If you have walked the spiritual path any time at all, you will have heard about what is called practicing the Presence at all times, even when in the midst of daily activities. The well-loved Bhagavad Gita talks about this as does the Christian Bible. We're being told to go about our daily business while also staying focused on the Divine. Hmmm....sounds like using both sides of our brain at the same time.
As I was thinking about this, it dawned on me that artistic/creative pursuits require this dual focus. For instance, when I played the piano and learned a new piece, I had to use my left brain to read the music, learn the rhythm and notes, and memorize the piece so I could play it without needing to use the printed score. Ah...this is when it got interesting!
Once a piece was memorized and safely stored in my memory muscle, then the true playing began. This is when I could express myself spiritually and emotionally. This is when playing the piano became an extension of myself and I was able to communicate to others what I felt and what the music meant to me. To do this required using both sides of my brain at the same time.
Maybe this is the creative bliss we hear musicians and artists talking about - being in the zone. Maybe it isn't so difficult to practice the Presence and reach enlightenment after all. Maybe we make it too difficult on ourselves. Just some random thoughts to chew on. Me? I'm going to grab the ukulele and learn some new chords so someday I might be able to play with my right brain!
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