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Tag Archives: ideas

The Spirit of Ideation

14 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by AjmaniK in energy, life and living, nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

creativity, healing, ideas, nature

Some of you know that I am a ‘nature’ walker, and that I am often looking for opportunities to look at the trails that I walk with new light, perspectives and framing. The results of some of these ‘nature walks’ is often shared in photographs, poetry and short writings.

It wasn’t until this week, sitting in a Biom* workshop over two days, that the idea emerged — there is a deeper, long-term, holistic effect of these walks on my being. One speaker talked about the importance of ideation in the fields of biomimicry, biomimetics and bioinspiration. All of these fields, collectively called Biom*, are connected in the origin of the idea that nature and biology already have created a lot of solutions to some of our grand-challenge problems.

If we are to believe that some of these solutions already exist in nature, then the question becomes – how do we ‘define’ our complex human problems in a language that biological systems can understand? It is in the creation of this common language where ideas and ideation comes in.

How often is it that someone’s ‘new idea’ or ‘new theory’ is laughed at and dismissed? What if there were a repository or knowledge base, where the innovations required to make the new idea a reality, could be compared with existing natural and biological solutions? The goal of Biom* is to create a ‘safe space’ for the the ‘idea person’ and their ideation. It is to provide a canvas, buckets of paint and paint brushes, for ideation to create new masterpieces with the help of nature and her infinitely diversified and brilliant solutions.

The workshop happened on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, after a mixup about the time for my dental appointment, I decided to go walking before I went into work. The idea, the question, that I held in my heart was – how could I apply what I had just learnt over the past two days about Biom*? In search of the answer, I found myself slowing down even more than usual during the walk.

I started a conversation with an ex-marine walking his Siberian husky on the trail. He told me that there were some American Eagle nests in the thicket of trees across the water, but he hadn’t seen them in a few weeks. Fifteen minutes later, I had stopped downriver to watch some bees working with a bunch of flowers who had all their petals folded backwards. A fluttering of wings, and I looked up to see a dozen mallard duck in full and swift flight, traveling upriver. What’s their hurry, I wondered? And then, there they were, a minute or so later. Two bald eagles flying upriver, in virtually silent flight, painting with majestic brushstrokes against a clear blue canvas.

So, what does ideation have to do with spirituality, our spiritual journey? Let me posit that if and when we choose to appreciate our inherent talent for ideation, we can grow creativity. When we grow creativity, we can grow solutions to all of our complex challenges. If we were to be heart-facing towards any idea which is simple, credible, ‘tells a story’, and enhances value for humans and the ecosystems that we live in, then we are enhancing human values, aren’t we?

Perhaps bioinspiration can create a better conversation between our ideals and ideation, between us and our ecosystems, and All of Life that surrounds us. What can be a better spiritual practice than that?

Kumud

P.S. Join us for our weekly chat, Sunday Sep 15 at 9amET ~ I will bring some Qs and tea, you can bring some new ideas! – @AjmaniK

Reference: Ask Nature Database – http://www.asknature.org

Spiritual Ideas and Ideals

18 Sunday May 2014

Posted by AjmaniK in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

ideals, ideas, spiritchat, spiritual, spirituality

The first two weeks in May have had us discuss two important influencers in most people’s lives – Teachers and Mothers. A lot of us are indebted to them for our foundation, our values, our thought processes, our work ethics and more. For some of us, they probably even represent(ed) our very first view of what constitutes an “Ideal person”. For some of us, our very idea of spirituality may have emerged from our association with a spiritual teacher or Guru, and in some cases, that may have coincided with a Mother or Mothering figure. But what is an “ideal” person anyway? Some dictionary definitions of ideal are

satisfying one’s conception of what is perfect…

existing only in the imagination; desirable or perfect but not likely to become a reality

representing an abstract or hypothetical optimum

If we are to adopt any one of those definitions above, the idea of an ideal person is (at least to me) a little bit intimidating, if not impractical. Perfection may be an ideal goal, but it often is unachievable. We often hear that we should strive for excellence and not perfection. The second definition implies that an ideal is not likely to become a reality. The third statement suggests that an ideal  is an abstraction. 

So, if we accept any of the above three definitions – that ideals are mere concepts, unlikely to become reality, represent abstractions, then what is the purpose of even having any ideal(s)? Are they even necessary? Do they set us up for (spiritual) disappointment and perhaps, even failure? Or do you have a totally different personal definition of what an ideal constitutes?

Regardless of the definition, I believe that ideals are necessary because even though they me be unlikely to become reality, they can help to fire our imagination with ideas on how to work towards making them a reality. The achievement of our Ideals can serve as our calling, the inner voice which guides and inspires us, the light which, by it’s shining, helps to steer us out of our dark moments. And, armed with actionable ideas, and a commitment to consistent action, we can move closer towards our ideals.

So, in the context of the above questions arise. What are some of your ideals? Do your ideals encourage you to explore new ideas or do they tend to suppress them? How do we overcome obstacles when holding on to our (spiritual) ideals? Are ideals even useful in today’s world? How do our ideals shape our values? Or do they?

I invite you to think about these ideas, meditate about your ideals, and share with us on Sunday May 18th at 9amET / 2pm UK / 630pm India in our weekly conversation on twitter in hashtag #SpiritChat. If you cannot make the live chat (or are reading this post after the event), please share some ideas and ideals in the comments below, for the benefit of the community. Thank you!

Kumud

Full chat transcript is available at http://bit.ly/sc-tr-0518 ; Questions asked during the live chat hour are listed below…

Ready? Q1. Share with us – one (or more) over-arching IDEAL(s) in your life… #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468014411312291840

On to Q2. The realization of an #ideal faces obstacles like…? You overcome them by…? #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468015829544878080

Q3. Is the notion or idea of having ideal(s) intimidating to you? Why or why not? #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468017237446885377

Q4. What is the practical purpose/benefit of having, holding to ideal(s)? Is there any? #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468018699052789760

Q5. Ideas. Q5. Share with us – one (or more) mind-bending IDEA whose “time has come”… #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468020301784424448

Think. Q6. What new IDEAS (may) have arisen within you, in working towards your ideal(s)? #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468022348810301440

Q7. What new (and old) ideas/ideals are useful to you as ‘tools’ for spiritual growth? #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468024242450472960

Final Q8. To those looking for new ideas, new ideals, struggling with old ones, you say… #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468025662646018048

Bonus Q9 🙂 Looking for ideas to make this hour, this community better… please email/DM/FB or tweet 🙂 #SpiritChat http://twitter.com/AjmaniK/status/468026821456703489


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