Gopi Krishnaswamy - Creativity Unleashed: 48 Days of Mindfulness to Unlock Your Creative Spirit

CREATIVITY UNLEASHED

CREATIVITY UNLEASHED

48 DAYS OF MINDFULNESS TO
UNLOCK YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT

GOPI KRISHNASWAMY

BLOOMSBURY INDIA

Bloomsbury Publishing India Pvt. Ltd

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Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published in India 2019

This edition published 2019

Copyright Gopi Krishnaswamy 2019

Illustrations Anamika Gopi 2019

Gopi Krishnaswamy has asserted his right under the Indian Copyright Act to be identified as the Author of this work

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers

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ISBN: TPB: 978-9-3880-3869-0; eBook: 978-9-3880-3871-3

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APPRECIATION FOR THE BOOK

I wrote a Facebook message to Gopi in mid-2016 in response to a short story he had written, which had really moved me. I remember writing: Youre really talented, you should write a book. I introduced him to my partner, Jim, whos also a writer and he described Gopis writing as perfectly rendered.

A little over a year later, we got an excited response back, and heres the book. Gopi is one of those rare people who can toggle between deep spirituality and deep pragmatism, and managed to bring both those to bear when we worked together at IDEO. Im really happy that his book has come to fruition; the notion of bringing together mindfulness and creativity is the perfect topic to explore right now with the world around us in swirl and chaos. Gopi brings gravitas and centricity to the concept, while at the same time encouraging the reader to stay young, stay a beginner, stay playful.

Paul Bennett

Chief Creative Officer

IDEO

Gopi has created a wonderful guide to creativity and mindfulness. His playful writing style keeps you engaged, allowing the lessons to sink in. Reading this book will deepen your understanding of the role of creativity in our lives.

Haben Girma

Disability rights lawyer, author and speaker

Forbes 30 under 30 (2016)

CreativityUnleashed provokes us to think of the limitless potential of creativity in all of us. Gopi offers simple and doable exercises that would help one stay mindful and open-minded to innovative possibilities. An engaging read.

VR Ferose

Senior Vice President and Head of Globalization Services, SAP SE

Author and columnist

WHY 48 DAYS?

Because 48 is a special number in many traditions.

The duration of a mandala in the yogic system is 40 to 48 days. It is believed that any form of practice takes around 48 days to integrate into our system and produce results. It takes this much time to create space for the practice in our bodies and minds, and synchronise it with the environment.

Lord Buddha sat under a bodhi tree for 48 days until he attained enlightenment.

In Judaism, it is believed that wisdom from the Torah is acquired in 48 ways.

In Chinese numerology, 48 is an auspicious number that stands for prosperity. Possibly the prosperity that will follow the unleashing of your creativity!

CONTENTS

T he central idea of this book was born with me. At least, thats how I like to think of it!

The notion that I, like everyone else, was born creative and could stir up my creativity was always in my mind, trying to find newer dimensions as it expanded, grew and pushed outwards, becoming fuller and fuller. Initially, it struggled to express itself through my confused study choices as I first picked science and then arts. It probably found more meaning at work as I gravitated towards creative professions. Later, my creativity became a part of self-experimentation as I tried to write a book (not this one). During that period, it became such an overwhelming force that it decided to come out of me in the form of this book.

For someone with little formal schooling, my creativity always found unique expression. Looking back, connecting the dots, I see it was always there. My creativity began to develop with voracious reading, constant storytelling, imaginary conversations, setting up competitions between clouds in the sky and seeing trilogies play out in ant colonies in the garden. Music, language and literature along with sport, motorbikes and long hair were the more typical manifestations during my childhood and teenage years. My experiments in my 20s with methods of mind control and uncovering deeper levels of consciousness possibly also shaped my subsequent career choices and led me into design-related professions. Many years later, mindfulness or present moment awareness came knocking. And, along with that came many 'ahas'!

Some years ago, when I was working at IDEO, I tried to write a novel about a guys journey to self-discovery. All I discovered was that writing a book was hard. Incredibly hard! As I tried to find ways to be more creative, I kept going back to my mindfulness practices. One day, I realised what was happeningsomething far bigger than the book I was attempting to write was trying to manifest through me. So, I set up a parallel track and started recording all my experiences and ideas. I also started researching and speaking to people individually and at forums about the idea that creativity is inherent in all of us and the really creative ones are those who have found ways to keep it alive, or uncovering it when needed. I even set up a separate table to write this book! What you are holding in your hands right now is the result of what occurred over the next few years.

Along the way, Ive not only been able to test these exercises on myself and people I have taught, but also refine them to make them more effective and fun.

So, is this a textbook? Or is it a manual?

Whatever you call it, this is not something you read and put away on your bookshelf. While this book is no treatise on anything, it is meant to be your guide, friend, companion and a canvas for the journey to rediscover your creative self. Carry it with you, make notes, record your thoughts, ideate, scribble and treat it like an extension of your personality because that is exactly what it is!

This book is divided into Part A and Part B. Read Part A completely and then start the programme outlined in Part B. However, while in Part A, keep diving into certain exercises in Part B that you are advised to do.