The other day in the studio I was reminded of how important it is for me to have what I like to call “meander time”.
Meander time is that unstructured, unproductive, unhurried envelope in which there are no goals, no urgency towards completion, only a free and easy flow of listening to and following our quiet inclinations.
When I work in my studio, I generally jump in where I left off the day before. I settle easily into a humming rhythm of focus and productivity. But this time, something didn’t feel right. The process felt forced.
I paused and found a comfy place, got quiet, closed my eyes and went inward. It became clear to me that I hadn’t been allowing time recently in the studio for exploration, for browsing in books, for lying and looking at the ceiling, for staring out the window or just being.
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This is pure right brain territory.
This is when we are in a receptive state.
This when fresh, new ideas are able to flow in.
Most of us were told when young and apt to daydream that we were “wasting” time. Wasting time is frowned upon severely in a society full of people who feel so busy and strapped for time. We feel more virtuous when we are productive.
Some of my most rich and fruitful ideas come from meander time. Sometimes this means getting outside the studio – going on a walk or just sitting and being in nature. Sometimes it involves going on the studio with no particular plan and allowing myself to rest, nap, stare at the works in progress, peruse art books or leaf through boxes of old drawings or supplies. It’s really about letting go of a particular objective and following what feels right in the moment.
There’s a delicate balance we artists ride between doing and being.
Too much “being” can be a disguised form of avoidance. Too much “doing” and our creative well dries up because it is never replenished.
What about you? Have you noticed this rhythm within yourself? When have you opened up to meandering and allowed new ideas to flow in?
Responses to “Meander Time”
Martina
Just got the newest “Mindful Artist” in my inbox. Reading it feels like someone opens a window and fresh air comes in. Thank you. 🙂
Michele Theberge
You are the sweetest, Martina! I appreciate all your gratitude so much.
Carol
I do not allow nearly enough time for meandering and frequently get ‘stuck’:) When I do, then there is an opening up: at first a trickle, then a more steady flow that feels so delicious.
Michele Theberge
Love how you expressed this, Carol. Hope this gave you the encouragement to carve out more time for meandering. 🙂
LEO ANDERSON
MICHELLE, This is great stuf!!! To busy to write but we will talk soon,LEO
Clare
I allow myself meandering time by:
* sitting out on my back deck listening to the birds before going into my studio
* while on public transit I imagine stories about other passengers…that fellow with the blue knit cap just returned from a year in Greece studying trilobites, the mother with a small child learned yesterday that her great aunt died and left her a Tiffany lamp, the student was just awarded a scholarship to study in New Guinea…
* Every day I find some time to stop the crazy “speed of life” and let my mind wander. I couldn’t create without that special time.
Michele Theberge
I so appreciate you sharing with all of us very specific ways that you get that creative flow energized.
Lily Liang
hi,
I’m study from Mel’s class. Anyways I do day dream a lot, when I was in middle school. I tend to doodle after I day dream, and my friends like my drawings. By the way I recently I went to Lake Tahoe, and I understand how nature takes your breath away.
Michele Theberge
Lily. I love this! I am a big fan of doodling. I really believe everyone is creative and doodling is a way that it pours out of some people before they have time to censor it. Feels so wonderful that you allow yourself to do this. Thanks for the reminder.
Christine Kane
What a beautiful post Michele! (And OMG – i really love this website – and everything you’ve created here.)
Here’s what’s funny: One of my friends quoted you to me today. She had read this blog post and wanted to know if (now that I am running a successful company) I still allow myself this meander time. Happy to report that I do – and that one of the reasons I don’t go in to the offices when I’m creating is because I “moodle” so much and it never really looks like work to those people who don’t understand that which you wrote about here!
Love to you sweetie!
Michele Theberge
Thanks, Christine! So glad you got to see what you you helped me birth here at the mindful artist ! You are such a shining example of service.
Sue Sullivan
Michele, meandering is so, so vital to me. It’s important for me to make sure I have enough unscheduled, uncommitted time to allow for this. I love it and need more of it!
Joy Resor
Well said Michelle, and I’m glad you’re able to bring yourself back to yourself to fill your well.
I also appreciate the reminder for my own process.
Blessings,
Joy
Marge Knyper
Ah! meandering time! I need more of it! Can’t even get started in the studio without it. So you gave me a timely reminder to go to it. I will start with 15 minutes of meditation, then 15 minutes of meandering, then 15 minutes of some kind of pen, ink, or color on paper.
Michele Theberge
Marge, how wonderful that you build meander time right into your art time. Great idea.
49: Rest | Harmony Thoughts
[…] received a timely post about my exact feelings from Michele Theberge about Meander Time. According to her, meander time is that unstructured, unproductive, unhurried envelope in which […]
Melissa Mills
Yes! I agree. At the same time, I try to “structure” my wander time. That is, I need to use discipline to designate and allow/disallow it. I’m basically an ADD type person, and think of this as signalling that I have the kinds of skills that it takes to survive: I’m paying attention to a lot of things at once, and I love it!
However, as we all know, in order to get anything done, we need to focus and pay attention to structure and order, which seems the exact opposite of “wandering.” The paradox is that unless we spend time wandering, we won’t have much of a context to know what to spend time structuring!
The strategy I use when I have things that I’m trying to complete is to allow my evening time for wandering, and the times when I seem to have the most energy for structure… Except, as you point out, when I get the feeling that I haven’t quite found what it is that I’m trying to structure!
It’s actually very difficult to maintain the wandering mode when the world around is crying out for action. Yet I maintain that unless we know where we are running, we can find that we have run very fast in the wrong direction.
So, dear mindful artist, thank you for your post encouraging the practice of meandering. None of us know more than a sliver, and in our random meandering we have the chance to learn things that we didn’t know we didn’t know!
Michele Theberge
Beautifully put, Melissa. “…in our random meandering we have the chance to learn things that we didn’t know we didn’t know!”
Carol Steinberg
Thanks for this timely post. I think sometimes we just have to take a breather and integrate all the input. I was chugging along and then I went to a spiritual business retreat (see, even that sounds contradictory but isn’t) and since I got back, I haven’t been able to get back into the flow of where I was. I’m trusting something is cooking below the surface and I have some structure to get back to work by January at the latest, so I’m not too concerned about taking a break. ’tis the season and all that!
Michele Theberge
You bring up something important, Carol. About needing sometimes “to take a breather and integrate all the input.” Such an important thing to remember! And yes, the winter I believe is a natural time to hibernate, slow down and do less.
Cindy Kee
I had heard recently that the act of going for a walk or bike ride changes the brain in such a way to allow creativity to flow. I don’t think the activity has to be intense exercise, but rather an activity where you are not focused on “I have to do this, finish this, etc.” Something about it suppressing the part of brain that is always focused on accomplishing tasks throughout the day and allowing the creative part of the brain time to flow. It also reduces stress levels, which can get in the way of creativity.
Michele Theberge
Yes, the meander time reminds me of what it was like for most of us as children. So many artist I know credit time spent alone as a child, staring at blades of grass as a foundation for becoming an artist.
Nancy Lee
I know what you mean! I’ve always referred to it as “filling the well”.
Each of us probably have different means for accomplishing this; mine is a long, actual meander in the woods, either on foot, or on the back of my horse, just “day-dreaming” and filling up my senses with subtle beauty. Fortunately, my feet, horses and dogs know where we are going!
Michele Theberge
I love the image of meandering in the woods. So luscious!
Nancy Lee
Yes, indeed! There’s a subtle richness in nature that just does not exist in the man-made landscape.
Sent from my iPad
Craig Imig
I once saw a speech by John Cleese, of Monty Python and movie fame. In his speech on creativity he said that when they were writing for Monty Python he noticed that when there was more meandering, as you call it, their sketches turned out more creative. So that seems to corroborate your point. And I agree with your point that doing our art is important, but so is lying around, or going for a walk, listening to music, reading about or watching videos of other artist, going to see art, or whatever.
Michele Theberge
I love that. I’m such a fan of comedy and Monty Python were such a innovators. Someone sent me a link to this talk by Johne Cleese recently. Was it you?
juanwa
My word for this meandering is Lingering. I like to linger, which is an unrushed, natural state of being. Some other words like this include: Daydreaming, piddling, just don’t call it laziness!
Michele Theberge
I like that you have your own word for this, Juanwa. Lingering sounds lovely!
Joan
I have been clearing out stuff and getting ready to have my kitchen painted. I haven’t been able to start a new art piece but have been knitting lace shawls for weeks now. I know how the knitting is like meditating or meandering and tell myself, it is OK….I am percolating for the next art to come out. It has taken a long time to realize what could be perceived as avoidance is actually storing and preparing for art. I would rather meander now than force the creative process of painting or drawing. I am never content or enjoy the forced, practice is different, but free exploration of art is what I do not want to damage or force. I am grateful when I create with questions, wonder what if’s or just serenity. Thanks for describing this process in your own words.
Michele Theberge
You’re welcome, Joan. What an absolutely beautiful image you have painted here! The clearing out in preparation for having your kitchen painted, the knitting of the lace shawls. I can feel the rightness of all this.
Nellie
Michelle — this is the best message I have ever gotten from you. It went straight to my heart and brain. Thanks so much.
Michele Theberge
Beautiful to hear, Nellie. Thank you.