I have come across references to statements of a rather respected intellect.
Albert Einstein was one to recognize and clearly acknowledge the root source of intuition as an underutilized ability. He states:
“To look for related facts means holding onto what one has instead of searching for new facts. Intuition is the father of new knowledge, while empiricism is nothing but an accumulation of old knowledge. Intuition, not intellect, is the ‘open sesame’ of yourself.”
Albert Einstein, in Einstein and the Poet – In Search of the Cosmic Man by William Hermanns (Branden Press, 1983, p. 16)
One might say,“I didn’t realize Albert Einstein was a proponent of the intuitive. If intuition is key to creative process, why has intuitive process not been closely examined, tuned up and utilized as a mainstream tool for creative endeavors?”
I am not entirely sure. There may be some clues.
For various reasons, possibly humanity has not been ready for its acceptance. The word “creativity” is certainly fashionable these days yet when the context of the utilizations of the word is given attention, both the intuitive and creativity are very often diluted in intuitively derived content.
The examples of creativity often do contain diverse ideas being brought together, associated and combined. This clever thinking and the bringing together of diverse ideas are commonly being described as creative. Subconscious reasoning and innovation are often referred to as creative. Innovative creativity may be present and indeed is a very powerful tool, yet I suggest that intuitively derived creativity has the potential to be so much more.
As related to the sculpting journey, the Einstein quote I find to be encouraging.
Back to the writing.
What will be described here among other topics is a series of events, a sculpting journey that has led to a belief that humans have, within themselves, underutilized abilities with which to access particularly appropriate powerful creative ideas. I speak of the intuitive. This is by no means a new concept, yet there are cultural influences in place that have not been conducive to the thriving of this ability.
Intuition is clearly described by Einstein as the root source of his creativity, yet his insight has been glossed over. Humanity does not appear to have rushed to utilize, much less closely examine, Einstein’s stated source of discoveries. The exceptional E=MC² creative content along with an overriding rigidity of habitual thinking has taken precedence. Humanity has accepted and celebrated his discoveries yet that same humanity has not been able to recognize, to understand, nor to utilize the tremendous significance and importance of the intuitive as the expressed source of those discoveries.