PSYCHONAUTS FOR SL CREATIVITY

[Luna Bliss]

Simply put, the topic is "What do you specifically do to alter your consciousness, if anything, in order to enhance your creativity in SL?".

The possibilities for creativity are endless in SL -- how do you alter your mind (the mission of the psychonaut) in order to be more creative in SL?  Do you do anything particular to alter your consciousness (like going for a walk, drinking extra coffee, taking a nap, listening to music, meditating, working with your dreams) before engaging in creative activities like... putting your SL avatar together, designing the interior/exterior space with your Linden home, creating a script, engaging in photography, landscaping, or creating content in Blender/or with prims for SL?

Of course Second Life itself can be a psychonaut tool which alters one's mind with the potential of increasing creativity, as SL can stoke the imagination, and simply trying new things in SL has the potential to change the self. Sometimes I simply walk around SL and this gets my creative juices flowing and I'm inspired to embark on a creative pursuit.

A psychonaut is a "sailor of the mind" and they love to alter their consciousness. If you are a creator you are already a psychonaut, as nothing alters the mind like creativity itself. Or if you love to learn you're also a psychonaut, as learning definitely alters the mind. 

What I'm specifically exploring here are techniques that can make creating in SL even better. I've discovered drinking a little more coffee or actually eating my neglected lunch gets me to that desired state where I feel free to create. Morning or early afternoon is the best time to create for me, whereas some swear they do their best late at night. Some smoke a little pot, and while I've never tried that before entering SL I can imagine its potential. I think alcohol would just make me lazy and sleepy, while I know some claim they wrote their best books while drinking. I've yet to try creating in SL after a meditation session, but I suspect this could be very productive.

So... do you do anything specifically before creating in SL that you'd like to share, with the potential of helping others? Or do you have any ideas regarding tools that could be applied (even if you haven't tried them in SL yet)?

In addition, would you be willing to try some psychonaut tools you might learn about here to enhance creativity in SL, and report back with the results?

Edited August 18, 2022 by Luna Bliss

[Rolig Loon]

1 hour ago, Luna Bliss said:

So... do you do anything specifically before creating in SL that you'd like to share, with the potential of helping others?

Not a thing. I sit down and go to work, usually with a little instrumental music in the background.

[Sid Nagy]

Since a few years I totally don't push myself anymore to do something in SL.
I have periods that I do a lot, design new things, build a lot.
And there are weeks/months that I do little to nothing in that direction in SL.
A kind of writers block but than for building. That used to annoy me a lot in the past.
Nowadays I don't care at all and that helps for me. The non creative periods are shorter since I don't care that I have those.

There is always redecorating my parcel, buy new clothes, or be very little in SL.
And all of a sudden creativity pops back in gear.

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Sid Nagy

[Arielle Popstar]

1 hour ago, Luna Bliss said:

Simply put, the topic is "What do you specifically do to alter your consciousness, if anything, in order to enhance your creativity in SL?".

The possibilities for creativity are endless in SL -- how do you alter your mind (the mission of the psychonaut) in order to be more creative in SL?  Do you do anything particular to alter your consciousness (like going for a walk, drinking extra coffee, taking a nap, listening to music, meditating, working with your dreams) before engaging in creative activities like... putting your SL avatar together, designing the interior/exterior space with your Linden home, creating a script, engaging in photography, landscaping, or creating content in Blender/or with prims for SL?

Of course Second Life itself can be a psychonaut tool which alters one's mind with the potential of increasing creativity, as SL can stoke the imagination, and simply trying new things in SL has the potential to change the self. Sometimes I simply walk around SL and this gets my creative juices flowing and I'm inspired to embark on a creative pursuit.

A psychonaut is a "sailor of the mind" and they love to alter their consciousness. If you are a creator you are already a psychonaut, as nothing alters the mind like creativity itself. Or if you love to learn you're also a psychonaut, as learning definitely alters the mind. 

What I'm specifically exploring here are techniques that can make creating in SL even better. I've discovered drinking a little more coffee or actually eating my neglected lunch gets me to that desired state where I feel free to create. Morning or early afternoon is the best time to create for me, whereas some swear they do their best late at night. Some smoke a little pot, and while I've never tried that before entering SL I can imagine its potential. I think alcohol would just make me lazy and sleepy, while I know some claim they wrote their best books while drinking. I've yet to try creating in SL after a meditation session, but I suspect this could be very productive.

So... do you do anything specifically before creating in SL that you'd like to share, with the potential of helping others? Or do you have any ideas regarding tools that could be applied (even if you haven't tried them in SL yet)?

In addition, would you be willing to try some psychonaut tools you might learn about here to enhance creativity in SL, and report back with the results?

Well I am not a creator in any world but since you bring the topic up, I did quite a few years ago, have a desire to learn to draw better just for my own sake and searched for a book on how. I bought a book called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and by utilizing the exercises in the book, was able to achieve some remarkable drawings for me. I didn't follow through with it and lost the book in a fire but never forgot some of the methods they talked about. Ran across this video on it and thinking maybe I should retry some of the exercises again and utilize them for more then drawing.

 

[Ceka Cianci]

I don't really create for anyone else anymore. Customs started to burn me out quick and suck the creativity right out of me..

All i really do when I'm messing with something is make sure nobody can get to me in any way.. I get on my land and lock everyone out from being able to get there, put on BUSY, cut the ding off to incoming IM's, put on my soul music and  forget anyone else exists in the world and then get lost in it all.

that's about it.

 

 

 

 

[Seicher Rae]

I received a scholarship for writing about a year ago, and included in that is access to a writer's collective, in which we bounce ideas off of each other. A coffee klatch of sorts. From suggestions in that group, I started to ritualize the creative period, with a self-created not-really-a-prayer prayer, a few minutes of mindful breathing, lighting of candles and a said out loud purpose or intention for the session, even if it is just "I have no idea what I will be writing, but 500 words." I try to keep to a set time. I do the same thing when I attend my inworld writing groups in SL. I would do the same thing if in a dedicated creative period in SL. Come to think of it, I should probably alter it to fit into an "omg I need to organize my inventory" session.

[Stephanie Misfit]

Coffee, black metal, getting up and working on stuff in the very early morning, oh, and manic episodes help get things done too though I would not recommend it. 

[Bree Giffen]

Usually what I do is make plans to clean the bathroom or the kitchen and as I procrastinate in SL I will suddenly become very creative. 

[Quistess Alpha]

Having a bit of pencil+paper at the ready to jot down the jist of an idea is rather helpful; it's harder to make a thing when you forgot it was a thing you were going to make.

[Quartz Mole]

13 hours ago, Quistess Alpha said:

Having a bit of pencil+paper at the ready to jot down the jist of an idea is rather helpful; it's harder to make a thing when you forgot it was a thing you were going to make.

The problem with this is that most solutions to intractable scripting problems seem to come to me in the shower, presumably because I've slept on them overnight.    

[Luna Bliss]

19 hours ago, Rolig Loon said:

20 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

So... do you do anything specifically before creating in SL that you'd like to share, with the potential of helping others?

Not a thing. I sit down and go to work, usually with a little instrumental music in the background.

How could I forget my favorite psychonaut tool -- music!    Yes I often have music playing when creating, at least with visual-type pursuits.  More verbal-type ones it becomes a distraction though.  I can't imagine scripting with music playing, but maybe if one is more familiar with the mechanics of it the music wouldn't distract?

 

[Luna Bliss]

9 minutes ago, Quartz Mole said:

The problem with this is that most solutions to intractable scripting problems seem to come to me in the shower, presumably because I've slept on them overnight.    

Maybe taking a shower is a psychonaut tool, or could be. I seem to remember somebody on the forum mentioning they shower to feel better.  I hope you have a waterproof pen and note tablet!

[Luna Bliss]

19 hours ago, Sid Nagy said:

Since a few years I totally don't push myself anymore to do something in SL.
I have periods that I do a lot, design new things, build a lot.
And there are weeks/months that I do little to nothing in that direction in SL.
A kind of writers block but than for building. That used to annoy me a lot in the past.
Nowadays I don't care at all and that helps for me. The non creative periods are shorter since I don't care that I have those.

There is always redecorating my parcel, buy new clothes, or be very little in SL.
And all of a sudden creativity pops back in gear.

 

There is something to be said for not forcing oneself to be creative for sure. I can be very neurotic about it by "shoulding" all over myself       Creativity can really open oneself up, as it's all about change or apprehending 'the new', but sometimes I'm just not up for it, and I need to respect that.  But then, one can stay stuck when they actually need to break through into 'the new' and not allow the status quo.  It's all so confusing!   Balance must be there...somewhere...lol.

[Luna Bliss]

19 hours ago, Arielle Popstar said:

Well I am not a creator in any world but since you bring the topic up, I did quite a few years ago, have a desire to learn to draw better just for my own sake and searched for a book on how. I bought a book called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and by utilizing the exercises in the book, was able to achieve some remarkable drawings for me. I didn't follow through with it and lost the book in a fire but never forgot some of the methods they talked about. Ran across this video on it and thinking maybe I should retry some of the exercises again and utilize them for more then drawing.

 

That is really cool -- that you were able to learn to draw better.  I have this book somewhere....I think...but my ex-husband might have run off with it.  I don't recall diving into the book as much as I would have liked to, but I did learn some.  The book is great for teaching one how to see, which is a fundamental aspect of creating anything, as we frequently find out we simply weren't paying attention.

I may buy the book (again) and  the workbook. The YouTuber who posted it has many more videos on the book, chapter by chapter, and that support is nice as well.

[Luna Bliss]

19 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

I don't really create for anyone else anymore. Customs started to burn me out quick and suck the creativity right out of me..

All i really do when I'm messing with something is make sure nobody can get to me in any way.. I get on my land and lock everyone out from being able to get there, put on BUSY, cut the ding off to incoming IM's, put on my soul music and  forget anyone else exists in the world and then get lost in it all.

that's about it.

 

Doing custom work for others can be dangerous to creativity for sure!  I can remember some jobs where I vowed to never do another custom job again.

I have to be alone to create too. I never understood those who liked to build inworld with others, but I can imagine people feeding off each other and coming up with something amazing when the process is working smoothly.

[Luna Bliss]

16 hours ago, Seicher Rae said:

I received a scholarship for writing about a year ago, and included in that is access to a writer's collective, in which we bounce ideas off of each other. A coffee klatch of sorts. From suggestions in that group, I started to ritualize the creative period, with a self-created not-really-a-prayer prayer, a few minutes of mindful breathing, lighting of candles and a said out loud purpose or intention for the session, even if it is just "I have no idea what I will be writing, but 500 words." I try to keep to a set time. I do the same thing when I attend my inworld writing groups in SL. I would do the same thing if in a dedicated creative period in SL. Come to think of it, I should probably alter it to fit into an "omg I need to organize my inventory" session.

Those are interesting tools, and could be great to increase focus.  I love rituals, but I know some think they are stupid. I've always been able to change my mood just by lighting candles.

There's a book that helps others enhance their creativity I'm currently reading, and it stresses the importance of writing 3 pages each morning in a stream of consciousness style.  I might try that.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

The title made me think of the game at first, so I was rather confuzzled!

I would say my thing is listening to music while doing anything creative, but I always listen to music. I'm at the point where my head and ears feel weird if I don't have my headphones on.

So...nothing special in my case, I suppose!

 

[Seicher Rae]

3 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Those are interesting tools, and could be great to increase focus.  I love rituals, but I know some think they are stupid. I've always been able to change my mood just by lighting candles.

There's a book that helps others enhance their creativity I'm currently reading, and it stresses the importance of writing 3 pages each morning in a stream of consciousness style.  I might try that.

Assume you're talking about The Artist's Way.

[Luna Bliss]

16 hours ago, Stephanie Lovely said:

Coffee, black metal, getting up and working on stuff in the very early morning, oh, and manic episodes help get things done too though I would not recommend it. 

Oh yes, coffee!  My brain is usually foggy in the morning -- takes awhile to wake up. I'm not fully awake at the moment really, but here I am writing on the forum     lol

Ohh...the creative high, all manic, yeah fun times.  But so exhausting!

[Luna Bliss]

2 minutes ago, Seicher Rae said:

Assume you're talking about The Artist's Way.

I am

What do you think about that book?

[Luna Bliss]

14 hours ago, Bree Giffen said:

Usually what I do is make plans to clean the bathroom or the kitchen and as I procrastinate in SL I will suddenly become very creative. 

I like it!  Looking at my unfinished taxes. Yeah I really need to play my guitar now.  lol

[Luna Bliss]

14 hours ago, Quistess Alpha said:

Having a bit of pencil+paper at the ready to jot down the jist of an idea is rather helpful; it's harder to make a thing when you forgot it was a thing you were going to make.

Makes sense. It sounds like your ideas for creativity are really flowing!  Good times...

[Seicher Rae]

5 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

I am

What do you think about that book?

There's a reason it is an old classic.

[Luna Bliss]

11 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

The title made me think of the game at first, so I was rather confuzzled!

I would say my thing is listening to music while doing anything creative, but I always listen to music. I'm at the point where my head and ears feel weird if I don't have my headphones on.

So...nothing special in my case, I suppose!

 

I did come across that game as I was researching.  It seems to be a fairly new word to describe what I was formerly referring to as "mind hacks". I was a bit hesitant to use it at first as it's often associated with psychedelic drugs, and I wanted this to be about all sorts of ways we might increase creativity in our lives.  Did I mention I like creativity?  lol

[Luna Bliss]

5 minutes ago, Seicher Rae said:

10 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

I am

What do you think about that book?

There's a reason it is an old classic.

I really like it, but have only skimmed parts.

The Artist's Way -- A Spiritual Path To Creativity    By Julia Cameron

Creativity has certainly opened me up to the deeper levels of my self.