Keep the Creative Juices Flowing - Issue #12: Creative Walks
Hello Creative Friend!
This is December 2022, issue nr 12
This newsletter is 1 year old AND this is the last issue you are receiving from Revue
Thank you so much for following along in this Creative Journey.
I put all my energy and efforts in making this monthly appointment with you worth to be read and I want to make it better and better.
About moving from Revue. I'm not really a rat fleeing a sinking ship but I have to be realistic and yet I care about you and this newsletter.
So, in this month I'll work to transfer the newsletter on Substack .
You don’t have to do anything, I’ll take care of everything.
You will receive a welcome issue from Substack on Friday, December 16th at 6.30pm CET
Please check your inbox to make sure you correctly get it and, in case, check your SPAM folder and add maurotoselli@substack.com to your contacts .
See you on the other side!
Creativity Walks
This summer I started working on a format of workshop where participants walk together in a wood. I did some research, as usual, and I found that there is a universe around walking in the woods.
Taking Creative Walks is one of those things you do because it simply works for you. You do it for years, you create your routines and rituals to enjoy plenty the walks and then, at some point, you find that it is "a thing".
If different minds, different souls do the same thing, there must be something very right in what we do.
What I mean with Creative Walks
There are 2 types of walks that can have a positive impact on Creativity.
In this issue we are going to focus on the "to Connect" walks in nature.
Shinrin-yoku or Forest Bathing
This is exactly what I said above, part of what I was and am doing already exists and has very solid scientific foundations.
In the last few months I read and researched a lot about Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy. I took a few classes online and I was amazed by the number of times I found myself thinking or saying out loud "yes,yes, that’s it!"
Here a quick recap with my own definition of Forest Bathing
Creative Walks in the Wood
Now I want to share with you the work I did to map or, better, give a shape to the practice of taking Creative Walks in the Wood
The 3 Parts of a Creative Walk
Preparation is the key
The core of the Experience
Back in September I posted a sketchnote about my "Entering Ritual".
No matter what, if you take a Walk in the proper way, you’ll bring something good at home
That’s is, very simple yet very powerful.
Walk with me!
If you ever find yourself in Italy, around Milan, give me a shout and I’ll be happy to take you in "my" wood for a Creative Walk.
Signals&Dots
think: A Guide to Walking Meditation
The original guide by Thích Nhất Hạnh. Despite this may look like is not that strictly relevant to the Creative process, in this guide you can find beautiful and helpful suggestions to get the most out of the Creative Walks.
think: Online Art Communities Begin Banning AI-Generated Images
This is something that impacts the Creative Community. I’m not against AI but what I see is making me very worried.
The Catch All
Ok, here is a secret, when I need to stay really really focused for some time (no more than 1-2 hours anyway) I wear headphones that enhance bass tone and I listen Techno and House music.
I know, I know but, believe me it works.
That said, a couple of month ago I found about a TikTok trend about Brown noise and I wanted to know more.
There is a lot of literature about "noise", white, pink, red, and Brown.
This last one is not about the color, in fact the correct name is Brownian noise and it is named after the botanist Robert Brown.
You can read the long story on Wikipedia.
What is Brown Noise?
There is a wonderful article on the New York Time that describes it as follows:
The human ear only detects sounds within a certain range of frequencies — those that stimulate the cochlea, a spiral-shaped cavity swirling in our inner ears. When we play brown noise, we hear every frequency that the ear is able to detect at once, said Dr. Berlau. Listening to all of these frequencies at once creates an immersive, even smothering, experience that some people may find pleasant.
December Monthly Creative Challenge
It's very easy yet interesting, what you need is just your smartphone and a headset.
Try to listen to different kind of noises while doing things and observe how they work.
Here some samples of noises from Soundcloud:
I did this while doing these tasks:
sketchnoting both for work and personal (I annotated the kind of noise I was listening on the sketchnotes)
walking both in natural and urban environment (I took notes about the day, time, place and noise)
going through my inbox
reading
I didn't take notes of the feelings and sensation in the moment or the outcomes of the tasks. I worked "retrospectively" after a couple of weeks and the results are really interesting.
Just give it a try and, if you like, let me know about the result so we can have a chat.
Ah... I made a short video to explain this.
Honestly? It is not my best video ever... Is up to you to spend these 2 minutes of your life with me or not.
My Stuff
Christmas is coming and we are running out of time (as usual, right?)
Unsure about what gift to give to whom?
Here some xLontrax presents ideas!
Drawing Card Game: Phrenville
Garments and Gadgets: The Tribal Sketchnoter
Garments and Gadgets: Trust Me I’m a Sketchnoter
Prints: Steampunk Art
Prints: Coffee and Art
That’s it!
It's a bit early to say Merry Christmas but I want to wish you a wonderful December!
As always, thank you so much for reading this issue! It was a honor spending time with you.
See you on New Year on January, 2nd 2023 at h7.30 AM CET on Substack and it'll be an unconventional edition, we will "honey badger" it
:-D
Ciao
Mauro