Unlocking Creativity 4: Integrating Attention

We can direct our attention to a task in two ways.

We can flashlight our attention - focusing it on a specific task the way that a flashlight shines a focused beam of light. We do this to gain specificity and granularity. This is our orienting reflex. We learn a tremendous amount of detail when we do this, but it comes at a cost.

When we flashlight, it requires a sizable caloric burn. We accomplish this by narrowing our sensory input so we can gain detail from only one or two senses at a time. When we do this for an extended period, we recruit the muscles of our body, wrongly, to hold our attention still. Thus, we hold our bodies still at the same time. This is rather unnatural as we are hardwired neurologically to mind wander about every seven seconds!

The opposite of flashlighting is to floodlight. When we do this, our attention becomes diffuse and receptive. This is our alerting reflex. It quite literally is the opposite pathway from flashlighting. When we do this, our attention is simply gathering data and waiting until something alerts us and directs us to flashlight. When are attention is receiving in this way, we also continue to move – a valuable attribute for musicians.

Our survival relies on both our orienting and alerting reflexes to work together. Neither is better than the other.

The problem for humans is that our culture and society places value on the ability to orient - to concentrate for long periods of time. Further, we attempt to stay in a field of concentration going from one specific point to the next, without releasing first back into our floodlight. This creates exhaustion and burnout.

In your next practice session, begin with your attention in the receptive mode. Wait for something to alert you. Then concentrate only as much as you need to attend to the problem at hand. Once it is done, release your attention and come back to floodlighting. Wait for the next moment to arrive that needs your focus.

This is integrating attention.