One of the most important yet unpossessed skills is problem solving particularly in the realm of major life situations. I want to posit that there is always a solution available to us regardless of our feelings or seeming lack of internal or external resources.

I had a very serious set of issues that need creative solutions that I had no idea how to approach. A lot of time when we have a serious “problem” we think hard about it and when we do that all the stumbling blocks and issues seem to come up which reinforces the appearance of no solution. This is what is sometimes meant by “identifying with thought.” When we identify with the thought streams in our head we believe them to be true. But what is really happening is that they are giving us a very view of a very small slice of the issue at hand and blocking the possibility of creative solutions. My intention with this essay is to illustrate the power of meditation to facilitate creative problem solving and inspire you to try it!

Having more insights is fun and engaging. It gives your brain a great lift of dopamine from the novel connections. It helps energize you to get things done, and helps people unlock some of life's toughest puzzles. The trouble is, we have to get used to letting our non-conscious brains do the work. Relax, let go, and you might find a whole world of new insights emerging. ~Psychologist David Rock, Psychology Today 2010

Photo by Chen YiChun on Unsplash

Below the surface

We all take in a lot of information from the peripheries of our mind all day long. Our subconscious minds are working below the scenes all the time making connections with all this information. However, we are not aware of this. So just the fact that this is the way our mind works means that there must be a way to access it. Pounding on our thought process is not the way.

You may have heard the term “releasing attachment” when people talk about meditation or contemplative practices. But what does it mean? What does it mean when people say “releasing attachment to the story in your head?” This can be a tricky concept to understand because it can be interpreted as becoming apathetic. The Brainwave Research Institute says:

“Meditation also creates a sense of non-attachment. That’s not to say that you stop caring about the problem or potential ramifications; it means that you are not attached to the emotions associated with the problem.

Again, it’s an ability to step back and see the situation for what it is, not according to the emotions you assign to it. You no longer say, “I am stressed because of this deadline” or “I am angry because so-and-so won’t listen to my ideas.” Taking the “I am” out of the equation gives you the ability to see the problem from multiple perspectives, and thus makes it easier to come up with solutions.”

It’s like a mini-vacation to be able to take a break from the burden of whatever is perplexing you or causing you suffering – and the added bonus is that while you are taking a break your subconscious mind is doing the heavy lifting.

Gradual Resolution and Insight

You will begin to have insights that will lead you down a path to resolution. Problems that felt like they were dead ends will now feel like being guided through a labyrinth where new openings keep popping up. You will understand that there IS a way out and as each new turn that emerges you feel the sunlight on your face out of the darkness and a promised land on the horizon.

I began this essay by talking about a seemingly unresolvable issue I was faced with so I HAD to engage in this process with faith. While I can’t divulge the details of the situation because it involves another person I can share some of the process that emerged.

Photo by Ales Krivec on Unsplash

My Personal Process

Firstly, as I have already mentioned, meditation or what I engage in which is called “sitting” which is an open eyed style I learned from a teacher from the Dzogchen tradition of Buddhism then later in the Zen tradition is a welcome break from the incessant stream of thoughts that naturally will occur in the mind. This is merely the top layer of the mind rehashing the issue as complex problems are not resolved on that level. So, my sitting practice gives me immediate relief.

Secondly, I began having mild flashes of insight while conversing with the person who, by the way, is someone I love and care about very much and have warm feelings toward. I was able to begin a dialogue that was immediately helpful to this person when before I had absolutely no clue how I was going to begin broaching this difficult situation.

Thirdly, when I went to sleep one evening I had another flash of insight that led me down a path of inquiry. I live with severe insomnia and so because of this unresolved issue I can’t sleep. One night after I turned in to sleep and was lying in bed I immediately knew to ask myself a series of questions while I was not in ordinary waking consciousness. What ended up happening was it triggered an opening for me to feel suppressed emotions. It was painful. But it was a good kind of pain. I slept that night for a few hours for the first time in three years without very strong medication.

This process took almost three weeks and I began intending to write about how it worked out and was not able to write anything else during that time. But it was oh so worth it.

Conclusion

I hope you can see that there is a way to see through issues you may be facing by putting some effort into using our minds in the way they work the best. Understanding that dis-identifying with the thought process through meditation or sitting to allow the wisdom of the subconscious to work as it is designed to. In a coming essay I will point to findings in evolutionary psychology as to why the modern human has lost this natural ability.

What do you think?

@soulsistashakti is a musical artist and writer based in NYC as well as a practitioner of Buddhist teachings. You can check out my music on my FB artist page at https://www.facebook.com/soulsistashakti