How to Get Out of Your Head
October 28, 2008
Spain is beautiful. I’ve now visited France, the UK, Holland, Germany and Italy here in Europe, but something about this one has captivated me uniquely. I’m here with my family, and the cities (well most of the cities) we’ve visited, and the people therein seem to have some sort of way about them, a certain energy or vibe, that is at once warm, elegant, and beautiful.
With that said, I’ve been doing a lot of work on this trip - a lot of “in my head” sort of stuff in advance of a few things that we’ll be releasing in November and December. And whenever I get in my head, I become, well… slightly off.
My head is a place where systems and logic take charge. Where if/then conditionals are torn apart, tested, and reconstituted. Sometimes notepads are involved. I have a slightly odd perspective on human relations - one that is able to analyze without emotion, even when I’m the subject of the interaction - that has perhaps come from too much time watching and coaching men to better interact with women.
But I’ve found one sure-fire remedy for in-my-headness. The haiku. A humble poem that attempts to encapsulate a moment in the briefest of words and tones.
If you’ve never before done poetry or haiku writing, I encourage you to try it. It really gets you out of your head and into the world around you. It makes me feel at peace while I’m doing it.
My favorite haiku ever, and always my inspiration, was authored by science fiction writer Neil Stephenson. If you’ve ever read something better than this, please share.
The leaves of Shanghai.
Pale doorways to a steel sky.
Winter has begun.
I won’t claim to be a great haiku-ist, but here are a few I penned on the train from Jarez to Sevilla today, regarding various people and experiences of the last week.
————–
Dusk’s gradient sky.
The train’s window a canvas.
She is coming home.
————–
The chill of Jarez.
Forever fall in this town,
its season and heart.
————–
She floats: an arrow,
Grace and beauty in motion,
deadly when she strikes.
————–
Perfume fills the air,
voices join; women in love
with life and friendship
————–
Family is home.
We merely fly, the world spins
and takes us with it.
————–
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2 Responses to “How to Get Out of Your Head”
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Wow, man. This is really insightful.
It’s gotten me thinking.
Whenever I get into heavy writing mode, which as an academic is both necessary and often, it becomes harder for me to detach from the analytical, logical side.
Socializing effectively requires that we get more in touch with our emotional side and become more carefree and playful.
So there is often a conflict when that “analytical writing-mode me” switches gears to the “playful emotionally attuned me.” Depending on how long I’ve been in writing mode, it often takes hours or even days to make the transition fully.
But your idea of writing haiku poetry inspired me to a solution.
When making that transition back to the emotionally attuned side, engage your artistic nature. Something verbal is best, but not necessary.
Poetry is probably the best kind of writing here. But I think playing music with passion and emotion on your guitar or saxophone or whatever instrument would also work, as would drawing, painting, or dancing.
Anything that engages the creative, artistic side and forces us to get in touch with and express our emotions is good.
Thanks for the inspiration!
–David.
Hey Christian, my favorit Haiku is unfortunately a german one =) I’m going to write it down in german and then try to give a translation in my own words: (written by a woman, but i dont know her name)
Das ist nicht erlaubt
sagte er und pflückte mir
einen Blütenzweig.
This is forbidden
he told me and picked me
a flower-branch
Hope you like it.
Cheers from Berlin,
Zacharias