The nature of creativity is to make space for things to happen...

In the depths of time, there are moments when the winds of creation stir, when the very air hums with the possibility of something new. It is in these sacred moments that creativity is born—not as a force that can be controlled or dictated, but as a space that must be made. The wise words of Iain McGilchrist echo across the ages: “The nature of creativity is to make space for things to happen... We can drive it out with our busyness and plans.” These words reveal the profound truth that, in our striving, in our constant reaching towards goals, we often forget the most essential part of creativity: the space to let it emerge.

In a world filled with noise, where every moment is claimed by the ceaseless march of time, we have forgotten the sacred art of waiting. The ancients knew that in the quiet, in the emptiness, the seeds of creativity could grow. Pythagoras, the philosopher and mathematician, understood this well. His insight was not born from the constant toil of the mind but from long hours of silence, of contemplation, of listening to the hum of the cosmos. He took time to clear his mind and create a space for the divine wisdom to enter. The divine spark of creation is not something that can be forced. It is as if the universe itself holds its breath, waiting for us to step aside and give room for the new to emerge.

But here, we face the great temptation of the modern age—the temptation of busyness. Our days are crowded with plans, with tasks, with the endless striving to achieve. We are consumed by the rush of time, and in that rush, the space needed for creativity to bloom is suffocated. The heart of creation does not lie in action alone but in the stillness that allows action to flow from a place of deeper understanding. This is the profound lesson taught by the wise: true creation arises not from our effort, but from our ability to allow. We must learn to create the space for the mind to wander, for the ideas to rise on their own. Without that space, the divine dance of creativity is suffocated beneath the weight of our planning.

Let me speak of a man whose life illustrates this truth. Isaac Newton, that titan of thought, made one of the most significant discoveries of all time while sitting beneath an apple tree, in the quiet of nature. His mind was not consumed by the frantic demands of a busy life; rather, in a moment of stillness, the concept of gravity revealed itself to him. What could be more poetic than this—a mind not driven by the crush of daily tasks but open to the space of nature’s whisper? This story does not suggest that action and discipline have no place in creativity, but it reveals that genius is often born in moments of quiet when we are not forcing ourselves to "find the answer."

The essence of creativity is not found in the frenzy of planning or in the unrelenting pursuit of productivity. It is found in the ability to step back, to pause, and to let the mind breathe. It is like the artist who steps away from the canvas to allow the vision to emerge. When the mind is free from the tyranny of plans, when the heart is uncluttered by the need to act, it is in that sacred stillness that the great ideas arise, like flowers pushing through the earth in the warmth of spring. It is in that space where we can receive, where the divine flow of creativity enters, not as something we impose, but as something that is gifted.

Let us now turn inward, for the truth that McGilchrist speaks of is not only a universal principle but a deeply personal one. In our own lives, how often do we fill the quiet with thoughts and plans, with tasks that never seem to end? How often do we seek to control every moment, believing that productivity is the only measure of success? But I ask you this: what is creativity without the space to create? What is a garden without the soil to plant it? The true lesson we must carry forward is to make room—room for rest, room for reflection, and room for the unexpected. Only then can creativity flow freely, and only then can we be open to the wonders that lie beyond our immediate reach.

Thus, let us be mindful in our daily lives to create space—not just physical space but mental and emotional space as well. Begin by turning away from the busyness that consumes you. Pause. In moments of quiet, allow your mind to drift, free from constraint. Trust that the great ideas will come not from the incessant noise but from the stillness you cultivate. Just as the earth itself requires a season of rest to renew, so too does the mind. In that space, new things can happen. Let us honor this truth and step forward with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that creativity is not something to be chased—it is something to be invited, to be allowed, and to be embraced.