Tsk tsk…prefrontal lobe…

I heard a discussion on an NPR podcast today. About prefrontal lobes and creativity and conscious self monitoring by Dr. Charles Limb, a surgeon and creativity researcher.

Suddenly there was light. Everything made sense. Lucidity shone with much brilliance…

But first, let me back up a little. Ever since I decided to consider the cupcake stories more seriously; the same stories that I was writing previously, only for fun, I stopped writing them. Yes. Completely. No more sweet treats, no more whipped cream clouds, no more little girl mad antics, no more little messages tucked into delicious treats.

Nope. None at all. The thought of taking them to a critique at a writer’s conference put butterflies in my stomach. Not the pretty, fluttery ones; but the giant, angry, mutant ones, straight out of a B grade sci-fi movie.

I wondered if the sweetness of it all reeked of over-processed sugary carbs. I wondered if the messages were too pithy.

Whether or not they reek of excess sugar and carbs, I smelt a whiff of fear, apprehension and judgment. I also know that I have not gone near a cupcake story – neither to clean up the raw copy, nor to write a new one, for over a month – ever since the idea first popped into my head.

That was probably why I wrote the last blog - to clarify in my head, as to why I started writing them in the first place. I know they put a smile on my face, but when I venture to wonder if they can be more (at the insistence of a certain nine-year-old) I balk.

As I listened to the NPR podcast, everything made sense. I knew what was going on. And it was not my fault either. It was all because of the prefrontal lobe. Damn, prefrontal lobe.

The discussion (there is a ted talk too) talked about creativity being like a “faucet” (a beautiful metaphor, indeed). It talked about the flow of ideas, of creative genius being “magical, but not magic” and about the “conscious self monitoring” by the prefrontal lobe.

Limb’s research showed that in times of great activity and creativity (he studied musicians), the prefrontal lobe showed reduced activity. Which in turn, results in less inhibition, as the prefrontal lobe is the seat of self monitoring.

To me, it seemed like it was stepping back and allowing the genius of creativity to take center stage. He talks about the dissociation that happens during creativity – of how when a certain area turns on, the other turns off – and with it, turns off inhibition. Inhibition and self monitoring, all which could stifle creativity.

What I took from the discussion, is that artistic creativity is the flow of ideas, the turning of the faucet, and allowing the faucet to pour out… without criticism, without intervention by the prefrontal lobe, yes, the same noisy critical prefrontal lobe, who loves to self monitor.

The relief of finding someone or something to blame is of course, priceless. I relaxed. I had nothing to do with it. It was all because of the meddlesome prefrontal lobe.  

Hmm… but again, whose prefrontal lobe was it? Hmm… where could I find my copy of “How to train your prefrontal lobe?” Sigh, there seemed no escape in sight after all.

I wondered if there was more to it. I wondered if it is what happens when a nine-year-old runs with great gusto towards a soccer ball during a game, but sometimes hesitates or balks in the moment.  

I wondered if it explained the time when I was seven, and extremely excited to be a “coconut girl” – only to go on stage and forget the tune of the song. Rather incredulous, for someone who would sing all the time. And ahem, I still remember the song and tune today.

Are these all examples of the prefrontal lobe meddling with the flow of beautiful things? Not sure, I would include my singing in that, but then, you get the gist…

Sure, we need the prefrontal lobe for better judgment and editing and fine tuning, and it will have its time and place in the overall creative design. The question then, is how to strike that beautiful balance – wherein the judgment and monitoring is switched off, and creativity is allowed to flow uninhibited, and allowed to realize and turn into something. And when its time comes, the prefrontal lobe can exercise its monitoring and carefulness and inhibitions, to fine tune the creative genius into something better.

In the meantime, I will try and reduce the volume of the noise generated by the prefrontal lobe. It’s harder than I imagined. For despite the earlier light and lucidity, I sat down and wrote this blog piece. I still won’t venture close to a cupcake story. Hmm…