Musicians out there - How do you overcome writer's block?

[Nahm]

@fopylo

Basically I’d like to slap you across the face as hard as I possibly can to snap you out of the deep slumber of believing you are not enslaved by the prison of your own mind. But there’s only text & graphics here so I’d like to use this medium to get as close as possible. 

 

[Waken]

I dig Bashar's suggestion on how to do these things, which is: follow your excitement. Just look at what option is available that has the most joy/passion/attraction/etc to it. What feels best for you to do now. No need to force anything, to try to make something happen. Just looking at what you would like most to do or experience now. Then as Bashar says you are following the guidance of your soul and everything will start fitting together perfectly.

[fopylo]

@Nahm

Alright then, please snap me out of this belief (although I do believe that I'm enslaved by the prison of my own mind)

[Nahm]

15 minutes ago, fopylo said:

 

I do believe that I'm enslaved by the prison of my own mind)

How long have you believed this? 

What have you done about it so far? 

What is on your calendar right now in this regard? 

What are you putting on your calendar today, in this regard? 

If your intention is adaptation, reply with more lies, more of the story of ‘you’, the mental prison which you’ve adapted to. If your intention is creativity, actually create a reply. 

[VioletFlame]

On 6/25/2021 at 6:12 PM, VioletFlame said:

What tends to help me overcome writer's block is to never stop discovering new music because that way, you can stay inspired. Even listening to some of your favorite artists who've had the most influence on you, can really help you tap back into the flow of creativity.

Also, I find that sometimes, simply arriving and "showing up" to your instrument, or musical space, and just messing around with it can help to ignite that creative spark within you again.

Also just for a word of advice, I find that having patience and not forcing to write anything can truly break the spells of writer's block and can only feed and restore your creativity. Creativity is almost like an independent energy and it likes to come and go in order to breathe, and replenish itself, so to speak. I find that most of my experience writing songs feels like a manic burst or a sudden, spontaneous urge to produce, or release, what has been brewing up inside of me over time. But I also find that as soon as I stop fixating on the need to write music, is when the manic creativity re-emerges. 

I hope this helps! ❤️

Sidenote: Resistance is often a major factor and it is parasitical. I recommend the book "The Art of War" by Steven Pressfield. It emphasizes on how to defeat resistance and overcome creative blocks.

I tend to return to this book whenever I'm dealing with writer's block. Granted, it's a bit ironic to be reading a book about conquering resistance instead of actively working on the pursuit or endeavor haha. But it's a small book so it's easy to speed read through and the advice is very profound. 

[fopylo]

@Nahm

7 hours ago, Nahm said:

How long have you believed this?

Basically ever since I got into personal development (about 2 years ago), and it was a gradual process of seeing and experiencing how my mind is the only thing that is limiting me - all those fears and resistances and lies (like you often say) are internal.

7 hours ago, Nahm said:

What have you done about it so far?

I've been meditating for like 1.5 years out of which I started Mindfulness meditation like 2-3 months ago and Do Nothing only like a week or two ago. I feel like the Do Nothing might be the winning card.

7 hours ago, Nahm said:

What is on your calendar right now in this regard? 

What are you putting on your calendar today, in this regard?

I'm not sure I quite understood this. For now I'm meditating

[Nahm]

@fopylo

Sounds boring. 

[fopylo]

@Nahm
Yo man what the hell, you're confusing me now. Why the fuck say "boring"? I just answered your question. Were you trying to get something from me by saying this? Is that how you're gonna leave it, saying it's boring and nothing more? At least you can elaborate a bit you know. Try imagining how some normal person like me would feel and think if he got that response. What do you suggest?

[Human Mint]

On 3/7/2021 at 9:30 PM, fopylo said:

But in the short term I don't think it will work well, as the brain is still in homeostasis, and radically making such changes can overwhelm to the point of quitting (and in some cases taking long ass breaks). If one day I decided to work for a long time then my mind will try to match up to this long time the next day, otherwise it is a failure.

If you were a caveman, and one day it happens that you and your fellas have to spend 8 hours triyng to catch a hare because you ran out of food, do you really believe that you'll be worried about how your mind will beat you up the next day, and hence not going for the hunt?

Your fellas would probably be so angry that they would want to hunt you down and eat you instead...

[fopylo]

@Human Mint

This is correct only if it's for survival's sake. Not making music won't kill me, it's a luxury

[hyruga]

Stop whining. It's just making music. There's tons of stuff out there that's more difficult than making music. For example, talking to event organisers can be even more boring and tedious.

Edited July 6, 2021 by hyruga

[Human Mint]

@fopylo Playing with people can be creatively powerful and fun

[fopylo]

@hyruga

On 7/6/2021 at 7:06 AM, hyruga said:

talking to event organisers can be even more boring and tedious.

Not that difficult.

Don't assume what's easy for you is easy for others. It's obviously not the technicals which are difficult (to go open the fucking laptop and software and play around), but rather the resistance of the mind and all the negative subconscious meanings attached to it.

[seeking_brilliance]

On 04/07/2021 at 9:18 PM, fopylo said:

@Nahm
Yo man what the hell, you're confusing me now. Why the fuck say "boring"? I just answered your question. Were you trying to get something from me by saying this? Is that how you're gonna leave it, saying it's boring and nothing more? At least you can elaborate a bit you know. Try imagining how some normal person like me would feel and think if he got that response. What do you suggest?

He asked if you could handle a Zen-slap. You obliged. ?

In addition to meditation, you could try proactive exercises like reading lots of books, retreats, marijuana or stronger psychedelics, creating music from the heart, etc. 

[fopylo]

@seeking_brilliance

2 hours ago, seeking_brilliance said:

He asked if you could handle a Zen-slap. You obliged. ?

He asked me that assuming that I believe that I'm not enslaved by my mind. I do believe I'm enslaved by mind so it beat the purpose of a Zen-slap I guess, just didn't understand what was 'boring' about my response and what he tried to get out of me by saying this.

2 hours ago, seeking_brilliance said:

In addition to meditation, you could try proactive exercises like reading lots of books, retreats, marijuana or stronger psychedelics, creating music from the heart, etc.

I haven't read in a very long time, but this is mainly because I instead watch Leo's videos and take notes. Instead of going a full month in on a single book I can just get ton of wisdom in pieces from Leo's videos, that's how I grow fastest for now. But I just ordered yesterday the book "The Way Of The Superior Man".

Marijuana is kinda illegal here and will be very hard to get. Same thing with psychedelics - The logistics are just not good: I still live with my parents and I'm going to the camp in a bit more than a month for half a year, coming back home only once every 2 weeks. That means retreats won't really be possible. And even after this half year I have my army service for 2.5 years.

Honestly man, there are just many limitations logistic and internal wise. But I honestly don't feel the drive and the will to create music. But I know this is something I'll want to pursue in the future. Every time I hear some music (rap, jazz, classical, and more) performance it just hits me every time and sparks something in me calling me. 

[Nahm]

On 6/1/2021 at 4:29 AM, fopylo said:

I've been taking a long break from the book Music Habits: The Mental Game Of Electronic Music Production (if anyone heard about it) and it's quite insightful.

One of the things he talks about is the fact that building the habit comes prior to building your skills, and that thinking that you need more "knowledge" and tutorials is just an illusion. Once you build the habit then everything becomes way easier and you actually do create music instead of just fantasizing.

So basically he gave an exercise (or advice) to open your DAW and create everyday for 15 minutes (though he said you can do even up to 30 minutes, but I'll stick with 15). He says that it can be very trashy, but as long as you create something , it's good.

So I've been doing this exercise in the past (not consistently, skipping some days), and let me tell you my experience and maybe you could help guide me.

So here are some struggles I faced with it:

• I felt pressure to create something and be creative. Even tough he said it can be trashy I still felt the anxiety to create something, bring an idea onto the table and make it sound good.
• I also felt sometimes pressured by the time. 15 minutes never gave me enough time to start and finish something. This made shorter beats that are mostly on loop with nothing special. I don't want to go also overtime because I don't want my brain to think that like 20 minutes is what I should be aiming for next time, putting more pressure.
• The biggest reason why I skipped days (imo) is because this process feels so dumb. I have this notion that I'm capable of reaching very high levels with my music if I really put my effort into it. And doing this exercise really makes me feel trash and hurt.
• Some of the instruments are just too heavy for my FL Studio to render, which is frustrating and very limiting.

About the last point, I'm really interested in creating orchestral music. I just think it's so damn beautiful. The problem is that my laptop can't fucking render the good quality violins while I'm creating. It is a real pain to play a few notes and then make a sample out of it because this is the only way to render it, and even then it's really a mess. I've been really inspired by the YouTuber Alex Moukala if anyone knows.

But back to the writer's block. I just don't really know what to think about in this process. What are some good mindsets and ideas I should take while doing those 15 minutes. I get also really frustrated when my song is just a loop, or the sounds are not as I had in my head.

I've decided that I want to get back into creating music. I wouldn't be surprised if it's somehow tied with my life purpose. All the time fucking delaying it with excuses that seem so valid, even such as "I'm taking a break to practice mindfulness and meditation so I can come back stronger" is a very genius get-away.

Anyways, I would appreciate guidance and advice from fellow musicians here who also went through such a period.

Thanks

This. ⬆️  This is boring. Telling the story of yourself, carrying that story with you everyday. The story of the separate self. The “normal person” lol. Your telling of the story is your own recreation of your prison. No story, no prison. There isn’t “your creativity” and “his or her creativity”. Have a look around. That is creativity. It’s not “your’s”, it’s YOU! But you, are telling a story about a you. A “you” which “has” writer’s block. That is how creative you actually are - you actually believe the story! You’re defending the story of you while asking how to be creative - Amazing! 

“Don't assume what's easy for you is easy for others. It's obviously not the technicals which are difficult (to go open the fucking laptop and software and play around), but rather the resistance of the mind and all the negative subconscious meanings attached to it.”

That’s just a story. The story of the me & others. The story of “the subconscious”. If you’d just slap a place & a character name on that story, you got a hell of a song you already created. There is no lack of creativity present. Just stories to the contrary. Don’t believe your own stories, just continue effortlessly creating them. 

 

[fopylo]

@Nahm

17 hours ago, Nahm said:

Telling the story of yourself, carrying that story with you everyday. The story of the separate self. The “normal person” lol. Your telling of the story is your own recreation of your prison. No story, no prison.

Ok, I could relate to that "carrying that story with you everyday" and that carrying this story (or problem) to every situation, introducing it, is helping in maintaining this prison - the story I'm confined in. Thanks for bringing that into my awareness.

But won't you say there is value in having a story? I mean, we all have a story, no? You even wrote a story about yourself while representing the dream board if I'm not mistaken.

How else should people know what's my problem if I don't give them some background and how my mind is working in order to get the best help?

17 hours ago, Nahm said:

There isn’t “your creativity” and “his or her creativity”. Have a look around. That is creativity. It’s not “your’s”, it’s YOU!

Alright, so basically I understood that if there is no really "me" (the story of me, although the story is kinda real because it happened literally) then nothing really, or like everything that is present could be me and so I can see how it makes sense. However I haven't understood it experientially yet.

 

17 hours ago, Nahm said:

That’s just a story. The story of the me & others. The story of “the subconscious”.

Dude but the subconscious mind is a real thing. Let's talk relative and not existentially absolutely - we have a subconscious mind.

[Nahm]

48 minutes ago, fopylo said:

How else should people know what's my problem if I don't give them some background and how my mind is working in order to get the best help?

18 hours ago, Nahm said:

Being present now, aware ‘my mind’ is just as it appears, a thought. Stating what you want to create, vs believing ‘you’ have a ‘problem’, or that ‘your mind’ is the ‘problem’. Hopefully the ‘prison’ obstruction vs creativity flowing is noticed in this regard. 

48 minutes ago, fopylo said:

But won't you say there is value in having a story? I mean, we all have a story, no? You even wrote a story about yourself while representing the dream board if I'm not mistaken.

Entertainment value…maybe?  Notice the difference in regard to feeling. Stay focused on the point (creativity), vs using a nonexistent me as a distraction. That’s low hanging fruit for the creator. 

48 minutes ago, fopylo said:

Alright, so basically I understood that if there is no really "me" (the story of me, although the story is kinda real because it happened literally) then nothing really, or like everything that is present could be me and so I can see how it makes sense. However I haven't understood it experientially yet.

What’s happening is real, but the separate self in thought is not. It’s exactly the same as thoughts about a unicorn… there are the thoughts appearing, but there isn’t actually the unicorn. 

48 minutes ago, fopylo said:

Dude but the subconscious mind is a real thing. Let's talk relative and not existentially absolutely - we have a subconscious mind

That there is relative, existential and or absolute is an exceptionally unique dogma… a false dichotomy of reality which supports there being the you which knows these thoughts are ‘real’ or ‘true’ things. But all thoughts just appear and are not known by a separate knower. The knower is (quite literally) “the known”.

Stop and point to the separations you’re stating are true. Notice they aren’t actual.  

If you met someone who firmly believed in unicorns, you could request they point to it, and they’d see that they can’t because it’s just a belief. Same for the subconscious. 

The believing you’ve been knowing & talking about these things is the facade or falsity or ‘the separate self’, “the one who knows”. But it’s just thought attachment, and really, not even (no one attached to any separate thing). 

The point here is creativity, and ‘getting out of the way of it’. If you consider these beliefs and dogmas to be like a hand holding a cork under water, what happens when you let go? 

[Zeroguy]

Then return to playing. 

Hands down best method I discovered. 

Creative solutions. Love it. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Zeroguy

[fopylo]

@Nahm

On 7/11/2021 at 1:42 PM, Nahm said:

Stating what you want to create, vs believing ‘you’ have a ‘problem’, or that ‘your mind’ is the ‘problem’

Not trying to be some annoying person but I don't think I quite understood the mechanics of how this works. I guess I see how carrying with me a story everywhere of how I have a problem is confining me, but the thing is that even if I don't state it or don't think about it, it still exists. I might not be thinking about the excuses and all of these things and thinking I have a problem, but once I have the thought of "Hey, I think I should create music, I've always wanted to do it and build a Youtube channel" then the fear and resistances arise. They arise in the moment I have this thought, so in those moments it doesn't matter if I believe I have a problem, it is happening on a subconscious level.

And stating what I want to create sounds kinda ignorant, as if I'm saying to myself "Dude, just create wtf. You don't have any problem, just go and create". We know that the picture is a bit bigger than that.

On 7/11/2021 at 1:42 PM, Nahm said:

 Notice the difference in regard to feeling. Stay focused on the point (creativity)

Abiding in that state for a few seconds, I had an association of me having a story and being attached to it as it defines me vs me flowing through life as a separate entity from my 'story' and this 'story' is just events the me went through.

On 7/11/2021 at 1:42 PM, Nahm said:

The believing you’ve been knowing & talking about these things is the facade or falsity or ‘the separate self’

But I really have been talking about these things, it's something that really happened. Look at the thread. Obviously I've been talking about it, even if what I said sounds bullshit it still happened. Oh wait... You mean the image  I have of myself as a separate entity talking and knowing..?

 

 

On 7/11/2021 at 1:42 PM, Nahm said:

The point here is creativity, and ‘getting out of the way of it’. If you consider these beliefs and dogmas to be like a hand holding a cork under water, what happens when you let go? 

 

If I let go then perhaps my beliefs and dogmas will surface to the top...?