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This is called “meditation”.


Yes, meditation could be called disciplined leisure. I'm not sure if the post you are responding to is getting at that. Meditation and minding wandering are very different things, even opposites. But I think both are very useful for that creative process. It would be interesting to examine the effects of these two things in the context of this article.


There are broadly speaking two kinds of meditations: focussed meditation and awareness meditation.

I heard a useful analogy of the mind being like an elephant that wants to wander around on its own.

In focussed meditation, we try to focus your attention on our breath, or some point inside our body or an idea. We tie the elephant with a rope to a pole. If it wanders too far, we tug it and bring it back to the pole.

In awareness meditation, we just observe where the elephant roams wherever it wants. That is more like leisurely mind wandering.


I'd like to recommend "The Mind Illuminated" by Culadasa John Yates. Besides the elephant analogy, there is much actionable advice on meditation to be found in that book.




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