Often times, our knowledge, what we've been taught, and our practical thinking hinders us from experiencing new creative insights and literally blocks our ability to problem solve. When presented with a problem, we automatically try and come to a resolution based on what we know or in some cases, what we think we know.
Problems cannot always be solved through knowledge and intellect. We try to over analyze the problem and become fixated on what we know making it impossible to be open to any new and creative thoughts and ideas to help us come up with a resolution. At times, it causes us to overlook even simple solutions that are right in front of our faces.
If we back away from the problem, let go of what we think we know, clear our mind, and just allow our imagination to wander, our unconscious processes take over leading to the miracle of insight. Insights are those sudden, creative moments of “Aha”, I got it, I got it. We've all experienced these “Aha” moments and at times commented, “That was so simple, why didn't I get it before?”
Insights do not come from the power of our willful thinking. Psychology professors believe that when our knowledge prevents us from seeing the problem in a new light, we become frustrated and get nowhere. Our frustration and failure to solve the problem drives us to restructure it which initiates unconscious processes that change our mental representation of the problem. We begin looking at the problem from a new perspective opening ourselves to other possibilities.
Researchers have found the right hemisphere to be critical in solving insight problems that require the task to be restructured. We experience those “Aha” moments only when the right hemisphere sends the solution to the left hemisphere putting the solution into perspective for us.
Knowing that the right eye sends images to the left hemisphere and the left eye sends images to the right hemisphere, scientists conducted studies whereby they placed individuals in front of a computer and flashed a solution to an insight problem in front of them and controlled which eye could see the screen.
The individuals involved in these studies perceived the solutions more frequently when seen with the left eye thus the right hemisphere. These tests along with many others tell us that the miracle of insight takes place in the right brain.
It has also been determined that sleep, involving ourselves in activities that are enjoyable to us, or eating a favorite feel good food can promote insight. So, if you find yourself faced with a problem that you just can't seem to resolve, back away from it, go for walk, have yourself a piece of Dutch apple pie, let your mind wander, and let your imagination take you away. You may have an “Aha” I got it experience that puts everything into perspective and gives you a solution. Ah, the miracle of insight, isn't it grand?
