“Let us forget the lapse of time; let us forget the conflict of opinions.
Let us make our appeal to the infinite, and take up our positions there."
~ Chauang Tzu (399 - 295 B.C.)
Leonardo da Vinci is generally credited with "inventing" the helicopter. The design for his helicopter was drawn in 1493, 450 years earlier than an actual helicopter would take to the air. Of course what was missing at the time was the means by which his idea could take form. Today's helicopter had to wait for material science to produce metal (aluminum) that is both strong yet lightweight. It also waited for the development of engines that would have a high power to weight ratio. They also had to be efficient enough to allow for a manageable amount of fuel to be carried while yielding enough energy out of the fuel to power it. From idea to form - 450 years!
My question here is did Leonardo truly invent the helicopter? Is anything ever truly "invented?"
Leonardo's helicopter is a great example that illustrates the notion that everything that has ever existed or will ever exist already exists in the Universe...as probabilities awaiting observation. Therefore, everything that has ever been or will ever be invented has been and will be invented twice! First as an idea and then, again, when it actually manifests into physical form. Another way of saying this is that everything already exists NOW...it just hasn't manifested.
This is the difference between creation and manifestation. Not understanding this difference is the cause of much of the stress and angst experienced in life - both personally and organizationally. World peace already exists, as does total global annihilation. You being as wealthy as Croesus and being the poorest of beggars also already exists. Neither has manifested and the cause of whatever particular reality you are experiencing is a direct result of your creation process.
What is creation? It's not what most people assume. Far from being the act of invention, creation is actually the activity of generating coordinated movement in such a way that what is caused are the actions required for the manifestation of what already exists! Creation is never a solitary act. It requires coordinated movement. At the social/organizational level the presence or absence of coordination is most obvious. At the personal level the coordination required is one of aligning one's construct of "reality" (a world view comprised in part of beliefs, attitudes and assumptions) with what is desired. When alignment with what we desire occurs (mindful creation) we experience being in "flow" and life is experienced as working...desired results seemingly appear without any noticable effort. The truth is that we are continuously experiencing manifested outcomes that are aligned with our creative efforts. If what we have isn't what we want the question that needs answering is "how am I creating?"
Understanding creation in this way has the potential to bring us (individuals and organizations) into a conscious and deliberate State of Being whereby what is desired can manifest...knowing that it already exists is key. It's not magic, it's not wishful thinking and it's not woo-woo. It's simply how the Universe works.
Watch for upcomong posts that explore and suggest ways in which you can become more effectively creative.