The stages of effective art (note) contemplating

The Stages of Effective Art (Note) Contemplation

• As I mentioned previously, the selection of a note is almost serendipitous, though not entirely. It occurs subconsciously, often while we are immersed in daydreams.
  • Lutters Jeroen, in his dissertation on art-based learning¹, posits that as we meander through exhibitions, observing works of art, our minds latch onto something—a raw notion, an unformed premonition, an expectation, or an ineffable feeling.
• Choosing art to contemplate is not a matter of possessing it but, above all, of permitting oneself to be possessed by it.
  • As I noted earlier, notes can be likened to art. They are manifestations of the art of thinking and products of deliberate intellectual exertion.
• Once a note is appropriated, we must allow it to resonate with us. We transition from passive observers to attentive listeners and, ultimately, into demanding readers. We approach the note as if it were the intellectual product of someone else, not our own.
  • This process could be described as creative reading, which necessitates a particular toolkit. If working with paper, highlighters can be employed to emphasize critical sections and concepts within fleeting notes. For digital tools like Obsidian, built-in highlighting features can serve the same purpose, though I personally find the process somewhat unwieldy.
  • The objective is to illuminate keywords and key ideas within the note, maintaining an open mind for sparks of inspiration that may ignite at any moment during the reading.
    • This is creative reading at its pinnacle, as Mark Edmundson² defines it. You cease to merely observe your own wisdom and instead transform into an inventor and co-creator. Your task is to reshape and refine the idea.
    • Every subsequent engagement with an idea should be dynamic, not passive. Each interaction subtly alters it.
  • This marks the initial stage of meditation on the text: read, highlight, and open yourself to the inspiration that may arise from what you’ve revisited.
• Afterward, detachment must ensue. Refrain from reading further or consulting additional sources. Allow your imagination and mind to recalibrate. Let yourself be carried away by the idea you’ve explored.
  • Visualize the position of the note within your vault. Notice the constellation of other ideas orbiting this one, but do not attempt to pinpoint every single connection. Focus solely on those that instinctively draw your attention.
  • This constellation, or “halo,” forms through two deliberate practices: highlighting keywords and methodically exploring the links embedded within the note, whether logical or sequential.
• Thanks to this keyword-centric reading (let’s retain the title as it stands), you may find yourself guided toward entirely new ideas.
  • If nothing comes to your mind, search for notes using the keywords you previously highlighted. It’s possible you already possess something fresh and unexplored within your vault.
  • The simplest method to refactor a note is to reassess its position within the larger framework of your notes. Update its links—prune those that no longer serve and add new ones—but bear in mind that links are a form of poetry. They demand precision and intentionality; there is no room for excess. Guard yourself against the noise of unnecessary connections.
• New connections may reveal novel patterns. Reflect on the work you’ve undertaken, the positioning of the note you selected, and its broader implications. This reflection fosters a richer understanding of the idea.
  • Refactoring is an integral component of reflection.
  • At a certain point in this reflective process, the meaning of the note may crystallize into a deeply personal narrative for the note-taker. The one I mentioned in the previous note is merely a single instance among countless possibilities.
• The artful refactoring of notes should culminate in the creation of a new story—potentially a new note—emerging from the process of creative writing. This inevitably generates fresh knowledge and a tentative answer to the initial question.

Question

Why am I afraid to die?

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BIO

theBrain mapping

ID: 202411190611 Source:: Friend:: Child:: Next::

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Footnotes

1. 1. Lutters J. In de schaduw van het kunstwerk: art-based learning in de praktijk 2012.
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2. 1. Edmundson M. Why Read? / M. Edmundson, Reprint edition-е изд., Bloomsbury USA, 2005. 160 c.
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