I'd Like Some Epiphanies Please!
(Connecting to Epiphany Central)

Epiphanies are sudden flashes of understanding, satori, or if you like upsights.

They are cool because they are like the solutions to problems handed to you on a plate. You don't have to figure things out, instead, they are figured out for you.

The trouble is, they aren't like a box of chocolates. You can't get them whenever you are in the mood... or can you?

Connecting to Ideas

In my experience epiphanies happen when I am trying to figure things out. The help me with the answer to specific problems The important thing is knowing what the problem is that I am trying to solve.

Knowing What You Want

Half the work in dealing with problems is figuring out what the problem actually is. When you know what the problem is, then you can go about fixing it.

I took a car to the mechanic and they spent lots of billable hours trying to figure out why my car wasn't starting. It was because of a faulty electrical connection. That stuck in my mind because I'd noticed one of the dashboard warning lights wasn't as bright as usual. It might have saved me some money if I'd told them that.

The fix was pretty simple once they knew what was wrong.

Now that is definately not an epiphany, however, they work in a similar way.

If you understand what the problem is you are more likely to get sudden insights as to how to go about fixing the problem. But you have to understand the problem in a way that is actionable. It has to be clearly defined in your mind.

If your problem is lack of a suitable boyfriend or girlfriend then what may help you to get one is knowing exactly what you want in your "ideal mate." Question, do you really want a girlfriend or boyfriend or do you really want friendship. Do you want friendship or a more physical relationship.

Sometimes it takes work to figure out what you actually do want. But the nice thing is, once you've done that work (specified the problem) you can keep your eyes peeled for the solution. But that's not really an epiphany is it!

Well maybe it is. If you understand what you want you don't have to waste brain power on figuring out what you want. You already know. And so you can open up that spare processing power to keeping your eyes and senses open.

Not exactly an epiphany but the mechanism is similar if not the same.

When you understand what you want and the better you can specify the solution the more likely who ever is upstairs working the epiphany machine can send you a lightning bolt with your answer encased.

Hey universe, could you put a bit more padding on your lightning bolts, that last one hurt.

In engineering land, when we could we clearly specified what we wanted contractors and suppliers could go about fullfilling those specifications.

And not only that, because we know what we want we can check what they give use just to make sure what we've gotten is what we specified.

With epiphanies, you can also check the results to see if they match expectations, and maybe fine tune the specifications.

"Well actually I wanted a blonde."

Or you might find that if you've gotten something not to your specifications, what you realize is that what you were given is even better than what you asked for anyway.

"Brunette it is then."

Understand What You Are Working With

If your problem is something outside of yourself, a machine you are trying to fix, a website that you want to set up, then epiphanies come easier when you have some understanding of what you are working with.

As an example, I used to work with videoconferencing systems. I spent a lot of time understanding the parts of the computer system and how they interacted with each other. Because of this understanding, I got an epiphany when a customer asked for a change. People on the same team as myself also came up with solutions. However, the solution I got, from seemingly out of nowhere, was the easiest to implement and the cheapest to implement. And most importantly, the customer was happy with the result.

This truly was an epiphany. Almost as soon as I heard the problem I was able to suggest the answer. However, prior to that I'd done a lot of studying to the point where I knew the system we were working on inside out.

Why Understand?

Why do we need to have some understanding to get an epiphany?

If you understand what you are working with, even if it is knowing what you don't understand, then you can specify what you need in terms of what you are working with.

Trying to figure out how to create an RSS feed icon form my website I banged my head for ages before I figured the answer out. As I got more familiar with websites and web techology I learned how to create my own feed file so that I can write my feeds exactly the way I want them to be.

This was more like a gradual epiphany or an epiphany in stages. The key important thing was that I knew what I wanted. And I had some understanding of what I was working with.

Also, at times I felt like I was guided to the web sites that had the answer to the problem I was working on.

If we understand, even a little bit, what we are working with and we understand what we don't know, then we can tell the universe (or epiphany central) what we want. Not only that, we can recognize the insight for what it is, the solution to our problem.

If we don't understand what we are working with then there is no way for the universe to send us an epiphany, at least not directly.

It's like trying to send a letter to someone with no fixed address, or trying to send an email to someone who hasn't got an email address.

What you get instead is someone who comes along and acts as the intermediary for epiphany central.

As an example, a long while ago, I was trying to decide between taking part in a community theatre project or go on a motorcycle trip down the west coast to San Francisco. In retrospect the choice seems obvious but at the time I really wanted to be an actor and so I thought the acting gig was equally important. So I asked god. I knew the problem, I wanted help on which option to choose.

A friend of my room mates called. She called to talk to me to me, a rare and unusual event. And she seemed to know that it was myself that needed someone to talk to. And so she asked what was bothering me and I told her. She didn't give me the answer but talking to her helped me to figure it out.

Excuse Me, Where Do I Pick Up My Epiphanies?

So what if you do have a clear idea of what you want but the epiphany isn't crystalizing, materializing or transporting itself into your brain?

Epiphany... NOw!!!!

Sorry captain, we're having trouble with the epiphanizers. I'll have to recharge the dilithium crystals.

Damn it Scotty, I need that epiphany Now!

The ideal brain state to receive epiphanies is one in which you aren't thinking or trying to think. By thinking I mean mentally struggling with a problem, hammering it with your brain.

Instead you want a more restive or receptive state. A state similiar to what jazz musicians get into when they are in their groove or that in which athletes get into when they are in the zone.

When you stop thinking, or trying to think, and let your thoughs roam free, you unlimit or unshackle your mind. Epiphanies can creep in.

Oh sure, stop thinking! Easy for you to say. How do you go about doing it?

Focus on doing something. And by doing, I mean focus on using your senses. Look and see what is around you. Focus on listening to the person you are with.

Or just sit and do nothing.

Sit and relax. Observe what is going on around you.

If that don't work, then try something with rhythm.

Rhythm

Walking, breathing, running, driving, shaving, exercising, taking turns talking, rocking back and forwards or side to side on your seat or on your feet, skating, skipping.

Not just any rhythm will do. It's like tuning in to a particular radio station but that station's frequency changes all of the time. And so you have to fiddle with the tuning knob until you find the right frequency.

What's the right frequency for epiphanies? One that feels good. Think of rocking a baby to sleep. You go to fast or to slow or move in a way that doesn't feel right and all she or he does is cry or continue to cry. So you try varying the rhythm or add soothing sounds that also have rhythm. Next thing you know your baby is snoring with a rhythm all their own.

You can enter a receptive state by tuninng the rhythm or varying the rhythm of what you are doing. Look for the rhythm that feels good, that takes you out of your thinking mind and into a more meditative or relaxed state.

Epiphanies just might follow.