Where Big Ideas Come From: Science, Spirituality, and the Source of Inspiration
Have you ever had an idea drop in—sudden, whole, and startlingly clear—and wonder to yourself: where did THAT come from? Maybe it came to you in the shower, on a walk, or in that liminal space between waking and sleep. Unexpected, yet undeniably true.
Where do ideas like that come from?
In a world that exalts productivity and logic, we’re taught to believe that insight is earned exclusively through effort—that brilliance is the reward for grinding. But some of the most life-changing ideas—the ones that alter businesses, relationships, even the course of history—don’t arrive through force.
They come from something else.
Something subtler.
Something unseen.
And it’s time we talked about that.
More Than a Brainstorm: The Source Beyond the Mind
Carl Jung called it the collective unconscious—a vast, shared reservoir of wisdom and imagery that lives beneath the surface of our individual awareness. He believed that artists, mystics, and visionaries weren’t merely imaginative; they were tuning into something ancient. Something universal.
You don’t have to subscribe to mysticism to feel the truth in this. Maybe you’ve felt it when a metaphor landed in your writing before you knew what it meant, or when you met someone for the first time and sensed you’d known them forever. These moments aren’t just quirks of the mind. They might be glimpses of a deeper thread—an invisible web of connection that links us all.
And now, modern science is beginning to catch up. Researchers studying cross-cultural myths, recurring dream symbols, and intuitive perception are finding striking patterns that transcend time, culture, and geography. It’s as if our minds aren’t just wired to think—
they’re wired to remember something we never learned.
The Awakened Brain: A Docking Station for Inspiration
Enter Dr. Lisa Miller, clinical psychologist and professor at Columbia University, whose research gives scientific footing to what mystics and creatives have long intuited.
In her groundbreaking book The Awakened Brain, Miller presents compelling evidence that the human brain is biologically wired for spirituality. Her studies show that during moments of awe, deep connection, and transcendent insight, specific neural pathways activate—revealing that spirituality isn’t just a belief system, but a built-in feature of the human mind.
She argues that this awakened state is our natural inheritance: a biological capacity to connect with something greater than ourselves. And when we learn how to access it, the results are profound—we become more resilient, more intuitive, more creative, and more whole.
But Miller doesn’t stop at theory. Her work is also deeply practical, offering tools to help us strengthen this part of ourselves. Because the goal isn’t just to understand that we can access inspiration.
It’s to live in relationship with it.
Inspiration as Transmission, Not Invention
What if inspiration isn’t something we “come up with”—but something we tune into?
Imagine yourself as a radio receiver. When you’re calm, open, and grounded, the signal comes through clearly. But when you’re anxious, distracted, or jacked up on caffeine, it’s all static.
That’s where coherence practices—like meditation, breathwork, or even a quiet walk in nature—become more than just self-care. They’re tuning rituals. They clear the noise so insight can land.
Inspiration doesn’t need to be wrestled into existence.
It’s something we receive—if we’re quiet enough to hear it.
Why This Matters—at Work and at Home
I work with brilliant, analytically minded high achievers. People who excel at solving complex problems with logic—but often feel stuck when the real breakthroughs call for something softer, deeper, and more intuitive.
This idea—that we’re not the source, but the channel—can be a total game-changer.
Because when we stop forcing answers and start listening for them, everything shifts.
We stop spinning.
We make wiser decisions.
We create more meaningful work.
We find our way back into flow.
And perhaps most importantly, we feel connected again.
To ourselves.
To something greater.
To the kind of insight that can change everything.
Try This: Three Ways to Tune the Channel
1. Practice Heart Coherence
Take 60 seconds to breathe slowly while focusing on your heart. Feel appreciation for something simple—sunlight, a warm drink, a favorite memory. This resets your nervous system and primes your brain for insight.
2. Journal Before Bed
Write down a question you’re holding—something you’d like guidance on. Then sleep. In the morning, linger in the in-between state before fully waking. That’s when your brain is in theta, a fertile wave state where subconscious (and possibly higher) wisdom is more accessible. Record any dreams, impressions, or answers that arise—no matter how subtle.
3. Take a Tech-Free Walk
Leave your phone behind. No podcast, no agenda—just you and the world. Let your mind get quiet. Notice birdsong, the feel of sunlight, the rustle of wind. Don’t analyze it. Just feel it. This kind of open, sensory presence creates the perfect conditions for inspiration to drop in.
A New Relationship With Inspiration
Inspiration is not a reward for hustling harder.
It’s a natural result of being in tune.
When we stop seeing creativity as something we must manufacture, and instead trust ourselves as receivers, a whole new world opens up—one filled with meaning, connection, and unexpected genius.
You don’t have to fully understand where the signal comes from.
You just have to trust that it’s real—and that you’re built to receive it.
It is your birthright.
And if the channel feels blocked, that’s okay. I help my clients clear those blockages every day. In fact, I’ve created a free 90-minute training that will walk you through exactly how to strengthen your connection to this deeper intelligence.
Because the channel is always broadcasting.
The only question is:
Are you listening?
