There’s something about walking that unleashes the creative ideas lurking within the brain. While several studies have tried to address why this is so, nobody has yet pinned it down (perhaps the researchers need to walk more?). But here are a couple of theories: In one study, conducted at Duke University, scientists found that motion — or even the perception of motion — activates a part of the brain believed to control creative thinking, particularly thinking related to language, writing and drawing. Another theory says that walking takes energy from the conscious, leaving the subconscious free to explore creative ideas.
Use the links above for thoughts on walking from naturalist John Muir and local haiku poet Michael Dylan Welch, as well as an essay by a former Sammamish resident who grew up on the plateau before development changed its character forever.
Then, if your walking fills you with creative ideas, please share.
Protecting Our Environment • Enriching Our Community 