The sublime is a feeling of awe, wonder, and amazement that is often associated with nature or art. There is a view that these extreme states of mind are rare and only available to those who are extremely skilled. However there is something about our human capacity to co-operate together which points to a different answer. The strongest evidence for this comes from within the field of music. Given that it is a fundamental of human nature that we are all musical, the achievement of sublime states is therefore available to us all.
Non-musical improvisation and musical improvisation are similar in many ways. They both involve experiencing something new in the moment, without planning or preparation. They both require creativity, quick thinking, and the ability to respond to feedback. For both groups when the improvisation is working well there is a strong sense of connectivity and ultimately a feeling of 'upliftment' which has all the hallmarks of being sublime. Even in a business team the feeling of closeness, affinity and togetherness can have a similar effect.
When musicians improvise, they can experience a feeling of the sublime. This is because improvisation requires them to be fully present in the moment and to let go of their inhibitions. As a result, they are able to create music that is spontaneous, expressive, and original... read on (this will take you to masteringchaos.com and Andrew's blog)
