It is well known,
for example,
that Newton solved many of his toughest problems
when his attention was waylaid by private musings.
Thomas Alva Edison also knew the value of "half waking" states.
Whenever confronted with a task
which seemed too hard to be dealt with,
he would stretch out on his laboratory sofa
and let fantasies flood his mind.
Painters, writers, and composers
also have drawn heavily on their sensitivity to inner fantasies.
Debussy used to gaze at the River Seine
and the golden reflections of the setting sun
to establish an atmosphere for creativity.
Brahms found
that ideas came effortless
only when he approached a state of deep daydreaming.
And Cesar Frank is said to have walked around
with a dreamlike gaze while composing,
seemingly totally unaware of his surroundings.