afflatus

Afflatus is a term derived from Latin, meaning a blowing or breathing upon. In its most common usage, it refers to a divine inspiration or supernatural impulse that is believed to prompt artistic creation or prophetic utterance. It suggests a sudden, powerful influx of ideas or insights that are not the result of ordinary reasoning or effort.

The concept of afflatus has been explored across various cultures and philosophical traditions. In ancient Greece, for instance, poets and seers were often thought to be possessed by a divine muse, a force that guided their creative endeavors. Similarly, in religious contexts, prophets were understood to receive messages directly from a divine source, a form of afflatus that conveyed sacred truths.

This notion of inspiration as an external force contrasts with more modern psychological understandings of creativity, which often emphasize cognitive processes, learned skills, and personal experiences. However, the idea of a moment of sudden insight, a "flash of genius," continues to resonate, capturing the feeling of receiving ideas that seem to arrive from beyond one's conscious control. Afflatus, therefore, encapsulates a romanticized view of the creative process, highlighting its mysterious and sometimes transcendent nature.