Curiousity,Creativity and Compassion

Curiosity, Creativity and Compassion 

Sunday Service Address led by Tatiana May 3 2026

I am delighted that this month’s theme is awakening curiosity. Curiosity may well be my favourite subject. As a neurodivergent person with ADHD, I often find myself curious about many things at once. Today, I want to reflect on curiosity, creativity, and compassion because I believe they are deeply connected and essential to a meaningful life. 

In his poem Curiosity, Alastair Reid writes, “Curiosity will not cause us to die – only lack of it will,” and that “Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all.” Yet curiosity can feel risky. We often suppress it because we fear challenging accepted ideas, causing offence, or simply standing out from the crowd. 

Of course, curiosity has its pitfalls. We all know the irresistible urge to look at a traffic accident on the other side of the road. Literature gives us Alice, “burning with curiosity,” following the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole without any plan for getting back out. In the modern world, social media has become a giant rabbit hole, expertly designed to capture our attention. I confess to falling into it myself. Yet not every rabbit hole is a waste of time. Some lead to learning, insight, and discovery. 

Interestingly, our fascination with danger has an evolutionary purpose. Being aware of potential threats can help keep us safe. I remember watching a nature documentary in which a terrified monkey could not take its eyes off a nearby snake. The commentator explained that watching the threat was safer than looking away. This connection between fear and fascination explains our attraction to true crime, horror films, and sensational news stories.

Curiosity, in this form, is part of our survival Machinery

More valuable, however, is the curiosity that asks questions, seeks understanding, and explores new perspectives. Like Alice, it places us in a state of openness and receptivity. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus encourages us to become like little children. I interpret this as an invitation to recover a child’s wonder, trust, and curiosity. Similarly, Zen Buddhism speaks of shoshin, or “beginner’s mind” – approaching life with openness and without preconceptions. When we let go of certainty, we discover new possibilities. 

The psychiatrist and philosopher Iain McGilchrist argues that the brain’s two hemispheres represent different ways of paying attention. The left hemisphere focuses narrowly on goals, control, and certainty. The right hemisphere maintains a broader awareness of context, relationships, and possibility. While both are necessary, problems arise when we become trapped in a narrow, controlling mindset. The unfamiliar then feels threatening, leading to anxiety and rigidity. Curiosity, by contrast, opens us to ambiguity, wonder, and connection. 

This idea links closely to mindfulness. Although we speak of multitasking, the brain is really switching rapidly between tasks, which is mentally exhausting. Mindfulness invites us to slow down and observe our experience without judgement. In many ways, mindfulness is simply curiosity directed toward the present moment. Research consistently shows that this curious awareness reduces stress and promotes wellbeing. 

Curiosity is also closely linked to creativity. When we are anxious or afraid, the brain’s higher thinking centres become less effective, and we tend to react defensively. Creativity requires something different: a relaxed, open state in which new ideas can emerge. Curiosity gathers information and experiences; creativity transforms them into something new. 

So perhaps curiosity is more than a personality trait. It is a way of paying attention to the world. It fuels creativity, softens fear, and opens the door to compassion. And as Alice discovered, it can lead us on remarkable journeys. 

“Curiouser and curiouser!” she cried