This is what I was seeking myself. It had never really occurred to me either that it had any bearing on my work. It was only after noticing it here that it set me thinking. Yes - I think like merlyn, I really meant spiritual rather than religious - I have never 'followed', but 'gathered' from assorted faiths / philosophies for all sorts of reasons, from 'inner healing' to sheer intellectual stimulation.

On the other hand, I'm well aware of 'mystic' or 'fugue' states - I've been in many myself in lots of situations, ranging from musical performance through meditation to just sitting staring at a blank screen until I hit that Eureka moment. These experiences can be directed - maybe being able to 'organise' your spirituality, or having a 'firm grounding' makes a difference to some people's general attitude towards problem solving. I really don't know, but thought this was a good forum to attempt to find out. Already, answers are proving interesting on a number of levels.

Ben.