Creativity

Dear all,

I am late by 3 days with this blog entry and frankly speaking I have been procrastinating. It was not due to a lack of time, but a perceived lack of creativity that stopped me from putting my thoughts down. And precisely because of that, I decided to focus in this entry on creativity, creation and what it takes to be inspired.

Being creative
I always had a strange relationship with the concept of creativity and it took me a long time to even dare admitting to myself that I can be creative. I had created this idealized air around it. In my imagination, creative people were the ultra-cool, outside-the-norm, artsy, rebellious, lonely, deeply emotional and vulnerable beings that scared by life manifested their desires, life pains and hopes in tangible pieces of art. In my world these people were not living a long and balanced life, but were rather inspired by periods of utmost (emotional) intensity and ugliness of life which made them turn away from the outer world and explore their spirits and inner workings in pursuit of either becoming “normal” or telling the world what others were missing out while being normal.

It didn’t help that I actually yearned to be exactly like them (probably my Enneagram Type 4 genes), something I could not accomplish in my mind since I have had not been given obvious gifts like drawing skills, musical talent, acting, performing or even writing skills for that matter. However strangely enough, looking back at my childhood, there were periods where I did test my creative talents: I wrote poems, daily philosophical letters to friends, performed at a theatre play, played the flute (that was a disaster though, I was the only one who couldn’t read notes and operated on a “finger 1-5” system”), danced my way daily through our living room (to Michael Jackson music) and sang Bavarian songs in our family restaurant in the attempt to entertain guests. Well, not too bad after all, wasn’t it? And yet, once I entered the workforce I seemed to forget all about it and the concept of my fantasized creativity became somehow unattainable again.

Since I started Flow & Balance, I find myself regularly in need to tap my right-brain and natural creativity whether it is for writing this blog, being spontaneous and intuitive in responding in coaching conversations or dreaming up some practical marketing ideas. In this context my new-old fantasy did not quite help and I was re-thinking what creativity really means to me and here is what I came up with:

•It comes from a higher place or spirit, not the ego (if it comes from the ego, it feels like I rationally force things to happen. This is different from being in spirit where an idea has taken hold of me rather than I have to take hold of the idea)

•It is directed from the heart, not the head

•It is about trusting my intuition and instincts beyond the known

•It is a space where I feel alive and joyful as I receive vibrational energies in form of voices, messages, silent reminders, invisible suggestions etc.

•It is reflected by a state of inner peace & focus and time is not of essence

•It is state of flow – a shift of consciousness where I can work with greater energy, enthusiasm and efficiency

•It is a calling to proceed even though I am unsure of goals, accomplishments or the end-result

•It feels effortless and easy

•It feels like it “has to be that way” – there are no doubts and no criticism of the result

Tapping into creative states at will
The concept of “flow” has long been associated with high performance, not only creativity. In sports, athletes that are in a flow state reflect an inner state that is intensely focused and exceptionally calm – think of the recent performance by Korean Ice skater Kim Yun Na. Getting into a flow state bridges the linear and creative functions of our brain while suspending the critical faculty of our logical mind, temporarily. This means we need to tap into our right brain first without logical reflection, before we can later use the left brain to organize, systemize and fit ideas together. The challenge is often that we try too quickly to press emotions and experiences of a spontaneous idea into linear form, therefore being more directed by our head rather than the heart.

I had to realize that creativity is not a something that belongs exclusively to a talented group of people, but rather it is our birth right and divine nature to live from inspiration and inspire others. Everyone is naturally creative and expresses or manifests creativity differently. The measure of creativity may also not be worldly success as we know it. It rather is to be measured by how we feel and show joy in life. A measure I clearly have had some challenges with in the past.

So, what can we do more of to tap into our natural creativity and experience these flow states more often in our lives?

Learning to focus
I am afraid to say that again, but the quickest way to shift into non-critical, not-knowing and creative states of mind is via deep relaxation or meditation. It allows letting go of the past and future and centers us into the present. All it often takes is 2 minutes of getting into the relaxed mode consistently over a period of time before embarking on a creative task or project. The relaxation can be a deep breathing exercise where you scan your body and relax each of its muscles. After feeling totally relaxed and safe, you can set your intention and say a positive affirmation of how you want to BE as you allow your creativity to flow through you.

For instance, one of the statements I would say to myself is: “I am totally calm, at peace and at ease right here and now. I open my heart and allow myself to be guided by my natural creative talents that come directly from source. Those talents will manifest themselves in words, deeds and ways I may not yet consciously know. I open myself up to all the creative possibilities and inspirations from infinite spirit. Thank you.”

It may sound quite spiritual, but that this is exactly what creation is about – it comes from spirit and the heart and not the ego. Being therefore in the right STATE (our emotional, physical and mental condition we are operating from) while allowing ourselves to access the depth of our consciousness, will bring creativity forth in us. As the Enneagram Institute reminded me today via a “Tip of the day” e-mail (how fitting):

“The nature of creativity will probably always remain mysterious because its basis is irrational—in the feelings and unconscious of the artist. The motives for artistic work are both to communicate and to conceal the self.”
(The Enneagram Institute, Personality Types, 136)

I think it is the “irrationality” or lack of control we may be afraid of in allowing creativity to come through, or least for me it is certainly a factor. Realizing that my rational mind is often my ego mind helps me to refocus, because I know that my thoughts are only a fraction of who I really am in creative expression. Suspending the false self (ego) and surrendering to a greater good, purpose and force are the main reasons for being able to live a life from inspiration and creativity.

For me, knowing this truth helps me often to replace my doubts and return to a state of not knowing and being okay with it. My EPs or Mindtraps (see previous blogs) with my inner critic being the loudest need to be silenced, otherwise I will not be in a place of harmony and creation will be challenging.

Creativity is such a fluid, high vibrational state and the more we learn to tune into ourselves and tap into its natural flow, the more joy and creative manifestations we will experience.

Going forward, you may find it useful to reflect on the following questions:
•When was a time where I was in complete bliss? How did it feel? What was I doing? Where was I?

•How do I express my creativity naturally? How am I creative? What do I do when I am creative?

•What do I really need in order to be creative?

•What is stopping me from allowing more creativity into my life?

•What can I do more of to bring more creativity into my life? (play, pray, mediate, go into nature, go to the spa, focused breathing, writing a story, re-decorating the house, make time for a dream day, watch people…)

•What can I do less of that blocks my creativity? E.g. How can I unclutter my life, my schedule, my commitments to free up time? How can I free myself of the Mindtraps and ego-talk that keeps me from being creative more often?

•What daily commitment to I want to make in order to give creativity a space in my life?

•How can others help me to stick to this commitment? How can they participate in my creativity? How can we co-create?

Have fun and experiment!

In spirit,
Vanessa