Photo credit: Mitchell Joyce, Flickr Creative Commons
"Creativity is always from the beyond." -- Osho
Do you feel a creative spark -- have an inspired idea or a creative aspiration -- but when it comes down to doing the work, you struggle to get started?
More often than not, when this happens, we are unfocused, easily distracted and unsure about where to start. The inspiration we originally had no longer feels as potent.
Our days are busy, our minds are busy, and we are constantly connected to things in our lives that are separate from our inner creative experience.
However, when we do find the time to act on our creative ideas, we can struggle to get in the flow because our bodies and minds are settling down from all that has been going on.
The consequence of this is that we struggle to feel creatively activated and alive. These are feelings fueled by an experience of creative abundance pouring forth from our center.
However, luckily there is a way to create with grace, nourishing inspiration and productivity.
Meditation allows us to do this.
In addition to the well-known benefits of meditation for our well-being, happiness and health, meditation boosts our creative expression.
Meditation Connects Us to Our Creativity
Meditation asks us to go within and connect to our inner worlds.
In this space, we have access to an ever-flowing wealth of creative ideas, inspirations and creative thoughts. These come to us in flashes of color, poetry, images, dreamscapes, memories, new perspectives and aha moments.
As we settle in and spend time with this part of ourselves, we strengthen our relationship to it.
Our creativity becomes more integrated into who we are rather than something other or abstract.
Creativity is already part of us, but we easily become disconnected from it. The more we experience our creativity through meditation the more confident we become in our creative expression and ability to bring it to form.
Meditation Helps Us Focus
To be able to tap into our creative energy and bring it forward, we need to clear out all the stuff from the day, all the static and noise that can get in the way of our creative work.
Meditation helps us release all that is not serving us.
Having a meditation practice allows us to follow what we are being called to create. By de-cluttering our minds from the to-do list, the happenings of the day, and pull of push notifications from our phones, we can create with new clarity and enthusiasm.
By taking a break to ground and clear space, we become more focused. We get into the flow easier because nothing is blocking our way.
Our creative expression now has the space to be brought into the world with beautiful momentum.
Meditation Connects Us To Our Why
The more we meditate the more we become clear about our pull towards creative expression.
We become clear about what messages and ideas we want to bring into the world. We gain clarity about what form we want our work to take.
Knowing why we want to express ourselves creatively energizes the act of creating.
We become more confident in ourselves because we are deeply rooted in a sense of purpose and creative expression. This happens from slowing down, taking time to let our intuition guide us, and allowing our relationship with our creativity to develop.
Connecting to our why helps us create with a sense of purpose and enthusiasm that wouldn't be as strong and supportive otherwise.
Start Meditating to Boost Your Creative Expression
You don't need to meditate for a lot of time to see the benefits. Just five minutes in meditation is powerful and streamlines our focus and get us in the creative flow.
When you first sit down, set an intention to use this time to let go of all that is not serving you and to tap into your creativity.
Connect to your breath. Allow what thoughts or images naturally arise to do so. Notice them. Honor them as part of your creative self and release them on your exhale.
Allow yourself to just be. Be without judgment. Just be with an open heart.
When finished, reflect on how you feel and notice creative thoughts shining in your consciousness.
Jackie Johansen is the founder of www.finallywriting.com, where she combines personal development with actionable writing strategies to help you unleash your inner writer. She works with those who are called to write but need support getting started and navigating the creative process. Her articles have been featured in The Write Practice, Elephant Journal, The Change Blog and more. She is the creator of the free 21 Day Writing Challenge and The Finally Writing Toolbox. These are designed to help you take action on your creative aspirations. Head over to Finally Writing for inspiration, writing strategies, and your free resources.