Take Pause (Aaahhhhh)

Musing…  

Autumn is traditionally a time for harvesting, for celebrating the fruits of our labor.  We take pause to reflect  on how those seedlings evolved and gave us bounty to be thankful for…offering us  nourishment, beauty and life.

Standing back, taking a breath, and whispering “Aaaahhhhhh” at our accomplishments, our progress made,  the fruits of our efforts in creating ….including creating in all forms: gardens, cooking, décor, new approaches to an old problem, whistling a jingle to help you remember something important – you name it!...honors that sacred aspect of ourselves:   our creative, expansive nature.  The sound “aahhh” is in every name for God:   Elohah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, Jah, etc. 

Get Fired Up: 
Take pause and honor your creative nature, and say “Aahhh” in recognition of your creative, expanding self.

Born to be Creative

Musing…

We say that it’s the nature of creativity to manifest. And we say that it’s your nature as a human being to be creative. Do you believe it? After 39 steps, oh, blog entries? There’s proof out there so don’t just listen to us – but keep listening to us all the same. Here’s the proof of the pudding – or, in this case, the proof of the putting your attention to this story.

Charise’s Turn:

I found this compelling story of how Kate Trammel, James Madison University professor of dance, had the chance to teach creative movement to children in Chinese orphanages. These children had never been exposed to any of the arts, or to dancing even in a social setting --but given the opportunity, they danced. As she says, “They were born with everything they need to transmit life energy through movement. Without any external support whatsoever, the creative impulse somehow survived…nothing can take that away from us — no poverty, no abandonment, deprivation, or disability. Creativity is, quite literally, our birthright.” (Interviewed by Jessica Lewis).

Get Fired Up:

Mix this phrase into your thoughts:

"Creativity is my birthright"

In Limbo

Musing…

To continue busting the myth that busyness is productive – after all, sometimes busyness is just spinning wheels going nowhere or just distraction – let’s look at being in limbo. This is a kind of suspended place you find yourself in where nothing is really getting done. Nothing, at least, that we can see. And here’s where creativity is resting, but not asleep. Like the season of winter where there’s a lack of flowering. And when the conditions are right for flowering again – nature takes a turn to spring.  Not that it takes a whole season to see results of creative endeavors, but it does take trust that the nature of creativity is to manifest.

Get Fired Up:

Trust your ability to be creative.

Creativity is still there when it’s not showing itself -- it may be resting, gelling, gestating.

The Lead Pencil Society

Musing… 

Creativity takes time….and then again… it doesn’t!  An inspiration happens in a nanosecond; following up on that in creative expression takes time and focus, and a willingness to see where it takes you.  Cultivating your creativity requires a conscious commitment to slowing down, staying aware of opportunistic moments, and allowing space and time for the creative process to take hold.   

How does your life reflect a commitment to your creative nature?

Kate’s Turn:

I have a friend who, for years, refused to have a computer in his home, when he was raising his children.  He thought email was ridiculous when his kids could just call their friend rather than emailing them.  He claimed to be a member of the Lead Pencil Society, whose motto is “Not so fast.”  He explicitly values taking time to stay in touch with life’s processes rather than getting swept into the fast track as so many of us are.  His values certainly became instilled into his children, for they all participate in the “slow food” movement; his daughter writes me hand-written letters, full of creative graphics; and they are members of the Cloud Appreciation Society. (The founder of this Society runs a magazine called The Idler: The intention of the magazine is to return dignity to the art of loafing, to make idling into something to aspire towards rather than reject.) He and his family are an inspiration to me, and a shining example of how cultivating the value of taking time results in thriving, abundant manifestations of creativity.

Get Fired Up: 

How could you devote some “time” to what you really value in your heart?  Engaging with loved ones more…committing to quiet time to offer balance for yourself…spending some idle time watching clouds pass?  Need a lead pencil?

The Art of Waiting

Musing…
I heard a journalist on NPR speak about the hazards of being “too connected” with all our technology, i.e., cell phones, Facebook, texting every spare second, etc.   People waiting in line are seen checking their messages, or texting a message.  He claims this is lost creativity time.

We lose opportunities to let our mind drift, to let a nagging problem’s solution naturally present itself.  We don’t hold this open space and time as valuable creatively; we keep jamming information/social contact into those spaces, to “make good use of a spare moment”.

Get Fired Up:  

How do you use those unexpected periods of time when they present themselves?   Is this a conscious choice, or do the trends ”everybody is doin’ it” determine your behavior?  What do you value, as reflected in how you use those times? 

Maybe it’s time to listen to Eric Clapton’s Unplugged.

The next time you find yourself waiting, you might just want to allow yourself that time to Meet Your Muse!