Musing…
“Creativity has to find you working.”
Julia Cameron
Kate’s Turn:
Full disclosure: I have not dabbled in
watercolors for a long time. Oh, I long to do so. I see a watercolor waiting to
happen so often: puffy cotton ball clouds on a clear blue sky; or the fingernail
sliver of a moon as it sets in the western sky; or a blazing sunset, the golden
disc in a fiery sky, accented with winter blue clouds. I feel the tug, the pull,
to capture that beauty in the play of water and color. But, alas, I have not
taken the time––I have not committed the time to show up in a
consistent practice. So many other things have preempted my doing so and it has
left me longing. It is like having writer’s block every time I fail to pick up
my painting brush.
Consistency is about the ability to restart, again and again. My passion for this creative expression is what keeps me coming back to it. A daily devotion can stoke these embers to get fired up. I realize that the practice is not measured in productivity but rather in simply showing up to engage with the Muse. I will deepen my relationship by spending time with my creative spirit. I already experience this in my spiritual practice. My mindset in meditation is this: no place to go, nothing to do––let’s see what happens. The delight I experience when Spirit is evident in my life––that is the delight I anticipate when I spend time with my creative spirit. So, I begin again.
"Your spirit is the part of you that is essential. Worry less
about what you
make—that will mostly look after itself, and is to some extent beyond your
control, and perhaps even none of your business—and devote yourself to
nourishing this animating spirit. Bring all your enthusiasm to bear on the
development of that good and essential force. This is done by a commitment to
the creative act itself. Each time you tend to that ingenious spark it grows stronger,
and sets afire the ordinary gifts of the imagination. The more dedication you
show to the process, the better the work, and the greater your gift to the
world. Apply yourself fully to the task, let go of the outcome, and your true
voice will appear. You’ll see. It can be no other way." Nick Cave, "The Red Hand Files"
Get Fired Up:
How can you make time to meet
with your Muse to deepen your relationship?
Pay attention to experience
the magic, the fire of your creativity growing stronger.
Consistency brings de-light!
