Live Music, Art Galleries, Poetry Readings, Dance and Theater… these are some of the Here and Now creative experiences that can rev up our own creativity and charge up our positive-energy batteries.
Hiking in Nature, watching a sunset, spending time next to the ocean or a lake, visiting a botanical garden, traveling cross country, seeing the Grand Canyon at sunrise or sunset, or watching a hawk soar overhead…these are some of the things that free our spirit so we can put colors and ideas on paper, or express our feelings through fabric and design.
Some artists will talk about "feeding the muse", and you don't have to be an 'artiste' to nourish your creative reservoir. Your inner creative source is like a flowering tree that grows and changes over time as your fertilize it with visual ideas, emotional passions, ideals and goals. There may be times when it is dormant, like an oak in the winter, but you have the ability to bring Springtime and melt the ice on the surface of your creative pool.
Modern life can be hard on our creative wellspring. We all know that cold hard fact. So taking the time to regularly remove yourself from the siren song of the computer, the TV, the cell phone and daily obligations is the only way to build a clear and safe space to explore your Creative Self. It is great to research "eye candy" online, but set a timer, and go to your studio or sewing machine when the buzzer rings!
Our Creative Self is simply one aspect of an energy that flows through us all the time. Call it Positive Thinking, Creating Your Own Reality, Passion or Obsession… it all flows from the same source.
If you feed this source with disturbing images, negative ideas, and pessimistic thoughts ("I have no talent" – "Other people are so creative" – etc) then that is what you will create. If you feed this source with music, art, beauty, joy, and positive goals…you will create beautiful art, gorgeous quilts, or other creative expressions that are an extension of that inner fire.
For myself, I have an inner image of my creative self as constantly erupting molten glowing lava that explodes, drips, glows and flows in a fiery river through everything I do. It can't be controlled, but it is always there. I even do a visualization of walking across an expanse of black volcanic rock to access a liquid red-orange-gold flow of creative fire. I feed the heart of the volcano lots of beautiful images, live arts, poetry and music…and then wait for the magic to happen.
How do you see your own inspirational reservoir? A crystalline mountain pool? A blooming rosebush? A dewdrop in the morning sun? A lion that wakes, stretches, and roars? Perhaps a multi-faceted diamond that flashes a rainbow of colors within?
How do you feed your muse, and express your own creative genius? All you have to do is open the door so the child can come out and play.
Last night I went to hear Eileen Ivers play her Celtic fiddle at Chautauqua here in Boulder, and it got me so excited about my Ireland Tour next year. They brought in 4 young ladies in gorgeous Irish step-dancing costumes, (velvet, satin, beads and sequins) and they did their Celtic version of tap-dancing with linked elbows and bouncing curls, up on stage next to Eileen's backup band. By the end of the evening we were all on our feet singing, tapping, clapping to the beat, and dancing….and this is a small historic auditorium! Eileen and her Celtic band "Immigrant Soul" shared the gift of their creative passion, and we all took a big glowing chunk home at the end. Also…I think I need to learn how to play the accordion! Ha!
Writers have to fill up our creative reserves as well. It’s happened more than once that my words would dry up until I did something to refill the well.
🙂