Unblock Your Energy and Invite Creative Flow
I’m lucky. I rarely experience creative blocks, and in fact, I’m often inspired with such an overflow of ideas that I can’t create them all.
It pains me to see others struggle with creative blocks. They seem crippled and demoralized by their lack of inspiration or ideas. Sometimes I see the uninspired writer or artist give up on their ideas altogether.
As a creative person myself, I’ve discovered two main sources of imagination dry-spells: an over-thinking mind and under-functioning creative energy center.
In my experiences with energy practices, I have discovered easy methods to get out of my own way and amp up creative flow. Following are simple methods you may also find handy.
Go Wild
Perfectionism is a creativity killer. Even Pablo Picasso, the most radical artist of his time said, “The chief enemy of creativity is ‘good sense.’” Far too many of us pressure ourselves to write the perfect sentence or draw a masterpiece on the first pass. When it isn’t exactly right, we freeze with self-judgment and self-doubt, which can halt creativity in its tracks. Inadvertently, we shut down our imagination and obstruct the expression of our true spirit.
To banish perfectionism, try this: express yourself in the rawest, crudest form possible with wild abandon. Write the most clunky, ill-worded sentences with nonsensical words or meaningless storylines. OR draw the ugliest, silliest mishmash of images and scribbles. Let go of control and let your spirit take command of your hands for pure, unfiltered expression of your soul. Often this wild freedom will clear the logjam of creativity and allow inspiration and creativity to flow. And don’t be surprised if your creative “vomit” turns out to be interesting and amazing.
The Da Vinci Effect.
Leonardo da Vinci, the original Renaissance Man and one of the most genius artists ever alive, recorded his thoughts and observations in journals that he always kept with him. Da Vinci’s chronicles captured his eternally-curious mind and feature drawings and writings on topics from human anatomy to fictional “flying machines”. He referred to his book while painting his masterpieces.
Let Da Vinci be your role model. Maintain an open and curious mind. Begin to look at things as if for the first time, with interest and thirst for detail. Even a blade of grass is a panoply of shapes, colors, and designs. Record your thoughts, sketches, and ideas in a small notebook or sketchbook. They may one day become references for your masterpieces.
Spirit Moves You
Our creative energy dwells in our sacral chakra, the energy center located in the pelvic region, which is also associated with pleasure, emotions, sensuality, and sexual desire. When the juice in this chakra is weak or low, creativity and confidence suffer. The most basic and primal method of waking up this energy is by moving your hips. Dance does just that.
Dancing is as old as time and has been a vehicle of spiritual expression and communication in every culture. Dancing helps to banish intellectual thinking and opens the psyche to inspiration, messages and ideas. Shaking, swishing and swaying your hips charges up creative lifeforce energy and infuses your entire body with juiciness. Dance transports you into another dimension where infinite inspiration and creativity awaits.
Dancing to any kind of music works, but drum music is particularly effective, as it speaks to your most primitive and unadulterated spirit. So dance and bring her forth! Click here for a great drum dance song.
Yantra Gazing
Here’s a practice for the spiritually adventurous. A yantra is a sacred geometric design that resonates with the cosmos and actives divine energy within us. Yantras have been used in Hindu and Tantric meditation practices for thousands of years as a tool to attain spiritual liberation and enlightenment. There are dozens of yantra designs, each is structured to represent and resonate with specific deities to activate and invite their energies. Every deity governs various aspects of the natural world and human nature. Saraswati is the Goddess of music, art, language, and communication, and we may ask her for her blessings of creativity and inspiration.
To activate Saraswati’s creative energy, meditate on the Shakti (Goddess) yantra above. To do this, stare into the center of the yantra and let all thoughts go. Hold the intention to connect with Saraswati’s loving and creative powers. Chant the word “OM” as you sit in stillness. Or chant her mantra “Om Eim Saraswatyei Swaha” (Pronounced: “Om I’m Sarah Swati Yay, Swa Ha).
After gazing and chanting for only a few minutes, you may notice a shift in your energy and consciousness. You may feel calmer and uplifted. Perhaps your block is dissolved. No doubt, receiving Saraswati’s energy will assist you in your artistic pursuits.
Tool Time
Practicing any of these tools on a regular basis (daily is best) will guarantee at least a trickle of new ideas and a flow of creative output. And don’t be surprised if other aspects of your life also shift for the better. So take a few minutes to unblock, open, activate and then create!