Our mind’s natural state is a creative one.
Think back to your beginnings, your childhood. As a child we usually play, we use imagination and creativity, we create stories which we often act out, or write down or use our toys to embody the characters we’ve created.
Naturally our minds are open to seeing the world in its most inventive light — it can be what we want it to be.
When we get older, our minds move away from this creative side, and start to become consumed with duty, with necessity and often with stress. As children, we had no burdens of jobs, bills, money problems, or of looking after others and keeping friendships and relationships healthy.
When our minds are free from anxiety, worry, stress and distraction, we can relax naturally into creativity.
Yoga and creativity
Yoga can free your mind and body from the stresses of the daily grind, and thus can lead you to a more creative and imaginative space. It is already naturally within you, there is simply a blockage of thoughts and distractions in the way.
Using a morning yoga practice can help to still the mind, if you wake up and spend a short time of quiet, peace and stillness, the day ahead becomes like a fresh canvas to paint upon.
Creativity comes in waves, and we are the surfer.
Between each new wave is a silent, quiet wait.
The surfer has the chance to re-energize, to gather new energy, and to silently observe the surrounding scenery. Meditation (particularly in the middle of the day) is like an ebbing wave. The endless “monkey mind” of chatter, worries, stress can gradually drop back to its quiet source. A short meditation calms and gives space for new creative ideas to materialize, and when this happens you feel rejuvenated and ready for more; just like the surfer ready to take on the next wave.
Once you have started your process of creative waves, and the silent waits in between, you can start to find your flow.
A surfer finds his flow and sails right over the ultimate wave.
A flow of creative ideas is effortless, like breathing. To do this you can practice deepening your breath, bringing your awareness and focus to the point at which breath enters and leaves your nostrils. This will help you to also lengthen the exhale, in order for you to find your flow.
Yoga for stress
Having an awareness of our own creativity is where it all begins.
With modern day stresses weighing us down so much in daily life, it is easy to forget and become detached from our natural child-like creative state. It is important to become reunited with this state, and to learn to love our source once more, in order to do what we love.
You will find over time that these thoughts and imaginative sensations will come to you when you least expect it, due to the mind being focused, calm and ready for the next step.