Creativity
We all may wish to be more creative,
but is it the preserve of the few, or do all of us have inner gifts?
The fact is that most of us are under using our potential, and we
can sense how creativity can add more quality and satisfaction to
our life. But if we are all creative beings then why does it not always
show up where we need it the most? Writers talk of being blocked.
But who is blocking who? Why do we get stuck, give up, or worse, are
even afraid to begin? It is as though we are standing in our own light,
unable to see the shadow we create.
Feeling Blocked
Writer's block is not just limited
to writers; it can strike anyone confronting a blank page with a task
in hand. 'Page fright' can paralyze the nerves until the mind shuts
down. Some say this might be the interference of two types of brain
function, the critic or the left brain. Page fright is much more common
than we imagine. Dorothea Brande, one of the great writing teachers
believed that page fright that is never addressed on creative writing
courses, yet it was often the main problem.
If you have something to say and cannot
even get started on it, consider that you may be standing in the way
of your own artistic potential. Sometimes we need help to find ways
to clear our path and find renewed energy to complete the work. Whether
you are already a practising artist or feel it is a path you have
not yet fully developed, hypnosis can help you to realign with your
true self, find the key to your own voice, be reminded of your calling,
regenerate and nurture your artistic self.
Block does not just come in one variety,
there are three main types:
- Creativity dries up temporarily:
Just stop and take a breather, a drink, a walk, a chat. Usually this is not serious.
- Life gets in the way:
relationships, duties, work, responsibilities take over or sidetrack you so you abandon your project. Life is trying to teach you something here. Ask what can I learn from this? Use it as source material for writing.
- You are really stuck:
You stop completely, or avoid your project for weeks, months, even years. When you write a story, or express yourself freely, you need to expose things that are personal, so whatever this problem is, and it's usually not to do with writing at all, but something else, it has to be dealt with before you can proceed.
The tendency to perfectionism can
also get in the way. Make space for mistakes and experimentation.
Allow mistakes to be a source of learning, and your relationship with
your work may become more relaxed.
Keeping Diaries and Journals
Many great writers and artists have
kept journals and diaries. Writing is cathartic. It's a legitimate
to talk freely to yourself without being considered stark raving bonkers.
We need these dialogues with ourselves. The subconscious mind speaks
a different language than the conscious mind, hence the importance
of self talk, and improving the quality of self talk. In my experience,
writing in your journal as personally and honestly as possible, can
not just release blocks but can be a life saver.
I have found no other, easier method
of self therapy than this. Here's where it gets really interesting
though - in the eighties, psychologists and immunologists such as
Glaser, Rubin and James Pennebaker in particular discovered that the
physical act of writing, especially about difficult emotions, promotes
a strong immune system. Not only does writing oblige the right and
left hemispheres of the brain to cooperate - something worth doing
- it also helps lower cholesterol, hypertension, stress, and promotes
the release of endorphins. The point is that inhibition of thoughts
can cause ill health.
A few rules to remember though: don't
show your diary to anyone. Its value is in its privacy and regular
uninhibited daily entries. Respect these rules and it becomes the
ideal friend as it does not talk back or reveal your troubles to others.
Keep it private and keep it regularly and over time, it opens a space
in the mind that assists in pattern noticing, healing and integrating
different aspects of yourself.
The Artists Way
This
very popular method was pioneered by Julia Cameron, author of The
Artist's Way. She emphasizes reconnecting with your source using 'Morning
Pages'. This involves slowing down and getting in touch with your
unique self by writing freely every morning before you do anything
else in the day. Her method has brought satisfaction to countless
thousands of people. Just start you day by just writing all the things
that concern you the most. Gradually, this process restores your ability
to reconnect with the true you.
The Structure of Creating
NLP
Master, Robert Dilts, believed there is a structure, a method, or
habit of mind that can be learned by anyone to ensure creative flow.
He studied the exact sequence of actions that great creators such
as Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Walt Disney followed in
their creative process. Often these creators did not know how they
achieved what they did. Yet they followed a specific sequence which
can be followed by anyone. Walt Disney, for example, had a system
of changing viewpoints during his creations to make them the absolute
best they could be. He would start from the Dreamer position, move
to the Realist, then become the Critic - in that order. This helped
to achieved multiple viewpoints and a greater roundedness to his work.
Anyone can adopt this technique.
Once this sequence has been absorbed
it can reignite the energy you need to fuel your own creative work.
Remember, BEGIN is an anagram
of BEING.
Finding Your Zone
Creativity is not just for writing
the next great novel or painting, it can be a simple as writing a
letter, decorating a room, finding an unusual solution to a common
problem, or cooking dinner in a unique way no one has thought of or
attempted before. We all do this yet don't feel we are particularly
'creative'.
This process is activated each time
you begin to write freely. Just getting in touch with who we are again.
Keeping a daily journal can have the effect of uncovering who we really
are, and if we are in tune with our own metaphors and images, it can
add another dimension to our lives. We just need to find that rhythm,
find that flow which athletes call 'the zone'. This is your peak performance
state and you act your best and even outperform yourself while in
this state of inspiration.
References:
Cameron, J. (1994). The Artists Way. London: Pan
Dilts, R. & Epstein T. (1991). Tools for Dreamers: Strategies for Creativity and the Structure of Innovation. California: Meta Productions.
Pennebaker, J.W. (1990). Opening up: The healing Power of Expressing Emotions New York: Guilford Press.
www.kierondevlin.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/KDjupiter
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