Ritual to ignite creative flow
Mar 11 Written By Kathryn Davies
This is one of many gentle and yet powerful daily practices that works for me. I don’t believe there is one universal formula to connect to creative flow. Creating a daily ritual is one way and can take many forms, simple to elaborate, from sipping tea, to donning fancy headgear. The content of the ritual may vary from day to day, but just showing up each day whether to; the page, the sketch pad, the dance floor, the instrument, or whatever the creative tool may be, can cut through the persuasive, habitual, thoughts that enjoy prioritising all else above creative art practice.
But theres too much to do…
Creating a small time frame of just ten minutes, is like a pacifying blanket to the ‘I’ve too much to do!’ mantra. We can gently reassure the mind that after the ten minutes all business, doing, important errands, routines, busyness and urgent tasks can carry on as normal. Paradoxically, I often find it hard to stop, however strong the resistance and however loud the “I’m too busy’ thoughts were to initially start. Ideas start to flow, inspiration and answers can arise.
Once complete, the rest of the day is infused with a spaciousness, stillness and fluidity. Setting a time frame of a week, month, 40 days or longer and if possible a time of day creates a known container for the creative energy to flow. Over time all seemingly mundane activities start to take on the flavour of ritual.
I often create an intention for the creative container. Without overthinking it, opening my mind, tuning into the heart space, listening and importantly trusting what arises. The intention can be anything broad or specific; allow creativity to flow, spark a new idea, to bring playfulness into the day, to deepen awareness, to find a creative solution to an area of stickiness, or to stop that song worm playing in my mind.
I choose a meditation, breath or movement practice, anything that will to allow the mind to open, to ground me into the body and awareness. It can be a simple meditation such as a short kundalini kriya, a breath practice, a small yoga practice, or simply drinking my morning tea with awareness, opening the senses.
Spaciousness
This is a spacious time to settle into awareness, to notice if there’s a ‘self’ present, an I ‘trying to’ meditate or ‘trying to get it right’, or spinning thoughts of breakfast, the conversation I had with a freind yesterday, the items on todays list, or the repeating line ‘never gunno give you up’ by Rick Astley. If the thoughts are particularly strong I like to drop awareness to the heart space and breath here, imagining the breath moving in and out of the heart centre. This spaciousness hosts all that arises, (except, maybe Rick Astley songs,) observing with naked awareness, away from the narrative. Simply allowing experience to be as it is, For the last container I practiced Sat Kriya for just 3 minutes. This is a powerful practice that I connected to during my kundalini yoga training, sometimes donning fancy head gear.
After the practice I pick up my art materials and just let my hand move, when Rick Astley song lines or critical thoughts come in, a little inner smile often creates enough space to let them float by or inform the piece. As much as possible I allow what wants to be expressed to move through the body into the hand and onto the paper. One recent piece that came from this practice is called ‘Never gunno give you up’…
I have included the Sat Kriya practice here, it a wonderful way to connect to and open creative flow.
Sat Kriya
Sat Kriya
Sit on the heels in Rock Pose, knees together.
Stretch the arms over the head with elbows straight, until the arms hug the sides of the head.
Interlace all the fingers except the index fingers. Men cross the right thumb over the left with the left pinkie on the bottom. Women cross the left thumb over the right, right pinkie on the bottom.
The spine stays still and straight. This is neither a spinal flex nor a pelvic thrust.
Remain firmly seated on the heels throughout the motions of the kriya.
Eyes are focused at the Brow Point.
Begin to chant "Sat Naam" with a constant rhythm of about 8 times per 10 seconds.
As you pull the navel in and up toward the spine, chant "Sat" from the Navel Point. Feel it as a pressure from the Third Chakra.
With the sound "Naam," relax the belly.
As you continue in a steady rhythm, the root and diaphragm locks are automatically pulled. The steady waves of effort from the navel gradually enlist the movement of the greater abdomen.
The breath regulates itself - no breath focus is necessary.
Continue for 11 - 31 minutes.
To End:
Inhale and gently squeeze the muscles from the buttocks all the way up along the spine.
Hold it briefly as you concentrate on the area just above the top of the head.
Exhale completely.
Inhale, exhale totally and hold the breath out as you apply a firm mahabandh - contract the lower pelvis, lift the diaphragm, lock in the chin, and squeeze all the muscles from the buttocks up to the neck.
Hold the breath out for 5 to 20 seconds according to your comfort and capacity.
Inhale and relax.