Mother Nature Makes a Good Point
Mother Nature gave me a wink and a nod last week when my friend took me to the beautiful Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls. As we hiked lush trails that wove in and out of moss-covered trees and flowing waterfalls I snapped photo after photo while soaking up nature's powerful inspiration with delight. Talk about Creative Oasis Moments!
Since the name of the workshop I'd come to Art and Soul Portland to teach was entitled, "So In The Flow" (Maintaining your creative moment even after the retreat) the serendipity of having the opportunity to spend time trekking alongside these falls was not lost on me.
I hope the above image and haiku serve as a nice reminder that the free feeling of being in the creative flow is as natural as a waterfall - not to mention as energizing and refreshing!
Here are three simple ways we might take a page from Mother Nature's book:
#1 – Water flows downhill. It doesn't fight gravity. It literally goes with the flow. When we remember that the struggle is optional and we can choose to try things the easy way rather than the hard way, we open ourselves up to enjoying our creative pursuits more easily and frequently.
This may be as simple as remembering to ask ourselves, "How can I make this easier?" or "How might I make this more fun?"
What's one creative project you might try this with today?
#2 – Running water is an extremely powerful force. It can move heavy tree limbs, boulders and people down a mountainside with great force. Our creativity gives us super powers of our own. When we embrace our creative flow we have the awesome ability to turn bad days into good days…wash away negative thoughts from our inner critic…and add positive energy and joy to the people in our lives.
What if being in the creative flow was your super power? How might that look? How might that feel?
#3 – Simply taking a moment to drink in the beauty of a waterfall feels like a sacred creative act. Giving ourselves the opportunity to just enjoy the creative output of others is an important and delightful part of the creative process that we sometimes forget about. We become so focused on producing…doing…making…checking things off our list that we forget the importance of filling our own well.
Why not read an inspiring article or gaze at the lovely images in a coffee table book…watch a good movie or listen to a new style of music…take a walk in nature or enjoy a stimulating TED Talk video?
What's one way you might enjoy creative exposure this week?
Until next time I'll leave you with a few seconds of the lovely sound and image of a waterfall and the the wish that you'll give yourself permission to try at least one of the suggestions from above to dive into your own Creative Oasis flow very soon!
