Category: Creative space - Mala Naidoo's Book World

Nurturing The Inner Creative

As emotional beings, the creative has a deep well of available resources to draw from in storytelling, writing poetry, and creating artwork.

The continual dipping and diving into emotional resources while working on a project drains energy for the capacity to be fully immersed while competing with life’s cacophony. The stretching of energy resources generated from deep creative work are challenged by personal situations that demand a share of the energy pumped into creativity.

Death, divorce, illness, moving house, or reframing work life, are but a few of life’s situations that test human stamina.

What is the way forward when passion projects and life’s necessities demand attention?

The first would be to step back from the writing desk, or the canvas to consciously acknowledge medical impediments, or pack up the Ute and head into the wilderness. Creatives write these situations into characters’ lives. The lived reality poses a different scenario. Just as characters require strength to overcome the imagined challenge, creatives need renewed energy to move forward.

A hiatus while weathering life’s challenges, recharges one for what lies ahead, replenishes creativity by momentarily allowing grief, illness, etc; to hold space, or frees time to toss out unnecessary materialistic aspects of life to invite the fresh, and embrace the new.

Nurturing the creative within allows one to go on with what makes the heart sing

Creative nurturing, heals, elicits joy and and ignites the imagination with a nudge from a benevolent muse eager to fan the fires of creativity. Grab the nudge, save it in the in-tray for when the time is right.

How long should this hiatus be?

As long as it is necessary to refuel the tank for the gigantic leap ahead.

Nurturing the creative within benefits from gentle physical activity: A walk in a park, beach, a weekend getaway, and meditation, meeting old friends, helping at a soup kitchen, volunteering at the RSPCA, or randomly doing something such as taking in a morning movie for one–a few examples of how one could nurture the creative within.

Never let doubters make one feel that being a creative on a break is a cardinal sin. While it might seem to be so to those who secretly hate their day jobs, the creative alone knows how to manage the emotional energy required to create timeless works of art.

Take a creative break when the need arises, not when you have you fix one of life’s demands. Then, watch productivity soar.

A source of inspiration:

“I saw that my image was changing or fading. One of the reasons for taking a break from clubs was to be missed—not forgotten.” ~Sammy Davis

And…one more piece of motivation worth listening to:

Hakuna Matata!

Like read, share, or comment below on how you create space to nurture the inner creative.

Creative Equanimity

After a frenzied holiday season with the comings and goings and the excessiveness of all things gustatory, it takes a few days, or longer, if there’s a dalliance that thwarts getting back in flow. Restoring equanimity invites the sweet melody of the creative muse again. This requires diligent commitment.

Slow it down to get back behind the creative wheel

When one’s attention veers in directions that divert from the words on a page, it is easy to remain in that mode beyond the holidays. If one does not challenge or coerce oneself to empower a creative mood, there is the risk of it not returning.

Equanimity is the balance, the serenity of mind that ceases all noisy thinking to allow voices from unfinished stories or new stories seeking creative attention to emerge.

Moments of equanimity increase with practice

Morning flow practice, or at any time of the day, invites the creative zone. Added to flow practice is what Orna Ross, Irish poet, author, and founder of The Alliance of Independent Authors, coined as F.R.E. E (Fast, Raw, Exact, Easy) writing, and Julia Cameron, American teacher, author, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, best known for her book, The Artist’s Way, as Morning pages. This is the cathartic clearing of mind clutter by unleashing baggage that has infiltrated mind space.

Handwrite whatever arrives for the deliberate act of decluttering. This makes perfect sense when we toss noisy, disruptive thoughts to allow spaciousness for creative energy to flow. To restore equanimity, flow practice, and F.R.E. E writing, or Morning Pages are necessary to kick start the creative process.

Start slow, in bite-size time allocations, fifteen to thirty minutes at a time. Take a walk outdoors or play soothing music, sounds of nature, or cool jazz as I choose, to get back to the writing session as soon as possible.

Avoid reacting to situations that trigger negative emotions and let the self slide into a mode of quiet acceptance to heighten creative energy. Being still, open, and present in one’s immediate environment has the benefit of opening the door to creative space. Light a candle, or incense stick, open a door for a breeze to waft in and allow whatever comes to mind without resisting or judging its arrival.

Everything in life requires practice and commitment…

Find your daily routine. It is a ritual. It takes time and effort. Surround yourself with that which brings inner calm, including the people you invite into your space, and watch creative magic unfold.

May 2023 be the year in which the vastness of your creative potential arises and remains afloat.

Happy Reading, Happy Creating.

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Creative Time and Space

You work full time but have a raging desire to write that book buried deep inside you.

If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’ ~ Toni Morrison

How can I make it happen?

Time and space are necessary, negotiation with your after work, home tribe is mandatory — your loved ones under the same roof need to know the rules of the ring-fence around your creative time. Tell them, the adults and children alike, that this is your scared time after dinner, and family time. It will be a stretch on your energy levels, it will erode your sleep time… but if you seriously want to, not hope to achieve your hidden dream, then lost sleep is a small sacrifice.

The space is as sacred as the time and needs a physical barrier around it to avoid little ones from tottering in to play.

Say you choose nine-thirty to eleven thirty each night, stick to it unless there is something serious that requires your attention. A no-phones-space or noise cancelling headset is all the additional equipment you need to lock in the time and space for your burst of creativity each day.

Let me live, love, and say it well in good sentences ~ Sylvia Plath

Quality, rather than quantity, counts during this spiritual time to achieve what you have set out to do. Adherence to this time space includes weekends. Be prepared for a dent in your social life. Exceptions are granted for extra special occasions—birthdays, wedding anniversaries, graduation night, etc. These are outside the prohibited norm, and you might have a special occasion not included here. Limit these to those dearest to you. Dwindling social circles are inevitable if your social tribe doesn’t appreciate what you’re doing.

That’s all it takes, but regularity, commitment and determination are the way forward to having your book in hand. And what an exhilarating moment that is!

A word after a word after a word is power ~ Margaret Atwood

As progress happens, negotiate a reduced day job working hours with your manager as you create more time and space for your creativity to flourish.

The writer also needs time and space to read, read, read, all the poetry, craft books, and novels one can fit into a busy day to enhance the craft of writing. Shorten an office lunch break, stroll outdoors and add to the daily scribblings.

And there’s connecting with creative peers for inspiration. It could be a master class or a writer’s association. This tribe is essential to avoid total isolation and to validate your passion.

Soon you will spend more time in your creative space and limited time on your day job.

Go tell that story you have harboured for so long. The world is waiting!

You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write! ~ Saul Bellow

Happy writing as you create the time and space for holy writing hours!

Please add your thoughts, and inspiration in the comment box below.