Are you a creative person? Do you love coming up with new ideas, whether it's for an artistic endeavor, or a solution in your work or life path? Consider, when is it that you most often feel the spark of a great idea? For me it's almost always when I'm taking a walk in nature, or in a meditation, or during a focused asana practice. Consider on the other hand when you are trying to solve a problem, and your mind is so cluttered with the many aspects of the problem that you seem to be thinking in circles. Getting some perspective, by taking some space from the problem, is almost always the way to come up with a fresh solution. I know I feel most aligned and inspired, most like I'm living on purpose, when creative ideas are flowing. So how do we consciously cultivate creativity?
In Indian mythology, there are two great figures who represent the great duality of life on earth. On one hand we have Shiva, the energy of pure consciousness, the blank canvas on which our world is painted. On the other hand we have Shakti, the energy of manifestation, of form, all the brush strokes that make up our universe. Shiva is the masculine energy of awareness that witnesses and holds space for all that exists. Shakti is the feminine energy of creation of which our physical world is born. Our world cannot exist without both, they are in union, their love births worlds. It is said that before our planet existed as we know it, Shiva was sitting in meditation, alone, unstirred for millions of years. Shakti came, and danced around him, arousing Shiva. He began to dance then, inspired by the beautiful form of Shakti. Their dance created all that we see, all that grows, rivers, mountains, trees, animals, oceans, everything.
In our own body and mind, we each experience the energy of Shiva and Shakti, of awareness and form. When we are busy, doing, creating, making, that's the energy of Shakti. When we are still, contemplative, resting, aware, that is the energy of Shiva. Because our world is so full of distraction and we become so incredibly wrapped up in our involvement with it, that the multitude of form and function seems to take over and distract us from the other half of our nature: wisdom, contemplation, witnessing the beautiful mystery. When our mind is so full and so distracted by all there is to do, our powers of creation become dull because we're not creating from that clear space which is the other half of our birthright. Our most pure and inspired ideas arise when we can sweep away the canvas, start fresh, and see with clear eyes and an open heart. We can cultivate that power of clarity and wisdom by taking rests, slowing down, breathing deep, and pausing from the constant activity. Seated meditation, yoga nidra, conscious breathing, mindful movement, taking a bath, prayer, taking a walk outside, all these are ways to break the pattern of constant action and thinking mind, to cultivate clarity and presence. It is from that place of spaciousness in our body and mind that we cultivate the freedom for our innate creativity to blossom and take form.
