Browsing for Inspiration

Where do you get the inspiration to write, or develop your dreams? Everyone's creative, right? We assume this as truth, and then sometimes find ourselves wringing our hands over our elusive inner artist.  When we give ourselves permission to be who we really are and are not frightened by the unknown, inspiration is everywhere. “Naturalness, spontaneity, and playfulness are all aspects of the ordinary mind that catches a glimpse of the world of things just as they are." Loori, the founder and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery. The seemingly different pursuits of awakening ourselves and creative expression are actually kindred, even twins. Isn’t the real aim of artistic expression to point the way to the truth? True originality can arise only from having a real contact with our origins, with the ground of our being, and then being open to the flow of images and energy that always comes.

When we are sitting on the ground of our being we are accepting who we are now. With this acceptance we live more fully in the moment. By living more fully in the moment we are able to more easily take risks, and be aware of all that is around us. Did you hear the motorcycle going by just now, or feel the air conditioners cool breeze on your face? By being present with who we really are when making a poem, or cooking a special dinner these acts shift our whole being. We are literally creating our lives.

All creative activities involve collaboration, context and a repeatable action. Your collaborators may be your thoughts, or something your spouse said in jest. Every creative action requires a context for that form. A fine artist has the skills to be able to draw the base for their painting; these skills allow that artist to create another painting totally different from the first. This is a repeatable action. As a writer I realize that my fingers type these words, however I am not isolated. My inspiration may come from reading an article on Facebook, a short quip on Twitter, or the way the late afternoon light filters through the maple tree onto the blinds at my bedroom window.

When I became an electrician I thought I was just getting away from being a waitress. I never thought there was another purpose or context for that work. Years later I studied the Law of Attraction and my understanding of how electricity works helped me to understand the concepts used by Isabel Hicks, Jack Canfield and other authors. Learning how to grow an organic garden I thought was just a way to put food on the table, not realizing how much my poetry would sprout and grow also as a result, and connect me with my source.

The exercise this week is to explore what inspires you. Imagine that this inspiration moves you another step towards realizing your dreams. Write down what you realize inspires you whether it’s the maple tree in your front yard, freely loving someone, your children laughing, or your dog playing. Each one of those sources of inspiration will guide you to developing repeatable acts of creativity, and therefore making you feel more creative. Inspiration is there at your fingertips when you are willing to open your eyes and see with your heart.

Comments or Feedback are always welcome. Visit me on Facebook and Twitter @selbyink