Inspiring: Enjoyment

 Inspiring is an art. This art draws you into the powerful, transformative experience of creative inspiration, where you can create as nature creates, from a place of wholeness where anything is possible.

Like any other art, inspiring has no hard-and-fast rules. There are a few guidelines that you can try for yourself, though. These are based on the wisdom and experience of those who have come before you.

In 34 years of exploring creative inspiration, I have seen what works for artists, inventors, writers, athletes, poets and others familiar with the experience of inspiration. Here is the closest thing I have seen to a solid rule for the art of Inspiring:

ENJOY LIFE!

Sounds simple enough, right? Yet it turns out to be surprisingly hard. If you tune into the news, your mind may be filled with worry. You know what I mean: pandemics, war, natural disasters, political turmoil, and so much more.

At the same time, you may be dealing with physical and psycho-emotional pain on a daily basis. How can you enjoy life under such traumatic conditions? That is an extremely valid question. Letting go of suffering can seem like a monumental task. Yet, you can take a break from suffering at least for a short while. That is a good place to start.

Some of the most eminent creators in history had unhappy lives. Vincent Van Gogh had paralyzing anxiety and depression that led him to take his own life. Sylvia Plath killed herself by putting her head in an oven. Dylan Thomas drank himself to death. None of them lived to see 40.

Yet, each of them had their moments of astonishing, earth-shattering inspiration. The art of Inspiring has many levels. Start with a single profound experience of inspiration and build from there.

Find something that brings you intense joy. That is how it all begins. Every moment holds the opportunity for play. Immersing yourself in that play with all of your focus and energy leads to inspiration. If your play is a form of creative expression, then you are on your way to creating inspired art. Whatever form of play you choose, concern yourself only with what you are doing and experiencing right now, at this moment. Forget about goals and results. They NEVER matter to the individual absorbed in inspiration. If you are evaluating what and how you are doing, you are no longer Inspiring.

Take a moment to enjoy life, giving yourself fully to the feelings and sensations that are yours to be had, here and now. In next week’s blog, I’ll show you how to turn that experience into Nature’s love play. That is where it gets super juicy and wonderful. Stay tuned!