I was honoured to be invited to contribute to this recently released book.
The Creativity workbook for Coaches and Creatives 50 PLUS inspiring exercises from Creativity Coaches World Wide. – (Edited by Dr. Eric Maisel)
Chapter 23, ‘Feeling Your Way to Creativity’ by Mary Ann Burrows
The chapter’s purpose was to “help connect us to the deep wisdom inside that speaks without words or thought and without limits.”
The exercise I wrote about is one example of how we can use our own body to help us choose the colours that we want to work with in our paintings, or the direction to take our work in. This is especially helpful when warming up and getting ourselves ready to create. Tuning into our body before we work helps us clear the pathway from heart to hand and helps us work intuitively bringing an openness, more flow, more vulnerability and real authenticity to our work.
I first came across mind-body work in the Wayfinders Life Coaching program that I took a year or so ago with Dr. Martha Beck. I loved the whole mind body concept coaching tool. I saw how it worked so well with my clients and also in my personal life so decided to take it into my art studio.
With daily practice of tuning into my body, I noticed that my artwork began to change. Tapping into my body as a compass helped me free the monkey mind and connect with my heart so what happened? I began to paint differently.
My work became less rigid and free flowing. Over the coming months I saw that the more that I listened to my body while creating, the more paintings I began to sell. Barriers were coming down. The real ME was coming out on paper. I introduced it to a few of my creative clients. Their work also began to change.
I believe that Art doesn’t lie. Technique is important, for sure but until you start painting with heart, the art will show the truth.
Focusing less on technique and more on finding a deeper understanding who you are and your art will change.
Paint from your heart, not your head. Be willing to stand up and say, “Hello world, this is who I am.”
Be willing to fail. Be willing to stand up again.
Tapping into our body helps guide us intuitively towards the next right move. Grounding ourselves before we begin to work helps us connect with the body’s built in navigation system, which is always available to provide guidance as we go through life.
It can also help us take our creativity to a whole new place.
We can use this ‘mind-body connection’ to create in many aspects of our life. Living creatively through gardening, cooking, raising children, creating businesses, friendships, art, writing (the list is endless).
It takes practice to learn to trust the signs but, your body WILL let you know. The exercise in the book can get you started with learning to choose paint colours by listening to your body. When you take time to notice how your body reacts to a yes or a no, you begin understand how your body communicates with you. Learn to trust the signs and you will see that you have an amazing built in roadmap right inside of you to help guide you through your life and also into a deeper layer of your creativity.
Connecting our minds and hearts with our hands plugs us into to the bigger creative consciousness that surrounds us. This is simply one more tool, of many that we have in our artist’s tool box to help us bring our creativity into the world.
Our body is ready and willing to guide us towards making the next creative decision that will take our artwork to new heights. Tap into it.
Check out this book ! It is full of great ideas for everyone, including creative coaches, artists, life coaches and therapists.
Chapters include :
Flipping your Creative Switch by Dwight McNair
Making Peace with your Inner Critic by Jen Johnson
Invoking your Name Like a Miracle Mantra by Aneesah Wilhemstatter
Discomfort as a Creative Fuel by Gina Edwards
Seeing is Believing by Liz Verna
Symbols of the Seasons by Nora Sibley
Dr. Eric Maisel PhD, is a retired family therapist, active creativity coach and the author of more than 50 books including Coaching the Artist within, and Secrets of a Creativity Coach. My favourite book he wrote was ‘Fearless Creating’.
I have taken many courses with him over the years including Creativity Coaching levels 1 and Advanced and a variety of his Deep writing workshops both online and retreats. Check him out here. Dr Eric Maisel .
The Creativity workbook for Coaches and Creatives 50 PLUS inspiring exercises from Creativity Coaches World Wide. – Edited by Dr. Eric Maisel Available on Amazon.com