One of the first things you will hear me talk about when you come to one of my classes, workshops or retreats is that here in these circles we are focusing on and placing greater value on the process of creation instead of primarily valuing the finished product.
What that means is we are learning to listen to our creative voice, impulses and intuition, no matter where it takes us and allowing it to lead the way. So another way of talking about this is that we are aligning with the principle of Trusting The Process.
Which is a tall order for just about everyone because trusting the process means you have to surrender control. You have to be willing to let go of your preferences and your attachments to things being a particular way. You have to be willing to paint something that you might not like or even understand.
Now, I can almost hear the incredulous outrage and puzzled disbelief roiling around in your brain that this would even be a thing. Why on earth would anyone want to create something or paint something that they didn’t like??? It makes NO sense. At all. Isn’t making art supposed to be that magical activity that makes you happy and allows you to feel good about yourself at all times? Isn’t that the whole point?
Now yes… sometimes it is. And that’s a glorious and wonderful thing when that happens.
But the intuitive painting process has a different goal and intention. This process is using our connection to our soul and our intuition to access deeper aspects of being that we’re not always aware of or sometimes don’t even want to look at or feel. I often talk about how we all have an inner healer and a fountain of inner wisdom that is available to us at all times, if we’re willing to open the door and listen.
The intuitive painting process is one way to open that door. And it opens that door by learning about the dynamics of creative flow. Specifically, what supports creative flow and what stops it dead in its tracks.
I’m sure that those of you reading this who have some kind of a creative practice, know what it feels like to be working on something that you “like”… that you might even think is pretty or even beautiful, maybe even something you could sell… and being totally and completely stuck or bored.
Creative flow by definition is the experience of energy and engagement. And when that flow is nowhere to be found the energy and enthusiasm for what you are creating simply stops or dries up. You find yourself inexplicably sleepy, looking at your watch wondering if you can stop now or simply going through the motions.
Which is a totally frustrating drag, because our creativity is supposed to be energizing and the thing that brings us back to our sense of aliveness.
So at this point you have a choice to make. You can either keep doing what you’re doing because you like what you see and continue to be bored out of your skull or you can take a risk and listen to your intuitive wisdom and see where it wants to take you. Whether you like where it takes you or not. And by taking that risk find yourself curious and engaged and in the flow again.
At this point you are choosing aliveness over preference. No matter what kind of product you end up with. The juice is back. Your joy is available And the painting has taken on a life of its own.
This is what I mean by trusting the process. Now this is where things get interesting. Because that part of you that is addicted to preference and liking what shows up doesn’t simply go away. It still has opinions and doesn’t really care about creative flow. It cares about control. And approval. And security. And staying out of trouble.
Even though trust in your flow might be as powerful as an undammed river, and you’re enjoying yourself immensely, you can find yourself listening to and being hypnotized by the product oriented voice and trying to appease it. And appeasement can look like making compromises with what’s trying to come through or covering up or toning down what’s already shown up.
In other words, you are slowly losing faith in your intuitive wisdom and starting to believe that fixing and changing things you don’t like or want and being in control will bring you the joy that only trusting in your creative wisdom can give you.
This is one of the primary principles we will be teaching you over and over and over again in the teacher training program which is the principle of utterly and completely trusting in the process of creative flow.
And the practice you will be learning is not ever fixing what has been authentically and generously given by your creative wisdom or second guessing yourself when the creative energy is moving freely through you.
This principle and practice are both extremely challenging to learn and implement for your own creative practice as well as what you will be offering your future students. And equally fulfilling and satisfying once you experience the magical joy of truly trusting in the power of your authentic creative soul.
So if this way of creating and healing sounds interesting and exciting to you consider joining us for the next round of the WILD HEART EXPRESSIVE ARTS TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM ONLINE. Stop by our next webinar this coming Tuesday, March 14th or sign up for a Teacher Training interview where we can answer your questions and you can get to know us.
For more info on the upcoming teacher training program and to sign up for the upcoming webinar, click on the image below.
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