Welcome to this meditation for expanding creative receptivity.
Whether you believe ideas come to us from another source,
Or that they're generated from within the mind itself,
If our minds are cluttered or chaotic,
Where are these ideas going to arise or land?
So in this meditation,
We'll practice mindfulness with the intention of opening up a little bit more mental space to support our creative connection and flow.
Before we jump in,
Take the next 30 to 45 seconds or so to stretch.
If you need to stretch,
You can take a twist in your seat.
Feel free to shake out your hands and your arms and legs if you want to.
Just get a little movement out of your system before we transition into stillness.
Begin slowing your movements down.
Whenever you're ready,
Come into a comfortable seated position.
I recommend sitting down,
But if you'd prefer to lie down,
That's okay too.
If seated on the floor,
You might want to raise your hips up on a pillow or cushion.
And if in a chair,
I recommend planting your feet on the ground in front of you.
Come to a posture that is upright and dignified,
Yet still relaxed and without strain.
Let your hands rest on your lap,
Palms up or down is fine.
Let your eyes close,
Or you can soften and lower your gaze.
Begin to tune in to the space surrounding you,
Noticing if you can hear any passing sounds.
Some sounds may be nearby,
Coming from the same room or home.
Some may be further away.
Allow whatever you hear to pass through the space of your awareness without any judgment or dialogue.
If it's very quiet where you are,
Or when you're in between sounds,
See if you can sense a feeling of energy or aliveness within the stillness.
Continue engaging your sense of sound,
And if any thoughts arise,
Although they may be a little stickier,
Try treating them just like the sounds,
Passing phenomena through an alive stillness.
Continue listening to the sounds in your environment for just a moment longer.
Begin to draw your outwardly focused attention inward now,
And come to notice where you can feel the movements or sensations of your breath.
You might feel it at the tip of your nostrils as the cool air flows in,
And the slightly warmer air flows out.
You might feel it in your chest or in your belly as it slowly expands on the inhale,
And then contracts with the exhale,
Again and again.
Wherever you feel the sensations of breath the most,
Keep a soft,
Focused attention on those sensations.
Your breath is your constant companion,
Inseparable from you,
And inseparable from the present moment.
Remain with it.
If any thoughts arise,
Try not to touch them with the mind.
We don't want to get directly involved with them,
But we don't want to push them away either.
Try to keep a disinterested noticing while the main focus remains on each new breath.
And if you do happen to get distracted,
Just come back whenever you realize it.
It's never a failure,
Because every time we return,
We strengthen our focus and our ability to be with what is.
Stay with the breath.
Stay with the breath for just a moment longer.
You can let go now of that focus on the breath,
And I invite you,
Either within your own mind or out loud,
To repeat after me.
When I engage my creativity,
I expand my well-being.
When I let go of perfection,
My creativity flows with ease.
When I engage my creativity,
I expand my well-being.
When I let go of perfection,
My creativity flows with ease.
Let the words sink in for just a moment.
Start to feel where your body makes contact with the chair or cushion.
Feel your feet against the floor.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And on the exhale,
You can wiggle your fingers and your toes.
And whenever you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
I sincerely hope that this was helpful and you feel a little bit more spacious and receptive.
Take care.
