Creative inspiration is by far one of the most valuable sources of energy and income at our disposal. But at times, the tensions, challenges, and discomforts of modern life can impede the flow of our creativity. We come up against a creative block when our stream of consciousness feels as if it has run dry.
Dr. Victor Shamas, University of Arizona psychologist and author of the new book, Deep Creativity: Inside the Creative Mystery, says “the most reliable way to break through a creative block is to take a power pause. When you get away from your work for even a few minutes, you can use that break to your creative advantage.” The key, he notes, is to fill the break with the right kinds of activities.
“There is no button we can push or switch we can flip on or off to get inspired,” Shamas adds. “But power pauses can help trigger inspiration and open up the flow of fresh ideas and insights.”
Here is what you can do to turn a creative block into a power pause:
- Give thanks. Whatever you are doing, say, “Thank You!” right out loud, or at least in your mind. Take a deep breath and express your gratitude. Be completely thankful not only for what you are experiencing now but also for any inspiration that may come your way in the future. This feeling of gratitude makes you more receptive to the unexpected, without any attachment to a specific outcome. It frees you up to experience new possibilities and fresh perspectives.
- Shift gears. Disengage totally from the task at hand. Change everything you can: surroundings, activity level, and posture. Just get as far away from your work space as you can. Take a few moments to stretch, go for a short walk, pull out your yo-yo, play basketball, turn on some music and dance, get a beverage, go outside to see the sky, or breathe the fragrance of fresh flowers. Break free of the past, even for just a few minutes.
- Enjoy the pause. Savor the moment. Feel the goodness. Let the relief flow through you. When your stream of ideas comes to a standstill, treat it as an opportunity to gain a new perspective, challenge your own assumptions, and play with different ways of thinking. Take the time to restore. When you stop to experience the fullness of this moment, you wipe the slate clean. Now, you are ready to start over in a productive new direction.
- Tune into your body. Sometimes, it helps to really focus on just one thing. Make it something physical: an image, sound, taste, fragrance, or touch. Give in to the sensation. Go with it all the way. Pay attention to it with total intensity. Feel more. Listen with your entire body. Be aware of what you are feeling. Are you hot or cold? Are you hungry or thirsty? Do you feel pain or pleasure? Identify and pay attention to each sensation. What you are feeling may lead you to important new discoveries. That is because profound ideas often begin with profound experiences.
- Get horizontal. It doesn’t matter where you are—at work or at home. Lie flat on your back. Any clean comfortable surface will do: floor, bed, or yoga mat. Now extend your arms perpendicular to your torso, palms up, legs open, and jaw relaxed, as if you were making a snow angel. Then relax for five minutes. Your eyes can be open or closed, whatever is comfortable. Breathe normally and let your mind do as it pleases. This pose shifts your mind naturally from an active mode to a receptive one, which means that you are more open to fresh ideas and possibilities.
Shamas says that we can turn a creative block into a power pause by breaking free of the past, appreciating the experience of the present, and making ourselves receptive to whatever may come in the future. Once we do, we open ourselves to creative inspiration. Then, fresh thoughts begin to come into our awareness effortlessly, as long as we stay open to them. We just have to be ready to capture our ideas and insights when they do arrive.
Deep Creativity
Inside the Creative Mystery
Victor Shamas, Ph.D.
Foreword by C. June Maker, Ph.D.
List $17.95 Ebook: $9.99
Paperback/E-book 210 pages 6 x 9 inches
Official Publication Date: March 2018 Morgan James
ISBN-13: 978-1-68350-541-9
For more information www.victorshamas.com .
About the Author
Dr. Victor Shamas is a University of Arizona psychologist co-founder of two non-profit groups (PlayHaven and Global Chant), and author of four books: Deep Creativity: Inside the Creative Mystery, Repose: The Potent Pause, The Chanter’s Guide, and The Way of Play. His research focuses on the experiential aspects of creativity, including intuition, insight, and inspiration. He has extensive media experience and his Intuition in Pregnancy study has been featured in USA Today, Pregnancy magazine, and NBC’s Today show.
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