creative regeneration is my way of getting to the natural state.
in fact, it's a combination of all my ways, that i put together to maximise the chances of you getting there too!
the natural state is one unencumbered by extra stress, it's how life is when you don't get in your own way, judge how things ought to be, or yourself for not fulfilling your own expectations, leave half your attention in the past or be half spinning out in the future - you're just there, doing the task in hand. that's an experience of direct energy flow that feels both powerful and joyful, even when the task is hard, and/or the external circumstances are constraining, unjust, draining, wrong.
but in the creative regeneration process itself the task isn't hard, the cirumstances are set up in your favour, and you simply follow the steps which appear in front of you. when meditating (step one), you are just aware of what is happening, no more no less, aware of thoughts, feelings, pains, and the sheer aliveness around and within them, and you are with all of that as it moves, or becomes still. there's a skill to this, it's the skill of letting it be easy, without switching off or disconnecting.
when focusing (step two), getting an overall, vague yet precise body-sense of your situation, or of any particular thing you want to get a felt sense of, you learn to let the words for it come, to check whether they fit, to feel the felt sense respond, to ask it a question and allow the answer to come to you. it's a state of complete receptivity, in action.
freewriting is step three, and it's all about letting the words come and being aware of the internal censor and the story-maker and the critic and moving straight on through with the words which are given to you, which come faster than the machinations of the mind. it's an exercise in speed and freedom.
finally, intuitive painting is a complete dance of listening and sensing and creating, the colours and the strokes tell you what to do and before you even know what it was they demanded, you've done it and you are on to the next thing.
all of life could be this way.
you don't have to 'be creative' to experience life as a creative process - it just is. when you're not attempting to wrestle it into shape, into a set of rules, and of course when you're not being wrestled into shape by some other external forces - although even when you are, and survival is all you can do, there's a little more freedom and creativity inside the human mind than we typically imagine.
all these four practices have restored me at different times in my life, acting as ways to recharge my mental, emotional and physical batteries in what has felt like a literal sense - and a few years ago i decided to just put them all together and see what happened. and share the process wtih others. what happens does not have to be 'good' in any sense of the word - it's always unpredictable and always new, and it always brings freshness and energy for the rest of life.
you can try these practices alone, although focusing does like company, a listener, another human presence. you can take a look at my book creative regeneration, (that's a link for a signed copy, you can also buy it anywhere books are sold online), or you can still sign up for the body and soul regeneration retreat in august, for creative regeneration every day plus many other opportunities to heal, refresh and power up mind, body and soul!
drop me a line if you'd like to know more, would love to see you there,
sarah
Comentários