Tips for Getting into Creative Flow
One of the best things I did for my creative practice was become an energy worker. Here's what I've learned about how to quickly drop into inspiration for your next writing project.
As a writer, part of my daily creative practice is sitting down to work on a myriad writing projects I have looming: a book, a new play, articles, blogs…
I’ll be honest. Most days I open my computer, and I don’t actually feel motivated to do any of it. I often get caught in the story of how far I am from the end of anything, the slog of the journey. I don’t see a fast path through, and so I feel with bored or depressed, and I'll give up.
I can’t ever really give up, though, because one of my major life purposes seems to be putting words together in sentences. So I come back again the next day to try again, motivated by some force larger than my thinking brain.
The connection to that larger force is the most powerful tool I've found to overcome lack of motivation (which is actually usually just fear). It’s how I’m writing this now.
One of the best things I did for my creative practice was become an energy worker. Over the last four-ish years I've trained in Kundalini energy activation, Reiki, and energetic s*x. These practices have helped me shortcut the process of getting out of my head and into the flow.
In some ways, trying to impart what I've learned about energy and creative flow in a blog article is like trying to describe the taste of water. But I'm trusting my intuitive knowing that this might be a benefit to you all.
Many of us have felt flow state, but I know I’ve often felt at the whim of fate as to when it might actually strike.
Now I’m getting better at calling it in.
I get into the flow by arriving in my body, stepping out of the thinking mind and into the stream of consciousness that is The Muse. It all might sound a little too touchy-feeling or unscientific for the Important Business that is making money (i.e. why we tend to be on LinkedIn), but I've found that making money is actually a lot easier when you're in flow. And that business and art can much more easily co-mingle when we stop trying to control so tightly how and what we're making.
OK, here we go.
Decide where you want to do this work. Do you always work at the same place? Ask your body if that’s what feels good today. Do you want to be outside? Do you want to put on music? Do you need coffee? How can your body be most comfortable to create? Did you forget you have a body? Say hi and then put it in a spot it feels good.
Show up. Actually feel yourself here. Arrive at your notebook, computer, wherever you work. You’re here! Celebrate. Feel the gratitude that you’ve arrived yet again to do The Work of channeling something bigger than yourself. If you’re called to do it, you are an oracle. Really. Even if you're getting a paycheck for this or creating on behalf of someone else's vision.
Get the restlessness out. Warm yourself up. I know you might have a deadline, but do a warm up. That could mean some journaling, automatic writing. Write about how much you don't want to write. Write a limerick. Transcribe a page from a book you love, or a book you hate. I’ve been doing a practice for a few years now called Prayer Poems. When I'm stuck or feeling sluggish, I write a poem that is a prayer for whatever is alive for me in the moment, and they all start with the phrase “A prayer for…”
The goal is just to start to connect your mind with the larger energy that exists outside of the mind's fear-based overthinking and control, and to do it lightly, without any pressure.
Come to the project of the day. If you have multiple things you’re working on, choose the one that feels most exciting right now. Feel the terror of the unknown. What will I write? Will I be able to write anything of value? Laugh at the fact that you think you’re on control of anything.
Give yourself a time block — "I will work on this for 15 minutes, an hour, whatever." Set a timer so now you don’t have to think. If possible, turn off your wifi or other distractions. Imagine your project as a good friend who is coming to visit. Give them your attention and intention.
Speaking of intention, can you articulate an intention for your work for the day? “I want to write an article about the process of getting into flow state to help others create from a more easeful, pleasurable place and to channel through even more meaningful work into the world.” (That’s mine for today).
Close your eyes and picture energy flowing into the crown of your head and down through your arms and fingers.
Acknowledge that you’re sitting across from your project. Feel the energy of the project. I know this sounds weird, but can you feel the quality of it? Say hi to your project, welcome it. How can I be of service today? What wants to flow through? What feels alive? What feels like a turn on? Remember that you have a body, including genitals that are capable of creation. Bring your attention down there. OMG, we’re talking about genitals on LinkedIn. It’s ok, they’re welcome too. All of you is welcome and necessary for the act of creating!
Write a sentence. Don’t think about it. Get curious. Ask your project, what next? Laugh at how serious it can be. Check in with your genitals again. See if you can feel a tingle. Write the thing that might make them tingle. Keep writing. Return to your attention and intention again. If you get stuck, take a breath and return to your body. Feel your body, across from your project. Feel yourself in conversation. Feel yourself letting words flow through your body like energy.
Keep going. Don’t judge the quality of what you’re writing. Trust that you have to just get the bones down now. Remember Anne Lamott’s Shitty First Drafts and trust that whatever comes through you can polish and shine. The hardest part is the bones. Set the bones with your trust.
Laugh at the part of your brain that says what you’re writing is useless, unoriginal, stupid. You’re not writing it, after all. You’re just bringing it through from the realm of the subconscious. Keep going until your timer goes off, or if you’ve gotten to some place that feels like an end, ask, "What do I need to say to complete this for now?" But if you know you're going to write more later, leave yourself some place to pick back up. Leave yourself on an ellipsis so you can't wait to see what happens next.
Give yourself a small rest, a beat, a breath before diving into the next Zoom meeting or whatever else is on your to-do list. Thank yourself for showing up. Thank the creativity energy for moving through you. Even if it's just an ember, a tiny spark, feel gratitude for being the tender of creative fire.