Let’s face it. Much of everyday life is not what could be considered a creative process.
As much as my inner Pollyanna would like to believe, the day to day of being human doesn’t always leave space for creativity to flourish. Depending on who you are, and the specific factors you are dealing with, the reality is more likely to be on a scale of day-to-day survival to stressed-out-over-achieving drive and breakdowns. Or somewhere in between, of course.
One of my many mottos resounds like a battle cry, “A creative life, or nothing!” A personal manifesto which goes quite well with my personality and how I approach things with a 120% or 0% enthusiasm and follow through. Over the years however I have begun to question this way of looking at things and have been curiously exploring how other people go about it.
I came into this world on a spiritual mission, to filter as much as I could through the sieve of transformation and healing. “What can I learn from this experience?” and ‘“How can I find meaning and inspiration from my challenges?” My mind doesn’t work quite like other folks and so I tend to flip things upside down and sideways in an attempt to find meaning. This has served me very well in my work as a shaman healer and kundalini yoga teacher. What channels through me in words, song, stories and energy can be very inspirational and uplifting to others. When I am teaching and facilitating healing work, I feel like I am embodying Spirit and using my gifts to their full potential.
On an earthly level, though, this approach may not be as practical and it can take more time to get regular things done, because I’m so busy being creative in how I do the tasks. In my observation of others, I have noticed that a high percentage of people do not put nearly as much creative energy doing the dishes, or cleaning the house. They don’t look for spiritual meaning in the layers of dust that coat the shelves or compose songs while folding laundry. I envy those of you that can accomplish tasks without a shamanic vaudeville routine. How I long to be practical and have that kind of common sense! When I am down, I tend to lament some of my life choices and compare myself to more materially successful people as I gaze down the “road not taken” with regret. But then I look around in my moment and say, “Wait a second! I created all of this! Isn’t it wonderful and uniquely me? I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Reverently and unequivocally, I choose to experience the magic in the mundane.
This choice has led me to venture into the present moment with curious wonder at what I might find. I am a practitioner of the ecstatic now.
Everyday shamanism is a practice of living life creatively, no matter what you are doing. This could mean paying bills or having a baby, raking the yard, working 9 - 5 pm or hosting a party. It doesn’t matter what you are doing, because it is your precious moment, alive with possibility. Everyday shamanism is a commitment to observing reality and seeing all sides of an issue holistically. It means that you are not afraid to get into the dirt and roll around with yourself or others. It is freeing to let go of pretenses and be your whole self, regardless of what others might think. Everyday shamanism is living ecstatically equally through the death of a loved one as you would through a marriage ceremony to your beloved. Only our minds distinguish a difference between a positive and negative experience, only our minds make up meaning that shapes beliefs, choices and actions.
Interesting.
I feel that this way of being is at the core of all of my work, whether I’m facilitating a private session or leading a group ceremony, this is how my soul expresses itself. I create and hold space for the suspension of disbelief to reveal the miracles that are all around us. In the channel state, I hold no opinions on the suffering or dreams of my students, I only see the possibility of transformation. I take a fierce stand for what they say they want and walk beside them through the fire.
Where are you on the spectrum of earthly to etheric sensibilities? Any place on the line is a good place to start. You may wish to come down from the clouds for a bit and bring an idea into action through hard work, or you may wish to shake off the humdrum cobwebs of monotony by learning a new skill or following a dream.
If you want to live life more creatively, it might mean making a different choice that can open the door to a new possibility. One thing is certain, if you continue doing the same things, you will get the same results. That’s the bad news and the good news! If you are stuck, suffering or in pain, you are also the one who can find flow, ease and healing. Even when it doesn’t feel remotely possible to shift things, it always is. Only your mind keeps you trapped in the illusion of separateness. So bypass the mind and be willing to do whatever it takes to be creatively engaged with your one precious life. This is Earth School, dear ones.
Show up for the course work or it will show up for you.
...And you don’t have to do it alone. We’ve got you. Bright Blessings,
Wahe Guru
and the Earth School Family
Painting by EARTH SCHOOL student, Karen Bryant
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