Intention Inspired

Today, let's acknowledge a creative block for it's temporary state of being and address the issue with courage and compassion.

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"There is no such thing as creative or noncreative people, only people that use their creativity and people that don't." – Brené Brown

No matter what modality we use to create it is possible that at times we will feel blocked. An occasional feeling of “creative block” is totally normal when it happens every now and then and it is this type of block we are discussing in this session. (Over the years, creatives have reported creative blocks that have lasted weeks, months, and sometimes, years. That is an indicator of a more complicated issue.)

With self-observation, you may notice a pattern to the blocks. If that is the case it helps to understand when, how and why these patterns occur. There could be many reasons but fear is the best place to start:

• depression

• fear of rejection or failure

• perfectionism

• self-doubt, anxiety about the outcome

• negative self-talk or criticism

These are a few of the possibilities but what I end up finding is that there is a lack, an overattachment to what my mind is saying or a fear of some kind.

AFFIRMATION: My creativity flows freely.

In the journal segment, we will explore some tips and techniques that could break the block. It really doesn't matter which creative practice you love to do, these quick exercises are designed to get into whichever flow excites you. (Writing, dance, painting, drawing, songwriting, theater, leadership…whatever your creative outlet).

CREATIVE UNBLOCKING EXERCISES:

Some of the tools that will unblock the flow are tools that can be used for any challenge you are experiencing:

• Meditation – a releasing meditation is helpful. Add in an intention of curiosity and compassion.

• Free form writing – (I call it a stream of consciousness)-with this exercise we clear our mind by writing continuously for at least one page. We do not stop to correct spelling, analyze what we have written or judge what we are saying. We simply write. If we all of a sudden run out of words to write, we write one sentence or word over and over until something else evolves.

• Recharge – If you have been creating for hours a day, for days, maybe it is time to recharge your batteries. Spend the day caring for yourself without a specific creative goal.

• Nature – A walk in Nature with the intention of experiencing the wonders of the moment (no guilt or judgment).

• Information Deprivation – Limit or forgo social media or the news.

For the hands-on tools let's try these:

• Draw 5 or 6 “clouds” on a sheet of paper (try not to duplicate shapes). Now, just as if you were lying in a grassy field look at each cloud individually and make it into what you see.

• On a clean sheet of paper do a continuous line drawing. Set your pen/pencil on the paper and make a line without lifting your tool until you have an “interesting or resonating” line. Use your color to color in the shapes.

• Continuous doodle-fill in the spaces with dots, squiggles, lines, Keep going until you feel the flow or you fill the page.

• Choose one form-eyes, hands, bottles, cactus, etc. and sketch it over and over again.

When a creative block comes to visit we can realize that blocks are a natural occurrence. We can embrace the need to take a creative break without panic or self-doubt. We can assure ourselves that this is a temporary state of being and address the issue with courage and compassion.

Please share your stories and observations in the Activity Feed: https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

Today, let's release our intentions into the fertile soil of our consciousness where they can flourish and grow.

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💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

Spring is the season of growth.

This is the perfect time to honor growth of all kinds. The days become longer. The nights are warmer and the world wakes up from it's winter sleep.

As journal keepers, we might feel compelled to go back through our journals from years ago and we may have the thought that nothing has changed. The “battles” we were fighting then seem to be the same “battles” we are fighting now. In fact, that is not the case. Each time we experience a challenge we are a different person than the first time we saw it. We have more knowledge, wisdom and possible solutions just because we had observed the challenge in the first place. Each time we experience that challenge we can choose a new and creative way of acting towards it until finally it is no longer a challenge at all. It is a new skill set.

AFFIRMATION: Each day offers me experiences that support my growth and potential.

If we are observant we realize how much we have grown each time we see these aspects of ourselves. We begin to see them as a valuable part of our journey and we celebrate our learning.

Today, let's befriend all the parts of ourselves and use the powers of creativity, courage, and compassion to try on all the hats of joy.

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💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

Even in the Spring the night is still dark.

Even as we observe, shift and grow our shadows remain. That need not be a concern…our shadows are part of our learning on this physical plane. We are human and we need the contrast to expand our growth and consciousness. We also have the ability to choose and play around with our actions and behaviors when shadows appear. What feels like the loving, conscious solution to this challenging experience?

If we can integrate our dark and our light and see all facets of our being as an important part of this physical experience, we can feel the fulfillment and wholeness of our soul. We can stop fighting ourselves or trying to “fix” ourselves and begin to love ourselves. It seems to me that humans that love themselves are more likely to love other beings, the Earth, the physical journey and would be better suited to make decisions for the good of all concerned.

AFFIRMATION: "I love and show compassion for my whole being."

There will always be darkness and light on this journey, on this planet and within ourselves. How can we befriend all of the parts of ourselves and, in this moment, use our powers of creativity, courage and compassion to try on all the hats of joy?

CREATIVE JOURNALING EXERCISE:

We have two options for today's creative journaling exercise today:

1. First sit with your breath for a moment.

Focus on how it feels as you slowly inhale and then exhale. Feel the tension leave your body. Clear your mind and let the stillness soothe you.

See in your minds eye your Shadow self. Use a blank page from your journal. Ask your Shadow “what do you want me to know right now?” and then paint or draw whatever comes to mind. Even the strangest mental images or scenarios can hold a seed of wisdom, helping to reveal hidden feelings, thoughts, or information. Express that image in your journal page.

Or….

2. Make your journal page a testament to the Dark Night.

---

How can you identify your shadow?

According to Debbie Ford, author of The Dark Side of the Light Chasers gives her recommendations for identifying our Shadow. She says some good questions to start with are:

What am I most afraid of?

What aspects of my life need transforming?

What am I most afraid of that someone else will find out about me?

What am I most afraid of finding out about myself?

What’s the biggest lie I’ve told myself? Someone else?

What could stop me from doing the work needed to transform my life?

The shadow is not to be seen as something bad. Quite the opposite. It’s exactly what we need to embrace, love and accept about ourselves in order to feel a deep authentic self-love. It’s when we have embraced our shadow that we feel whole. Please take a moment to pause and reflect in the Activity Feed.

Today, let's search for life-enriching treasures in the form of opportunities to explore and experiment.

🙌 Join us in the Art Room (free): https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

👁 Join as an All-Access Intention Inspired member ($7-15/mo): https://intentioninspired.com/all-access

🔔 Subscribe to the Intention Inspired podcast at https://intentioninspired.com/podcast

💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and Marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

Take yourself back to a time when every day was an adventure.

When a pile of rocks and some sticks became a fort or a fairy garden.  When you could fly to the moon in a cardboard box. Maybe your days are filled with adventure right now and if that is the case I applaud your desire to find "hidden treasures" in your every day life.  You don't have to travel to the jungle or a great distance to have an adventure.  Seeing your experiences as an adventure is a matter of perception.

AFFIRMATION:

I savor new experiences.

Opportunities exist to explore and experiment everywhere.

Even in your own backyard.  Here are some ideas to search for the treasure in your own life:

*Take a journey to a place without leaving your house.  Choose a country or area you're interested in.  Learn about the food, the culture, the history, art and culture.  Cook an "authentic meal" from the region and possible learn some of the language. 

*Take a moment to remember skills you may have used a few times, that you enjoyed or were good at and dig them up again (forgotten skills could be the buried treasure that begins an adventure.  Like setting up a community garden, a garage sale or making banners, painting mailboxes, papier mache'.)  Any of these skills could lead to remembering how much you enjoyed leadership or how skilled you were at project management, etc.

*Try something new.  You never know what kind of treasures you have within you until you try them.  A new sport, a new hobby, a new group to join, a class to take.

*Help others-Assist a charity, befriend someone, volunteer or just spend some time smiling at people or complimenting them.

*Have an affair....with yourself.  Take yourself on dates, fall in love with yourself, keep a gratitude journal of every wonderful thing there is about you.  Begin to see how wonderful you really are.

Every day can be an adventure!

Today, let's get still and balance our form identity with our formless, interconnected essence identity.

🙌 Join us in the Art Room (free): https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

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💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and Marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

When we began our Spring Journey we asked ourselves a question that we may believe holds great importance to the expansion of our consciousness. Who Am I?

Eckhart Tolle, renowned spiritual teacher and best-selling author says, “You have form identity and essence identity. Suffering arises when you know “yourself” only as form identity.”

Many know themselves only as form identity: my name is __________________. My career is_____________________. I am a mother/father/grandparent. I have done these things- past experience. I am striving/trying to do future experience. All of this is form identity. It is the physical reality you are living, the content of your life as a Human but is this the totality of “Who You Are?”

You Are Not a Human Being Having a Spiritual Experience. You Are a Spiritual Being Having a Human Experience

I believe that there is value in the understanding that we are both.

Your “essence” identity can be found in the Stillness within. It is your innermost “I Am…” It is the divine essence that connects your energy to the energy of all that is. It is timeless, formless, and entirely impossible to explain in words. When we embrace and include the magnificence of each, when we balance our “form” with our “essence”, the question of “Who Am I” is no longer relevant.

We are … I Am … You Are and by the very nature of our birth, the power and wonder of our Being is laid before us. When that premise resonates we are Awake.

Without vulnerability, we struggle to achieve love, creativity, belonging, trust, and joy (to name a few).  Today, let's courageously show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.

🙌 Join us in the Art Room (free): https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

👁 Join as an All-Access Intention Inspired member ($7-15/mo): https://intentioninspired.com/all-access

🔔 Subscribe to the Intention Inspired podcast at https://intentioninspired.com/podcast

💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and Marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

When we live in a reality of conditioning we guard ourselves against the possibility of being hurt.

Many times we don't even realize when we are guarded or how thick the walls are.  The guarding has become habitual and we are protecting ourselves against people and situations that could open us to the wonders of the Universe.  Without vulnerability, we struggle to achieve love, creativity, belonging, trust, and joy (to name a few).  All of these experiences place us in the unknown and when we are living in our conditioning we need protection from the unknown.

This is where vulnerability comes into the picture.

Brene' Brown has spent the past two decades studying vulnerability, courage worthiness and shame.  In her words "Vulnerability is basically uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.  It is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage".

When do you think of vulnerability what comes to mind?

CREATIVE JOURNAL EXERCISE:

Two phases to our journal practice today.

First, take a few grounding breaths and bring yourself into this moment. Take a few more breaths with the intention of connecting and opening your heart.  Now spend 3-5 minutes writing (not thinking, just writing a stream of consciousness.  If you get stuck write the word vulnerable until your mind clears) on areas of your life that being vulnerable could really serve you or make you more connected.

Choose one thing that you do not believe you are very good at drawing.  (That is people faces for me)  Draw that and if you really want a dose of vulnerability color it as well.

The objective is to step into the unknown with an open heart, courage, and the willingness to do something uncomfortable.  That feeling you're having is vulnerability (unless you are stuck in perfectionism, comparison, or avoidance.  If that is the case you are in your conditioned mind.  Sit in stillness and breathe then proceed).

The power of imagination brings things that do not exist into the mind and uses it to visualize how things "could" be. The more you use this power the stronger it becomes.

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👁 Join as an All-Access Intention Inspired member ($7-15/mo): https://intentioninspired.com/all-access

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💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and Marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

Imagine that you have extraordinary power.

This power brings things that do not exist into the mind and uses it to visualize how things "could" be.  The more you use this power the stronger it becomes.

If you can reach a state of stillness and quiet your mind, your subconscious will be more accepting of the "reality" your imagination can visualize.  You will be in the field of infinite possibility.  Once in this state of stillness, you can replace beliefs that no longer serve you with new beliefs.  Your new beliefs will attach to this higher state of consciousness and you will be inspired to behave and act in new ways.

There is one element that needs to be observed.  You must trust the process and not try to control the outcome.  Once your new belief has been sent out, follow your intuition and trust that this or something better will manifest.  Stay aware and observant of where you are being guided.

This extraordinary power is also exceptional when combined with Creativity.

Today, let's bask in the energetic glory of our own warmth and light to feel whole and peaceful.

🙌 Join us in the Art Room (free): https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

👁 Join as an All-Access Intention Inspired member ($7-15/mo): https://intentioninspired.com/all-access

🔔 Subscribe to the Intention Inspired podcast at https://intentioninspired.com/podcast

💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and Marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

Let's pretend that we are the light and the warmth. Let's pretend that we recognize the magnificence of our being. We are shining bright and holding ourselves in the highest esteem. Let's pretend that our warmth and our light radiate from us and surrounds the entire world. At once the world experiences love and compassion and feels safe.

Let's pretend we are exposed to the warmth and light that we are and we feel so whole and full and peaceful that we bask in our own glory. And we never forget how transcendent we truly are. We are so transcendent that our glory has to be shared. We do so gladly.

Breathe …. intentional breathing helps us decrease stress, relax our mind and body, helps us sleep better and so much more. Today, let's observe how our breathing affects our focus as we create.

🙌 Join us in the Art Room (free): https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

👁 Join as an All-Access Intention Inspired member ($7-15/mo): https://intentioninspired.com/all-access

🔔 Subscribe to the Intention Inspired podcast at https://intentioninspired.com/podcast

💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and Marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

Taking just a few moments each day to practice some deep breathing exercises can decrease stress, relax your mind, body and can help you sleep better.

These are only a few of the benefits of breathwork. Having a daily breathing practice could drastically improve your health and well-being. Other benefits are pain control, lower blood pressure, improved immunity and blood flow, calm anxiety, increased energy, reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and more.

The reason that we are interested in breathing in the Art Room (other than the benefits above) is that breathing grounds us and gives us greater focus in this moment. When we are focused in this moment it is easier to find ourselves in the creative flow.

Your breathing routine can be done anywhere, at any time. It doesn't require a heavy time commitment-just a few deep breaths a few times during the day will do. If you are interested in breathwork there are great videos online that can show you different techniques.

CREATIVE EXERCISE:

Today we are following our breath.

Aside from supplying our body with the oxygen it needs it also has an effect on our creative expression. As noted in the introduction, deep breathes have many benefits but for this session, we can observe how it affects our focus as we create.

Bring yourself into alignment with your space by taking a few long, slow breaths. Focus on the air as it comes into your body and follow it as it flows out of your body. Now move your attention to your heart, taking a few breaths into your heart and opening it to the creative experience. When you feel ready…

Choose the colors of breath. You will have to use your magnificent powers of imagination to express the action of breathing or the path of breath or the idea of moving air. Because we grounded ourselves in with a few breaths, we find ourselves fully in this moment, ready and willing to expand our imagination and accept the challenge of expressing breath. No judgment, no pressure, just let your creativity guide you. Let's see what we come up with. We can't get this “wrong”. There are no “rules” in the Art Room.

Play is crucial to the development of our creativity, health, and happiness (as well as many other benefits). It may be one of the higher expressions of humanity. It is more a feeling of an experience than the experience itself. Today, let's play with some color and see if we can get to that playful feeling space.

🙌 Join us in the Art Room (free): https://intentioninspired.com/art-friend

👁 Join as an All-Access Intention Inspired member ($7-15/mo): https://intentioninspired.com/all-access

🔔 Subscribe to the Intention Inspired podcast at https://intentioninspired.com/podcast

💞 Who do you know that would be inspired by today's intentional sessional? Go ahead, share it with them!

🎙 Have a question or feedback for Matt and marva? Leave us a voicemail at https://intentioninspired.com/voicemail

PLAYFUL CREATIVE EXERCISES:

If you have a creative ritual begin with that.

Bring yourself into alignment with your space by taking a few long, slow breaths. Focus on the air as it comes into your body and follow it as it flows out of your body. Now move your attention to your heart, taking a few breaths into your heart and opening it to the creative experience. When you feel ready…

Choose some playful colors in whatever medium you have available. Don't think, just pick one color. As you can see I wrote a Spring stream of consciousness with a magic marker before I laid my colors. I like the text showing through in bits. Using your chosen color make a repeated pattern using that color:

Color number 2: use a different pattern and go over the first color.

Repeat this process using each of the five colors.

Do not overthink the process.

Remember, you are just playing.