Expressing Feelings From Within
And How to Let Go of that Creative Monkey Mind
The Inner Creative Landscape
Creativity often springs from a deep well of emotions. Our feelings can be powerful catalysts for artistic expression, whether it's joy, sorrow, anger, or love. We can create works that resonate with ourselves and others by tapping into our own inner landscape. Our creative spirit fuels us and inspires us to create in ways others may not understand or might find an intense connection with. We stand tall in front of our easels or sit in our creative spaces for different reasons - it heals us, makes us feel good, and gives us peace.
In reality, we can view our landscape. We can translate and visually identify objects and things we have learned through instinct, learning, and stories passed down from our ancestors. We know the clouds sail up in the sky. Water is fluid. Fire is hot. Our senses give us the ability to understand it all. But what about our dreams? What about the inner creative landscape that fuels our creative soul? Sometimes, it is difficult to understand. It can be hard to comprehend what we are sensing from within and translate that onto our canvas.
For me, I sometimes find it difficult to organize all of the thoughts that are running through my head and find a way to illustrate that story onto my canvas. I also find it hard to focus on just one story - sometimes I start something and a new idea starts circulating inside that must get out NOW. And most of the time, that idea doesn’t pan out the way I intended and the story gets muddled or confusing.
So how can we as creatives tone down the creative monkey mind and focus? How can we dream it and bring it to fruition on our canvas with success? Believe me, I am trying. But, I have been utilizing a few techniques to help me still the creative mind and at least let those stories and ideas inside come out gracefully.
Here are some techniques that have helped me. These are just a few ideas to help you open up your creative soul and express your feelings within your practice:
Journaling:
Freewriting: Write without stopping for a set amount of time. Let your thoughts and feelings flow freely onto the page. Just write and don’t worry about writing complete sentences. Let whatever comes out come out. I use a basic composition notebook for this.
Prompted Writing: Use prompts like "I feel..." or "I remember when..." to spark reflection and exploration. This is another great way to ignite some creative power. Writing is a great way to get those stubborn ideas out into the open.
Mindfulness and Meditation:
Observe Your Feelings: Pay attention to your emotions without judgment. Notice how they arise, change, and pass. When I am feeling a certain way or reacting to different situations, I like to record them in my notes on my iPhone. Sometimes our feelings can create amazing content for our canvas.
Meditation: Practice mindfulness meditation to connect with your inner self and gain clarity. Finding stillness within our inner selves is key to understanding what is stirring inside.
Music:
Listen to Music: Allow the music to evoke feelings and inspire your creative work. I love doing this while I am journaling or freewriting. I also love listening to music while I am painting - it helps me connect and move freely.
Nature Connection:
Spend Time Outdoors: Connect with nature to find peace and inspiration. Once a year my husband and I love to take a time out in nature. We stay in a tiny cabin without internet or wifi and just connect with ourselves and each other. I also bring my sketchbook along to make sure I can illustrate the feelings I am going through in those moments. So many ideas are generated this way for me.
Observe the World: Pay attention to the beauty and patterns in nature. Listen and smell the roses. I get up early before the sun rises to take my dog for a walk. This is so meditative for me - listening to the birds wake up and the leaves rustling. Complete silence - just nature waking the world up.
There are so many ways to ignite your creative spirit and soul. And, there is no right or wrong way to find ways to allow it to come forward. Tapping into your inner creative landscape can be difficult and frustrating at times but you can do it.
What techniques do you find most helpful for expressing your feelings creatively? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
