Inspiration: How the heck do I get some?

Artwork "Rainbow Girl" by Robin Neil Williams

At times inspiration can be scarce. It's like an extinct woodland creature you really did see once upon a time, out of the corner of your eye, which everyone else laughed at and dismissed as absurd. But wait JUST A MINUTE! Isn't inspiration about trusting yourself, your instincts and being open to receive because of this trust in yourself?. Wasn't it supposed to be just you and the universe and all of the magic it flows to you? Why aren't you listening to yourself anymore? I have found that most people, for some reason, have temporarily lost the ability to hear their souls voice. Artists and performers know this feeling all to well. Like a sudden block comes up, our 'spark' is gone, we hit a wall, get writers block, come up empty handed but not for lack of trying. For whatever reason something is in the way.
 
When we don't trust our ideas as a result of a myriad of reasons (insert obstacle), it tends to snowball, and overtime we realize that we are listening to all the criticism and comparing ourselves The worst part is that we allow it to seep into our minds where those intruders (negative voices) sit, waiting to attack the new found little 'holy grails'. How is anyone supposed to function that way? Not very easily.

We have strange ideas about how it goes down.Being inspired.The whole 'epiphany' thing. We want it to 'strike' ,'hit', and 'overwhelm us' with some kind of shamanic out of body quantum leap, like a magical burst of cosmic energy that feels like you are on some really rare good 'trip'. Just like tv ad's sometimes our previous experiences and imagination may not be so realistic when it comes to measuring how we get ideas and turn them into something special. Maybe inspiration is a tranquil moment, a whisper, a dream, a song, a visual. A still acknowledgement rather than an ecstatic realization.Maybe we are just in a down mode, and so need to adapt to the state of being by opening our 'idea' receptors more. Really just being in the moment. Even in the depths of despair (especially there) is when we are more likely to get motivated to feel better, and what makes us feel better is doing something we love doing. Usually this comes to us as a nagging thought, such as "When are you going to paint again, it's been ages". Give in to those thoughts, that will lead you someplace better. Always.

Photo by gak @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/gak/103278059/)

 Yet isn't this part of life. Going through 'doldrums of despair' only to skyrocket into happiness again (or at least something resembling it). It seems as if the bad times are the 'grist for the mill' so to speak, the contrast, the catalyst for our evolution into better people with better minds, and thus, better ideas. Without depression, grief, sadness, loneliness, fear and frustration how would we know how we don't want to feel? What get's us into these not so good frames of mind are simply a lack of clarity, lack of awareness, consciousness about what really is holding you back. My guess is that it is all in the mind...

Our minds are too busy, our bodies are stressed to the max, our lives have gotten complicated and intense. Mostly it's a mental thing. Our minds are on a constant information trip, millions of thoughts, ideas, texts, conversations, memories, to do lists, goals are all crammed up into our cranium. It's not because we ran out of space. It's because we let it all fly around uncontrollably. We let it control us. Our thoughts are powerful. But silence, calm and quiet are better, more effective states of being to cultivate, if we are to create again.

So find what makes your mind calm first. Then out of that calm, think about what makes you happy. With little effort we will find that our crazy thoughts get filed away in all the right places, leaving an almost infinite gap, a space filled with nothingness. This is what you want. This is the blank canvas, and this is where all you need to do is trust, and something will come into that space. It will be simple. Simple but golden, and it will have wings. It won't flit out of sight now because you are still. You listened to yourself again and now you know what you want to and must do. It really works. Every time.

But alack! Most people in today's society don't know what it is to have a clear mind. In this way, they are unaware of the potentials for creativity which they hold. So I would say, when you are ready, and possibly when you have tried everything else. Try a little silence in the form which pleases you most. Paint. Draw. Play your instrument. Sing. Dance. Swim, Meditate (my favourite!), Work in the garden. Play with your pet. Write. Drive. Relax. Breathe. Even better combine these activities and add a smile or some laughter.

And remember you are in control of your thoughts, your thoughts shouldn't control you. With this in mind you should never be at a permanent stand still. Life flows, and if you let it, will flow through you too.