Author: ratnadyer

Creativity for me is an act of listening.
It is an attentive way of being alive to and engaging with what is unfolding in each moment.

Sitting down and putting a post like this together, is a way my creativity takes form. And yet the funny thing is, I don’t actually feel like I really ‘create’ anything. I experience it more in the way that I am simply putting some collected components together: a photo, a central thought and a few more thoughts for a caption.

The photos I take out walking. Even in the most seemingly ordinary suburban street, there are many beautiful things to see. The more I am looking with an empty ‘beginners mind’, the more I see beauty. The simplest of things are a work of art. The things we overlook are fascinating. And many times I have to override my mind’s quickness at dismissing things as ‘not that amazing’, or ‘no one will be interested in that’.
Sometimes I’ll see something that shows a certain quality or message yet to be deciphered, and oftentimes will be perfect for my post that night, or sometimes months later.

With the central thought, it will often just ‘pop in’, seemingly from nowhere. Usually when I’m doing yoga, or listening to a spiritual teaching, or walking in nature, or contemplating on/listening to experiences. Sometimes with a photo I take, the words will come in simultaneously.

It’s also here an awareness is required to listen, as these kinds of thoughts are often not pushy, or sticky, or seemingly outstanding. They’re often quiet, unassuming, easily overlooked or slipping by. A sense of discernment takes place.
Sometimes a thought will come that I don’t understand, or my mind isn’t convinced of and even argues with. I will ponder on it more deeply and listen to it’s message.
I’ll jot these thoughts down on my notes and have them there for when I make my posts.

I don’t think the caption or anything out ahead of time. That would be a chore; a kind of forcing. I wouldn’t have the energy or motivation for that approach!
No, again.. I listen. Words come, naturally, arising. Like jamming impromptu with music.

I’ll do a final read through and use my mind to make it read well..
and whaa-la!! Created!

Do we allow space for ourselves to be visible? Do we willingly offer and communicate our vulnerability? Or do we hide/avoid?
Do we allow space for others we are with to be visible and attended to? Do we take up space by offering perhaps more than is needed?

The more we turn toward ourselves with honesty and earnestness the more free we become.

The more we avoid, deny and run from ourselves the more imprisoned we become.

We’re no use to anyone if we don’t look after ourselves too.

What things do you do to fill yourself up? How do you show yourself care? How would you talk to someone you love, what advice would you give them?… start to apply this and receive this in yourself.

It is helpful to be conscious of how we relate with our own anger.

Do we judge it?
Do we judge ourselves if we have it?
Do we resist it?
Are we afraid of it?
Do we deny it?
Do we repress/suppress it?
Do we skip over it as pointless?
Do we use it to avoid our deeper hurt and sadness?
Do we blame others angrily so the focus is on them and not on what we might need to change in ourselves?
Do we turn anger inward towards ourselves which then becomes depression?
Do we use anger to stay identified as a victim?
How was anger role modelled to us by our parents?
What messages were we given when we showed our anger?
Do we know healthy ways to acknowledge and express our anger?

How well do we really know ourselves?

Some things are beyond our control. We can do our absolute best, and beyond that our learning is to lean into trust, kindness, letting go and surrendering.

“I can do nothing for you but work on myself… you can do nothing for me but work on yourself.”
Ram Dass

When we each do our own work on ourselves, this is the best thing we can do for our relationships.

If we are growing and following the call of our truth and our partner doesn’t like it or grow in their own way with us, sometimes the relationship will need fall away.

We can then in time come more into alignment with people on a similar wavelength and direction.

It’s very hard to face and trust this transition. But what choice do we have other than to follow our deep heart and soul’s call.

We each need to find the capacity within ourselves to hold our own hurt, to hold and bring love to our emotional turmoil and pain.

The heart of compassionate loving awareness is not an emotional space, it is an expansive, allowing, stable, safe, unchanged and unchanging openness.

We are more ourselves than ever when we are full in and as this loving, open emptiness. This space within which all emotion can arise, be held, and pass through without a trace.