Gazing out the window at snow-covered roofs and overcast sky, I feel a sense of peace.
I am an hour or so into my morning, taking the first sips of bold espresso and creamy oatmilk with a feeling of aliveness in my belly, warmth in my heart, and brightness in my eyes. A beautiful bouquet sits on the table to my left, evidence of a morning well-spent.
Intentional creativity, attention, and presence are all part of my practice. These elements feel so nourishing, congruent, and aligned. They fill me up and fuel me in ways that I can’t explain in words.
Creativity Heals
Creativity must be a tonic for my nervous system. My whole body feels so relaxed and warm. My smiles come from my heart and light up my whole face. This may sound strange; it’s almost as if my vision becomes clearer, my sense of smell stronger, my hearing crisper, my body stiffness, gone.
Just 30 minutes of my day spent in spontaneous creativity or sitting with something I find beautiful somehow nourishes me in ways that surpass other modalities.
I love flowers and plants and foliage. This morning, I put together a seasonal bouquet from a few different pieces I picked up over the past few days. As a reiki practitioner, working with my hands is so gratifying.
Mindfulness and Creativity
The simple acts of touching each stem, trimming them on an angle, and lovingly placing each flower into the vase connects me to my heart, deeply. Nestling greens and berries between the stems to support the flowers is like gazing into a mirror and seeing how nature works in collaboration. This brings me to a place of awe.
I used to rush these things. I’d quickly put flowers in a vase with water, without checking the water temperature. I’d chop the ends of the stems off quickly, and throw them into the vase, and voila. Beautiful flowers on the table, check. What’s next on the list?
Truthfully, I am sure I still do that, when I'm not present to my experience.
Whenever doing something we love becomes a task or an item on a checklist, there’s an opportunity to pause and reflect.
If we choose to contemplate, we can allow that reflection to be inside of our being - not just our minds, but our hearts, our bodies, our thoughts, our awareness - and sit with it. We needn’t do anything but let that reflection emerge and show us what is happening on the inside.
It’s as if that reflection is like a blooming flower. When given the space and the attention, that opening flower has something to show us. It can show us what we need, what's missing, how to care for ourselves more deeply.
Self-love and Creativity
Creativity can soften and open us up. It can help us drop our shields and walls, and become receptive. It's hard to be honest, even with ourselves. It's hard to look inside and admit that maybe I haven't been kind to myself. Maybe I've neglected myself. Maybe I forgot to love myself today.
When I spent time with today’s bouquet, it was more than flower arranging. It was spontaneous, creative, and joyous. I loved every single moment of it.
I recall taking a flower arranging class in Japan when I was 17 years old, and I was irritated by how slowly we put the bouquets together.
Now, almost 30 years later, I think I get it. The end result almost ceases to matter. It’s about the love, the attention, the presence we experience throughout the process.
Sending you love and wishing you peace. Om shanti shanti shanti
xo
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