My five fundamental creative practices
#1544
"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience." — Emily Dickinson.
It's not late, but being winter, it is already dark outside. I drive alone and in silence. I know the way and am not in the mood for any music or radio. I enjoy the moment, the constant hum of the traffic, the festive lights on the side of the roads.
I drive, and my mind relaxes.
I am fully present to everything: my car, the road, the traffic.
Yet, my mind is also travelling beyond this moment and space.
I am contemplating what it is as it is.
And I realise that there are many ways to practice contemplation.
One doesn't have to look for the perfect setting.
And so, in this moment of contemplation amidst the traffic, my mind begins to wander and wonder.
Five practices came up. Five practices that I've integrated into my life in the last few years and are helping my creative processes. I list them here to remember them, and I'll explore more in future morning wanderings.
Postponing gratification
Gratitude
Self-inquiry
Kidful playing
Contemplation