What happens when you mix mindfulness with material practice
The Imagination Project recently had the opportunity to work with local Mindfulness training program Mindful Changes. The goal was to introduce pre-teens to Mindfulness practices and art making tools and the result was a beautiful blend of thoughtful and conscious activities.
I was touched by each child's willingness to take a pause in their day, step away from their devices (does every kid these days have an iPhone?) and just listen to their breath.
It reminded me of how sometimes we have to enter into a transitionary realm before we are able to create. The chaos of our day, the errands we need to run, the pressures of our to do lists, our families needs, our pets or even just the basic needs of our body's daily requirements to function can often distract us from what we really want to be doing; creating.
Guiding the group through meditation reminded me how necessary it is to hit reset on our day, to take a moment, to breathe all the way to our bones and just remember what we're here for.
Whether we're creating art or we just want to infuse our day with more creativity it's essential to quiet our minds. How can we expect inspiration to come to us when our brains are cluttered?
I've challenged myself to take more time out of my day, to slow down, to quiet my brain, check in with my body and my breath and just sit for a few minutes in silence. Whether I'm creating or not, a commitment to stillness and slowness will inevitably create space for deeper inspiration, more presence and ability to let creativity flow.
I invite you to join me and see just how much more creative you can get with a little more space, a little more breath and stillness in your day.
