When people ask me about my art, I often feel challenged to describe what I do because I sense a preconceived notion that art is some kind of object, like a painting or a sculpture, that you look at and it inspires you with beauty, or challenges your views of the world in some way. Although I would agree this is an aspect of art, I find myself much more interested in the ongoing conversation with the divine that happens through the creative process.
To me art is a Ritual of communing with the divine through the creative process.
In light of this understanding of art, I thought it would be fun to share how I enter the Ritual of Creation and open myself for a divine conversation and communion.
4 steps to transform your creative process into a Ritual
1. Set your Intention
Giving meaning and purpose to your creative process focuses your energy and assigns a direction for your divine conversation. By clarifying your desires and intentions before you begin your creative process sets you up for a meaningful dialogue with the divine. Setting your Intention requires some thought and conscious awareness about what is most important to you at this time in your life. Give yourself permission to use your creative process as a spiritual practice to clarify your life, to manifest your dreams, to heal deep issues and transform your life.
What is most important to you at this time in your life?
2. Create Sacred Space
The only difference between a Ritual and a regular creative process, is the consciousness you bring to it. Something as simple as brushing your teeth can be a Ritual if you bring conscious intent to the practice. When you’re transforming your creative process into a Ritual, you’ll need to create the Sacred Space to honor your intention and allow the breathing room to enter your experience. Creating Sacred Space can be as simple as carving out the time in your calendar to be creative, or perhaps it means you clear a space in your home that is just for your creative process.
How can you create sacred space for your creative process?
3. Sacred Self Care
Setting your Intention puts energy in motion. Creating Sacred Space gives you a container of space in order to play and explore. Sacred Self Care is the next step in transforming your creative process into a Ritual. Taking care of yourself so you may be in the highest state of consciousness and health will support your Ritual of Creation. What would you need in order to enjoy your creative process? Perhaps having the right supplies available, or herbal tea, or unplugging your phone so there are no distractions, or perhaps simply giving yourself a good nights sleep the day before so you’re fully present for your creative process is what you need to take care of yourself in your process.
What sacred self care practice(s) will best support you in your creative process?
4. Express & Embody your Soul
This is where all your preparation and consciousness pays off, the heightened moment of creation is ripe and ready. Depending on your chosen medium for creative expression, this is the step in your Ritual of Creation where you are fully in your creative process. Expression is the process of meeting the divine. Embodiment is the experience of allowing the divine to fully enter. This is typically where some form of object results from your Ritual of Creation, but not always. Although I create a lot of images, there have been many Rituals of Creation that were simply about communion and no object resulted. I would still call this art, even though there is no object to show for it. But, on those magical moments when an object does result from your Ritual of Creation, you then have the opportunity to be with this creation as a living breathing entity that has birthed through your relationship with the divine.
How do you want to express and embody your soul?
I believe the reason I am so prolific in my art and creativity is because I experience so much profound pleasure in the process of creating.
To me, Art is a Ritual of Creation, a divine love affair.
I hope this inspires you to consider how you want to approach your own creative process, or better yet, I hope this inspires you to start a creative process as a spiritual practice.
I’d love to hear what you think about transforming your creative process into a Ritual. Is this something you already do? Is this something you would like to try? Is there anything you would add to this? Share in the comments below.
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