Something I’ve been ponderering a lot recently is the ebb and flow of my creative energy.
As you can probably guess, this means I’m in an ‘ebb’ phase: I do more pondering when I’m not busy flowing…
There’s several aspects of my ebb I am pondering:
- why I am ‘ebbing’?
- how do I flow again?
- how do I cope in the meanwhile?
- is the ebb a necessary part of the flow?
The ‘why’ of the ebb is in itself a complex matter with multiple reasons:
- I had a fabulous time at my first MEDANZ festival in April, but may have a touch of ‘post-festival-itis’ (it is a testimony to the fabulousness of the festival that it took nearly two months for this to start 🙂 My thanks to all the wonderful teachers and dancers there)
- The season here is late autumn: greyer days, cooling temperatures, earlier nightfall and the urge to prepare for hibernation
- My non-dance work is fairly routine at the moment
- I’m not teaching a night class this term, so don’t have that weekly source of inspiration
As to how I flow again, I’m sure the answer is at least as multi-faceted:
- first up, rest: allow myself the chance to wind down and ponder. Then,
- re-inspire: search out the music and dancers and whatever that inspires me and gets me moving, which will require
- discipline: to practice when I don’t feel like starting, to seek out inspiration when I don’t feel like starting, to get out of bed and get moving when I don’t feel like starting (you get the picture)
Meanwhile, I continue to move and dance, just not in a formal-disciplined-practice way. I still play music. I still find myself grooving to the beats on the stereo or in my head. The dance is still alive within me; which is a huge comfort.
Meanwhile, I engage with other activities that feed, restore and comfort my soul. These are at the ‘pottering ‘ level, rather than the ‘go-get-em’ level – the ‘comfort food’ of my activities. So, I am knitting a simple shawl for a friend, crocheting simple blankets for my sons, tending my garden…
Meanwhile, I am exploring concepts of ‘chi’ and ‘feng shui’ to see if and how I can improve the energy flows in my life; which mainly seems to involve de-cluttering my house and life (an ongoing process you are welcome to read more about on my other blog), and ensuring a healthy balance in diet, exercise and sleep.
And I am coming to the conclusion that the ebb IS a necessary part of the flow:
- flowing with bright, strong creativity is a precious thing, but not something I can sustain all the time without burning myself out
- taking time to ponder and rest is a precious thing, but not something I can sustain all the time without turning myself too far in
After all, the tide must go out before it can flow in again…