Meditation For Creativity

by Jon Rhodes
(UK)

Meditation is a great tool for enhancing creativity. It helps open up that powerfully creative and flowing subconscious mind, and tunes down the more analytic and logical conscious part.

With meditation our logical conscious minds tune down, allowing our more creative subconscious mind to have more influence. A relaxed mind can greatly enhance our powers of creativity. That is why many geniuses have their best ideas when following relaxing pursuits, such as the famous story of Archimedes in the bath.

Now I will show you a simple self hypnosis exercise to help improve your powers of creativity.

First of all make sure that you will not be disturbed for at least half an hour, preferably an hour. Turn off phones, and tell family not to bother you for a while. This will help your mind to 'let go'.

Find a comfortable place. Somewhere that is neat and tidy, and of a comfortable temperature. Subdue the lighting. If you wish, you could light some candles and burn some incense. You can be seated, or laid down – whichever you prefer.

Close your eyes and take 10 slow deep breaths – in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Say to yourself the word ‘Relax’ on each out breath.
Now imagine yourself at the top of 10 steps, with a door at the bottom. With every slow step you take down, feel yourself getting deeper and deeper relaxed.
When you get to the bottom open the door to your ideal place of relaxation. It could be anywhere you choose, a beach, forest, a garden, anywhere. It could be somewhere real, or imagined.

Use as many senses as you can. Take a good look around. Pause and listen to any sounds. Listen to the birds chirping, or the breeze gently blowing. Perhaps you can smell the sweet scent of flowers, or the salt in the sea? Touch objects, and make it as real as you possibly can.

Explore your relaxing haven, and enjoy it for as long as you wish.

Take a walk to a magical lake and throw in a stone. Watch for swirling images in the ripples.

In this relaxed state you will start to find creative thoughts and ideas flow to you. Don't try and force it. Just allow creative thoughts to come to you when and if they are ready. Just enjoy your time. You can never really force a creative – you must stay relaxed and wait until the creative mind is ready.

This exercise will also help you to have more creative thoughts even when you are not practicing self hypnosis. Your mind will become more accustomed to being more relaxed and flowing.

You should notice that your creative powers will increase the more that you use meditation, and your overall health and happiness will increase. Stick with it and practice regularly – ideally every day. Set a specific time to do it, even if it is only once a week, and watch your creative powers soar. You will begin to receive more creative thoughts when you least expect them, so always carry a notebook!

Jon Rhodes is one of the UK's leading clinical hypnotherapists. Please visit www.meditationden.com for more information on meditation.