All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.
The one thing that keeps us from realizing how creative we are is the expectation we have about what that should be like. In classes, I find people wanting to "know" what they should be doing. Often, I receive requests to explain how some aspect of a painting or drawing should be accomplished. I am happy to oblige with any of a dozen different ways to carry out the objective, but in truth there is just one way any of them will be effective. Whenever we stand on the edge of creative opportunity we will find the only way we will be able to thoroughly enjoy it, is when we are willing to give up our expectations for both good and disasterous results.
If the objective is to produce a result we cannot enjoy the free expression of our creative ability. Does that mean that we cannot aspire to paint a person, landscape or still life, or seek to represent these on paper or canvas, or writing, song, or movement? Certainly not. Giving up expectations is a humble process of acknowledging we don't have all the answers. Thinking we do or should know what to do interrupts the creative flow. To, as Tolle puts it, create from a place of no-mind, is not to be thoughtless or without vision during the process, but at ease with it and all it entails including not knowing, exploring, discovering, practicing, practicing some more, and more, and more, free of judgement and frustration, appreciating the whole rather than striving for a goal.
The quest to know the "right way" to do anything is fodder for the inner dialog of doubt and worry most people would like to shut down. When an artist works it seems s/he goes from nothing to something, in reality it is the opposite. Whether the art composed is visual, musical, literary, theatrical, movement, or life; when one goes from something into nothing, one clears the way for the true beauty of creative nature to be fully manifested in the heart. Then that which is outwardly manifested can be recognized for what it is...little more than evidence of the true creative process, the inner work of the creative soul.
NASA photo found at elerizoyelzorro's flickr photostream and posted
via Creatve Commons share and share-alike license
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