Accessing the Creative Soul
Yoga is a journey to union with your true Self. My training as a psychotherapist, via expressive arts and yoga therapy, taught me the importance of working with the individual. Each person has a unique path to self-understanding; each voice is its own. Every one of us has our own truth and we can access it through yoga practices and creative endeavors.
Consider the possibility that, just as a meditative state bestows an enlightened sense upon us, so does a creative state. Some might say that the flow of creativity is meditation. Creativity unites us with the truth of ourselves. I suggest, then, that when we create we are in a state of yoga—we are enlightened!
Yoga tradition teaches five paths to enlightenment. We can follow those same five paths to connect to the creative Self. The five Paths to Self-Realization are:
In this section, you have the chance to experiment with all five paths to get your creative juices flowing. Play with these approaches and see which ones suit you best. This is a great chance to explore your motivation and process as a creative being. You may also dabble in this section any time you are feeling blocked, uninspired, or like it is tough to get going on a creative project. Self-discovery happens via expressive arts and yoga therapy techniques (dance, drawing, humming, writing, poses, breathing, meditation, visualization, chakra system, chanting, etc.). The following concrete creative projects, emphasizing methods from each of five paths, support your inspiration and self-discovery.