Thursday, October 2, 2025
What is it that you do in which you completely immerse yourself? Reading, baking, gardening, knitting, painting? When you are absorbed in an activity, does it feel like nothing else exists? When you are intensely focused on something you truly are by yourself.
Try this. When you are completely engrossed in doing something for an hour or two and you have the need to go to the bathroom, as you walk away from the place you were seated in, become aware of how focused you were a few moments ago, and how you continue to be so for a few more minutes. Sense the spaciousness around you and peace within. This is the feeling that you were not aware just a minute ago. You were immersed deep in your aware self, your Authentic Self.
Whatever you are immersed in, a happy event or an unhappy one, creative or spiritual, it flows out from the eternal source within. This inner source is your True Self, the well-spring of creativity and imagination and everything else. It is “more than” yourself. It is eternal and endless yet remains still.
Whatever immersive activity you are involved with it satisfies you immensely. It energizes you, makes you feel real because whatever you are experiencing is beyond resisting what you have, and beyond the wants and fears of your small, separate ego self. Your activity is possible because of the flow of energy of your inner intelligence, your consciousness.
You only complicate things when you resist. What you do out of love or do it for its own sake you surrender to the creative energy within. You accept whatever comes your way. You don’t struggle but follow the inner flow wherever it takes you. It is your greater intelligence operating through you. You accept what is being given to you.
All natural things are as they are. They have no need to hide behind their exterior self as we humans do. There is dignity and serenity in such a character. Learn from nature how to infuse yourself with authenticity and courage to be who you are, as you are. Observe the trunk of a big tree. Notice how still it is, how deeply it’s trunk is rooted firmly in earth. There is enormous dignity and simplicity in its character. Let nature’s life forms teach you their attribute of just being themselves.
Lorraine
It is so interesting how my love for writing and art is so riddled with procrastination. Why does the mind fight the beautiful flow? Once I get started, I’m consumed for hours – but getting started… ugh. It’s illogical. I will set a schedule and stick to it. A routine definitely helps me.
Madhu B. Wangu
Lorraine, I hope what I say helps you overcome procrastination.
There are a number of reasons why it is so hard to begin creative work:
Egoic mind is not sure where a creative activity would lead, it fears the unknown. A new idea feels like risk-taking. It interprets it as unsafe and unproductive. So it steps in and says, “You can never do a good job, don’t even try.”
In our daily life we follow linear thinking, do routine tasks, solve problems creative flow by contrast is non-linear, playful so at first our ego self pushes it back. Flow requires surrender, almost dissolving the small “i” otherwise the ego will fight to maintain its dominance against the creative Self the capital “I.”
The resistance of creative flow is a natural part of the process. Once you push through the initial block—by breathing practice, relaxing or giving ourselves permission to “make a mess”—the mind shifts, the inner critic quiets down, and the flow state opens up.
Before you begin do this for 2-5 minutes: Imagine the creative block as a small, tense knot. Breathe light into it until it loosens and unravels. Watch it transform into flowing water, carrying you forward.
Jennifer D. Diamond
Dear Lorraine and Madhu,
Thank you both so much for sharing your experiences. Madhu, your visualization for breathing light to loosen up blocks is so very helpful.
Madhu B. Wangu
Thank you Jenn for practicing it. I’m pleased to know that it works well. Love.
Madhu B. Wangu
For some reason Lorraine was unable to post a reply to my comment so I’m posting the following response on her behalf:
Madhu, what you said makes sense. I feel I could be doing ‘more productive’ tasks instead of creating — and art/writing do have unknown results sometimes feeling like a waste of time. I need a mental shift. (Note: I’ve often felt that pleasure reading is an unproductive task. Where and when did I develop such unhealthy concepts? I’ve gotten myself back into reading for shear joy. ) I will do the exercises and allow the knot to unravel.I appreciate your words of wisdom.