Yoga + Creativity = Tranquility
We need to remember that we are all created creative. – Maya Angelou
by Kimberly Wilson
Bonjour and welcome to the sultriest month of the summer! I’m basking in the warm glow of August and uber excited to have just moved my largest creative project – the TranquiliT eco-luxe line – out of my dining room and into its own tiny showroom nearby. Taking small creative leaps is sure to keep me connected to my spirit.
I recently led a workshop in San Francisco on the interplay of yoga and creativity. We had a fun three hours together journal writing, doing yoga, meditating, and designing a vision board. This interplay is particularly close to my heart at this time as the weekly column I write for The Examiner has eight weeks dedicated to this must-have combination. I want to share a few ideas on how to embrace it while also using yogic principles to assist your journey.
We are all creative (as Maya Angelou reminds us above) and are given opportunities to express this creativity every day from the words we choose, the way we dress, the music we listen to, and the way we decorate our cubicles. Yes, you ARE creative and are an artist – promise! I, too, used to struggle with seeing myself as creative, I thought only painters were creative. Then I read The Artist’s Way (highly recommend this to be strategically placed on your bookshelf) and my world opened up. I created a yoga studio, Tranquil Space, and continue to create new things every day. Creativity fuels me and is my second favorite topic after yoga.
10 ways to jump-start creativity today:
1. Creativity blossoms when given space. Move out of your head and into your body to let the creativity flow. Use creative tools such as yoga, meditation, and journal writing. Take a mental health day.
2. Carry a small ideas book to capture inspiration.
3. Carry a camera to capture images.
4. Cut up an old longsleeve tee – turn it into armwarmers or legwarmers and a chic tank.
5. Cut up old magazines and create a vision board with images and phrases that appeal to you and the person you want to become. Glitter glue makes the process even more fun!
6. Bead a necklace.
7. Knit a scarf.
8. Write a poem.
9. Sing a song.
10. Dance around your living room.
Five yamas and niyamas (moral tenets of yoga) to assist your creative process:
1. Tapas: discipline. In order to create a business, book proposal, dress, or screenplay, you must set aside time to make it happen.
2. Ahimsa: kind thoughts toward self and creations. Sure your first draft might not woo the publisher, but by editing and tweaking with compassion, you’re destined to create a winner.
3. Saucha: purity of surroundings. Ensure your creative space is inviting for creativity. it is hard to create among chaos as you’ll constantly be pulled in other directions to tidy, organize, or answer e-mails.
4. Santosha: contentment. Be proud of your creations – however small. Taking the time to honor and acknowledge your baby steps will have a powerful motivating effect to keep moving forward.
5. Svadyaya: self-study. By taking time to reflect on what you want, how you’re feeling, and where you’re heading through yoga, journal writing, and meditation, you can ensure that you stay on the right path and continue moving forward.
I hope this small gesture lights a small creative fire within. Creativity is THE must-have accessory for all seasons!
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About our Hip Tranquil Chick, Kimberly Wilson:
Kimberly Wilson is a teacher, designer, writer, activist, and entrepreneur with a master’s in women’s studies. She is the founder of Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, D.C. She penned Hip Tranquil Chick with hopes of inspiring fellow femmes to lead a mindfully extravagant life on and off the yoga mat. When she’s not bookstore browsing, you’ll find her designing the eco-luxe TranquiliT lifestyle clothing collection and her chunky gemstone jewelry line, sipping tea, or leading retreats globally. Her work has been featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio and in Daily Candy, Fit Yoga, and Shape. With a passion for do-gooding, Kimberly founded the Tranquil Space Foundation to assist young girls with finding their inner voice. Indulge in ongoing musings through her blog and podcast. Learn more at www.kimberlywilson.com.
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