Most of us don’t like the barren times when no ideas come, no inspiration seems worthy and no creative energy is flowing. I know whereof I speak….I just had a four week period where I didn’t sing one note. Not even one.
Everyone has these times and it can seem like the creative “sun” will never shine again. Everything is in shadow and we usually resist that place like crazy. We get busy, busy, busy, trying to hide from it.
But there is a true benefit to slowing down, staying still and allowing it. In that inner world of nothingness we can release another little layer of what may be blocking us. From the shadow, something is born. If it’s been dark for a while, when the little spark of light comes we might think it’s an illusion. “No, it’s still dark, I’m imagining it.”
But then it glows a little deeper, shines a wee bit brighter. Something is up.
Since I love metaphors, let’s use the caterpillar as an example. Called by something beyond our comprehension, the caterpillar wraps itself inside its cocoon and turns into DNA mush. It literally has to destroy itself before it can emerge again. And if the newly formed butterfly doesn’t struggle to come out of the cocoon, it never flies.
Being in shadow is not fun. However what if spending some time in the shadow leads to something amazing? What if it was really a blessing? Most of the time it is.
If next time it happens, we could step back and say “oh good, something great must be coming”, then we might actually get a rush of creativity like never before.
What do you think?
PS. I sang today!
