Week 11, Day 5 of The Artist's Way

Today, let's combat cerebral-induced dysfunction by exploring the benefits of moving into the body.

THE ZEN OF SPORTS

Most blocked creatives are cerebral beings.

We think of all the things we want to do but can’t. Early in recovery, we next think of all the things we want to do but don’t. In order to effect a real recovery, one that lasts, we need to move out of the head and into a body of work. To do this, we must first of all move into the body.

Again, this is a matter that requires acceptance.

Creativity requires action, and part of that action must be physical. It is one of the pitfalls of Westerners adopting Eastern meditation techniques to bliss out and render ourselves high but dysfunctional. We lose our grounding and, with it, our capacity to act in the world. In the pursuit of higher consciousness, we render ourselves unconscious in a new way. Exercise combats this spiritually induced dysfunction.

Returning to the notion of ourselves as spiritual radio sets, we need enough energy to raise a strong signal.

This is where walking comes in. What we are after here is a moving meditation. This means one where the act of motion puts us into the now and helps us to stop spinning. Twenty minutes a day is sufficient. The object is to stretch your mind more than your body, so there doesn’t need to be an emphasis on fitness, although eventual fitness is a likely result.

The goal is to connect to a world outside of us, to lose the obsessive self-focus of self-exploration and, simply, explore.

One quickly notes that when the mind is focused on other, the self often comes into a far more accurate focus.

(The Artist's Way, 2016, p. 184 -185)

I am empowered through daily physical movement.

I am a creative being with a strong mind and body connection. I embrace the power of physical action to fuel my creativity and move beyond blockages. I practice daily moving meditation, connecting with the world and expanding my mind. I am focused on the present moment and let go of self-obsession, allowing my true self to shine through.

Take out a piece of paper and plan one week’s nurturing for yourself.

This means one concrete, loving action every single day for one week: please binge!

“No longer conscious of my movement, I discovered a new unity with nature. I had found a new source of power and beauty, a source I never dreamt existed.”

– Roger Bannister

What is one form of movement that helps you get out of the head and into the body?

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