Welcome,
My name is Bethany and I'm glad you're here.
Napping has always been an aspect of my self-care.
Napping immediately after consuming creative material is recent and has become a powerful tool for greater creative flow.
Whenever I find myself struggling with work,
Procrastinating because nothing seems to flow,
I'm learning to remind myself that creative energy begets creative energy,
Meaning creative energy sparks and draws forth more creative energy.
So when I feel frustrated or stuck or just depleted,
I go make art or listen to music or write a few pages of stream of consciousness and then rest for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Sometimes I fall asleep and sometimes I just hover in that liminal space between asleep and awake.
When I get up,
Ideas,
Solutions and inspiration are usually within easy reach and I make a point to write everything down immediately.
There are certainly times when no grand epiphanies or clarity show up,
But I always feel more relaxed and at ease and creative flow usually arrives soon after.
Research has shown that exposure to creative stimuli enhances our own creative output.
When we listen to or view something creative,
Our brains are stimulated in new ways which can lead to new ideas,
More expansive creativity and increased creative production.
Studies have also shown that one of the best times to tap into this powerful phenomenon is right before a nap.
Most of us already know that napping has numerous benefits.
It gives the body an opportunity to rest and rejuvenate,
Reduces stress and helps the brain process information more effectively and efficiently.
When we nap,
Our brains process and consolidate all the information we've taken in throughout the day.
By adding the element of exposing ourselves to creative stimuli right before a nap,
We enhance our brain's processing power by activating our imagination and intuition,
Stimulating our brain's ability for subconscious interpretation and pattern finding,
All of which gives us a deeper well of creative expression,
Nuance,
Symbolism and personal insight to draw from when we wake.
You can use any kind of creative stimuli,
Music,
Books,
Art,
Videos,
Whatever feels good.
Ideally,
It should be restful and relaxing,
Helping you slip easily into a nap.
This process is wonderful for creative work,
But it's helpful too for the creative process of brainstorming and creative problem solving.
Simply take a moment to write a sentence or two about the problem you're trying to solve or the situation you're brainstorming.
Read what you've written out loud.
This acts as a focal point for the creative mind.
It's like planting a seed in the fertile creative soil of your imagination and gives your brain something to focus on,
Even as it's enjoying the creative stimuli you've selected,
And then your brain gets to work while you rest.
If I could offer one small bit of advice,
It would be to encourage you to have something close at hand to help you record any thoughts,
Ideas,
Impressions or sensations when you wake.
It can be your phone,
Either for notes or the voice recorder,
Pen and paper,
Your laptop,
Whatever helps you capture things quickly and easily.
Creative nap magic does happen,
But in my experience,
It can be tricky to capture it.
For me,
The information comes all at once and usually combines a lot of different elements,
Images,
Feelings,
Sensations,
Words and phrases.
That flow of information also tends to fade quickly and is difficult to retrieve.
It often doesn't make sense until much later.
My point is simply that capturing all that information is a bit like trying to remember a dream.
So try to record as much as you can as soon as you wake.
As an avid journal keeper,
I'm normally devoted to pen and paper,
But for this process,
I use the voice recorder on my phone.
It's easy,
Allows me to just ramble,
Noting everything as quickly as I can speak.
And then I make a transcript of it.
I'm frequently surprised by things that show up in the transcript that I don't even remember saying,
Let alone thinking or dreaming.
It really does feel like magic.
As I experimented with this technique for myself,
I created a series of relaxing nap length recordings specifically for the creative nap experience.
Each recording is infused with creative energy.
Without being particularly engaging,
The recordings are not about the story.
They're about lulling the listener into a state of creative relaxation.
The series is called The Restful Writer.
It's a collection of fictional letters written by a woman temporarily living her dream of being an artist.
The intention is that the creative energy of the recordings hold space in support of your own creative napping experience.
Remember,
Creative energy begets creative energy.
It is my hope that The Restful Writer series will help you develop your own creative napping practice,
That you will discover a deeper aspect of your creative purpose and experience a more powerful sense of creative satisfaction.
At the very least,
I hope The Restful Writer series will support you in honoring your right to rest,
Nourish your creative soul,
And offer you an opportunity to relax and be renewed as you explore your own process of creative nap magic.
Remember that the two key elements are creative stimuli and rest.
Take your time,
Experiment,
Find what works for you.
Every single one of us is a creative being and has something meaningful to contribute.
I hope you find this experience helpful on your creative journey.
Thank you for listening.
May you experience lots of creative nap magic and may you be well.
