Lesson 1
Automatic Writing
Not all of us fall into a standard job structure and I, for one, have always followed my creative passions. Indeed, the more we allow ourselves to play, the happier and free-er and more ourselves we are, and life just falls into place more.
So on our first day, we are going to play. We shall experiment with a simple “automatic writing” exercise that was introduced by the French surrealists to access the subconscious self, hidden dreams, and unleash insight. They then used it as a tool for (surprise, surprise) revolutionary poetry, novels, paintings, designs, and concepts. So let’s do the same!
Music credits:
“Aum.” “Non C’è Nessuno,” “Je Songe à Toi,” and “Nocturnal Dissolve: Mantra & Meditation Soundscape” by Ch’Lu
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Lesson 2
Counting The Thoughts
When we give ourselves time to stop and rest, it is common to find the mind to explode with activity. Because we have on average 90-120,000 thoughts each day, we cannot expect our minds to not latch onto and identify with some of those unhelpful thoughts. But what can we do when this happens?
Today, we will practice a set of exercises called “counting the thoughts,” which can help us to create more space. When we have more space, we can see things more clearly, and inspiration can come. Free from the constraint of your thoughts, you are able to know your intuitive creative voice.
Music credits:
“Aim Kleem Soh: Morning Mantra” and “One Step at a Time” by Ch’Lu
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Lesson 3
Getting Creating
Now, we are going to get creating, and it does not matter whether you feel ready or not! Simply choose a medium for today (and you can do this exercise numerous times if you can’t settle on one!) and let the music inspire you. This can be writing the start of a poem, story, or song; sketching a still-life, starting the first steps of a water-color painting, harmonizing on an instrument, or brainstorming a new dream business idea.
The important thing is to treat it as a game and without expectation. This is about connecting to the child in you who still wants to play and seeing where that leads you.
Music credits:
“Om Bhumi Deva Namah: Midday Mantra,” “Time That is Mine,” “Dull” by Ch’Lu, and
“Quando M’en Vo" by Puccini, sung by Ch’Lu
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Lesson 4
Working With The Pineal Gland
Building on our increased ability to fully embrace playing, this series of exercises will take you beyond any feelings of limitation and enhance access to your natural innocence. It promotes hormonal balance, healing, and improves sleep. All these elements then help return you to the state of a blank canvas, able to create and where anything is possible. The sky’s the limit (hence the cosmic spacesuit).
Music credits:
“Aum,” “Aim Kleem Soh: Morning Mantra,” “Nocturnal Dissolve: Mantra & Meditation Soundscape” by Ch’Lu; “Ode to Music” by Laura Hewison and Ch'Lu - Instrumental Version composed, performed, and produced by Ch'Lu
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Lesson 5
Let's Invent Something
To create in essence is to invent. So today, we are getting inventive. I want you to look around the house and see what you can transform into a percussion instrument. Be it something you can bang on, shake or tap. Working alongside several musical tracks we are going to see what lies within when you can express yourself through percussion. Drumming/beat-making is well-renowned as a tool to connect deeply, relax the nervous system, and trigger inspiration.
Music credits:
“Sunt Româncă,” Don’t (Instrumental Version), and "What You Think You’re After" by Ch’Lu;
"Favella Lament" by Yann McCullough with Ch’Lu on guitar
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Lesson 6
Out Of The Blue
If you look back on your life, you can no doubt reflect that some of the best moments were unexpected. And better than you could have even dreamed of. They suddenly appeared out of nowhere or slowly crept up on you (falling in love for example). They turned your life upside down perhaps. They caused you to smile a lot more.
Today, we will explore what you have always dreamed of creating, either as a job, a hobby, or both. We will then move to choose one aspect that you are going to commit to developing and integrating into your daily life.
Music credits:
“Gayatri Mantra,” “To My Dreams,” and “Zone 9 on the Met Line” by Ch’Lu;
“Les Moulins de mon Coeur” written by Michel Legrand, sung by Ch’Lu, produced by Yann McCullough
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Lesson 7
The Call To Create
Today, we will look at the effects of ignoring the call to develop your creative voice. You will have the opportunity to practice one or more of your creative activities to music, and explore fully how it makes you feel. Then, you will have a chance to reflect on the consequences of not consistently having this in your life; what might be blocking you, and what solutions could be found.
Music Credits:
“Om Bhumi Deva Namah: Midday Mantra,” Time That is Mine,” “Which Way Do I Go,” and “One Step At A Time” by Ch’Lu; “Where The Wild Things Are” by Joe Murphy & Ch'Lu, “Supernatural Suspense” by Yann McCullough and sung by Ch’Lu
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Lesson 8
Diaphragmatic Breathing
We often forget the most obvious source of power is within us: our breath. The ultimate way to deal with any moment of overwhelm is to regulate our breathing, and when we are in a more relaxed state, we are free to be more creative. We will go through today’s set of exercises that focus on diaphragmatic breathing to release tension, and we will immediately afterward explore how it heightens the creative flow and lessens any limitation.
Music Credits:
“Ode to Music” by Laura Hewison and Ch'Lu - This instrumental version composed, performed, and produced by Ch'Lu; "Aum" by Ch'Lu
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Lesson 9
Pink Light
I have always found that creativity is a vessel to express emotion, and the more vulnerable I can allow myself to be, the better the art. Many a time, have I heard artists claim that their best work came from their darkest times. This isn’t to say you can’t create something beautiful without an element of pain! But it is extremely comforting and reinforcing to know that something positive can come from even the bleakest of situations if you choose to see it that way and apply your creativity.
Today, we will learn an ancient healing technique to move feelings of animosity and charged relationships. This can work in tandem with your area/s of creativity to express what is ready to be expressed and capture it in a form of beauty.
Music Credits:
“One Step At A Time” and “Aim Kleem Soh: Morning Mantra” by Ch’Lu
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Lesson 10
Gratitude & Beyond
So we have devoted a good amount of time to uncover what you want to create more of in your life and you may now already have a little inkling as to how to go about it. In today’s session, we are going to look further into conquering creatively and what stumbling blocks might appear along the way.
Being constantly aware of what we can be grateful for always returns us to a place where inspiration can happen. We will fine-tune how to start and end each day with a sense of gratitude, and to allow that expansive state to lead us, not us it.
We shall conclude with the reminder that creativity is alive. It might lead you in a totally different direction than intended; you never know where you could end up (Hence the cosmic spacesuit)!
Music Credits:
“Gayatri Mantra,” Sister I’ll Be There With You,” “Non C’è Nessuno” (Orchestral Mix) by Ch’Lu and
“The Messenger” by Waseem Hussain and Ch’Lu (vocals, lyrics, and guitar)
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