Hello,
And welcome,
Awaken Creative.
I'm Patricia Baldwin Sagerbrook,
And I'm grateful to be here connecting with you today.
From my perch overlooking the magnificent expanse of the Continental Divide,
I'm struck by the sheer artistry of this place.
It's a reminder that every day is a fresh canvas waiting for us to bring our unique vision to life.
In honor of these mountains,
And before we delve into the creative flow,
Let's honor the artist within each of us by grounding ourselves in this present moment,
Much like we as artists prepare our space.
If you're able,
Stand and find a stable,
Comfortable position.
We'll embody Mountain Pose,
Or Tadasana,
With an artist's eye.
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
Feel this sturdy connection to the earth beneath your feet.
Imagine your feet as the firm legs of an easel,
Providing unwavering support.
Root down through all corners of your feet,
Feeling this solid foundation established for you to begin creating on that beautiful canvas.
Draw your awareness up through your legs.
Find this stable base,
Expanding,
Growing through this stable base.
Roll your shoulders back.
Let your arms hang naturally at your side,
Palms facing forward.
Lift the crown of your head towards the sky,
Lengthening your spine.
Feel yourself as tall and poised as these beautiful mountains in this grand landscape.
Sense this strength,
This readiness,
The stillness of the mountain within your own body.
Take a deep breath.
Embody this powerful posture.
Feel yourself ready to create.
As you settle back into a comfortable seated position,
Perhaps with the feeling of that poised,
Ready body still lingering,
Let's explore how this vast landscape can inspire our daily creative practice.
From this vantage point,
This continental divide unfolds before me,
A masterpiece of light,
Shadow,
And endless form.
As an artist,
I see it not just as mountains,
But as an incredibly living canvas.
The way the lights shift hour by hour,
Casting new hues on the peaks,
The ever-changing palette of the sky,
From the soft pastels of dawn to dramatic strokes of a rolling storm.
Even the air itself seems to hold a particular luminosity from this vantage point.
This place teaches me about perspective.
From here,
Individual trees become part of a larger forest.
Jagged peaks dissolve into rolling ranges.
It reminds me that our own creative lives,
Sometimes we need to zoom out to see the bigger picture,
To understand how all the individual elements contribute to the whole.
And other times,
We need to lean in,
To observe the intricate details,
The subtle textures,
The nuances that give our work its unique character.
The sheer expanse of the divide also speaks to the boundless possibilities within each of us.
It reminds me that creativity isn't about perfection,
But about the courage to begin,
To make the first mark,
To mix the first color.
It's about showing up to the canvas of our day,
Open to what wants to emerge.
Just as the mountain stands patiently,
Allowing the elements to shape it,
We too can approach our creative endeavors with patience,
Allowing our ideas to evolve and unfold naturally.
Setting up for a day of creative work here isn't just about preparing my paints.
It's about preparing my spirit.
It's about choosing to engage with the world,
To observe keenly,
And to trust the intuitive impulse to bring something new into being.
Every sunrise over these mountains feels like a fresh invitation to paint the day with intention and presence.
Now let's move into a guided meditation,
Allowing these artistic insights to deepen our connection to our own creative source.
Find a comfortable seat,
Perhaps lie down.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze downwards.
Take a deep breath.
As you inhale,
Feel everything in you expand like this range,
These mountains,
You.
As you exhale,
Feel it like the winds,
The breezes that blow through the pines and the aspens.
Release everything,
Your expectations,
Your judgments,
Your awareness of self and other.
Just be.
Now you,
As a blank canvas,
I invite you to imagine your inner canvas.
It's pristine,
Empty,
Ready for your unique expression.
See it before you,
Perhaps glowing with a soft,
Inviting light.
There are no rules,
No criticisms,
No pressure on this canvas.
This is purely a space for you to create.
As you breathe,
Imagine you are dipping your brush into the rich colors of this present moment.
Perhaps you're dipping into calm,
Soft blue or gentle green.
Feel yourself gently apply this calm to the canvas.
Then perhaps you pick up clarity,
A bright,
Clear yellow or white.
As you exhale,
Add this clarity to your beautiful inner painting,
Bringing more focus,
More vision.
As you next inhale,
A vibrant color,
Creativity itself.
You dip into a bold red,
An energetic orange,
Or a deep,
Passionate violet.
On the exhale,
This creative energy flows freely onto this canvas,
Filling your inner world with inspiration and delight.
Continue to paint and breathe these colors into being.
Add more as they come to mind.
Delight in the masterpiece of you that is coming to form.
You are creating this inner landscape of well-being,
This inner masterpiece that supports your creative life.
Allow any thoughts that arise to simply be another brushstroke on the canvas.
Simply observe as part of this unfolding scene.
Rest here for a few moments in this quiet studio of your mind,
Painting more of this inner canvas with presence and intention.
Gently begin to bring your awareness back to your body,
To the sounds around you,
To the scents in the air.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Feel the sensation of your physical presence.
Take a deep breath,
And on the exhale,
Open your eyes.
Carry this vision of your inner canvas with you throughout the day.
Approach each moment as an opportunity to create,
To observe,
And to bring your unique artistry to the world.
Remember that your life itself is your greatest masterpiece.
As always,
Awaken creative today.
