The Sylvia Plath Pattern Of Creative Flow

* Sylvia Plath teaches a valuable lesson about the Even Flow - opening the channels for creativity, regardless of this is for poetry or not.

Sylvia Plath was a poet and that was her job and her life.

She would every day no matter what, as soon as breakfast was over and no matter where she was in the world, sit down with her notebook and just start to write - about absolutely anything at all.

As she explains, this was NOT in order to create a wondrous new poem, but ONLY in order to keep the channels open, keep in the flow.

It wasn't about practising either, but simply an exercise in FLOW - and she was very adamant about doing this, put it before many other if not all other things because she considered it so very important.

Because if a good idea came along or an insight at any time of the day which was to come afterwards, the channels would be open and a super poem would just simple glide out and through and become, there and then.

So she would write about anything whatsoever, no holds barred - a shadow on the windowsill, a bit of lettuce, an old mushroom she'd found on a walk and brought back to her room. About the table cloth, about her hands, about a little pool of light on the carpet or about her feelings of having nothing whatsoever new to say - and just let it go from there for her "morning exercise" - no expectations of it other than knowing the ACT of doing it was what did the trick.

I read her biography and this really stuck with me. I understood it right away and I implemented it right away too. Switch on computer, call up blank word document and just start writing.

Often, I would start with the words, "What shall I write about today?" and sometimes it would go on like this, "I really don't know, everything seems a bit far away and nebulous, jeez I wish I was somewhere else, somewhere fresh and breezy, with a wide blue sky ..."

As you can imagine, from there you can and most importantly, you DO automatically get into all sorts of places, all sorts of states and the flow really does come, it just happens and Ms Plath was absolutely right, it really does open the channels.

Now as to application of this.

They are veritably endless.

What channels are the most important to you, bring you the most rewards, carry the most important things like poetry was to Sylvia Plath and story telling to Silvia Hartmann in their respective times?

Creative music? Painting?

Loving perhaps?

Now that's an interesting idea, isn't it.

You could have your breakfast and immediately afterwards and as a part of a routine just like brushing teeth, find something to love in your environment - a toy or nic-nac, a shadow, a curtain, a house plant, a table top - like in the original usage of the pattern, it is NOT about the object or the outcome but simply to open the channels for the FLOW.

It might be more urgent to you to *be MORE loved* instead and you might want to practise receiving with the brushing of your teeth instead - receiving energy from the same toy or nic-nac, from a shadow, curtain or a house plant, anything in your environment at all, and letting it into your heart.

And as the Sylvia Plath exercise was NOT about making a poem to be sold later, this is not about making you be healed but only about opening the channels and practicing the FLOW - because when it flows, it flows and you get all these other benefits naturally and as a side effect, of course.

This is a truly superb pattern to be applied to all and everything which may be important to you at any particular time; what makes it so superb is the insistance on the FLOW as opposed to the PRODUCT.

Bringing in the PRODUCT disturbs the flow - of course! - and that is a fantastic reminder that there are certain things that, if done for their own purpose and aim, are the true building blocks and pre-requisites for the products which may follow - be they paintings, or stories, or poems, or our abilities to give and receive this and that.

These products are a result of a well established Even Flow and that is something people tend to forget in their hurry towards and focus on the "end result" - when the products are in truth, nothing more than the wake left behind a ship which indeed, contains all the valuables.

The Sylvia Plath Pattern Of Flow (Metaphor & Poetry) by Silvia Hartmann 2003. All Rights Reserved.

For free ebooks, patterns, techniques, mp3 downloads & more please visit http://starfields.org

---

Are You Creative?

Have you ever heard the saying, "The harder I work,... Read More

Connect with Your Surroundings

Clutter is one of my favourite topics, and I've written... Read More

Unlock Your Creative Secret Weapon

It seems like this week a ton of people have... Read More

How To Get In The Zone And Blast Your Marketing To A Higher Level

This may come as a surprise... but many marketers are... Read More

12 Ways To Boost Your Creativity At Work

As workplaces continue to rightsize and downsize, we all find... Read More

Creativity Management ? Finish What You Start

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Gifts of the Inner Voice

Now that I no longer awaken to the sound of... Read More

Creativity Management ? Breaking Through The Mental Barrier

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

The Power Of Your Intuition

We all have enormous reserves of mental capacity that we... Read More

Innovation Through Concept-Combination

There are many creative problem solving techniques used by inventors... Read More

How To Master Your Game

Learn how to master your area of endeavor the right... Read More

Are You A Creative Meathead?

Remember Archie Bunker's description of what a Meathead was on... Read More

Creativity Management ? Collaboration NOT Competition

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

10 Ways To Boost Your Creativity

Creativity is your birthright ? but can often be hidden... Read More

How to Make Time for Art

The key to making time for art is the ability... Read More

How A Creation Box Can Work For You

Bring to mind a time when you decided that you... Read More

True Power: Understanding the Source of All Creation and Creativity

"True Power" is a series that will focus on proven... Read More

Our Limitless Quantum Reality

Modern science tells us that on a sub-atomic level --... Read More

Get your Creative Juices Flowing

Copyright 2005 Cherry Communications/Be Heard SolutionsThe creative arts enhance our... Read More

Stress VS Creativity

Now when I use the term "creativity", I mean the... Read More

Creativity Management ? Artists and Creativity

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Quiz -- Are You Creative?

Worried you may not be creative or you may not... Read More

Overcoming Artists Block (Part 1)

How many times does an artist stare down at that... Read More

Five Basic Steps to Benefit from Your Creativity

The ability to exercise your creativity is even more important... Read More

Mind Power Games

Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why... Read More

Business Innovation ? Personal Creativity

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management : Why Products Fail!

There is no sure fire route to commercial success but... Read More

Fear & Creativity

My fears are most powerful when they're simmering just under... Read More

Art, Artists and Money

Practical money tips for people in the arts.1. Sock it... Read More

Be Creative: 10 Easy Steps To Increase Your Confidence, Creativity and Cash In The Attention Economy

How can you be more creative? How can you turn... Read More

Creativity Management ? Finding Your Voice

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Make Yourself Creative: Two Easy Idea-Generating Methods

Here are a couple of exercises to force yourself to... Read More

Creativity: Getting Out of the Box

Leadership, especially in times of change, depends increasingly on the... Read More