Soul practices: The art of creative living

'No matter what your age or your life path, it it never too late... to work on your creativity.'

                                                                          Julia Cameron

To live creatively is to recognise that we are all artists in the boadest sense of the word. It is to awaken to the flow of creative energy that is within each and every one of us. It is to welcome, embrace and honour our creative self. And in the midst of our busy lives, it is to dedicate ourselves to giving this self time and space to emerge and to breathe.

Many of us long to be more creative. Sometimes we long to be more creative as we live out our daily lives at home or at work. Sometimes we have specific creative dreams and ideas that we long to be able to fulfil but that seem far beyond our reach. Sometimes we may be aware of our creative potential but struggle to access the creative flow within us. For many of us, nevertheless, it is not until the second half of life that we embark on the journey of birthing our creative self. Perhaps our earlier attempts to draw on our creativity were unnoticed or dismissed. Perhaps we did not receive the affirmation and encouragement we needed to give us the confidence to explore and develop our creative gifts or were actively discouraged from doing so. Or perhaps we simply did not have the opportunity or resources we needed to enable us to them to flourish. It is, however, never to late to learn the art of creative living, whatever that may mean for each one of us. it is never to late to discover the creative gifts we have been given. And it is never too late to open the floodgates that hold back the flow of creative energy within us.

Reclaiming our creativity is an crucial part of the work we do on our soul journey. It is a journey in itself and one that may take many months or even years. The five movements of the spirit that shape the soul journey - awakening, searching, letting go, becoming and transforming - will all play their part as we learn to connect with our creative self in a deeper way. Awakening to our creativity leads us to search for the particular gifts and talents we have been given and to identify the blocks that prevent us from fostering them. And dismantling those blocks allows our creative self to emerge from the shadows where it is has lain hidden for too long - a process which is transformational, not only for us for us but also for the world.

Here are some soul practices that I and others have found helpful along the way, including writers such as Julia Cameron and Oriah Mountain Dreamer:

Awakening to your creative self

Read the first two paragraphs of the post entitled 'The Gift of Creativity'. Take some time to reflect on how this has changed your way of thinking about creativity and then complete the following phrase in as many ways as you can:

I am being creative when I....

Then complete this second phrase focusing on a particular way in which you express your creativity and exploring what you experience (what you sense, feel, think, imagine) as you do so.

When I write (or paint, sculpt, compose, photograph, choreograph, design etc.), I...  

Keep everything you have written so that you can revisit it if you need to and then reflect on your experience of engaging with this practice. What have you been aware of in yourself as you have begun to recognise, own and explore aspects of your creativity?

Alternatively, explore your sense of your own creativity by writing a story or poem about your creative self or creating a word map centred on the words 'My creative self'.

Identifying the blocks to your creativity

The first step in reconnecting with our creative self is that of identifying the blocks within us that prevent us from doing so. Cameron calls them 'the enemies of our creative self-worth'. They are the voices in our head that cause us to deny or distrust our creativity. They are the doubters, the censors and and the fierce inner critics who strip us of any sense that our creative work might ever be worthwhile. They are the fearmongers, the harbingers of doom who warn us of impending disaster should we take the risk of embarking on the creative journey that beckons us. The first stept in dismantling these blocks to our creativity is that of naming them.

Spend some time naming the voices in your head that may be blocking your creativity by completing the following phrase in as many ways as you can:

The voices in my head tell me that...

Then imagine your worst fears about expressing your creativity and complete the following phrase in as many ways as you can:

I am afraid that if I write (or paint, sculpt, compose, photograph, choreograph, design etc.)... 

Finally, spend some time reflecting on where these voices and fears may have come from - from a parent, a teacher, from a friend or colleague, from your spiritual community or from the culture of the society you live in?

It is often through naming these blocks and identifying their source that we begin the process of dismantling them.

Reconnecting with your creative self

In order to re-connect with your creative self, it is often helpful to find ways of visualising it. Begin by finding or creating one or more images or objects that represent or symbolise the creative part of yourself. Take as much time over doing this as you need to. It may take some time - days or even weeks - for the images to emerge. As they do, notice the thoughts and feelings that surface when you attend to them. Ask yourself what they are saying to you about your creative self.

Once you have found a way of visualising this part of yourself, you may also find it helpful to write a letter to your creative self or to write a dialogue between you and the creative part of yourself. What does your creative self want to say to you? And what do you want to say in response?

Beginning your creative work

The process of awakening to and reconnecting with our creative self often brings with it a strong desire and determination to make time and space in our lives for the creative work to which we feel drawn. Having started out with good intentions, however, it is all too easy to allow the rest of life to get in the way. Sometimes, making a firm, explicit commitment to set aside the time you need to do your creative work can help you to honour it. In a sense, you are entering into a contract with your creative self. Put this contract in writing and block out the time you have chosen to devote to your creative work in your diary.

You may also find it helpful to draw on the experience of others who have made this journey through engaging with such writings as:

Julia Cameron (2020) The Artists' Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity. Souvenir Press

Oriah Mountain Dreamer (2005) What we Ache For: Creativity and the unfolding of your soul. Harper SanFrancisco

Christine Valters Paintner (2013) Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice. Sorin Books.

©Copyright Kaitlyn Steele 2026

Kaitlyn Steele

www.insearchofsoul.co.uk 

kaitlynsteele16@gmail.com