Creative Mindfulness December

CREATIVE MINDFULNESS

School of Modern PsychologyIssue 3, December 2014

AU $7.95

Creative Mindfulness Courses

Inside this issue:

Articles & More

CONTENTS


Page 3 A Colourful Perception

Page 5 The Roots of Creativity

Page 7 Inspirational Colour

Page 9 Finding Purpose

Page 11 Five Ways to Open Creative Thinking

Page 13 Reaching Your Truth

Page 15 Imagine, Your Very Own Magic Wand

Page 17 (article continued)

Page 19 The Art of Flourishing

Page 21 Become a Creative Minds Member

www.schoolofmodernpsychology.com.au

Welcome to our third edition of Creative Mindfulness.This month we’ve been exploring the power of colour to influence anything from mood to people’s perceptions.It’s an area that still needs a lot of research before anything scientific can be claimed, yet by investigating our own responses to colour - whether that’s in a gallery or in our own wardrobe, we can learn much.For me, colour is about inspiration - particularly when I’m painting or drawing. At times I deliberately choose a colour associated with a particular emotional reaction (based on marketing theory), yet it’s when I reach for a colour that resonates with where I am at that particular point that my work has a more natural vibration to it.I’m sure you know what I mean - watch a child joyfully play with colours until they smooch them altogether - it’s the fun of the exploration, it’s the delight of discovery.I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of Creative Mindfulness and thank our fabulous contributors for their inspiring artwork – Sharon Edinborough, Di Esbensen and Suzanne Hamlyn-Harris – your contributions to our community, and this publication, enrich all our lives.If you’ve enjoyed the magazine and would like to send me a message, or make a comment/suggestion, then I’d love to hear from you! my email is below.

Barbara GraceDirector, School of Modern [email protected]

EDITORIAL


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Page 3

Colour can be a powerful symbol, influencing mood, expressing emotions and communicating messages in subtle ways. Few of us are unaffected by the brazen boldness that red can communicate or the soothing feel of soft neutrals or the quiet assuredness that comes with dark navy.If you’re looking for evidence of this, find a politician who doesn’t appear on television wearing a dark navy or grey suit – these colours are widely interpreted as sending messages of trust and reliability.Research into how colour affects not only our mood but also our performance continues, with some fascinating studies into the power of colour to influence sportspeople, medical outcomes and safety in the workplace.Researchers have studied the phenomenon of ‘warm-coloured’ placebo pills over ‘cool-coloured’ ones – with the former being thought more effective by subjects. Sports teams wearing mostly black uniforms have been found to receive more penalties; athletes wearing red appear to outperform other competitors, pink is linked with calming effects and green often associated with creative thinking.The thinking behind this is quite logical when you consider it. Green is usually associated with nature and growth; pink with femininity, newborn babies and beautiful flowers. Red is used universally to represent danger, poison or to ‘stop’. Black is often associated with power, mystery or evil. Blue is the natural colour of the sky and water – both of which are calming to our senses.Advertisers aren’t immune to using this knowledge, aligning products with shoppers’ values to provide alluring warmth, sincerity, value for money, luxury, fun or freshness with a designer’s swatch.So how can you use this to improve your day?Think about the colours that you’re naturally drawn to – what do they symbolise for you? Do you have them either as base colours or accent colours in your home? How do you feel in an environment with a neutral colour scheme? What colour clothing helps you feel good and on top of your game? What about the colour of your shoes or briefcase/handbag – is it time to express yourself beyond the serviceable black or brown?So when you’re next reaching for a piece of clothing, consider its impact on yourself and on those around you – this could be a subtle way to improve your mood and your day.



Colour can be a powerful symbol, influencing mood, expressing emotions and communicating messages in subtle ways. Few of us are unaffected by the brazen boldness that red can communicate or the soothing feel of soft neutrals or the quiet assuredness that comes with dark navy.If you’re looking for evidence of this, find a politician who doesn’t appear on television wearing a dark navy or grey suit – these colours are widely interpreted as sending messages of trust and reliability.Research into how colour affects not only our mood but also our performance continues, with some fascinating studies into the power of colour to influence sportspeople, medical outcomes and safety in the workplace.Researchers have studied the phenomenon of ‘warm-coloured’ placebo pills over ‘cool-coloured’ ones – with the former being thought more effective by subjects. Sports teams wearing mostly black uniforms have been found to receive more penalties; athletes wearing red appear to outperform other competitors, pink is linked with calming effects and green often associated with creative thinking.The thinking behind this is quite logical when you consider it. Green is usually associated with nature and growth; pink with femininity, newborn babies and beautiful flowers. Red is used universally to represent danger, poison or to ‘stop’. Black is often associated with power, mystery or evil. Blue is the natural colour of the sky and water – both of which are calming to our senses.Advertisers aren’t immune to using this knowledge, aligning products with shoppers’ values to provide alluring warmth, sincerity, value for money, luxury, fun or freshness with a designer’s swatch.So how can you use this to improve your day?Think about the colours that you’re naturally drawn to – what do they symbolise for you? Do you have them either as base colours or accent colours in your home? How do you feel in an environment with a neutral colour scheme? What colour clothing helps you feel good and on top of your game? What about the colour of your shoes or briefcase/handbag – is it time to express yourself beyond the serviceable black or brown?So when you’re next reaching for a piece of clothing, consider its impact on yourself and on those around you – this could be a subtle way to improve your mood and your day.

This work was an exercise in the Applied Creativity Course and is an example based on the style of Mark Rothko, who sought to encourage an emotional response from viewers through his exploration of colour, shape and form.

The Roots of Creativity

Page 5

Recently we had a post on our School’s Facebook page saying that they wanted to build a life they wouldn’t need a vacation from – not a bad wish – it got me thinking: How many of us achieve this?As most reading this will live in a beautiful environment where freedom of choice is possible, there would be a few among us who feel we already have that life – and I’d agree.Yet while this may be true for some, how many of us want a break not from where we live, but from ourselves.While we take holidays to rest and recuperate, we also look for some escape from routine, stress or busy lifestyles, yet the problem is that we also take our never-resting minds with us – which are usually still packed with the endless stream of chattering junk that we may find hard to ditch. How tricky is it to give ourselves a break mentally when we’re used to pushing boundaries, managing the daily to-do list, or putting the needs of those around us first?Well, I for one can find it a challenge to shut down my super-active mind and slow down unless I’m mindfully planning time into my day to do this.

CRE

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The Roots of Creativity


Recently we had a post on our School’s Facebook page saying that they wanted to build a life they wouldn’t need a vacation from – not a bad wish – it got me thinking: How many of us achieve this?As most reading this will live in a beautiful environment where freedom of choice is possible, there would be a few among us who feel we already have that life – and I’d agree.Yet while this may be true for some, how many of us want a break not from where we live, but from ourselves.While we take holidays to rest and recuperate, we also look for some escape from routine, stress or busy lifestyles, yet the problem is that we also take our never-resting minds with us – which are usually still packed with the endless stream of chattering junk that we may find hard to ditch. How tricky is it to give ourselves a break mentally when we’re used to pushing boundaries, managing the daily to-do list, or putting the needs of those around us first?Well, I for one can find it a challenge to shut down my super-active mind and slow down unless I’m mindfully planning time into my day to do this.

Driving has become one of those spaces, especially if I have a long trip ahead of me – it’s time to reconnect with what’s important to me and let thoughts drift in and out without that endless inner-voice ranting its schedule of ‘must-isms’.It’s this time where most of my creative thinking comes together – where disparate links merge and discover new ways to express themselves. And this is what creativity is. It’s not necessarily the Eureka moment – it may be – but more often than not it’s the musings that arise from allowing our mind time to rest without pressure, without outcomes, without the ‘must-have-it-done-by-five’ lives we lead.Mindfulness is about mental focus in a calm yet purposeful way, Creative Mindfulness is about mentally ‘massaging your mind’ to give it space to connect the important ideas that may just keep on spinning endlessly without this precious time.Practicing Creative Mindfulness by gifting myself time to reflect, to draw, to create, to play with colour is one of the easiest and most accessible ways for us to connect with our values and what is important in living wholeheartedly.


Page 7www.schoolofmodernpsychology.com.au

Inspirational Colour

CREATIVE MINDFULNESSInspirational Colour

Suzanne developed a striking landscape through careful colour selection and an eye for balance. It’s often in limiting the colours available to us that we can create a more powerful and dynamic composition.From a different perspective, when exploring how you experience your environment and in gaining an understanding of how to ‘see’ what is really there, you gain the skills to both dynamically make greater use of your resources and achieve inspiring results in doing so.

"I painted this landscape for the Applied Creativity course, when we were exploring colour. It’s based on a photo my grand daughter Amy took on her recent school trip to Kakadu. I aimed to catch the richness of the scene and so limited the colour palette to blue/green/yellow and then added in some red. This was so enjoyable!" Suzanne Hamlyn-Harris.

Page 9


Perhaps it’s time to embrace a new career as a Creative

Mindfulness Coach.

Have you found your

Applied Creativity student, Sharon Edinborough, created evocative images that beautifully describe character, gentility and strength.


The School’s Creative Mindfulness Coach program commences in February 2015. Discover how to use Modern Psychology, Creativity, Mindfulness and Coaching to not only discover more about yourself, but to also help others live life wholeheartedly.“If not now, when ... If not you - then who.”Receive more information about this life-changing program by emailing [email protected]

Perhaps it’s time to embrace a new career as a Creative

Mindfulness Coach.

life purposeHave you found your

yet?

Page 11CREATIVE MINDFULNESS

Five Ways to Open Creative Thinking

With researchers claiming that creativity training can enhance intelligence through generating novel approaches to solving problems with more creative solutions, here are five ways you can get your creative thinking flowing:1. Embrace Creative FailureMany people won’t promote their ideas for fear of what others will say or think. Yet failure is just one step towards a solution – it’s never the end unless you choose it to be. By exercising your creative brain you learn how to adapt to change more readily and think more flexibly.2. Make Time to ThinkCreativity isn’t like a tap that’s turned on and off at will. To reach a state of ‘creative flow’ requires uninterrupted time and energy. Think of your brain like the engine in a steam train that needs its fuel stoked before reaching top speed. Minimise interruptions by scheduling time to indulge your creative mind.3. Take Small StepsCreative thinking doesn’t always result in immediate outcomes or ‘a-ha’ moments – if it did everyone would be discovering the ‘next big thing’. Instead, it’s the small steps that often ‘piggy back’ on other creative developments that pave the way for new ideas.

4. Creative InsightCreative opportunities surround us daily – yet mostly we ignore them. It’s in pausing to ask the ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions that allows our creative mind to view problems from different perspectives and explore new options.Make a habit of being mindfully aware of your environment and look for problems that if you applied creative thinking could improve the way you live and work.5. Creative ExposureCreativity is more about adaptability than originality. By reading a novel, watching a movie, wandering through a gallery, absorbing a museum’s history or listening to musical improvisations your creativity receives an intravenous injection of joy and energy. It’s about opening your mental wormholes and drip-feeding a constant supply of inspiration so your mind’s steam train is primed to go.


Five Ways to Open Creative Thinking

4. Creative InsightCreative opportunities surround us daily – yet mostly we ignore them. It’s in pausing to ask the ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions that allows our creative mind to view problems from different perspectives and explore new options.Make a habit of being mindfully aware of your environment and look for problems that if you applied creative thinking could improve the way you live and work.5. Creative ExposureCreativity is more about adaptability than originality. By reading a novel, watching a movie, wandering through a gallery, absorbing a museum’s history or listening to musical improvisations your creativity receives an intravenous injection of joy and energy. It’s about opening your mental wormholes and drip-feeding a constant supply of inspiration so your mind’s steam train is primed to go.

The image above is one of the colour exercises in the Applied Creativity course.

Page 13

Reaching Your TruthCREATIVE MINDFULNESS

When we’re bringing about change, we reach a ‘Choice Point’ – a certain place where we decide whether we’re going to continue being hooked by our thoughts, feelings, cravings, urges and memories or choose to embrace our values and make the choice to change.It’s when we reach that ‘Choice Point’ and build the internal strengths and resilience to break through old patterns that we can move towards the life goals we want. Acting effectively by behaving congruently with our higher selves allows us to move towards our goals.If you’re like me, you can look back over your life and see many ‘Choice Points’ – some of them built up by frustration, others by finally realising that continuing down this path means more pain, more negative self-talk and ultimately more of the same.There’s an activity that asks you to imagine yourself as a 90 year-old sitting in a favourite chair and casting your mind back over the years. What regrets would you have and what delights will you recall? Who do you want to be remembered as – a person who made the most of their time, lived life fully and embraced possibility wholeheartedly – or someone who lived in the shadow of guilt, of doubt, of resentment or anxiety?This can be a big call to make – to change what may have been old patterns of behaviour for decades.

Yet, if not now – when? If not you – then who?Changing old patterns of behaviour start with a decision – yet as we all know the best laid plans go astray unless you have a plan to reach there.Initially, it’s about learning how to mindfully

‘unhook’ from those old cycles that have kept us in a looping pattern and away from the person we want to be.Below is a four-step plan to help you move towards the person you want to be:When faced with a challenge or difficult decision (eating the wrong food, recalling a memory, blaming yourself, wanting to be more loved etc) that triggers negative thoughts and unwanted emotions:SLOW DOWN – by breathing more slowly, pressing your feet more firmly into the floor – or slowly stretching your body.TAKE NOTE of what you’re feeling and thinking – begin to notice more of the world around you – look for five things in your environment, hear three sounds near you, feel the beat of your heart in your chest.OPEN UP by making space for your thoughts and feelings – allow them to freely flow through you. Be aware of them, observe them – and notice that while they are there, they are not you – you are not the sum of your emotions. Now watch them pass, their intensity lowering with every breath you take. Show yourself compassion and kindness.PURSUE VALUES – Remember what you stand for – your core values – and find at least one small way that you can act on them mindfully now.This process is adapted from Russ Harris, author of numerous books on Mindfulness and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), which the School uses in its programs.


Reaching Your TruthCREATIVE MINDFULNESS


Page 15

Imagine, Your Very Own Magic Wand

I recently asked people if they could wave a magic wand and as a result receive anything they wanted – what would be that one thing they most desire in the world?For some, this question took them by surprise – “I’ve never had anyone ask me that!” was one response. And this got me thinking – when we were children we dreamed and gazed and enjoyed times of make-believe, yet as adults we often forget the joy of ‘wishing upon a star’ and guiding our imagination into ‘possibility’ and ‘what-if ’ – yet this is the birth of ideas where we can begin dreaming the seemingly impossible.For those who stopped and thought about the question asked, I received the most heart-felt responses describing past events that hadn’t yet been mindfully processed. The pain of regret, the agony of loss, the loneliness of not having anyone to share their lives with, the disappointment of another’s actions, the burden of debt, the hollowness of sleepless nights re-living a traumatic event, the despair of weight problems and the soul-sapping tiredness of placing one step in front of another – day after day.We all know these moments, the times when nothing seems to relieve the emotional pain or the relentless thoughts that niggle away undermining even those times when we would normally feel joyful.Sometimes it can feel as if we’re dragging heavy weights with us wherever we go. Yet, it’s only ourselves that can change this. While we may not be able to go back and change the past, we can manage how we choose to respond to it.There’s is a catch though …To gain something, we often have to give up something else to make room for the new. And sometimes – if we did a reality check on ourselves – holding onto the emotional pain has a secondary gain, a pay-off for us.

Before reacting to this statement, think about it. For some it may be the guilt of feeling they didn’t do enough. And that if they let go of their pain, they may be dishonouring the memory.For others, it’s never really knowing what went wrong – so in gaining an answer, they place ‘blame’ firmly on themselves like a badge of honour. Yet this doesn’t relieve the pain, all it succeeds in doing is allowing your mind to beat you up once again.There comes a day when you have to face the beast – in whatever form it takes: anger, resentment, jealousy, sadness or grief and choose to not allow it to grow any more so that however it’s manifesting (depression, anxiety, emotional instability) – it’s released.Self-compassion is the starting point – and the road that leads ultimately to self-forgiveness.When we reach this place we’ve arrived at a cross-roads – or as an earlier article in this journal said – a ‘Choice Point’ – where we choose to move towards the life we want to have and finally embrace the person we want to be, and realise that it’s up to us to put down the heavy weights we’ve been carrying so we can breathe more freely. By doing this we are not dishonouring past memories, we are releasing the painful thoughts and emotions while respecting their integrity.In my late 20s I was travelling in Europe when I lost my luggage in France. All of the carefully selected items that weren’t supposed to weigh too much, all the just-in-case items I packed to keep me independent, all the notebooks and reading material – all gone. I was travelling alone with my hybrid French, so communicating the loss to police or anyone was difficult. Thankfully I still had my passport and money.It only took one shop to buy toiletries, underwear and a change of clothing

CREATIVE MINDFULNESSImagine, Your Very Own Magic Wand

Before reacting to this statement, think about it. For some it may be the guilt of feeling they didn’t do enough. And that if they let go of their pain, they may be dishonouring the memory.For others, it’s never really knowing what went wrong – so in gaining an answer, they place ‘blame’ firmly on themselves like a badge of honour. Yet this doesn’t relieve the pain, all it succeeds in doing is allowing your mind to beat you up once again.There comes a day when you have to face the beast – in whatever form it takes: anger, resentment, jealousy, sadness or grief and choose to not allow it to grow any more so that however it’s manifesting (depression, anxiety, emotional instability) – it’s released.Self-compassion is the starting point – and the road that leads ultimately to self-forgiveness.When we reach this place we’ve arrived at a cross-roads – or as an earlier article in this journal said – a ‘Choice Point’ – where we choose to move towards the life we want to have and finally embrace the person we want to be, and realise that it’s up to us to put down the heavy weights we’ve been carrying so we can breathe more freely. By doing this we are not dishonouring past memories, we are releasing the painful thoughts and emotions while respecting their integrity.In my late 20s I was travelling in Europe when I lost my luggage in France. All of the carefully selected items that weren’t supposed to weigh too much, all the just-in-case items I packed to keep me independent, all the notebooks and reading material – all gone. I was travelling alone with my hybrid French, so communicating the loss to police or anyone was difficult. Thankfully I still had my passport and money.It only took one shop to buy toiletries, underwear and a change of clothing

In one of our introductory courses we created a ‘mobius’ to remind us that sometimes we need to ‘flip’ how we do things.

Page 17

and I was ready to move on. One plastic bag didn’t weight too much, it was surprisingly easy to carry and gave me a sense of freedom that I hadn’t experienced when trying to sit on my travelling bag to coax the zipper into closing.While this analogy is obvious – it’s when we choose to stop carrying around emotional baggage that we can see clearly how losing it offers more freedom, rather than (in my case) believing the false ‘choice’ of clothing and shoes I needed for each day’s travelling allowed self-expression. We can live life simply with self-compassion, or we can choose to weigh ourselves down. Ultimately the decision is ours to make.I’m not suggesting this is simple – if it was, you would have already done what was needed. The loss of a child, the pain of trauma, the emotional displacement of losing your partner or the rejection of friends can bite into us, nibbling away at our energy and nerves. And sometimes, the pain may feel so close that we feel we’ll never release it. But when it stops us moving forward and taking action to be the person we want to embrace fully again, then we need to consider how we can become more ‘psychologically flexible’ – by seeing the painful emotions and thoughts and accepting that to some extent they may always be part of your life, yet also knowing it’s possible to learn the tools to manage the pain in ways that allow us to move on.While the following is in no way a simple five-step plan with a miracle at the end, it is a five-step plan to embracing a more resilient, self-compassionate way of acknowledging and managing emotions and thoughts. This is a solid procedure to do whenever your emotions or thoughts feel overwhelming.Step 1: Ground yourself by sitting towards the front of a chair, place your feet firmly on the floor, bring your hands together and press them together firmly. Feel the muscles in your arms flex, feel your feet pressing into the floor. Focus on this energy.

Step 2: Slow your breathing, mindfully counting each breath until you reach ten breaths – be aware of the air flowing into your nostrils, the feeling of it travelling towards your lungs. Now slowly begin looking around the room where you are and notice five things – take note of their colour, position, movement. Hear what you are hearing, and recognise three of the sounds. Doing this helps us focus beyond ourselves and begins breaking the emotional ooping pattern that can catch us unawares.Step 3: Now relax your hands and shoulders so that with each breath you feel more calm, more at ease. Scan your body and locate where the pain may be showing up – perhaps it’s in your chest, your stomach, your shoulders or your neck. Be aware of it and understand that it’s the physical representation of your emotions and thoughts – show it compassion by placing your hands on the part of your body that feels the pain. Embrace it as you would a child. Speak to it with kindness. Listen to what you need to hear.Step 4: Check-in with yourself – you may notice that the pain is already easing – if not passed altogether. If it still feels high, then re-do steps 1–4 again.Step 5: Take out your journal and reinforce to yourself the importance of taking a moment for self-compassion and mindful awareness. Express this with colourful swirls, symbols, patterns, words, poetic lyrics – whatever comes to mind. If you found a sense of peace with this exercise, take a moment of gratitude and of thankfulness for all that you have in your life now.Perhaps you’re considering joining our Creative Mindfulness Program – if you are, take the moment now to gift yourself the time and space to explore your potential more creatively and mindfully. When will it be time for you to live a richer, fuller and more wholehearted life?

CREATIVE MINDFULNESSContinued ...

Step 2: Slow your breathing, mindfully counting each breath until you reach ten breaths – be aware of the air flowing into your nostrils, the feeling of it travelling towards your lungs. Now slowly begin looking around the room where you are and notice five things – take note of their colour, position, movement. Hear what you are hearing, and recognise three of the sounds. Doing this helps us focus beyond ourselves and begins breaking the emotional ooping pattern that can catch us unawares.Step 3: Now relax your hands and shoulders so that with each breath you feel more calm, more at ease. Scan your body and locate where the pain may be showing up – perhaps it’s in your chest, your stomach, your shoulders or your neck. Be aware of it and understand that it’s the physical representation of your emotions and thoughts – show it compassion by placing your hands on the part of your body that feels the pain. Embrace it as you would a child. Speak to it with kindness. Listen to what you need to hear.Step 4: Check-in with yourself – you may notice that the pain is already easing – if not passed altogether. If it still feels high, then re-do steps 1–4 again.Step 5: Take out your journal and reinforce to yourself the importance of taking a moment for self-compassion and mindful awareness. Express this with colourful swirls, symbols, patterns, words, poetic lyrics – whatever comes to mind. If you found a sense of peace with this exercise, take a moment of gratitude and of thankfulness for all that you have in your life now.Perhaps you’re considering joining our Creative Mindfulness Program – if you are, take the moment now to gift yourself the time and space to explore your potential more creatively and mindfully. When will it be time for you to live a richer, fuller and more wholehearted life?



Page 19

CREATIVE MINDFULNESSThe Art of Flourishing

The gentle presence of image and words says it all, image by Di Esbensen.



The Art of FlourishingThere are times in our lives that we realise we’re on a journey. Sometimes we know where we’re headed, and at other times not.It’s at these times that we take a leap of faith, trusting in the process, being mindful of our own personal needs and believing that we have the power within us to achieve the outcomes we want.Sometimes the opportunity arrives as an invitation, at others as a calling – a desire to experience more and expand what could be possible.And we all know that before the leap comes the fear. This is normal. Our older brain which has helped us survive for millions of years has a way of keeping us stuck and sometimes fearful of anything new.If this resonates with you, and the ruminating and worrying seems overpowering at times – deep inside you know that it doesn’t have to be this way.The only way to break a pattern is to be aware of it. Then, when you see it for what it is, you can engage with greater purpose, strength and resilience to make the changes necessary.Having someone to guide you, who knows the path, who can be a mentor to you on your journey can be what’s needed.Some of our programs you can start at any time you want – others we do within an online group environment all travelling the same road together. One of these is starting in February and runs for 10–12 months. It’s our Creative Mindfulness Coach Program. It’ll be the journey of a lifetime, and a direction-setting opportunity to embrace your potential.

Why not find out more today. Email [email protected] for more details.

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www.schoolofmodernpsychology.com.au© Copyright School of Modern Psychology 2014

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Creative Mindfulness December