{"id":58949,"date":"2018-11-09T19:52:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-10T03:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=58949"},"modified":"2018-11-13T10:14:32","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T18:14:32","slug":"creating-a-sacred-space-for-creativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/creating-a-sacred-space-for-creativity\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating a Sacred Space for Creativity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most writers and artists need privacy and solitude to tap into their creative selves. Creating is not always easy, but it can be even more difficult if is done in an uninspiring environment or surrounded by unwanted people and noise. Before beginning your writing practice, it\u2019s a good idea to find a time and place when you can be by yourself uninterrupted for a significant block of time. It should be a place where you feel comfortable and grounded. Writer Virginia Woolf spoke about the importance of having \u201ca room of one\u2019s own\u201d in her book by that title. She was referring to a figurative room, which can be a deeper concept than what might be an actual physical space. She believed that women (and all writers) should have a place where they can go to write and feel safe and comfortable\u2014a place that offers a blanket of support, while also being inspiring.<\/p>\n

Your creative area can be a room in your home or even a part<\/em> of a room there; it can also be in a public place where you feel comfortable. If you choose to make it a sacred space in your home, you may want to consider including special items that inspire you and make you smile. Perhaps they are artifacts from memorable travels or family heirlooms that jog your memory about certain times in your life.<\/p>\n

My writing space has candles, essential oils, prayer beads, and photos of my family. I am also surrounded by my collection of typewriters, as a reminder that my first book written in the 1980s, Getting Pregnant and Staying Pregnant: A Guide to High-Risk Pregnancies<\/em>, was written on a Smith Corona. In the corner of my desk sits a Buddha holding a stone that says \u201cserenity.\u201d Seeing his face grounds me. Years ago, I read that some major corporations placed coffee-scented candles in their offices as a way to increase productivity. So now I have one of those burning on my desk. I find that it alerts my senses and keeps me motivated, perhaps in the same way as drinking a cup of coffee would. Behind my desk is a bookcase holding all my favorite reference books, and nearby is my altar and a chair for my daily meditation practice. My room also has a reading chair and an ottoman facing my garden.<\/p>\n

There have been times when I was not blessed with such a special sacred place, because either I was traveling or my living quarters weren\u2019t amenable to one. Here are some ways to create a sacred creative space wherever you are:<\/p>\n