Notes

Finding Inspiration in the Exotic and The Mundane
Have you ever pointed out that when you finally listen to your intuition and commit to something that might not actually be so convenient or an easy task to do, you somehow unleash creative and synchronistic energies that move you forward in your mission in life? The sheer trust that people place in this unseen support from the universe takes courage, but it brings so much meaning and link with our lives. Unforeseen events happen which once you look back, make perfect sense in the scheme of things, nevertheless, you are not sure how at the time. I remember such an experience not so long ago, when I felt I was at an unknown and frankly unwelcome crossroads in my life.

Wanderlust invariably precedes many journeys, and this was no exception. Occasionally the destination you have chosen to explore, beckons you in a daydream or perhaps a captivating thought. I had a unique episode of restlessness that needed attention. The months preceding this trip were flat and uneventful and I was just plodding on, struggling to perform my debut book Corporate Head, Spiritual Heart. The flow of creativity was blocked by a razor sharp inner critique that stifled any progress with the taunt, 'it's bad enough' which grew louder and louder until I couldn't even put pen to paper.

Strangely when i sat looking forward to my very late client, I experienced an extremely powerful connection, a sort of inner knowing, that the answer to my difficulty lay in the photo of the hush remoteness of the backwaters of Kerala which grabbed my attention as I flicked by way of a yoga magazine. A gentle tug within my soul, which defied any logical explanation. Yet I did not question it.

On the face of it, I could not have chosen a worst time and energy to travel as my coaching schedule was so hectic and I had meetings lined up with important movers and shakers in my industry which had taken so much energy to arrange. It all seemed a little crazy, this whim of mine and ordinarily I'd never have dreamed of cancelling so many work opportunities. Yet I was sure that it was the right thing to do and I hoped that a change of scene would give me a respite from this feeling of despondency.

I was not disappointed. The large thatched boat was my sheltering shepherd on the soothing backwaters. read more cook up to speed thoroughly spoiled me with delicious South Indian meals, waiting for me to devour after my leisurely visits to the compact villages on the banks. One encounters the deepest area of the night here - bright stars abound to the unadulterated splendour of a moonless darkness. A sense of being naked is not uncommon. The contrast throughout the day was beautiful. The river and sky were all one colour - the shade of moonstone. All over the palm trees surrounded the paddyfields. Over everything hung a massive silence and in this space my mood was deeply reflective and quite unexpectedly joyous. As my spirit soared, those stiff, creaky floodgates opened and refreshing ideas just flowed out from my grateful soul as I wrote chapter after chapter all night using several white wicker candles.

I marvelled at the product quality and depth of thoughts and insights I received concerning the far removed subject of corporate masks and executive stress in this sacred realm. It really is as though everything comes alive when you tap into this heightened consciousness - for creativity and spirituality are synonymous. Whatever its form, spiritual awareness stuns the curious mind with its brilliance, its kinship with the supernatural. It had been a profound experience. Perhaps there was some truth in the common mention of India as a 'land of magic'. It is as if there is an actual energy zone that's conducive to mystical experiences. Hard to describe, but I got a strong sense in me of several worlds in precarious co-existence: the partition between your seen and the unseen worlds could very well be paper thin. What made it a lot more remarkable, was how this natural connection we all have with the healing forces of nature and even the divine, had unlocked the barrier gate that had slammed shut inside me. It had lovingly melted that inner critique which was blocking my path and holding me back my work. Because the boat drifted along in a slow, steady pace, I was gently letting go layer by layer all those niggling doubts and draining fears and came to a place of peace within myself. A comforting rely upon the universal plans for me started to take direction and I knew I was presented with what I needed probably the most at the moment - equanimity. An excellent internal transformation had occurred in a very short space of time.

I left with a feeling of deep respect for life on the planet, a love of God and a renewed sense of purpose holding a completed manuscript in my hand. Something had stirred in my blood, awakening my senses to the inspiration around me. This is exactly what I so desperately wished to take back with me and I wondered how I possibly could possibly adjust now to the ordinariness of my life, after such a rich sensory and spiritual discovery.

Actually, it might be a grave mistake to believe that we need to travel for miles to exotic lands to locate and seek out inspiration. You can find gifts and clues all over - we simply need to open our eyes and senses to opportunities for creative inspiration. It really is helpful to be aware of where we get our sources of inspiration. I have a kid like curiosity about things or people who are very different from me or my world. Meeting people with an unusual ancestry, meditating by way of a river, exploring Egyptian historic artifacts in the British Museum and trying on ornate and exquisite antique jewellery, are some of the things that refresh and stimulate my mind. As does playing football with my three year old nephew and enjoying a white tea ceremony with my Japanese friends. I view it as an investment of my time because my spirit is worth nurturing. It is just a form of celebration, gratitude and receiving from the universe, otherwise we are able to feel burnt out, jaded or even cynical about life.

It's important to our well being to search out new ways of staying fresh and to be a possibility thinker in order that we are able to manifest rich and fulfilling life experiences. Have you noticed that if you are inspired and deeply touched by something, your spirit grows bigger than the obstacle or problem? Once we follow our inspiration, which in lots of ways is really a call to growth and learning, we get transformed by it.

Often our inspiration will come in a size too large for us and resistance and excuses appear like uncontrollable weeds inside our fertile minds and we find yourself rationalizing away our best ideas. One's capacity for scepticism is endless, and I've learned to risk relocating the suggested direction; I've found that when I have a risk, providence moves in with incredible speed, and there also is apparently a noticeable guidance which people might call the "still, inner voice". Then i find that my hunches, urges, intuitions become a lot more acute and uncanny coincidences start turning up. Like I just 'happen' to bump into my long lost student friend at a party, who became my fabulous editor. After rejecting several book cover designs by 'experts' in the field, my 16 year old niece 'happens' to require a favour and mentions a name of a fellow student who's a whiz kid at graphical design and who eventually ends up producing probably the most surreal and eye-catching, book cover design for me personally.

I have always been blessed with the support of creative friends around me who'll endorse that synchronicity is actually happening; otherwise it really is amazing how selective amnesia inside our busyness can bury the real creative gems. In a way, I regard these 'coincidences' as forms of subtle, yet powerful interventions of the divine hand helping us find our purpose in life. A loving nudge in the proper direction.

I also remind myself of how good I felt when I have followed through with my ideas previously and how things just fell into place when I took that first step. Just like when I booked my flight to India. It had been easier to benefit from the journey as I was not caught up in focusing on a successful outcome. I never really likely to be writing anything on that trip; not going right through the torture of writers block. Funny how switching off, actually switches on our creativity. The 'lets just see what happens' mind frees you around discover new ideas.

We are all inherently linked to divine creativity. I don't sense that people are separated from the divine. To be human in the end is to be an all natural creator. We all have been blessed with this gift to co-create with our maker. Probably the most valuable question we can be asking ourselves regularly is 'How am i going to inspire myself next?. The answers will open up unexplored vistas that you can enjoy. Your fertile imagination will lead you to so many possibilities that could powerfully transform you and this amazing planet we reside in. Of course, you can find those visionary, caring individuals nowadays which are called to harness this creative force for the greater good for all. To create a real difference which will last for generations to come. Could see your face be you?
Kahlil Gibran, the Prophet, guides us beautifully when he wrote," Work is love made visible." If you have not already done so, it is time for you to speak to your purpose and your inherent creativity and make your work, your love made visible.

Shilpa Unalkat may be the Managing Director of Staflow Ltd, a corporate coaching and personal development organisation. She holds a Diploma in Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy and is a certified Master NLP & Time Line Practitioner. get more info -mail; [email protected]

She is the writer of the much acclaimed book ?Corporate Head, Spiritual Heart? obtainable in all good bookstores and directly on her website [http://www.staflow.com]. It is a must have book when you are wondering if there is more alive than this; if you would like more meaning and satisfaction in your work; if you need to change direction, but just can?t figure out what else that you can do; if you want to make a difference in this world, but don?t know where to begin; if you are sick and tired of your brain games, greed and the organization mask; and if you want to be true to yourself as well as your values in life.

Shilpa offers powerful one-to-one coaching along with group workshops that concentrate on developing leadership skills predicated on emotional and spiritual intelligence. She also delivers high impact talks to organisations worldwide.
Website: https://just-dalby-3.mdwrite.net/finding-inspiration-in-the-exotic-and-the-mundane-1683547475