Creative cycles

[Susan Hosken]

Dear friend,
I have pronounced cycles of super creative time and then quiet time on a 10 to 21 day cycle. I was interested to know how other peoples cycles are. Do you have creative and quiet times or are you creative all the time. How do you deal with the cycles? How do you cope when you aren't being creative? I find the time when I am quiet and uncreative except for my writing the most challenging. I love being creative. i'd love to read your reactions to this post.
lots of love from susan in australia
PS The photo is one of my first bracelets. I just learnt the other day how to do them

[Dan Goodwin]

I've been thinking about this Susan and trying to work out my cycles. I definitely need inspiration, but really feel that the level I'm at with some creative forms, especially writing, I'll always just be able to write something that's interesting or effecting. That sounds a bit arrogant, but it's not meant to be. I just don't really believe in writer's block.

For example I think I could maybe write a better poem about delicious chocolate if I'd just enjoyed a bar of delicious chocolate. But even if I'd had no chocolate in a year I could still write an affecting and passionate poem about it.

[Jules]

I am researching as to how my creative cycle works, how it ebbs and flows- I do not equate this to writer's block, or artist's block...just the times where I have ideas and things I want to start but I am not quite energized enough to begin.
I think in these times I do more thinking and reflecting than acting.
I have noticed this in myself- I just never thought about paying attention to the pattern of it so I can use my time more wisely.

[Susan Hosken]

Dan, The one thing i can always do is my writing. My other art work goes in moods.
lots of love from susan in australia

[WildCherry]

I guess its easy not to believe in writer's block if you don't ever suffer from it but that might sound a bit harsh on people who do...I don't think its about how good you are. You can be world famous and still get it...Some people just do get paralysed and its almost certainly to do with fear as we've discussed elsewhere. Its great that you don't suffer from it...or haven't yet (?)

Often getting over creative block when it does happen can be helped a lot when we recognise that it could be part of a creative cycle...or perhaps may not be a block at all but merely a period of taking things in rather than putting things out...

[Dan Goodwin]

Yes definitely true about a period of in rather than out. I don't really ever not write, but what I write certainly changes. In 2007 I wrote literally hundreds of creativity articles. This year so far I've written maybe 15 max, but way more poems and short stories than I've done in years...

[Valerie]

LOL Dan. As Jules says it's the same here. In the winter it is the cold and snow/ice. A common complaint in the summer is " it's not the heat, it's the humidity" which can get to 90% and feels like trying to breath under water when it's 90+ degrees F.

My creative cycles, and everything else, is absolutely affected by the weather.

I figure if all we have to complain about is the weather, we're doing all right : )

[Jules]

LOL. Don't worry Fiona. I connect- to most of it, and what I do not directly connect to I totally understand! I tend to burn the midnight oil myself. Especially when I am not working the next day- I will get involved and it will be 3 am before I know it.
I also try to limit the noises I am bombarded with- it is harder for me because my BF likes to have background noise...I don't. But we have both given some here and maintain 'noise equality'. ( we agree to disagree when our opinions differ) Before I moved in with him I owned a tv I did not even know if it worked because I never turned it on. Heaven only knows why I even had it.

I have never heard of an Ayurvedic diet I will have to google it :-) But I eat weird-for work I cut my sandwhich into quarters and eat a 4th whenever I feel hungry.
When not working I eat several small meals in the day, once again whenever I am hungry...I cannot eat a huge amount without actually losing energy and wanting to grab a nap. The body decides it rather than the clock- if I am not hungry at 5pm I will eat dinner at 9 or whenever I am hungry.

I noticed you said Ben had sculpture class...I know you are both in a watercolor class.
Are you two working towards a degree? I am so nosy sometimes.
The reason the question came to mind is I recalled the time I transfered from a two year to a four year college and needed a lot of studio hours. I took Oil, Sculpture, Drawing and jewerly (metal-welding and the works).
I thought that would be an easy semester, but wow. It wiped me out. I enjoyed it, but between the classes and the assignments it was a large hunk of time!

My Mom took belly dancing when I was a kid. I thought it was neat- and she really loved it. She enjoyed learning how to work those 'belly muscles' and dancing with the scarves and cymbals- Go for it!

[Jules]

Winter personality traits? Hum. Now I am intrigued. I am not a fan of winter...I get to cold, and when I get cold I do not function well- all I want to do is hybrinate until Spring. Maybe I should move to the desert. :-)
I have explained to people that conventional 'meal times' are byproducts of industrialization and man in his natural state eats when hungry or when lucky enough to find food- ever since the earliest cave dweller.
My Great Grandmother ate 6 small meals a day her entire life- never weighed more than 100 lbs and lived to be 98. I assumed it may be genetic- this preference for several small portions through the day rather than large ones all at once.

[Jules]

Thanks. I will look into that book. I think that my energy levels have a lot to do with my level of creativitly...energy drives my inspiration- and is a determning factor in the execution of ideas.

My sister has the same body type as you. My brother and I are lean- not skinny or boney... we have very tight tendons (which makes yoga a real challenge for me) and very high metabolism ( which makes sitting still a real challenge for me) -not a lot of extra body weight to insulate from the cold (which makes winter a real challenge for me)
I am up to the challenges.

[Valerie]

I didn't realize that industrialization killed the main midday meal. I don't know how it is now, but when I lived in Scotland, 40 years ago, we had our big meal in the middle of the day and a light supper or tea in the evening. Seems to me like a much healthier way to live. No wonder my eating habits are all screwed up. The differences between America and Britain are bigger than many think. Flopping back an forth across the pond as many times as I did growing up probably confused even my eating habits.
I am continually amazed at how these discussions help me find the pieces of the puzzle that is my life.

So how do I find out if I am Winter, Summer, Spring or Fall? From the discussions here I'm thinking I'm Winter as I don't like winter and just want to hibernate.

[Valerie]

Thanks Fiona. I'll look these up.
I look forward to seeing your landscapes. I think it is great that you and Ben are taking these classes together and are so in tune creatively.

[WildCherry]

Let us know what u find...I'm pretty allergic to winter as well!