Human beings are creative by nature. While we all possess the impulse to create and innovate new ideas and solutions, sometimes it’s difficult to inspire creativity in the first place.
When your inner artistry seems distant, yoga and Ayurveda can help invoke inspiration. Here’s how to get those creative juices flowing both on and off the mat.
Set an intention or mantra for creativity
At the start of the day or at the beginning of your yoga class, choose an intention or mantra that manifests balance and creativity. Close your eyes, open your heart and mentally repeat your mantra with every inhalation and exhalation for a 5-10 breath cycle. You can choose your own mantra or begin with one of these:
“My ideas flow freely and abundantly”
“I invite creativity into my life”
“I receive inspiration from all that surrounds me”
Get physical to reduce repressive emotions and increase prana
Aka, get your “ass”ana on your mat! You are a spectacular being living in a physical body that needs movement. If your practice is stuck in a rut, locate your inner goddess by finding an energizing and fun yoga class that gets your body flowing freely. If you admire a particular friend’s positivity and energy, invite them to class with you for some additional inspiration.
Balance and activate your sacral chakra
When practicing at home, choose yoga positions like reverse warrior, goddess pose or prayer squat to help balance your sacral chakra, which is the bridge between yoga and creativity. A balanced sacral chakra helps us source creative energy and heal our personal relationships in healthy ways, making space for new thoughts and ideas to take flight.
To boost your expressiveness more frequently, try incorporating the above yoga poses for creativity into your at home yoga routine.
Hit the reset button with Ayurveda: yoga’s sister science
Getting creative when you’re feeling unbalanced can be difficult. If your ideas aren’t flowing easily, try to boost your creativity by aligning your life with an Ayurvedic clock, which looks a little something like this:
- Wake up before sunrise, completing any meditation or spiritual practices before 6am
- Exercise between 6am and 10am, or 6pm and 10pm
- Eat your largest meal mid day
- Focus on creative pursuits and problem solving in a calm space between 2pm-4pm
- Shut off the TV and begin calming activities to soothe the soul by 9pm
- Go to bed before 10pm
Instead of viewing this as a long list of rules, think about it as a lifestyle change that balances the body for optimal health and creativity. With consistency, you’ll be surprised by how quickly you adapt to this new schedule!
When in Doubt: Breath in, breath out.
Try practicing alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana pranayama) to purify and balance the breath and body. This breathing technique helps quiet the mind’s repetitive inner chatter, allowing fresh ideas and creative solutions to flourish.
The technique is simple. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose. Using one finger, close your right nostril and inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily. Release your right nostril and close your left nostril, exhaling slowly. Inhale on the same side, then switch, closing off your right nostril and exhaling through the left. Follow this sequence, switching back and forth between plugging the right and left nostril for a 5-10 breath cycle. Be sure to take a few moments to check in with the body and mind and to observe the powerful effects of this technique.
Next time you find yourself in an inspirational rut, try these yoga for creativity tips. When in doubt, breath, stretch and manifest it out!
About the Author
Margie Sanders is a Vinyasa yoga instructor currently residing in San Antonio, Texas. Starting her yoga journey 10 years ago, she was empowered by the peace and physical strength her yoga practice brought to her life and wanted to share that with her community. She completed her first teacher training in 2017 and will graduate from a 500 hour YTT in 2020. Her classes bring modern flow and classic alignment into creative harmony, encouraging playfulness and optional challenges to make yoga fun for all levels.
