At this time of year it’s so easy to get carried away by the exciting flow of gatherings, good food and good company, finding ourselves exhausted and overwhelmed when it is all over. Wouldn’t it be better to take time every day to connect and create with what is personally renewing? I hope the following 5 suggestions will bring a measure of joy to your holidays. A key to success is preparing a small pouch or ziplock bag with a drawing pen, some small pieces of watercolour paper and a small palette of paints. Tuck this in a bag you can carry with you or place it in a visible area in your home. Now you’re ready to act on creative inspiration.
#1 Walk and Connect
Go for a walk and open yourself to what attracts your attention in the moment. Let a natural being choose you. Take a few moments to be with this being. Whether it is a rock, a tree, an icicle, or a dog, take a moment to simply drink it in with all your senses. What do you hear, smell, feel in this moment?
#2 Draw and Connect
During a dinner over the holidays place a small piece of paper and a pen or pencil at each place sitting. Invite your dinner mates to doodle whatever they like. After a minute ask everyone to pass their drawing to the person on their left. Invite everyone to continue on with the drawing in front of them. Have them ask the drawing what it needs. After a minute pass the drawing to the next person on the left. Continue with as many passes as it takes until everyone receives their original drawing again. For a fun variation repeat on the other side of the paper and draw using your non-dominant hand.
#3 Stay connected to the sun
In this season of the return of the light, commit to connecting with the sun at the same time each day. Maybe it’s 12 noon that suits you best. Simply take a moment or two and connect with where the sun is. If you can’t see it because of cloud cover can you feel its presence? Then take a moment to reflect on what the sun means to you this day.
#4 Create with sound
In addition to being the season of light this is also the season of music. Have a small sheet of watercolour paper and a pen handy. When you hear a song or sound in Nature that attracts you (or repels you !) close your eyes and draw with your non-dominant hand. Simply rest your mind on the music and let your hand record what you hear. Go very slowly and let your hand record what you hear. Npw flip over the page. If you are inside then go outside and record what you hear. If you were outside then head indoors and draw what you hear on this fresh side of your page.
#5 Do a mini painting practice
Commit to painting one small image everyday for a week. In a ziplock bag or drawstring pouch place a small watercolour kit (check a dollar store near you), a pen and 7 small pieces of watercolour paper. Take time out everyday to write a few words about how you feel then turn over the page and paint with your non-dominant hand. with your eyes closed Try closing your eyes to choose the colours as well. Savour this quiet time of creative connection.
Have a great holiday!