I know I keep banging on about seasonal alignment and the creative process, but they really do have so much in common. Both follow a cyclical pattern of growth, fruition, dying back and renewal. Just as the Earth transitions from the dormancy of winter to the vibrant emergence of spring, creative energy ebbs and flows in a dynamic push and pull of inspiration and expression. We can even link this cyclical flow to the breath.... inhale and exhale.
In the springtime of creativity, ideas sprout through the earth like tender shoots, fuelled by the warming rays of sunshine / imagination. As the creative process unfolds, these ideas blossom and bear fruit during the summer months, reaching their peak of expression and vitality.
However, much like the inevitable transition from summer to autumn, creativity also experiences periods of transformation and change. As the leaves of inspiration begin to change colour and fall, artists may find themselves entering a season of introspection and reflection, where they harvest and celebrate the fruits and gather the seeds of new ideas preparing for the cycle to begin anew.
Finally, in the winter of creativity, there is a period of rest and dormancy—a time to recharge, replenish, and nurture the seeds of future creativity that lie dormant beneath the surface. As this year began I gave myself the time and space to allow for the full period of reflection and rest to happen (even thought I felt the pull of societal norms and expectations). My direction for this year wouldn’t have come to life without that period of reflection. From now on, I will celebrate MY New Year either at Imbolc at the beginning of February or at the Spring Equinox: both of which I feel are more seasonally appropriate.
Just as the Earth cycles through its seasons, so too does creativity follow a natural rhythm of birth, growth, decay, and rebirth. By aligning myself with the seasonal cycles of nature, I have gained a deeper insight into my own creative processes which has helped me to cultivate a greater sense of harmony and balance in my artistic journey. I urge you to do the same.
As we now move into Spring we have had time to reflect, learn from our previous 12 months, what worked, what didn’t, what we want to keep and what we want to let go of. This is the time for planting the seeds of our ideas, taking care of them and protecting them from the risk of frost which has not yet passed. I'd like you to think about how we protect our vulnerable new ideas from the unpredictable weather that comes with April, one minute sunny and warm, tempting us to cast off our winter coats and lulling us into a false sense of security and then then next blowing in with a gale from the North and making us shiver and rush back indoors.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next blog post where I will be talking about this in more depth.