Yoga and creativity are the perfect complement. Combining both can have some surprising, moving and deeply gratifying results
I have always believed in the power of self-expression as a creative endeavour and healing modality. Yoga can enhance our ability to reach within ourselves and know ourselves to be innately creative beings.
What is creativity
Put simply, it's what you bring into the world. Your voice, your children, your cooking, your houseplants, your knitting. What have you created in this world? that's it. Humans have engaged in creative endeavour since the beginning of time, because it is our primal drive to do so. We know ourselves by what we bring into the world, we have created civilisation, infrastructure, philosophies and thought systems, technology. Everything in our world including your storage solutions and excluding the raw elements of Mother Nature is borne of human creativity.
How does yoga enhance creativity?
Yoga is the practice of going inside. Creativity is the practice of bringing out what lies within. Through our yoga practice, we learn to trust our inner world, listen to its voices and we develop the focus needed to be with the creative process as it flows. Lots of people describe their creativity as something that comes through them, rather than something they do. Yoga is similar, in deep states of inner reflection there is a move towards non-doing, a spontaneous arising of a particular state. In our yoga practice, we form connections to parts of ourselves that often go hidden and unbidden. Creative endeavour is often its most fruitful when we engage with it straight after meditation - the connections to the inner world are still there and we can more easily bring them into our external environment. Through creativity we can further understand ourselves, heal parts of us that have been silent, and forge connections with others.
How are Yoga and Creativity combined in the WE ARE retreat?
There was a safe space to experiment and shed my "I cannot do it". A deep transition was created in the writing workshop and is still resonant...There are the bones of a poem in there, maybe."
When on retreat, we naturally open to the creative voice. We lose our sense of time, and start to peel away the layers that separate us from our insightful, instinctive selves. Yoga facilitates this process. Morven will be there to lead you through an early morning meditation if you are an early bird. We will then do a group yoga practice before breakfast (tea and snacks are available up until then). The morning practice is active and will help you to progress your practice whatever your experience with yoga.
After breakfast, those who wish to do the workshop will gather together. This is a daily invitation, we explore a new modality each day - sometimes drawing, sometimes painting, writing or singing. The workshops are informal, supportive, inclusive and open to absolutely everyone, no matter whether you have not picked up a paintbrush since primary school or whether you have a fine arts degree. You get just as much benefit, whatever your experience.
The yoga practice had a wonderful progression from more movement in the morning, restorative practices in the afternoon and yoga nidra/ sound at night...Morven's presence was like an angelic guide moving me through the practice
In the evening, we will meet again for more yoga - the gentle, restorative kind. After dinner you are invited to a sound immersion, yoga nidra or craft workshop.
All scheduled workshops and classes are optional. You are encouraged to be creative with your schedule and make it fit your own needs. Each afternoon we will have a few hours "off" where you can go and explore the area, swim in the lake, pursue your latest project from the morning workshop or nap.
The Mill - a perfect retreat space. Comfortable, beautiful, safe. Enough space for all of us and lots of spaces for us to be together as a group or in complete solitude
What happens in the field trip to Dieppe?
On the Friday of the retreat, we will take a trip to Dieppe together. Those who prefer to can stay at The Mill and relax. Day-trippers will travel to Dieppe on the minibus. There will be the opportunity to paint the landscape from the vantage point of the castle, or do some sightseeing in town. Painters - it's the perfect opportunity to put your new skills to use in a quintessential French artist's environment!
If you think you'd like to join us this year...
We welcome everyone to this retreat, whatever your previous experience. The Mill truly is a slice of heaven and we want everyone to experience it! Get in touch with Morven info@yogabynature.org and I would love to chat more if you have any questions at all.
Comentários