Wild Soul Creative Focus
I was relistening to Clarissa Pinkola Estés. and her book ‘Women who Run with the Wolves and it felt like synchronicity. I have started sharing about creative intentions and hearing Clarissa discuss focus as part of the nature of stepping into the wild woman. The wild women see with all her senses and her intuition according to Pinkola. She is aware and, in the moment, and knows when to be still and breathe and when to act. This ability to choose wisely and be present to her truth is the space which feeds our creative self and sets us free to be who we truly are. When we pause to see what is around us and experience it fully life seems to flow without distraction.
Putting the pieces together
I feel as if I am connecting pieces of a very big puzzle and seeing them slip into place. This is a deep dive into the steps of the wild soul as she finds her focus and shapes her intention. Remember that there is a wild soul within each of us and so often we forget or are distracted by shiny object syndrome. We forget to look in as well as out which is essential if we are to live on purpose.
The wolf and the wild woman…
Pinkola reminds us that a wolf has times they are with the pack and active and time that they are the lone wolf. They are not distinct and separate. but different aspects of the same wild nature of the wolf. The wolf has been my animal guide for decades now and as an artist, I live in a world with these 2 distinct ways of being in the world. The creative soul needs both to find balance and to be able to gather wisdom and knowledge needed to fill them with ideas and inspiration that can then be shaped into a unique voice in whatever creative form it takes as they tread the path as a creator. To create we need to fill our cup as gatherer with all those imaginings so we can withdraw and be the lone wolf creating and
This is an exploration of the space where the artist soul begins exploring creative archetypes from the initial muse as guide and collaborator to the seeker who is the artist gatherer as they journey and finally the alchemist who manifests in the world. All these pieces are coming together as I share how I am finding my way along this path as an artist. I wonder what you are discovering on your own creative path and what you are birthing into the world?
Naturally focusing
Animals do not need to be reminded to focus as it is natural and instinctive and all about survival. An animal knows what it wants (intention) and is fully focused on this intended desire until it is achieved. We can learn so much from animal wisdom as we so easily get stuck in shiny object syndrome or too busy to pause mindsets that we forget who we are and what we really want. What we want is our intention and how we get there is our focus on the required action. Taking one focused step after another gets us to our destination but there is always so much else that calls us away. That is where focus comes in and combined with intention focus helps us begin and begin again when the world distracts us.
Course correction compass
Focus is the point of course-correct that becomes a compass leading towards our intention. An intention is not a goal but a path in the direction of an intended desire that is open to new information and new intentions that are shaped by all the things we have learnt along the way. I like to see an intention as the scenic route as we know what we want and the choice is to enjoy all the beauty and possibilities along the way. That is why there is such a focus on how each action makes you feel. The feeling is the thing that will either motivate you to continue as you know that you are being true to yourself or frustrate you as you are off course. This is about choosing love over fear and the ability to choose joy as a guide and go towards that more often.
A focus is an intention that is re-formed moment to moment as the need arises. The focus is on what we put our attention on but the intention is the choice of direction. The intention that we follow is where the magic really happens. An intention needs breathing space and so we pause and go in to check in with that intuitive inner wise self. Animals know this instinctively but we often forget with so many spaces in our lives calling for our attention. An animal easily chooses a single focus and follows it through. If they are hungry they eat, tired they rest and if there is danger they respond. They live in the now and not in the past or the possible future. They know that now is all there is and they respond to what they need.
A time for everything
We forget that the time of rest is an equally important intention to focus on as the time of work and we grow up and forget to play. When was it that we decided that play wasn’t an important intention? When did we change so much from the childish joy of being in the moment and experiencing with all our senses and letting our intuition guide us? Children are still in this wild state of forming and have not forgotten who they are. They know that seeking joy and having fun is what they desire so they lean into that without hesitation. We grow up and start to listen to the voices in our head that tell us we need to fit a particular mould or be as our family expects. These expectations are not our truth or what we intended when we came here. We forget to focus on who we are and what our deepest dreams are. We forget that we have a purpose and our job is to find it so we can be in our flow and find joy waiting there.
The real secret
The real secret is to connect back to that wild soul who knows what she wants and leans in and runs toward it joyfully. She may not know the steps but she has big dreams and her wild heart is free enough to believe that she is enough and deserves to be blissfully happy. Yes, I do have the voice of Joseph Campbell saying ‘FIND YOUR BLISS’ playing on repeat in my head. I really never fitted the mould…did you? I wanted something more than what I was experiencing and knew that I could do whatever I wanted. I became an art teacher, then an English teacher and have taught for over 30 years. I knew what I wanted when I was 7 and no dyslexia diagnosis or teacher who thought they knew best could convince me otherwise. I guess that wild side was often named as stubborn but it was an inner belief that I could and would do what the outside world deemed impossible. In fact, art was seen as the thing I could do best. I would find a way to be what my heart knew I already was and this was not negotiable as it felt true within me. I wondered why it wasn’t clear to everyone so I continued one step at a time along an alternative path that led me to my intended destination.
Trust
My intention at 7 was so strong that it drowned out the outside voices and I became what I believed. The real secret is that I trusted my own inner voice more than the outer world and did it anyway. I found the other pathways as I went through art school and then teacher’s college. My strength was and always has been that I knew how to explain things so anyone could understand. I learnt to simplify information as I knew what it felt like to have expectations placed on me as teachers raced through information at a pace I couldn’t keep up with. I knew the power of visuals as they were my gateway into learning to read and write. The elements and principles of design where my way into language so I could catch up as I found the alternative entry. Its always about finding the difference in approach that breaks down the barrier to understanding. This focus led to many adventures as I taught and painted and exhibited throughout my teaching career. I finally learnt enough as a secondary teacher and wanted to step more fully into my artist. It was time and that is where I am now. Exploring what this artist focus means and how my intentions are forming. The question as I look at intention begins with the thought ‘What do I want to focus on now?’ The answer to my area of focus is my intention that forms a lighted pathway to my purpose.
Questions
My challenge to you is to put aside some time to answer a few questions. Take a few deep breathes and focus on your heart space. Placing your hand on your heart can help you focus inward and connect to this inner feeling space. From your heart space answer the following questions. Smile and trust the first thoughts that come as this is usually your intuition and that inner compass guiding you. The focus is on actions that are heart centred and will move you forward one step at a time toward your intention. Your intentions are your inner guidance bringing clarity and your focus is in the actions you take in the world.
- What do I really want to do?
- I really want to……………………………………………………………..……………………………………………
- Why do I want this?
- I want this because……………………………………………………………………………………………………..….
- How will it make me feel?
- It will make me feel…………………………………………………………………………………………
- What 3 action steps I could take to move me closer to manifesting this?
- 1………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- 2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- 3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- Which action step will I focus on first? (use this to write an intention statement in the sections below)
Steps to clarify your intentions into actions.
Intention statement – this is what you want or the dream you want to manifest
My big intention is to ………………………………………………………. by……………………………………because it will make me feel……………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Break this down into three focused action steps
- What 3 action steps I could take to move me closer to manifesting this?
- 1……………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………
- 2……………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………..…3……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………
For each of the 3 action steps, you have listed create an action-focused intention statement that will help you get there in smaller steps. As you create smaller actions you will find it either to make the time to step into these clear actions steps.
My 1st intention is to ……………………………………………………….. by……………………………………because I will feel……………………….………………………………………………………………………………………
My 2nd intention is to ……………………………………………………….. by……………………………………because I will feel……………………….……………………………………………………………………………………….
My 3rd intention is to ……………………………………………………….. by……………………………………because I will feel……………………….………………………………………………………………………………………
I would love you to share your intentions and focused actions. I wish you an amazing adventure as you allow the wild women to bring more balance to your life as you step into those intentions that call to your wild creative soul.
Love and blessings
More on how to begin setting creative intentions in setting creative intentions post.