You Have Creative Force: But Are You Using It and How?
Have you considered the depths of your creative force? If you were to ask, I’d say that I’m a creative type. My capacity to dream is big, to the point some have said I can’t be content. Dream-shaming – maybe that needs to be a thing?
Fortunately, my dreams don’t appear to be something I can ignore or pack away to meet others’ idea of acceptable limits. I know because when I do, it causes BIG problems. Like finding myself stuck in a proverbial rut, hustling hard but still spinning wheels like I’m in mud, having a health crisis, or managing finances that barely tread water.
So, if you’re putting in the effort, but something’s still missing, listen up. Because that missing something could be your untapped creative force, or as traditional Tantric Yoga calls it, Kalpana. It’s time to plug back into your ability to dream. We were literally born to create, and denying your creative force is to deny your very soul and remain unfulfilled!
I am not about to put up with that for me. And I don’t want that for you. You could say – it’s one of my many dreams.
What’s Kalpana, and Why Should You Care?
Kalpana is a Sanskrit word that carries within it the essence of the intentional use of imagination. This is opposed to those uncontrolled, scatterbrained daydreams or meanderings (known as Vikalpa) which are not so helpful and keep us in repetitive thinking. Kalpana, on the other hand, is all about harnessing the power of your thoughts to shape your reality.
It’s also what’s behind the saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” Why? Because your thoughts have power—more than you might realize. I like to think of Kalpana as the director of our life’s movie. So, ask yourself: What script are you writing? Are you crafting an epic tale of triumph and creativity, or are you stuck in a rerun of “Same Old, Same Old”?
The Daily Grind: Work, Relationships, Finances, and Emotions
Let’s dive into some everyday scenarios to see what life looks like without a sprinkle of Kalpana magic – in other words, not using your creative power.
Work: The Career Hamster Wheel
You wake up, gulp down coffee, slog through traffic, and sit at your desk feeling invisible. Despite your hard work, promotions and exciting projects always seem to go to someone else. Without the creative force of Kalpana, you might feel stuck, uninspired, and even resentful. Your ideas feel mundane, and the spark you once had for your job has fizzled.
Relationships: Surface-Level Connections
Your interactions with friends and family feel more like obligatory check-ins rather than meaningful connections. Conversations skim the surface, leaving you feeling disconnected and isolated. You’re going through the motions but missing the deep, fulfilling bonds that bring joy and support into your life.
Finances: The Pay Packet-to-Pay Packet Loop
Financially, you’re stuck in a cycle. Your pay barely covers your expenses, and you can’t imagine a way out. Saving for the future or investing seems impossible. The idea of financial growth feels like a distant dream because you’re not using your creative force to envision possibilities beyond your current situation.
Emotions: The Stress and Anxiety Spiral
Emotionally, you’re on a roller coaster of stress and anxiety. Without tapping into the calming and empowering potential of your imagination, you’re left feeling drained and unmotivated. Life feels like a series of hurdles rather than an exciting adventure.
So, How Do You Get Out of This Funk?
The teachings of traditional Tantric Yoga offer powerful tools. It’s what we teach and live into at Yoga Local. We don’t serve up some relatively untested strategies that are a few years old with hardly any legs to stand on. Nothing is made up. It’s not the latest fad; it’s not something that will make you feel good for five minutes.
It’s the real deal. Traditional Yoga science is what we serve up day in, day out, taught as it was meant to be taught. And what that means for the dedicated practitioners who show up consistently – it’s guaranteed to transform your life.
It’s powerful stuff because it’s powerful ancient science and wisdom that reminds us we are powerful. We have the tools, we have the biological and physiological technology. A human life means the capacity to live your biggest life. It starts with your imagination and then keeping that spark – your inner fire – alive.
So of course, I’m going to invite you to come practice with us in person at our studio, online, or on-demand via our community app if you want yourself some of this.
But while you’re sitting on that fence getting splinters, here are some practical steps to start the process of unlocking your innate – inbuilt creative force.
Practical Steps to Embrace Kalpana
Ready to dive in? Here are some practical steps to start harnessing your creative force today:
Daily Visualization Practice: Spend a few minutes each day visualizing a calm scene, like a full moon, and aligning with its energy. Gradually incorporate visualizations of your goals.
Active Dreaming: Before bed, visualize your ideal day. Picture achieving a goal and feel the emotions associated with that success. Write down your visualizations in a dream journal.
Setting Higher Goals: Write down a goal that excites you. Use visualizations and affirmations daily to remind yourself of this goal. Reflect on small steps you can take towards it.
Mantra for Empowerment
To wrap it all up, here’s a mantra to keep you inspired:
“I can be, do, have, create anything I desire so long as I believe in the possibility.”
By incorporating these teachings and practices into your daily life, you’ll begin to harness the power of your imagination and thoughts, leading to greater success and fulfillment in all areas of life. So, let your imagination run wild, and watch as your life transforms in ways you never thought possible.
Final Thoughts
Embracing your creative force isn’t about abandoning practicality or living in a fantasy world. It’s about merging your dreams with your reality, using the power of your thoughts to create a life that feels both exciting and fulfilling. Tantric Yoga offers a rich tapestry of practices to help you tap into this potential, guiding you towards a life that’s not just lived but truly experienced.
So, next time you find yourself feeling stuck, remember Kalpana. Take a deep breath, visualize that full moon, and let your imagination guide you towards a brighter, more vibrant future. Your creative force is waiting—are you ready to unleash it?
Explore Your Creative Potential On Our Mini Retreat!
Radically Reimagine Yourself Mini Retreat
Location: The Yoga Local Yurt, Saxby’s Cider Farm, Farndish, Wellingborough.
Date: Monday, 24 June, 11 AM to 3 PM.
Investment: £69 (Includes a light lunch).
What You Can Expect:
A deep dive into the yoga creative process using it to open yourself to higher possibilities (aka your dreams!)
Learn to use this divine gift of fantasy as a creative tool for transformation.
Touch in on your individual expression of the power of infinite consciousness, the infinite mind that imagines worlds within itself and brings them into existence.
Dissolve the stories you tell yourself, the mental fantasies, white noise, static, imaginings that show up at the wrong, unhelpful times.
Learn to trust your innate goodness as you find ways to achieve your dreams and take risks.
Use traditional practice to replace your ordinary self-imagining with the highest and most sublime one you can find. Begin to experience yourself as filled with divine qualities.
Learn how visualization is used to start opening your inner centers.
Start consciously taking part in your dreams, start to make them active. Free yourself to open to higher realms.
See, hear, and feel what it would be like to have more motivation, self-reliance, and potency.
Sign up here if you are interested and want more information. First come, first served – spaces are limited.
See you there!
Warm wishes,
Josie and the Yoga Local Team
