Creative ManiFestival Day 25

Continuing along with some further discussion about each of the 10 steps, we'll start with Step 3.

STEP #3......Record any and all reasons why you think you CAN'T have it, and then engage in a creative exercise to transform those very words into answers as to why you CAN have this.

There are generally two types of people -- people who see why things will work, and people who can clearly see why things will not work. Both personalities are very useful when it comes to making decisions. The approach addressed in this step works for BOTH types.

If you are person who can see the solution in any problem, it will be very easy for you to turn around the challenges that have been facing you. Furthermore, doing so will give you confidence and fuel your momentum, because you know this is your strength.

If, however, you are a person who can always find the problem with a given situation, this exercise is equally effective, because it puts you in the role of being a "devil's advocate". For many people, NOTHING gets the creativity rolling more than using the mind and imagination to point out flaws, hardships, and inconsistencies in a plan.

By using your creativity to fight against the reasons a desire can't happen, you can tap into that fiesty little part of you, and also send powerful messages to the Universe as to why you are readyand open for miracles to take place.

Like each of the steps, the Creative ManiFestival course encourages approaching this step from a creative, rather than a logical point of view. You've already carried out this concept in two ways. Youwrote a poem based on an upside-down view of your "can't" list, and you also rewrote a screenplay scene in which you literally played attorney to represent the cause of the CAN.

Here are some other ways to use your creativity to turn the CAN'Ts into CANs:

a. Draw or paint while thinking about all the reasons your desire can't come to pass. Just allow yourself to create abstractly and see where the lines, spaces, and shapes take you as your examine your desire for a closed, defeatist place. Then, literally rip the painting up into small pieces and then collage them back together while thinking about all the reasons your desire CAN come to fruition!

b. Do this exercise with an artist friend: each of you create a piece of artwork while thinking about all the stumbling blocks and mis-beliefs associated with NOT being able to achieve your dream. Then switch with one another, and re-create your friend's artwork to exemplify all the reasons it CAN happen for her (and, of course, she will do the same for you!)

c. You also can do the same "switching" technique with a friend using a piece of writing. Start by expressing the reasons why something can't happen, using poetry, essay, or script format. Then have your friend rewrite your piece showing why it IS possible!

d. HINT: when you do these types of exercises, look for *evidence* on what your dream can come true. What in the past has shown you that your dream is possible? Who else has tried this and succeeded? In what ways has the Universe made incredible connections for you in the past? Create a file folder of "evidence" on hand, so that when you engage in these types of "creative debates" between the CANs and CAN'Ts, you have a lot of evidence on hand to call upon.
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STEP #4: Tap into the ESSENCES behind why you want this desire by writing about it with great focus on how you experience these essences.

Getting down to the ESSENCES of why you want something is SO effective. It sends clear signals to the Universe of what you want, and it helps you channel your desire into actions and feelings that will help you attract more of it in your life.

In other words, if you can clue into exactly WHY you want a desire, you can start implementing more of THAT into your life. If you want a new car because of the freedom it will give you, figure out other ways to ignite a sense of freedom into your life. Like attracts like -- so doing so will bring more freedom into your sphere in inward and material ways.

In the book "Conversations with God", Neale Donald Walsch explains this point so well that I will include an excerpt from the book, here:

"Most people believe if they "have" a thing (more time, money, love -- whatever), then they can finally "do" a thing (write a book, take up a hobby, go on vacation, buy a home, undertake a relationship), which will allow them to "be" a thing (happy, peaceful, content, or in love). In actuality, they are reversing the Be-Do-Have paradigm. In the universe as it really is (as opposed to how you think it is), "havingness" does not produce "beingness," but the other way around.

First you "be" the thing called "happy" (or "knowing," or "wise," or "compassionate," or whatever), then you start "doing" things from this place of beingness -- and soon you discover that what you are doing winds up bringing you the things you've always wanted to "have."

The way to set this creative process (and that's what this is...the process of creation) into motion is to look at what it is you want to "have," ask yourself what you think you would "be" if you "had" that, then go right straight to being.

In this way you reverse the way you've been using the Be-Do-Have paradigm -- in actuality, set it right -- and work with, rather than against, the creative power of the universe.

Here is a short way of stating this principle:

In life, you do not have to do anything. It's all a question of what you are being....to illustrate this, think of a person who just knows that if he could only have a little more time, a little more money, or a little more love, he'd be truly happy.

He does not get the connection between his "not being very happy" right now and his not having the time, money, or love he wants. On the other hand, the person who is "being" happy seems to have time to do everything that's really important, all the money that's needed, and enough love to last a lifetime."

Step #5 goes into greater detail about how to USE the essences, but it is very important to understand why it is necessary to dig until you find the essences.

We've already used writing as a vehicle for finding the essences...creating a scene in which your desire has come true that includes so many details, that the essences are apparent.

Here are some more ideas:

a. The question "why" does a great deal to help you get to the bottom of essences. Ask yourself, "Why do I want ____?" and then keep asking why, and why again, until you get to what feels like the CORE ESSENCE. Then create a piece of art that expresses that CORE ESSENCE.

b. Write a dialogue between the CORE ESSENCE and yourself. What is it trying to tell you? What do you need from it and what does it need from you? If you like, try switching between your dominant and non-dominant hands to have this conversation. Allow your essence to use your non-dominant hand, and your own voice to use your dominant. Lots of interesting stuff can be uncovered in this way.

c. Try another dialogue: write a conversation between your CORE ESSENCE and your CORE VALUES. Don't think too much about this -- just try it and see what happens!

d. Keep breaking the essences down until you have a single word, and create colorful posters with the word and illustrations to reflect the word.

e. Use index or playing cards to create a deck of cards, each one artfully depicting a difference essence that corresponds to WHY you want a particular desire to come true.


Material copyrighted by Marney Makridakis of artellawordsandart.com. Used with permission by license.