Signposts and Guides for the Creative Life

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique.  And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost, the world will not have it.  It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open."

Martha Graham quoted in The Artist's Rule

What a challenge this is!  I find it exciting and scarey.  It means really digging within yourself to find what moves you, not just going with what you "think" the world wants from you.  And it means being ever so gentle with yourself, banishing that little voice that sits on your shoulder like a scolding squirrel.

There are many tools that might help keep the channel open: meditation, retreats, silence, music, art, laughter, dialogue, play.  What things work for you?  How do you discern when something is truly yours and when you might be succumbing to the expectations of outside forces?