This article is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to effectively harnessing artistic manifestation. The aim is to empower you to summon creativity at will, even when the muses seem to have deserted you. Especially during periods of creative blockage , the insights in this article will quickly pull you out.
A Lack of Creative Motivation and Inspiration
As an artist, there is nothing more frustrating than finding yourself without inspiration. You want to create, but it seems difficult, and soon frustration sets in. Is this really for me? Other creatives seem to find it much easier.
There is much to be said about the mystery surrounding creative motivation and inspiration because it’s almost impossible to pinpoint. It comes at random moments, often not when you’d like it to. This is partly due to our brain being a mysterious network that we sometimes don’t even have control over.
Manifesting Whatever You Want?
Manifestation and visualization are often mentioned in a spiritual context. You focus on something you want, and the universe gives it to you. Everyone can decide for themselves whether they can make things beyond their control happen in this way. But one thing is certain: your creativity is within your own control. It’s a wrong or twisted mindset that makes your creative motivation disappear or seem ’empty.’
Artistic manifestation may be the best way for you to always tap into inspiration and a joyful creative process.
What artistic manifestation will bring you:
- Breaking Artistic Blockages
- Generating targeted inspiration
- Regaining Confidence in Your Creative Process
- Growing Massively in Your Artistic Skills
Especially if you are a perfectionist or deal with performance anxiety in your creative process, this manifesting practice works incredibly well. It may take some searching to get on the right ‘frequency,’ but it will ultimately be applicable whenever you think you’re getting stuck.
The goal of artistic manifestation is to establish a connection with the vibe that unleashes your creativity. More often than not, artists fail to do this and therefore get stuck for long periods.
How Manifesting Works for Artists
Manifesting essentially means focusing your attention on something you would like to have in your life.
However, it’s a bit more complex than just directing your attention, as that involves only your rational mind. Because, as an artist, you make decisions 90% based on feelings, visualizing a piece of artwork or a musical composition doesn’t provide the manifestation you need.
It’s about the emotion you allow into your inner self, in complete escape, that will ignite creativity. If you have a creative personality, these insights often come to you out of nowhere but often don’t get the chance to surface because there’s a thick layer of self-expectations on top.
Therefore, letting go of this control is the first thing you must confront.
1. Letting go of control
Letting go of control, the first step, is also the most important. Unconsciously, everyone, especially a creator, has certain expectations of themselves. A piece of art must conform to a set of guidelines. These guidelines vary for everyone, involving precision, color usage, recognizability, emotion, or touching on something you don’t yet know.
The belief that these agreements give you freedom of expression often works counterproductively. Why? Because the benchmark for what you find good enough always rises. Especially if you can’t get into the flow, every idea seems too dull, easy, or just bad to work with.
‘Therefore, first choose to completely let go of control over your creativity. Control is based on fear: you compare yourself to others or the ideas you come up with are never good enough.’
This is certainly not easy in the beginning if you’ve always told yourself that things must be at a certain level before you can attach value to them. This article provides more insight on letting go of this control.
Step 2: Believing is Key
Believing in yourself sounds very simple, as if it’s a kind of choice. But it actually is. There hasn’t been a single painter or designer who, alongside a good amount of talent, didn’t also have a belief in their true craftsmanship.
To effortlessly manifest your creativity, it is crucial to deeply believe that you have what it takes to do what you want to do. You don’t need to show it, only believe it. Don’t be insecure about whether you have enough talent or skills; these always come naturally when you believe in your creativity.
This is the dream of every artist: to connect with the ‘magic’ that provides the right direction and ideas. There are so many aspiring or sometimes even accomplished artists who, after a long period of struggle, think that inspiration is forever gone, while it is actually an inner source you can always tap into.
Tell yourself, ‘I can create what I want, and there is no one I compare myself to except myself.’
Step 3. Connecting with Emotions
Manifesting is about putting yourself on the right frequency to receive something. In creative manifestation, it is the emotion or vibe you need to align yourself with.
Imagine this: you’re listening to a piece of music or looking at a piece of art related to what you, as an artist, are currently engaged in. Some pieces of art can touch you so deeply that you’ve decided to ignite your creativity. The musician or artist managed to make you feel what he/she felt when they came up with the idea.
The trick to manifesting is:
- Finding and making a connection with the feeling and thoughts you had with the art piece that initially touched you.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? This is often more challenging than you think.
Creating involves an undeniable need to make something that starts out with a very strong emotion. Something has made us WANT to create. This force that causes it can be anything: a story, person, song, or artwork.
If we work without a story or idea that emotionally resonates with us, we often get nowhere. You’ll notice that you’re trying to be creative with your head, which is not inherently wrong as long as the connection with your feelings remains intact.
You’ve learned techniques and acquired methods, yet that won’t contribute significantly to a ‘spark’ that inspires you. You need a rush—something that ignites your creativity from within. Once you’ve found that, you’re ready to manifest your own ideas and creations.
The source for your manifestation is to realign, to the ecstasy, what has the most potential to inspire you. Try not to force the creative spark, but let it emerge naturally.
Step 4. Now it’s time to manifest
First and foremost, it’s essential to take some time for this. For some, it’s easier to forcibly ‘feel’ something than for others.
‘I dream my painting, and I paint my dream.’
This can also work with a short or longer meditation. In such meditation, it’s crucial to consciously let go of all control and decide to fully immerse yourself in your feelings.
1. Focus on the feeling: Focus strongly on the desire to be creative. Don’t think about WHAT you have in mind to create, but about the happiness and fulfillment you get when you’re engaged in it. The rest will follow naturally.
2. Make a Clear Picture in Your Head: Once you’ve got the feeling of freeing yourself from all control, you’ll notice that ideas and inspiration come to you effortlessly. But beware: This can only happen if you’ve carefully considered the steps and completely let go of control.
3. Make it Visual: Try to hear the music; try to see the lines or colors. And don’t forget: feel grateful that you have the talent to do what you can already do. Focusing on this self-building mood will provide even more confidence in your creativity.
4. Join the Flow: After this, it’s just a matter of diving into the creative process. Do what you normally do: paint, write, or compose. Let the process bring you new ideas, and if you lose track, go back to the emotion you started with.
It seems very easy, which it is in essence, but the first time it might feel very forced. Manifestation happens naturally; you don’t have to make an effort. That’s the beauty of creativity, but also the danger. The more pressure or expectation you put on it, the harder it becomes to stay consistently inspired.
Be easy and let it come to you.
Manifesting creative ideas: Good to Know:
Why do you get better ideas when you let go of control? Ideas that form in your head either spontaneously arise or are stimulated by yourself. Unconsciously, you have a compass that guides your style, preferences, and things you find beautiful or valuable.
Conscious control creates a block where only a fraction of what your unconscious actually has to offer comes to the surface.
So, don’t limit yourself to a style or a preconceived method. The goal is to let creative expression develop without any constraints. Failures are necessary to find your originality.
Discovering how a connection with your feelings provides a vast source of inspiration doesn’t mean you will never fail again. Or yes, what you see as failure. It might sound cliché, but when you make mistakes, you get the chance to see things from a different perspective. A wrong form or a failed sketch can actually be good, without that being the intention.
In the creative process, you will learn to embrace these issues. Because, let’s be honest, you will make mistakes and have to start over. It’s better to accept this and use them as constructive learning points.
It takes time to get in the Flow
A creative process often takes longer than we sometimes wish… Your expectations are not met, making you feel frustrated. The only way to get back into the flow is by attentively listening to your feelings and strengthening them.
This may take some time, even a few hours. That is the threshold that every creative person who wants to create something amazing must endure.
Again, you cannot force or control it. Therefore, staying relaxed and connecting with your feelings is the only way to let inspiration flow again.
Let go of expectations for a moment and see what possibilities and solutions your heart suggests. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you will gain new perspectives that you did not expect.
How to STAY in the Flow of Creativity
Sooner or later, if you recognize this in yourself, you will become completely obsessed with smaller details or perfectionism. Focusing on these little things causes you to lose sight of the big picture. It often leads to immense frustration and takes you out of the flow.
You need to refocus your attention on the whole, not consciously by looking at it but in your mind and feelings. 1. Take a small break from what you are doing. 2. Take a walk or make a cup of coffee. 3. In complete relaxation, let the work you are engaged in pass through your mind. 4. Now, you give yourself the space to see all the small details in perspective.
Big Tip: Research has shown that the movement you make while walking stimulates your brain. Your creativity kicks in, and you can reflect well on things. The same happens in the shower, where you suddenly get a brilliant idea out of nowhere.
Conclusion
Now that you know emotions, not specific techniques, are the biggest driver of inspiration, manifesting your creativity will be much easier. Letting go of perfectionism is also a crucial part of it. And remember: Be easy and let it come to you.
