Thoughts on Creative Blocks

 Maria Popova, creator of The Marginalian, writes, “[b]ut there come moments in life when some monolith of agony or apathy lodges itself in the middle of the spiritual path, leaving us too painfully cut off from ourselves to create. We may call this creative block, we may experience it as depression, but no matter the conceptual container, the ineffable stuff inside pulsates with aching unease. In such moments, there is no way out we can claw our way to — there is only the soft allowing of the passage through.”

This has been my experience, again and again. Trying to meet creative blocks with frustration or rejection only makes it worse. And forcing paintings and poems into existence never, ever, works. A better way is to see the block, acknowledge it, and play with it. Stephen Nachmanovitch (American musician, author, artist, and educator) talks about “faithfulness to the moment and to the present circumstance  entails constant surrender.”

Nachmanovitch suggests asking yourself questions and then giving yourself answers. Or you could ask the block gentle questions and then listen for what the block answers. Or just journal about the block; what does the block feel like? What does it look like? What color is it? Does it have an odor? Is it heavy? Give it a name and start a conversation. The very act of writing itself will often gently undo many mental tangles in the mind, opening the channel for inspiration to flow. 

Another suggestion for resolving creative blocks is walking. “Solvitur ambulando” (a Latin phrase which means "it is solved by walking", referring to an anecdotal, practical solution to a seemingly complex philosophical problem). If you wrestle with a stubborn creative block and you feel yourself getting more and more agitated and frustrated, taking your mind completely off the problem and going for a walk can do wonders. It’s also true that involving the body in activity (like walking which doesn’t require much brain input since walking is taken care of by muscle memory), frees up the brain for creative thinking. I have had some of my best ideas while cleaning up the kitchen, or pulling weeds, and even driving.

(Photo by Simon Hurry, courtesy of Unsplash)