INSPIRATION

"In the midst of our daily lives, we must find the juice to nourish our creative souls."

- Sark

Inspiration is the moment in which the spirit within is accessed and revealed. Inspiration dawns when something in your outer world sparks a flame within you and calls forth a message. It arrives to remind you that all your answers lie inside of you, and that you alone are the wisest wizard in your kingdom.

It is often easy to miss those moments until you learn to truly hear the inner "ding!" and give it the space to emerge into your consciousness. As you move toward honoring your inner knowing, you can more easily recognize those moments of inspiration - many of which can be life-transforming.

Spending time in nature can be a wonderful source of inspiration. The natural world has an energy to it that can put you in touch with the deepest parts of yourself. Thoreau spent two years alone in the woods so he could commune with nature and access the wisdom inside him.It was there that he wrote some of his most inspiring work - much of which contains timeless wisdom that is every bit as valid and true a century later. He discovered that all his answers lay inside him, just as yours lie inside you. Swim in the ocean, climb a tree, hike a mountain, or simply take a long walk in the woods. Do whatever activity calls to you that will draw you into the rhythm of nature and draw out your natural instincts

The arts can be another miraculous source of inspiration. Beautiful poetry or literature can open your heart and soul so that you may allow your innate knowledge to flow forth. A glorious piece of music or a magnificent painting can also spark the divine place within you. Each masterpiece was created in a moment of inspiration that can lead you back to your own.

My friend Laura keeps an "inspiration box" on her dresser, in which she stores quotes written on scraps of paper and objects that inspire her. She has everything in there from a Chinese fortune that says " You are your own deepest fountain" to a sparkly blue marble given to her by her young son. Whenever she is searching for an answer to one of life's many questions or problems, she reaches into her inspiration box and draws out something to put her in touch with her own wisdom.

What would you put in your inspiration box?