Unlocking Creativity Through the Nervous System: A Guide
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Chapter 1: The Foundation of Creativity
The nervous system plays a crucial role in fostering creativity, often impacted by personal experiences and emotional states.
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Section 1.1: Childhood Influences
Reflecting on my early years, I vividly recall telling my mother that one day I would appear on television. Surprisingly, I have made several appearances, even landing on Netflix, which astonishes my teenage self.
Despite my aspirations to perform, I struggled with stage fright, often forgetting my lines during oral presentations and shaking uncontrollably when singing. I had learned to diminish my presence, believing I was a burden to my family, which led to feelings of guilt and inadequacy.
This self-diminishment is rooted in a desire for safety, yet it creates a cycle of feeling unworthy. Our perception of self-worth can be clouded when we hide, making it difficult to embrace our true potential.
Bottom line: I lacked a sense of safety.
The shrunken state may seem comfortable, but it indicates the presence of threat, creating stress that harms both our bodies and our creative endeavors. True intimacy and self-expression are elusive when we are in hiding.
Section 1.2: The Nervous System's Role
Understanding the connection between our past and our creative fears requires delving into our childhood experiences. Our inner child resides within the nervous system, which serves as our body's command center.
Bessel A. Van der Kolk, in his book The Body Keeps The Score, emphasizes that trauma leaves imprints on our mind, brain, and body. These imprints create neural pathways that influence how we navigate life today.
Various factors can disrupt these pathways, including:
- Lack of childhood support
- Trauma, both significant and minor
- Societal oppression
- Job insecurity
Each of these elements teaches our bodies to feel unsafe, leading to an overactive amygdala—the brain's fight-or-flight center. Chronic stress reinforces the amygdala while weakening the prefrontal cortex, responsible for logical thought and creativity.
What happens when our amygdala is hyperactive, and the prefrontal cortex struggles to function? We begin to perceive threats in various creative settings, making exploration nearly impossible.
While it is possible to create under stress, true creativity thrives in a state of calm. We may produce work but hesitate to share it, fearing rejection and judgment, which our nervous system perceives as too risky.
Quick Commercial Break:
The first video, The Neuroscience of Creativity, delves into how our brain processes creative thoughts and the impact of stress on this process.
The second video, also titled The Neuroscience of Creativity, discusses the relationship between emotional well-being and creative expression.
Chapter 2: Shifting from Fear to Pleasure
Imagine being trapped in a box surrounded by electric wires—this is how many experience stress. The consequences of violating these self-imposed boundaries are well known.
A chronically stressed nervous system views anything new as a threat, including powerful emotions associated with creativity, confidence, and love. Such feelings are often kept at bay, resulting in trust issues and a fear of visibility.
Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier eloquently stated, “In nature, nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything changes,” highlighting the cyclical nature of life. Thus, the inevitable lows are acknowledged, leading our nervous system to prefer a stable, lukewarm existence.
If you’re struggling to find creative inspiration, it may stem from a nervous system focused solely on survival, blocking the flow of creativity.
So, how can we activate our pleasure response? Pleasure counteracts fear, inviting a sense of expansion and relaxation. To cultivate creativity, we must first relax our bodies and move away from the fight-or-flight response.
Deep, intentional breaths heighten body awareness and create a safe space to explore outside comfort zones, encouraging a state where creativity can flourish.
Audre Lorde wrote in her essay “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power” that the erotic goes beyond mere actions; it encompasses how intensely we can feel while engaging in them.
We possess emotional muscle memory, allowing us to reshape our feelings over time. Psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett explains that by practicing positive emotions today, we can rewire our brains for a more hopeful future.
Changing ingrained patterns takes time; however, as we reinforce new pathways, our nervous system can grow accustomed to pleasure. While this doesn’t cure anxiety or depression, it establishes a new baseline of safety, enabling creative exploration.
Creativity is a reflection of our experiences. To fully appreciate beauty, we must remain present and breathe deeply, flooding our bodies with endorphins. When we relax, we can release our inhibitions and receive inspiration.
This practice can transform every aspect of our lives.
Visualize the process: Fear contracts the body, while pleasure expands it. Picture the inhale representing pleasure as it fills your belly, and the exhale releasing fear as you deflate.
Let’s try this exercise together: Breathe in deeply through your nose for four counts. Hold for four counts. Exhale slowly for eight counts. Focus on the sensations in your body. Repeat until you feel calm.
Afterward, engage in a creative activity—writing, painting, dancing—whatever feels right. Remember to breathe as you create. If you're not ready, that's perfectly fine.
The Workshop
For those interested in a deeper exploration of the creative process intertwined with the nervous system, I invite you to join my free workshop, “Nervous System Juju: Harness the Power of the Nervous System.” This session is scheduled for July 23rd at 12 PM EST and will include breathwork and embodiment exercises to help ground the information in your body.
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