Mindfulness for Creatives: 4 Week Group

TomSemmesPainting

Mindfulness for Creatives: 4 Week Group with Tom Semmes

Tuesday evenings: October 27th – November 17th
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Cost: $75 

[RESERVE YOUR SPACE]

Creativity is everyone’s inherent birthright.

Whether making art, running a business, or raising a family, we are often called to meet new challenges with fresh ideas. But often we get in our own way. We overthink the situation, overwhelmed by the possibilities available to us, or become impatient and jump to conclusions. The problem is we impose what we think should happen instead of letting a natural response arise on its own time. Before we can respond creatively we first need to perceive accurately. We need to see things as they really are not as we wish they were. If our perceptions are obscured and our minds are not in the moment, we end up trying to create based on our concepts (shoulds, coulds, woulds) which gets us nowhere.

Meditation is the most effective tool to help us move beyond the limits of our concepts and to rest in the state of unknowing where all creative energy arises.

This course intends to benefit mediators who want to expand and explore the creative possibilities of mindfulness. By the simple act of sitting and relaxing in the spaciousness of the moment, we become familiar with our minds and see how we are distracted from what is actually going on. From this awareness, we can choose to open our minds and enjoy a sense of peacefulness that is also alert and curious. The world appears more vivid and our choices seem more choiceless.

This workshop is primarily intended for people in the creative fields, such as artists, musicians, and designers, as well as teachers, coaches, healers and those whose work requires them to be on the spot in each moment. 

Each class will include meditation instruction and practice. The instructor will also introduce a contemplative exercises that will help deepen our perceptions and creative receptivity. The class will end with a talk and discussion on the principles of how mindfulness and creativity work together and on how to bring these principles into everyday life.

Each class introduces a different topic and exercise, as follows:

  • Class 1: Coming Back to Our Senses. After being introduced to meditation, participants will be guided through simple movement exercises to help us ground our bodies as well as our minds.
  • Class 2: True Perception. Creative expression is based on accurate perception. Participants will be introduced to sensory awareness exercises to clarify and deepen their perceptions.
  • Class 3: Seeing Things as They Are. We look at how our conceptual framework can either hinder our ability to perceive directly or help to give meaning and context to our experience.
  • Class 4: The Creative Process. The creative spark is a magical process that happens when we are both inspired as well as grounded . Participant will create simple arrangements using everyday objects that create surprising relationships and release unexpected energies.

No experience or prerequisites are necessary for this class though a previous exposure to meditation is helpful.

 

 

The teacher, Tom Semmes, has been meditating since 1987 as a student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of Shambhala Buddhist Meditation. He has been teaching classes in meditation and creativity since 2001. After a career in graphic and web design, he currently practices as a full-time artist and teacher. You can find our more about him and his work at tomsemmes.com