Meditation for Creatives
The impetus behind some art-making has, for a long time, been similar to the goals of meditation: to reach a new level of consciousness.
All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness
– ECKHART TOLLE
Yoga (union) is the complete settling of the activity of the mind.
– Maharishi Patanjali, Yoga Sutra
How to evaluate the efficacy of a meditation practice?
A most effective meditation practice is one that is simple and natural. One that effortlessly lets the mind systematically settle into presence (pure consciousness) - a state of restful alertness (awareness without content). The settling of the mind into our innermost essential nature: unbounded, eternal stillness - silence.
– John Raatz
There are countless forms of meditation, it’s true. Meditation practices utilizing the senses, the body, the mind, the brain, the emotions, behavioral practices, even environmental practices. Ritual. Alchemical.
Generally, meditation practices are categorized as belonging to concentration or contemplation practices - various ways of managing aspects of the mind and body.
During the course of my decades-long inner journey, I have experienced a multitude of practices. However, the one practice that I have done and do consistently and have the greatest benefits from is Transcendental Meditation (TM). I find the intellectual understanding satisfying and the direct experience of TM to be most fulfilling for me.
Meditation is the anchor of my daily rhythm, a sacred practice that grounds me in stillness and presence. It opens the day with clarity and calm, shaping not only how I feel within myself but also how I meet life’s unfolding circumstances—with steadiness, openness, and a deeper sense of grace.
The primary factor securing my allegiance to this practice is the vertical or transcending movement – the going within, if you will – this practice so beautifully engenders. The effects of this inward movement is the natural quieting of the mind - thoughts and emotions - and the deep rest and relaxation for the body.
I have come to rely on this regular, consistent and reliable experience as the cornerstone of my daily rhythm and routine.
If you are interested in learning the TM practice, I offer “TM for Creatives” courses on a regular basis in the Los Angeles area. If you’d like to learn more, please contact me.
Creation, destruction, and maintenance — each is a pulse in the heartbeat of existence, inseparable aspects of the primordial creative process. Together they form the rhythm of becoming: the birth of something new, its flourishing, and its inevitable transformation. In the human creative journey, we feel this same rhythm moving through us — inspiration rising, forms dissolving, visions reshaping themselves. The artist who understands this flow does not cling or resist. They surrender to the dance, trusting that every ending carries the seed of a new beginning, and every act of creation is part of a greater, timeless harmony.
