Author: Ashley Corlis

I recently got back from a two week vacation in England and France. Getting away for awhile made me realize how important it is for your creativity to travel.

Traveling opens your mind to see a new part of the world, whether it’s a weekend trip to the next city over to discover local gems or jumping on a flight to a far off country. When you open your mind you’re more receptive to allowing creative thoughts to enter. Getting away from your comfort zone also opens the mind to think in different ways. Finding directions in an area you don’t know, watching unfamiliar faces, discovering a new culture and food. These can all trigger a creative thought and action. Travel also expands your mind and heart. You’re able to appreciate the world we live in and your unique life.

Plan a trip somewhere that will open your creative mind. Take a weekend camping trip in the mountains. Rent a beach house and relax by the ocean. Explore ancient ruins. Whatever gets your creativity going, plan that trip and go.

XO,

Natalie

Surya Namaskar A means  Sun Salutation A.  A Sun Salutation is a series of postures that are linked together by breaths, creating a powerful series of movements that are a catalyst for transformation.  These movements heat up the body, facilitate deep breathing and serve as an opportunity to shift your perspective.  I like to think as Sun Salutations as a moving meditation, allowing us to experience what it is like to be in the flow of movement and the in the flow of our creative seat.

Today we are going to do a Half-Sun Salutation A.  Begin at the top of your mat in Mountain Pose.  Stand with your feet together and root your feet evenly into the earth.  Feel the strength of your legs and notice how your belly supports your backbody.  Open across your collarbones and allow the arms to relax down by your sides.  Lengthen all four sides of your neck evenly and feel the crown of your head extend toward the sky.  On your inhale, reach your arms out to the sides and up over your head, let your palms touch.  On your exhale, separate your arms out to the sides and forward fold- hinging from your hips- to your feet.  On your inhale, place your hands on your shins and extend your heart forward, lifting halfway.  On your exhale, forward fold over your legs again, belly to thighs, relax your head.  On your inhale open your arms like wings and rise all the way up, reaching your arms over your head, let your palms press together.  On your exhale, bring your hands down together in front of your heart in prayer.  Remain here for a couple of breaths standing tall in your Mountain Pose and notice how you feel.

Do 2 more rounds of 1/2 Surya Namaskar A.  Once you are done, observe any differences you may feel in your body, mind, heart.   Feel free to do some journaling about this- observe your breath, your physical, mental and emotional state.  Do you feel more inspired or more creative?  Do you feel energized?

Namaste,

Ashley

Begin by lying down on the ground. Feel the ground underneath your body supporting you as you rest into the ground. Allow the feet and legs to relax. Feel your back, hips, belly and chest relax. Feel your hands, arms and shoulders relax. Notice any relaxation in your jaw. Notice the width between your eyebrows and depth of your eyes. Feel the heaviness of your head. Begin to listen to your breath. Notice your inhale and notice your exhale. Notice any thoughts that cross your mind. Acknowledge them. Know that you are the author of your own story. What does your story look like? In this moment, can your story be peaceful, relaxing and calm? Can your body rest easily into the ground? Can your breath be smooth and steady? Bring yourself back to the moment and feel the temperature of the air on your skin. Soften your tongue in your mouth. Feel any relaxation in your temples. Notice the width across your forehead. Breathe deeply. Participate fully in the present moment. Allow yourself to be the author of your own experience.

Namaste,
Ashley

Restorative poses give us an opportunity to restore, relax and rejuvenate our bodies, minds and hearts. Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclined Cobbler’s Pose is a wonderful hip and heart opening restorative pose that will re-ignite your creative spark.

To do this pose you will need a bolster and 3 blankets. Begin by placing the bolster vertically on your your mat and sit directly in front of the bolster so your tailbone is brushed up against the short side of the bolster and you are facing the front of your mat. Place the soles of your feet together to find Baddha Konasana (check out my earlier post here)
Place a folded blanket underneath each thigh so your hips can open slowly and you feel supported. Then, lie back on the bolster and place a folded blanket perpendicular to the bolster underneath your head, like a pillow. Feel the back of your head relax into the blanket. Allow your arms to relax down by your sides and let your palms face open. Feel the space across your collarbones and feel your trapezius soften and relax. Notice how your hips are supported by the blankets and allow them to soften into the support of the props. Feel the soles of your feet gently pressing into each other. Breathe deeply here. Remain here for 15-30 breaths.

Namaste,
Ashley

Begin seated in a comfortable position. Lengthen your spine so your breath can move easily through your body. Close your eyes. Begin to notice your breath. Allow your breath to be natural, organic and effortless. Notice any thoughts that enter your mind. Observe your thoughts and allow them to enter. Observe your thoughts and allow them to leave. Bring yourself back to your breath, just noticing how you breathe in and how you breathe out. Open your eyes and think of something that brings you inspiration. Notice if anything in the space around you inspires you or feeds your creative soul. Close your eyes and listen. Notice if anything you hear at the moment brings you inspiration. Think of anything you’ve heard in the past that has inspired you. Continue to breathe deeply. Place your hands on your lap and interweave your fingers. Feel your fingers resting on each other. Think back to a time when something you had felt or touched brought you inspiration. Continue to breathe deeply. Notice any sense of relaxation in your jaw. Feel your tongue relax in your mouth. Imagine a tangerine in your mind. Notice it’s vibrant orange color, it’s fresh taste, rubbery texture and citrusy scent. Imagine you are smelling a tangerine. Does it invoke any sense of energy or inspiration in this moment? Continue to breathe deeply and remain here for as long as you’d like.

Namaste,
Ashley

Finding your creativity stems from finding your desires. We often get caught up in the day to day and loose track of our true desires. Staying true to your desires is staying true to yourself. What do you want out of life? Using stream of conscious writing make a list of 20 desires. Don’t think about it. Just write. And be as specific about it as you can. Don’t just say you want to travel. Where do you want to travel to? The last item on the list is what you really wish for.

1. I wish I owned a home…had a dog…I wish I spoke fluent Italian…20. But what I really wish is…

XO,
Natalie

If you could have a different career what would it be? Make a list of five other jobs that you would like or that seem interesting. Don’t think about it too much, just write down the first thing that comes to mind. Now look at these five alternate jobs and think about how you can integrate a part of them into your life. If you wrote down a scuba instructor, can you spend the day at the beach or an afternoon at the aquarium? This week explore this hidden passion and do a part of one of these jobs.

The next day write in your daily journal about your experience. How did it make you feel? Were you excited? Nervous? What other thoughts did it spark, if any?

Next week try to do the same with a different job from the list.

XO,

Natalie

Have you ever been so busy doing something that you lost track of time? Have you ever been so focused on something that it appeared like everything else just fell away? This is the process of being “in the flow”. When we are “in the flow” we no longer have to analyze or remind ourselves to stay focused- we just are focused. This state of “flow” is a creative state that allows us to feel more like a vessel rather than a vehicle. We are not operating something. Something is operating through us.

To practice this “in the flow” exercise begin by standing in Warrior II (to learn how see this post) on the right side. Feel your feet connect to the ground underneath you. On your inhale, come to Reverse Warrior by reaching your right arm up to the sky as your back arm slides down your back thigh. On your exhale pass through Warrior II and bring your right elbow on your right knee and extend your left arm in line with your ear for Extended Side Angle Pose. On your inhale, rise back up through Warrior II and back to Reverse Warrior. On your exhale, pass through Warrior II to Extended Side Angle Pose. On your inhale, rise back up to Warrior II. Continue this 3x or so until you feel the rhythm of the movement and it feels more fluid. Begin to feel the connection between the movement and the breath. Allow the breath to move your body. Sense what it feels like to be “in the flow”. Practice this on the left side as well.

Namaste,
Ashley

Last week I suggested writing a letter to your Artist Champion, and this week I’m suggesting the opposite. Again, go back through the years of your life but this time think about the people that brought down your artist. Those that weren’t encouraging, who didn’t think you were an artist, who told you to go against your intuition.

Make a list of three people that standout. Now, choose one and write a letter in your defense. This won’t be mailed, so put don’t everything that you feel. What was the situation? What was your response? Tell them how you feel. Release this situation and the bad thoughts and feelings associated with it to the universe. You no longer need it.

Dear Mrs. Rios, Why are you a career counselor, when you told me I should apply to that college? That’s how my letter started. Write the letter and seal it to never be seen or write it in your daily journal.

XO,
Natalie

I love to use Essential Oils to help deepen my meditation practice. My favorite essential oil for feeling grounded is Frankincense. Frankincense is an essential oil that has been used for thousands of years for spiritual grounding and healing.
Begin this grounding meditation by finding a comfortable seat in a chair. Sit near the edge of the chair so your feet can comfortably reach the ground and you can root down into the earth with your feet. Sit with a tall spine and allow your shoulders to relax and feel at ease. Place some Frankincense essential oil on your hands and slowly rub your palms together and place your cupped hands over your nose. Take a deep breath in to smell the fragrance of this grounding essential oil. As you exhale, place your palms face down on your thighs. Feel the weight of your feet on the earth and the steadiness of your breath. As you inhale, think of the word “I” and as you exhale think of the word “AM”. Try not to add anything to end of that phrase to explain or label anything. Just be. Just allow yourself to be in the moment. I AM. I AM. I AM. Continue this meditation for as long as you’d like.

If you are interested in where to get Frankincense Essential Oil click here.

Namaste,
Ashley