| Why meditate?Much of the stress of being | | | | decent wages and work conditions and organise |
| creative is actually created in our minds. Oh great! | | | | your schedule so that you are not attempting the |
| Another thing to manage! You can find yourself in | | | | superhuman in 3 days for $4.54. (Oh yes, it will be |
| a totally wonderful situation and be stressed off | | | | rounded DOWN!)But we all know that our creative |
| your nut. Or, you can be in what seems to be a | | | | environments aren't always containable. And how |
| killer environment and be having the time of your | | | | freaked out you get is a point of choice (backed |
| life.As Professor Sumner Miller used to ask in the | | | | up by the biggest chorus line of fear you've ever |
| Cadbury chocolate ad: 'Why is it so?'It's the mind. | | | | seen live on stage!) It's worth practicing a calming |
| Ah! A magnificent and treacherous contraption. A | | | | method regularly so that as you feel your freak |
| monkey. A rabbit. A chaser down wormholes. | | | | thermometer rising you can intercept it and |
| Able to leap tall buildings in a single thought!To | | | | chill.It's not an easy path, but there are choices |
| develop the mind so that it doesn't run rampant is | | | | and you CAN lessen the stress by adjusting your |
| one of the great challenges for a Creative. The | | | | perception and limiting the replays and internal |
| same mind that can come up with a great | | | | arguing that can go on for days after the event. |
| departure point for your fiction can do exactly | | | | (You see! You're not the only one that does that! |
| the same thing for your everyday life - invent | | | | Sigh! Not even your worrying is original!)How can I |
| tragedy where there is a hiccup, race ahead of a | | | | start to meditate?Well, if you're anything like me, |
| confrontation to the images of complete and | | | | your mind is going to run you ragged just trying |
| irretrievable mayhem, suspect sabotage where | | | | to avoid sitting quietly for any length of time.I've |
| there is innocent enquiry...Where do I begin?You | | | | found that beautiful audio guided meditations are |
| do just that. You begin. And do some calming and | | | | really powerful, especially when I'm working on |
| re-nourishing practice regularly. Just as regular | | | | new material. My mind's too wandery and wavey |
| practice of your craft strengthens it and allows | | | | to get the job done alone. So I pop on a CD, hole |
| you to rely on it being more easily accessible, so | | | | up for an hour and get the calm muscle toned, |
| too does regular practice at being calm and | | | | guided by a voice. Absolutely recommended!If |
| centred strengthen your mind's ability to call on | | | | activity is more what's needed try a walking |
| those skills more readily.How might it feel to have | | | | meditationStanding upright and still, right hand in |
| a mind that is quieter, focused, able to be drawn | | | | left hand near the navel (hands clasped loosely) |
| back from the precipice of stress?Yes, you need | | | | place one foot forward s-l-o-w-l-y on the ground |
| some adrenalin and flights of fancy to do what | | | | saying gently 'Heel, ball, toe' as you place that part |
| you do. But do you have to suffer that | | | | of your foot on the ground. It's r-e-a-l-l-y slow. Do |
| much?Some starters for the newbie de-stresser.1. | | | | this type of walking for around 15 minutes. You'll |
| Find a relaxation practice that you can do | | | | know when your mind is wandering and chattering |
| regularly.2. Take a check of your stress boosters | | | | because you'll stumble! Pretty obvious, eh?Keep |
| and limit them. (Stimulants are a killer. The last | | | | the focus exactly on the foot you are placing |
| thing you need when you're stressed is to further | | | | down. The breath may want to release as you |
| stress out your adrenals with coffee, coke, | | | | place the the foot down. Just let it, but keep the |
| smokes, booster drinks and em little druggie | | | | main focus on the foot. Keep eyes on the ground |
| things.)3. Limit gossip and other similar practices of | | | | about 2 metres in front of you. I swear, this will |
| speech that encourage the mind to run away | | | | really wind you back!A mind able to focus is a |
| carelessly.4. Breathe through your nose rather | | | | powerhouse of creative energy. Get started well |
| than your mouth. It stimulates nerves in the face | | | | before you need to and you'll have a great |
| that centre you and ground you.5. Be simple with | | | | companion in your expressive work - not a |
| yourself. Do all you can to be in a containable | | | | monkey on your back!Andrea rieniets is an Indie |
| situation. Get help where you can, negotiate for | | | | musician living in Melbourne and Adelaide Australia. |