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Along the Journey  |  

Three Ways for Leaders to Slow Their Souls with Creative Practice

The essence of Soul

To be a seeker of Soul is a curious quest. There is something unnameable about Soul, a quality that’s felt yet can’t be repeated. Like the wispy edge of a dream when you wake in the morning, Soul leaves you stumped yet wanting more.

To hear from Soul, a slowing is required. A dance ensues with the in-between nuances of information you ingest. It asks you to venture beyond the press of thoughts into the cool, dark basement of your being.

Yet, seeking Soul through the daily grind is incredibly difficult for many of us. And, if you’re a leader in your church, organization, or community, making room to slow and seek Soul is particularly tricky.

You may be the first to admit that you could deeply benefit from a time of BEing. However, you have full days where managing details is required. It’s as if there’s no time for one more thing.

Is there a way to experience BEing amid the hustle and bustle? In some ways, the answer is profoundly simple and holds renewal for all, including YOU.

Today, I invite you to become reacquainted with the notion of creativity. Can re-membering yourself as creative lead you toward a greater sense of Soul BE-ing?

The creative you.

The truth is that a vibrant, creative spark lives within you.

And this spark urges you to become aware of your senses in the present moment. As you practice opening to your physical senses, the beauty in your sight becomes illuminated anew.

Consider taking an aspect of your day that is somewhat robotic or uninspiring. What slight action could you take that would open the gates for your creative senses to be kindled?

As you make your morning coffee, take a breath before you begin. Smell the coffee beans. Speak words of love as the water pours into the machine.

Pause yourself from scrolling on your phone or walking away while the coffee brews. Instead, listen to the coffee drip and watch the steam come forth.

Wait with gentleness and anticipation. Observe what rises in you. As you pour your first cup, pray to the person who gave you the mug. A simple practice like this can awaken the color that lives within and open awareness, ideas, and possibilities to brew.  

The practice of (re)threading creativity into one’s life is an unhurried effort. In my experience, it took time for me to loosen the word “creative” as a description for (only) artists. By showing up again and again to the creative thread of my BEing, my relationship with the natural environment grew. Now, I’m more familiar with the birds in my neighborhood. I pay attention to the different species of trees. I’m aware of the phases of the moon and the way this connects to my rhythms. Becoming vigilant to the creative fibers in everything allowed me to unlink “creativity” as a hobby to engage and honor it for what it is: the native language of Soul.

Your ordinary environment has the potential to rouse your innate creative essence and link you to the sacred spark within all.

Return again and again to the practice of presence, and you may find that a natural desire to express yourself arises.

The line of a song, dance, poem, or visual wants to be born. Give yourself playful permission to let it come forth. Or, grab a friend and engage in communal creative practice.

Make a pact that you are there to witness and not compare. You are there to BE together and renew. Communal creative practice can be simple. Beginning your time together with an inquiry such as What are my senses present to? Or What do I need at this moment? It can be the springboard to the deeper longings of one’s soulful heart — and can be engaged in various ways, from silence to clay to photography and more! 

The practice of rethreading your creativity naturally gains momentum as you tend it.

Don’t be surprised when the monthly meeting you lead transforms from a fiercely focused session agenda into a gathering that invites Soul into something much richer.

As you re-member yourself creatively, it opens your eyes and heart to the profound opportunity for you to model a slowing of Soul to those on your everyday path.

Meeting agendas often press those present to talk ceaselessly about issues and figure out a quick and viable solution. Yet, ancient acts of art tell us to silence ourselves, enjoy the process, and listen to our inner worlds as we create. In spaces that are typically kept for “logical” to-dos, creativity asks people around the table to play and rest.

By opening a meeting with a creative practice, those gathered can breathe deeper and relate with the glowing spark that lives within. Will this leisurely pace agitate the “get-it-done” types? Most likely.

But that is precisely why we must continue working on slowing our BEings. When soul nourishment is at the helm within group dynamics — greater vulnerability, innovation, and connection have a chance to unfold.

Coloring, drawing, journaling, body movement, and song are simple entries to slow our Souls and BE with the wisdom that lives within us.

Our ears, eyes, hearts, hands and intuition (not only our brains) have a wealth of inner gold that awaits our discovery.

Here are three ways leaders can bring creative practice into the next meeting or gathering they hold. Begin with the intention to slow your Soul. Have simple materials on hand like paper, colored pencils and markers. Watercolors add an extra sense of delight.

Three Methods of Slowing Down to Create Mindfully

1. Invitation to BE: Invite participants to draw a large spiral on their paper. What word of rest desires to be in the center of their spiral? Have each person write their word. Take 10 minutes to color in and around the spiral. What is the invitation of this word for the participant’s life? Travel the spiral path with a finger towards the prayerful word, then back out (similar to a finger labyrinth). Notice any ah-has that come forth.

2. Heart Joy: Have participants draw a large heart on their paper. Invite participants to connect with the heart of what they need as they bring color to their hearts. Let this be a slow time of meditative coloring. After 10 minutes, have participants write their needs around the edge of the heart. Add rays of yellow around the heart.

3. Playful Doodle: Put a favorite song on. Set the intention to BE with Divine Love. Invite participants to free flow doodle for the entire length of the song. Once complete, spend time adding more details and coloring. Ask, what is the message of Divine Love from this time? Have participants journal for a minute or two, then share. You’ll be surprised at what is revealed!

If you are a leader who is uncomfortable leading creative endeavors, there are several options. One, offer another contemplative practice and share it with your community. Beginning with five minutes of silence or reading a favorite poem can dramatically shift a gathering in beautiful ways.

Second, invite someone who loves creativity to participate with you. Let yourself be a follower in the group. This model shows that you, as a leader, are willing to step aside and participate in something that may be uncomfortable for you. Just make sure you join the practice!

Finally, don’t be afraid to lead creative practice from your imperfect humanity. It will allow you to practice vulnerability, promote laughter, and be seen as human by those you lead. Creative expression is not about perfection but rather about allowing the reins of control to be released to experience flow and joy in the moment.

As a leader, making room to slow your Soul is paramount to your well-being. Be gentle with yourself as you reweave with creativity. Ask your physical senses to ignite and observe how your belly rumbles or your heart opens.

Observe when you are tired and (as your creative muscle grows) give in to a five or ten-minute nap. The earth’s natural cycle allows for rest, which can inspire your own rest. Be curious about your creative expression.

Is there a color, melody, or movement that calls to you? Dare to unleash it. When you are ready, invite others into this colorful BEing table where each person gathered can taste and see, taste and BE.


Ally Markotich is an artist and poet who creates from a place of heart and soul to spark sacred imagination, prayerful possibility and relationship with MotherGod. With playful approach and rich depth, she provides nourishment and inspiration through her expressive art, poetry and offerings. Ally is the author of Soul Kindling: Ignite Your Sacred, Creative Heart. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons and yellow lab. You can find her inspired art, musings and offerings at www.soulkindling.com.

Along the Journey