Seven Laws for Creative Success - Emma Wright

Seven Laws for Creative Success
Emma Wright

Deepak Chopra in his delightful book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success gives us a glance under the hood at the laws that can guide us to the fulfilment of our dreams. I've taken these seven laws and analysed how they might be useful for a creative person. Mainly because when I get all tangled up with thinking something is wrong or I lose my patience or perspective or wonder why things are not working out like I imagined they might - these laws bring me home. Hello me. Hello creative energy. Hello peace with what is and subsequently back on track with what I'm creating. In other words, these great laws iron me out and bring me back to why I'm even interested in being creative in the first place.

1. Pure possibility
This law suggests we are all connected to a universal energy that flows through us. Everything we are, we create, we have and we do is a manifestation of that energy. In other words, our entire universe comes from, and continues to arise out of, a single energy source. This energy source could also be called a source of pure possibility. Tapping into this pure potentiality is where the heart of creativity lies. Artistic expression uses this pure energy to create whatever it is the artist is making. That means tapping into this energy can offer your creativity an energy unbound by the limits of our human edges. Tap into it and creativity will flow through you with unimaginable force.

2. Giving
Giving, his holiness the Dalai Lama tells us, is at the heart of human happiness. Giving of ourselves without seeking to get something in return is up there with one of the most delicious human experiences. But being giving is much more than just finding happiness. It's about seeing creativity is a service. That our art gives the viewer a gift - be it beauty, thought provocation, a new perspective, irreverence or simply a smile. Art, in the light of these laws, is about serving humanity. Give freely, wherever you go, expect nothing in return and your creativity will blossom just as freely.

3. Cause & effect
Every decision we make has a flow on effect. If we decide to react to circumstances with fear and resentment, we will experience much fear and wrongdoing in the world. If we decide to react with love and compassion, we will experience much beauty and goodness in the world. It is in the decisions we make on a moment by moment basis through which our world unfolds before us. Making decisions that leave us and the world around us better than we find it (cause) will make every day of our lives feel blessed and abundant (effect). Choosing compassion and love toward yourself wherever you are with your creativity will result in a creative life rich with blessings and rewards.

4. Effortlessness
Have you ever noticed how some people create with effortlessness and some seem to work their tails off to no end? That could be explained by the law of least effort. This law shows us that struggle and hard work are not the key's to creative success. In fact struggle is in direct opposition to how this law works. It's not to be confused with doing nothing. Action is necessary. But action taken with effortlessness is never stressful or anxious, not matter how much time or attention those actions take. Action then, that is natural, effortless and has an ease about it will result in creations almost unimaginable to have made.

5. Intention
Holding steady to a single minded intention and working towards it with effortlessness has a deep seated power to it. Holding your intention in your mind, allowing the moment to be as it is without resistance or struggle and taking action in a consistent and powerful manner will open up your creative powers like you've personally plugged into a universal power source.

6. Detachment
The point at which so many (my hand is up here) creative people stop the flow of energy and find themselves stuck, despondent, despairing, is understanding and apply all the other laws but them becoming attached to an outcome. Looking at what is happening in the moment and getting grumpy about it. Being able to let go of any outcome, keep hold of your intention and to be able to use whatever is happening as access to your intention is one of the most powerful (yet incredibly hard to learn) laws. Detachment or non-resistance in the moment will allow you to regroup quickly and powerfully, it will allow you to see the gift in the moment without falling into the trap called It Shouldn't Be Like This. That trap kills creative juice faster than a snake belly can slither down a wagon wheel rut. Being detached, on the other hand, from results will bring creative juice alive like nothing else.

7. Purpose
Every human being on the planet has a unique gift to offer in service of humanity. Each and every one of us has a creative expression. It is up to us to seek that unique expression and offer ourselves up to it. Whenever we give our gift freely to the world creative energy pours into our every moment. We become the universe manifesting itself through our actions. That's amazing, right? Creativity is in all of us. It's up to us to allow it.

For deeper understanding about these seven laws and how the relate to success in general, check out Chopra's magical little book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.

Happy creativity people. Detachment is what I'm aware of today. How things go will be how the go. I still get to write, paint, offer up my gifts. For you.

Emma Wright writes articles and blog posts to help people live a creative life. For more information check out her emmawright.co.nz or find out about her newsletter here.

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