Ryan, I think you might have changed my life. I have been creative for so long, starting when I was a child, and still am, but for the last few years I have been feeling stale and depressed. However, when I saw your talk with Anand everything changed. It's been so long since I've been around people who are so vital and original, so intuitive, so alive. I have been needing people like you and Anand desperately and now I've found you. I will try to draw a vampire bursting forth into the sun for you, not to die, but to be reborn as someone revitalized and inspired. I honestly feel like the person I was many decades ago now. It's the way you look at things that did it. Thank you.
I accidentally happened upon your live chat with Anand and was instantly curious and inspired! I, too, am looking for a place of expression and inspiration. I lost all motivation to create here after the loss of my father. Looking to find that spark again! How do you keep creating and balancing all things? Idk. I had this huge surge of inspiration and then it was gone. Well, not gone… on hold. I need help Substackers on getting this back- I guess that is what I should write about.
I will, thank you and I really love this. I had a rough week, my uncle was killed in a horse accident and it is absolutely shocking. He was my mom's brother and we will travel to be there with his large family. I need a character that will have the energy of strength, warmth and kindness. And Love. A bright light. No matter how many years it has been since I have seen him, or his family - some I have never met - I am nervous to feel the loss of this man that always told me he loved me. We were part of each other's lives for so long, but I loved him too. Family is Family.
I'm glad you have an outlet. I'm so sorry about your uncle. I think Ryan is right that you should just write or draw--anything. Just doodle even. It will not be easy but I think eventually it will help.
Well said, expressed, portrayed, and visualized! I become wildly alive every time I go for a walk outside, getting the air deep into my lungs to oxygenate my blood, lubricating my joints with the exertion, feasting my eyes on elements of nature, and introducing myself to the local fur babies. Even though I am old and tired the process refreshes me and reminds me to be grateful.
I loved hearing you and Anand chat about creativity. Writing about the last time I felt wildly alive showed me that I've been cultivating ways to easily access this feeling in the everyday. I feel wildly alive when I snuggle with my kids or watch them play. They are my biggest source of inspiration. But also when Mike and I talk art, do crosswords, cook for friends. Or when I take the hour-long walk to school pick-up to notice the changing trees and flowers instead of rushing there on wheels. And I've been feeling wildly alive as I play with weaving together stories in my writing life. For me it's less about what I'm doing and more about how I'm showing up for it. Thanks for the moments of reflection. :)
I look forward to following your work Ryan. It has a strong Jungian feel to it and I use an approach with music and sometimes quatrains from Rumi when working in a therapeutic setting - I call it Color, Shape and Sound. Carl Jung wrote a great deal and also drew, sculpted and painted many pieces as interactions with his psyche (you likely knew that) but your engagement with Anand last week was inspiring. My own analyst of over 30 years would often "doodle" during our phone session and occasionally send to me a page that "struck" her. I used her response in color and shape connecting to our verbal session to ponder more deeply the material of the session. Thank you for bringing your approach forward - The process is valuable!
Since I retired several years ago, I’ve been a pretty dedicated climate activist, trying all kinds of modalities in that vein to find where I feel most effective and working at my core. Ryan, when you write “a deep engagement with art and ideas” I feel an instant resonance. I’m still looking for an artistic way I can contribute to the climate movement.
You’ve reminded me when I was little I used to draw creatures. Pages and pages of cartoony ‘monsters’. I’d give them names too and imagine stories about them…With colored pencils from a flat tin box. I’m old now and I haven’t done anything other than doodle for decades. I should get some of those pencils and paper. The feeling of wildly alive has evaded for some time, as well…
I think my version of wildly alive is “flow state.” Where I am doing something in which I have no awareness of the passage of time. I have no big “wild” moments, just flow states. My third act career is conservation gardener. I help my clients rewild their yards. It is all flow state for me to the point where I have to set my alarm for quitting time. Any time I am experiencing something in which I look at my watch and can’t understand where the hours went is my wildly alive. Whether it be my work, lolling around, spending time with people. No big bang. Just a version of reverie I guess.
Ryan, I think you might have changed my life. I have been creative for so long, starting when I was a child, and still am, but for the last few years I have been feeling stale and depressed. However, when I saw your talk with Anand everything changed. It's been so long since I've been around people who are so vital and original, so intuitive, so alive. I have been needing people like you and Anand desperately and now I've found you. I will try to draw a vampire bursting forth into the sun for you, not to die, but to be reborn as someone revitalized and inspired. I honestly feel like the person I was many decades ago now. It's the way you look at things that did it. Thank you.
I accidentally happened upon your live chat with Anand and was instantly curious and inspired! I, too, am looking for a place of expression and inspiration. I lost all motivation to create here after the loss of my father. Looking to find that spark again! How do you keep creating and balancing all things? Idk. I had this huge surge of inspiration and then it was gone. Well, not gone… on hold. I need help Substackers on getting this back- I guess that is what I should write about.
Best thing to do is get to writing. Maybe start by drawing a creature that holds the energy you need to start expressing. :)
I will, thank you and I really love this. I had a rough week, my uncle was killed in a horse accident and it is absolutely shocking. He was my mom's brother and we will travel to be there with his large family. I need a character that will have the energy of strength, warmth and kindness. And Love. A bright light. No matter how many years it has been since I have seen him, or his family - some I have never met - I am nervous to feel the loss of this man that always told me he loved me. We were part of each other's lives for so long, but I loved him too. Family is Family.
Please tell us what you need. We're here to help. 😀
I am struggling with this low feeling all the time. I know that writing or creating will help with this. Thank you!
I'm glad you have an outlet. I'm so sorry about your uncle. I think Ryan is right that you should just write or draw--anything. Just doodle even. It will not be easy but I think eventually it will help.
Well said, expressed, portrayed, and visualized! I become wildly alive every time I go for a walk outside, getting the air deep into my lungs to oxygenate my blood, lubricating my joints with the exertion, feasting my eyes on elements of nature, and introducing myself to the local fur babies. Even though I am old and tired the process refreshes me and reminds me to be grateful.
I loved hearing you and Anand chat about creativity. Writing about the last time I felt wildly alive showed me that I've been cultivating ways to easily access this feeling in the everyday. I feel wildly alive when I snuggle with my kids or watch them play. They are my biggest source of inspiration. But also when Mike and I talk art, do crosswords, cook for friends. Or when I take the hour-long walk to school pick-up to notice the changing trees and flowers instead of rushing there on wheels. And I've been feeling wildly alive as I play with weaving together stories in my writing life. For me it's less about what I'm doing and more about how I'm showing up for it. Thanks for the moments of reflection. :)
I love this! Thank you for sharing! :)
I look forward to following your work Ryan. It has a strong Jungian feel to it and I use an approach with music and sometimes quatrains from Rumi when working in a therapeutic setting - I call it Color, Shape and Sound. Carl Jung wrote a great deal and also drew, sculpted and painted many pieces as interactions with his psyche (you likely knew that) but your engagement with Anand last week was inspiring. My own analyst of over 30 years would often "doodle" during our phone session and occasionally send to me a page that "struck" her. I used her response in color and shape connecting to our verbal session to ponder more deeply the material of the session. Thank you for bringing your approach forward - The process is valuable!
Since I retired several years ago, I’ve been a pretty dedicated climate activist, trying all kinds of modalities in that vein to find where I feel most effective and working at my core. Ryan, when you write “a deep engagement with art and ideas” I feel an instant resonance. I’m still looking for an artistic way I can contribute to the climate movement.
Casey, I can envision drawings of the paradise the planet could be when we save it. Maybe some of them could even be fantasy landscapes.
Nice idea, Paula!
You’ve reminded me when I was little I used to draw creatures. Pages and pages of cartoony ‘monsters’. I’d give them names too and imagine stories about them…With colored pencils from a flat tin box. I’m old now and I haven’t done anything other than doodle for decades. I should get some of those pencils and paper. The feeling of wildly alive has evaded for some time, as well…
I think my version of wildly alive is “flow state.” Where I am doing something in which I have no awareness of the passage of time. I have no big “wild” moments, just flow states. My third act career is conservation gardener. I help my clients rewild their yards. It is all flow state for me to the point where I have to set my alarm for quitting time. Any time I am experiencing something in which I look at my watch and can’t understand where the hours went is my wildly alive. Whether it be my work, lolling around, spending time with people. No big bang. Just a version of reverie I guess.