Dance With Your Demons

Dance with your demons while your angels clap and sing along.


What is usually referred to as “inner demons” are not actual malevolent beings or fiery entities with pointy horns and red pitchforks. They do not live in the closet or under the bed nor are they lurking in that dark alley. Personal demons are the mental struggle caused by the critical, negative, self-defeating and self-loathing reptilian voice we sometimes hear in our minds. They are the egoic version of the self that tend to sabotage everything by fuelling and highlighting our own perceived flaws, weaknesses, imperfections, destructive tendencies, past traumatic experiences. They belong to the subconscious parts of our personality.

Having fear as a main driving force, inner demons are the primitive source of most of our problems. From anger, hatred, guilt and shame, to doubts, anxieties, insecurities, addictions, attachments, and limiting beliefs. If not tamed, they prevent humans from reaching their full potential while crippling their lives to a considerable degree.


Now, the subconscious mind is the intuitive, emotional mind. A reservoir of thoughts, feelings, memories, urges, desires residing outside of our conscious awareness. According to psychoanalysis, most of its content is deemed unacceptable and unpleasant, like repressed memories and feelings of fear, pain, anxiety. It embodies our deeper, shadowy, suppressed psychological side, which many spend a large portion of their lives trying to conceal from the world. The subconscious includes the aspects of the self that one hides, ignores, dislikes, disowns, or rejects — their vices, perceived flaws and imperfections, how they process their old wounds.

What makes the subconscious mind substantially powerful is that it is in charge of our brain’s activity and processing power during a staggering 95% of our lives. Naturally, such dominance is reflected on all our thoughts, emotions, decisions, judgments, behaviours, impulses, fantasies, as well as mental health. 

The internal self-talk is simply a byproduct of thoughts. When fed, identified with, believed it can become so potently dark, uncivilised, recurring, incessant and convincing, it could direct one’s life — often subconsciously without them knowing. “I will never be able to do this”, “I am not worthy of love”, “I don’t matter”, “I am too damaged or weird or a freak” among other self-pitying beliefs our poor-li’l-me victim mentality tends to perpetuate.

Due to our formidably restless and cunning imagination, we start relating to the very content of said monologue. Despite that it is largely filled with illusory conflicts and complicated scenarios, including the stories or the narratives we keep telling ourselves, which end up becoming internalised. But, We are NOT our thoughts, remember; for they come and go, they remain transient, temporary, ephemeral. Observing them objectively through impartial eyes allows us to see through our very own illusions. This spiritual awakening is the beginning of all wisdom and clarity.  




The following is a significantly illuminating part: According to research from Stanford University, out of the 60,000 thoughts the average human can have per day, 90% of them are repetitive and 80% are negative. Imagine the lunacy!


Thinking the same thoughts turned out to lead to making the same choices; same choices means same behaviours; same behaviours translates into same experiences; same experiences leads to same emotions; and same emotions generate the same thoughts — back to completing the self-destructive loop as one becomes stuck in certain thought-patterns.

Equally fascinating, Neuroscience has come to show that our biology, neural circuitry/chemistry/hormones, as well as genetic expression are all equal to how we think, act, and feel — that which constitute our personality. In other words, consciousness creates our personal reality.

As such, identifying with the unrefined, repetitive, mostly negative inner voice and being led by its neurotic nonsense remains the leading cause of a variety of mental and consequently physical health issues we suffer from.

You see, when people are unconscious of their own dark sides if affects their personalities and influences their behaviour beyond their conscious awareness. They do not notice how they tend to project unrealised, unrecognised elements of their personalities by attributing them to another person or group. While the act may include positive characteristics, it usually focuses on negative ones. That means projecting the internal darkness outward into others and condemning evil in them; thereby transmuting the inner pain, self dislike, and disappointments into outward aggression. By doing so, they justify the darkness in others without ever admitting, or mayhap even accepting that darkness exists in them, too — at least to a certain degree. The more denial of the shadow, the more its power over us. Or as Carl Jung succinctly put it: “What you resist not only persists, but will grow in size.”


Whenever thoughts, motivations, desires, or feelings are suppressed, as cannot be accepted as one’s own, they are dealt with by being placed in the outside world and attributed to others. It is precisely what makes us judge, categorise, castigate, and vilify. Truly, until one faces their own shadow they will keep encountering its reflection in others. This is the basis of Psychological Projection. 


Without awareness of the Shadow Self, or without being in touch with it, also translates as unfulfillment, resentment, low self-esteem, self-confidence. It likewise reflects on how we view the world and on all our relationships. There is this internal void, which one attempts to fill using all sorts of distractions and things that are outside of themselves.

On the other hand, to truly Know Thyself means to courageously dive head-first deep into the abyss of our own being. Introspection and self-examination allow us to become aware of the innermost thoughts. Acknowledging the darkness followed by accepting it become imperative if we want to understand the full psyche. To know your own darkness, as Jung noted: “Would help you most to have a personal insight into the secrets of the human soul. Otherwise everything remains a clever intellectual trick, consisting of empty words and leading to empty talk.” 

 

The Shadow Work we do on ourselves was actually first pioneered by Jung — hence all the related quotes and valuable insights — and it boils down to making the unconscious conscious. To be able to change, one needs to start thinking about their own thinking; observe their actions, habits, patterns, and behaviour. Accordingly, bring that which has been suppressed and repressed out toward the light of awareness, freeing us from the bondage of their shackles. Freedom means to be in the present Here and Now without translating it using past experiences. Because in terms of conscious experience, the time is always, always NOW; not in the past nor in the future. “The Work” is therefore the way to confront — and hopefully also cherish the demons — to summon them in the moment with the intention of becoming less fragmented and more grounded, balanced, and above all, whole. 

I stopped fighting my inner daemon; I’ve unleashed it 

Self-inquiry is rarely a walk in the park. At times it could certainly be uncomfortable, confusing, possibly also frightening to delve into your naked self and face your fears. But there are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

Seemingly paradoxically, the dark side retains its own glamour. The badness and the misbehaving generally deemed wild, naughty, wicked and mischievous retain a certain forbidden and enigmatic allure or fascination within the psyche. Vices are found attractive, adventurous, and captivating by a wide variety of people, hence all stories and movies about “bad” things and people. Perhaps it is the case because they add contrast, hence also a healthy dose of realness and even balance to the human experience — virtues and vices. After all, they are part of our human nature. And as much as demons can be destructive, they can be creative just as well. For destruction tends to breed creation. That is part of the mystique of the dark side, one could say. To get to heaven, my friends, one must first pass by hell. 

Conversely, a thing about the good side is that it is often bland and boring and expected. Everyone wants to be good! But are they really, or is just just another illusory mask? For those who make an effort to appear good exist everywhere. 


Whether inner or outer, darkness itself is not the enemy; it is not something to fight nor despise. Darkness just is. It will always be there along with the light. Just as good and evil and positive and negative are complementary, one cannot exist without the other; for that’s how the cosmos is balanced. Inner demons, then, have a function, a necessity, and in the words of Gabor Maté, also deserves our compassion. They are a fundamental part of us after all.

Besides, demons are widely thought to have once been ‘fallen’ angels. So they could be perceived as two sides of the same mythical coin. In fact, in the religion and philosophy pertaining to Greek Mythology a “daemon” [daimon] was a spirit or divine power that could influence a person’s character or fate, which was not necessarily good nor evil.

Jung at it again with: “Within every saint, a beast sleeps; within every beast, a saint”. 

Beware the confusion 

In our human world, true mastery is simply how you handle your own internal voice during the awakening journey from reactive to reflective; to find balance amidst the chaos. Then, the poor-li’l-me victim mentality along with its self-pitying beliefs start to dissipate, while you stop trying to prove — to yourself before the world — that you matter or that you are worthy of love and all the rest. Because now you know you are. Time to just BE.   

 
What essentially matters is how you respond to life, your attitude and perspective. For life is mostly how you take it and partially what you make it. The full work still must be done if one chooses to shed their skin and grow through life. 

The more we understand this dynamic between the different counterparts of our inner being, the more we reconcile the seeming polarity into Oneness, the more we become better equipped to deal with the darkness of others. Because we can relate, so we see them for who they truly are, even when they don’t see it themselves. That means we do not judge, categorise, castigate, or vilify — not even our own demons. Choosing not to be led by your emotions does not mean you’re cold or heartless, it means you’re wiser.

It is worth noting that, in essence, the healing journey is fuelled and later embodied by love and self-forgiveness.


 The resulting self-knowledge entails change, growth, evolution, becoming better versions ourselves and, of course, truth and freedom. For love is the way, or so they say.

More about the topic is covered in my previous psycho-philosophical exposé, Theory of Mind: Thinking About Thinking and the Benefits of Observing the Observer.

Certain individuals succeed to varying degrees in hiding their flaws, imperfections, eccentricities thinking them weaknesses. So they become weaknesses. Whether consciously realised or not, those tend to become victims of their own negative thought patterns — their shadow. As Sigmund Freud put it, “The more perfect a person is on the outside, the more demons they have on the inside.” 

Others learn how to use the flaws and imperfections, thereby transform the weakness into strength. Having recognised and fully accepted their darkness, these alchemists use it as a motivational force to stand confidently in their own light — owning their truth while finally transcending the seeming duality. Perfectly imperfect. Then Coincidentia Oppositorum, or the Union of Opposites. For it is the same fire that can either melt you or forge you.



The reality is, we rarely ever get to fully conquer or even outrun our inner demons by facing them on mere occasions. In fact, it is possible to overcome certain demons yet ignore or postpone dealing with others, rendering the healing process longer. Although changing locations like moving to a different country may help us reset ourselves, hence be able to change certain negative patterns and toxic habits, it does not slay or annihilate the dragon. Simply because it remains an integral part of us, so will never just vanish. Whenever someone thinks they have killed their own, for ever and ever, good for them. Maybe they did. But, it could still very well be an egoic trap, a story we tell ourselves — just another thought illusion. Such sobering nugget of truth was something I only came to learn later in life when wrestling with my old addiction demons.

Demons manifest themselves in unique ways depending on each person; just as each person deals with theirs differently. Some may be able to avoid or ignore, others may silence, escape, distract, numb themselves to the emptiness for a while. There are also those tortured souls who seem to be in a perpetual state of war with their own selves and very neurochemistry, slaves of their shadows, going through life in a “reaction mode” to the division of their fragmented minds. On the way to maturity, people oftentimes alternate between these different psychological coping mechanisms.

I used to battle, wrestle, and quarrel with my demons. 
Now we cuddle, nuzzle, and snuggle. [Artwork by kfrbs]

Still, wherever we go, there we are. As a concept, inner demons will likely always reside somewhere deep down within us. Demons as well as angels do indeed seem to metaphorically embody the Human Condition, a way for man to understand himself and the true nature of his apparent dualistic psyche. Then again, we do not fight the darkness, we light a candle. Or in the words of Nietzsche: “Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Likewise, “Be careful when you cast out your demons that you don’t throw away the best of yourself.”

If we choose to fight inner demons, we may very well become at war with ourselves. Dancing with them, however, is the key to a considerable degree of inner peace in this life. 

So not just coexisting with our own darkness becomes essential, but also getting acquainted and developing a certain relationship with it. I actually hold that the simple ability to occasionally make fun of one’s thoughts is beneficial. For being playful in such a way helps not take ourselves or life too seriously while letting go of the nonsense of the ceaseless chatter, eventually allowing us to befriend ourselves. 

Another spirit to express the same sentiment was Charles Bukowski who said “Don’t fight your demons. Your demons are here to teach you lessons. Sit with them, have a drink, talk, learn their names and talk about the burns on their fingers and scratches on their ankles. Some of them are very nice.”


As it turned out, this relationship [with the self] is the catalyst to a peculiarly rich sense of serenity, fulfilment, depth, honesty, and some uniquely raw realness; but also of a certain refreshing kind of fearlessness. It equally teaches how to regulate our emotions. And artists are a living proof that darkness can be alchemically and purposefully channelled into creating something original that hasn’t existed before — a therapeutic experience in and of itself. To reduce the inner noise by creating an outer melody out of it, to which our demons and angels will learn to dance, clap, and sing together. This is how art can invite, inspire, entice the rest of humanity to do the same. Once more, Carl Jung would concur: “A creative person has little power over his own life. He is not free. He is captive and driven by his daimon.”


What can be done is to accept and cherish our authentic selves completely — with the ridiculous, sometimes absurdly dramatic internal monologue and all; the dormant beast and the dormant saint. Thereby welcome and embrace the dragon rather than battling it or trying to slay it; we tame the beast by putting a proverbial leash on it. Self-actualisation is how we overcome and master the darkness rather than become its victim the other way round. This is how to transcend the conflicting duality while embracing wholeness. 

When we awaken to our true nature our full potential is unlocked, the inner void and the struggle it causes then cease to exist... or is at least diminished to a manageable, witnessable level. Being human, fear still exists, but it cannot drive you crazy because you have learned not to give it the key. Whenever the negative voices visit, you can observe them objectively before letting go. Maybe even laugh at them if you see fit. Integration and liberation at last! 




To learn to ride the dragon is the secret to sincere transformation, reconciliation, and wholeness. Having these integral parts work together instead of against each other, we harness their power and might to our favour — perhaps through art and creativity, showing vulnerability, or for developing empathy towards fellow humans. Verily, befriending our darkness is to own our truth and to embody our higher wholesome self. It has the extraordinary ability to propel us forward toward a brighter existence. And those who have walked through the fire of their own hell and survived it tend to leave sparks of light wherever they go.

Tamed dragons also tend to develop wings, so they make great transportation and are capable of taking us to undreamed of heights.

He learned to ride the dragon
She learned to tame the beast
Getting on the celestial wagon
What Magick is this feast.




 

 

*Article adapted from my book 



 

ALSO VIEW: 

 
The Parable Of The Cow: You Are Not Your Thoughts
 

On Not Judging Others and Psychological Projection

 
Theory of Mind: Thinking About Thinking and the Benefits of Observing the Observer

The Intertwining of Genius and Insanity

The Intertwining of Music and Sexuality ― A Djembefola’s Tale 

The Intertwining of Pain and Pleasure

 

What Is Fear of Abandonment and How to Overcome It

Codependency: What Being Addicted to Someone Means

What Is Overcompensation?

The Significance of Letting Go

To Forgive Is Not To Reconcile

Opiated Then Hatin’ It

 

Change Is The Only Constant

Who Are We?

My Journey Towards Self-Transcendence

 

A Dialectic With Myself: Practical Yin Yang Approach to Coincidentia Oppositorum

 

Things I Got Rid Of To Become Happier

On Love and Attachment

Why We Should Not Fear Death 

  

 

The Writing Process and the Creative Block

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

This piercing quote is found in The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain. As an author and lexophile it resonated with me. Slowly but surely, I came to realise that it is a pure gem of truth. The right word does truly change everything in communication. In fact, when it comes to writing in particular, it is not solely the words, but even punctuation marks and spaces between paragraphs.

I have been meaning for a while to share how the writing creative process unfolds. How words come into being and form a sentence to present an idea ― or a complex of ideas ― which delivers a certain message. Out of habit, however, every time I end up deleting the first drafts, only leaving the final outcome. In hope to shed light on creativity, writing, and creative blocks, this time I kept all the drafts to use them as guinea pigs for this reflective piece.

Artists Between Mindset and Motivation, Choosing Art Over Corporate and Academia, Creativity Shall Set You Free, and The Intertwining of Genius and Insanity are other pieces here on One Lucky Soul in which creativity is also explored and investigated. 

So, perhaps you are a creative artist yourself or are curious about how it all transpires, the following should give you a thorough idea about the experience. Note that I will focus on writing, but art is art and the words can be applied to all crafts.   

For simplicity’s sake, the example I’m using herein is a single, or couple, of thoughts and not an entire article or book. My intention is to show how creativity begins as just a spark of inspiration, followed by some firing of neurons, synapses, and signals, then a healthy dose of contemplation and introspection. And after as much time as it needs, Abracadabra: There you have it.


1- Today is the last day of your life so far. So you have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW. “Later” may never come. 


2- You have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Today is the last day of your life so far. So live the now, NOW. “Later” may never come.  


3- Today is the last day of your life so far. So live the now, NOW. “Later” may never come. You have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date.


4- If you realise that today is the last day of your life so far, you will have no reason not to enjoy it to the fullest. 


5- Today is the last day of your life so far which you have no reason not to enjoy to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW. “Later” may never come.

6- When you know that today is the last day of your life so far, you’ll have no good reason not to enjoy life to the fullest — it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW. “Later” may never come.

7- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW. “Later” may never come. 

8- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW; “later” may never come.


9- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW, because “later” may never come.

10- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW. Because “later” may never come.

11- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW; “Later” may never come.

12- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW; for “later” may never come.

13- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW, for “later” may never come.

14- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW, “later” may never come.

Then lastly:

15- Today is the last day of your life so far. You truly have no reason not to enjoy life to the fullest ― it has an expiration date. Live the now, NOW. For “later” may never come. (FINAL)


As you can see, the reflection is first brought about in my mind. To present it in the best “Lightning” way I need to write it down as it is (number 1). The very first thought or two are either handwrittenly scribbled somewhere or if I’m close to the laptop I spontaneously add them to the “Reflections File”. 


Bearing in mind spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and logic, over a period of time the outcome is edited and polished. This is followed by ruthless re-editing and re-polishing. Then it is read out loud before being re-reedited and re-repolished again for a significant number of times until my obsessive nature reaches meticulous satisfaction.

When the creation consists of a single reflection or two such as the above, the process may take a few minutes to a couple of days. During this time, other related ideas flood my mind. This one is actually made up of two different ones which I have merged into one.

If enough worthy ideas about a certain topic are generated, I could gather them into a collective which can be weaved into a poem, article, or exposé. And this is how a single thought can lead to writing a full book. 

Understandably, the creative process could take much longer in some cases. Or, the idea could remain unshared for a while until its time comes, as it happened with this very article over the course of six weeks. Of course the possibility of being discarded or shred into million pieces is always an option. Bearing in mind that destruction often breeds creation.


To further elucidate how every little detail counts when it comes to artistic creations, let us ponder another famous quote by Confucius: “Everywhere has beauty but not everyone sees it.” Truthful and thoughtful words.

One of those days, I saw it shared as “Everywhere has beauty but not everyone can see it”. My philosophical mind felt compelled to argue that there is a problem with this wording, because it implies that the readers, or some of them, are not capable of seeing beauty. Not that they cannot at the moment and could, perhaps, see it later — during some moment of illumination. But no, they are simply not equipped; there is no hope or chance. Even though both wording variations of the quote are all over the Internet, the one with ‘can’ represent only about 25 percent, while the initial one which I prefer is found in the remaining 75 percent.

To understand the sincerity of choosing the correct word we must first understand that words have powers. Even if we do not consciously think about it, the language we use does influence our thoughts. Such a statement coming from an enlightened sage as Confucius may very well make the reader believe that they are one of those who are destined to never being able to ‘see’. Possibly instilling more insecurity and more of that “poor li’l me” mindset into them.

Do you see the importance of picking your words wisely? Whether you are a writer or a communicator who wants to express his or herself in the most sincere and ‘Lightning’ way possible, meticulousness, coupled with truthfulness, remain essential components of creation.

Speaking of Art and Writing, Some Soulful Artists Quotes and Some Soulful Writing Quotes are two other list-articles you may enjoy. The more recent Connecting the Dots — a Storyteller Way of Seeing the Big Picture is more dense and thorough.

You are a sage and you are a lunatic.
You are also the One who rises above both
and chooses which to side with the most.
— Oil painting by Jenny Speckels

To create something out of nothing, artists follow a certain process. Art in all its forms is about expressing oneself, which should be an enjoyable experience if one ever wants to excel. What makes the act of creating special is that the material comes straight from within you; the time and effort you exert makes the end product contain your essence. 



The Greek have a marvellous word with no direct translation to English for it: Meraki, or “The soul, creativity, or love put into something; the essence of yourself.” 

If we believe that we are here to learn, grow, create, and evolve, then this thought compels us to further reflect on the blurred line between the artist and their art; the true oneness of what seems to be a duality between creator and creation.

There is indeed an invigorating sense of freedom to the originality of creating. Despite the fact that the freedom may not be absolute. Echoing with Jung’s words: “A creative person has little power over his own life. He is not free. He is captive and driven by his daimon.” Truly, once you tap in The Zone you easily forget the world and time doesn’t mean anything. You just flow through. You become water, my friend. 



As previously explained in Why I Share Stuff:

“…During writing, I get into an intoxicating Flow State when time seems to stop. Yet, I’m ecstatic, inspired, and motivated beyond measure. I find myself in some sort of a trance, during which I forget to eat, sleep, and shower. It was something I have never experienced before, especially not naturally. This was when I realised that I had just found my true calling and vocation and that I should keep writing for life…”

Admittedly, writing has become the process by which I chronicle the conversations I am constantly having with himself. It is how I get the chance to explore my thoughts and comprehend my mind.


Now that you have an idea about how the writing process is birthed, let us discuss the creative block which naturally plagues most artists.

Creativity is an ongoing rebellious endeavour. It needs courage because it is laden with risk and uncertainty as it is with exploration and innovation. A tad bit of self-doubt also remains imperative to the creative mindset. But learning how to tame that doubt and use it to your favour is what makes great artists — those who boldly do whatever makes them happy without caring. A reason why many creative people are often seen by others as weird and eccentric.

I once wrote, if by definition you have the guts to call yourself an artist then you are one. It is as simple as that. You see, there is no real right and wrong in making art. ‘Good’ and ‘bad’, then, are useless labels when attempting to describe artistic work.



To freely create, one must have a certain discipline. At the same time, without worrying much about the result or failing or criticism or monetising. Just like most creative geniuses concur: It’s all about carrying on with the free spirit of the playing child. 

Just be brave and get on with it; flow and glide your way through it and the rest will follow. Find a way to put yourself into The Zone and eventually you will make something new. The true reward is that you will have created that which has never existed before. You are a co-creator of your own reality and the Youniverse and you know it.

For me, this type of orgasmic joy can never be bought. Simply because freedom is priceless and it beats all the money, praise, and status I ever got through my former corporate jobs which I was not passionate about.


Artistic minds each have different routines which propel them to be inspired and to create. Some prefer to work in the early mornings, others favour the serenity of the night. Some love being zonked on some substance. Some create in busy offices or cafés, while for others it is almost impossible as they must embrace silence and solitude. When it comes to creativity, everyone seems to have their own odd quirks. I, for example, cannot freely write — or drum — if wearing shoes.

However, even with following a habitual routine, sometimes you are simply not getting enough worthy ideas. In other words, lacking inspiration and insights. For artists, a creative block could be a crippling challenge, especially if they are professionals — those who create for a living. 

I know that whenever I spend more than a couple of days not creating, I feel like something is not right. It is usually while spending a weekend with a female, who, in fact, can be great muses.

The Juices by Imaginary Foundation

There are various possible causes for creative blocks.

Perhaps there is a personal, emotional barrier hindering the creativity due to an indifferent partner or a unsupportive relationship.



Perhaps the worry in life is more materialistic in essence like being short of money. If one’s mind is constantly occupied with urgent survival problems, such as finding food or shelter or paying bills, there will not be much capacity or energy left to create. As we have learned from Maslow’s hierarchy, our concerns reflect on our priorities. We need to feel somewhat comfortable to create, but never too comfortable. 

Another reason for blocks is because the artist needs some novelty and mental change. They are simply lacking excitement in life and their system needs to be recalibrated. Following the same routine for a long time can eventually lead to a stagnating plateau.

Additional psychological distractions which can significantly hinder creativity are addiction, drug issues, and certain mental illnesses. If one is depressed or can only write while high, medicated, or during a manic phase, then they remain somewhat restricted.

Or simply, because a creative person is frequently dealing with a risky and uncertain craft and that’s what happens to anyone who dares to go there. Call it the price to pay for unleashing your daimon.


Depending on how long and deep a creative block is, there are ways to overcome it. Because if there is a problem, there is also a solution. Yin Yang.

Beginning a project by using a pen/pencil rather than a laptop or computer is a great way to keep it creative. The freedom of scribbling around on paper and drawing arrows and random squiggles puts the brain into a playful, experimental working mode, which the keyboard and screen do not offer. 



Actually, at the last stages I often get back to the pen and paper. I print a few pages, take my multi-coloured Bic pen, and go edit outdoors. There is something liberating about taking the creations out there in the open where I get a chance to add more arrows and squiggles.



One effective way to beat a creative block and recharge is to take breaks. Every couple of hours or so, leave whatever you’re doing and go take a walk, meditate, have a shower, call a friend. The key is to momentarily snap out of the current set and setting.

My own favourite breaks are jogging, going on bike rides, and showers. Whenever I do that, my brain is still partially engaged in what I’m mid-writing, though it is not the conscious attention, but rather the subconscious one. In a way, you are still within the Flow State, only that the set and setting have changed.


Interestingly, such times are when I usually get vital Eureka-moments — when I’m not directing my focus on it. That is when the brain rewires and makes new connections without you doing much effort. However, retrieving these juices from the subconscious back to the conscious needs practice. Once you get used to the flow, there will be a constant transference of information between both counterparts. I have found that meditation and mindfulness practices help strengthening the bond between said different modes of consciousness.

Whether the insight is as simple as a comma or as deep as linking two chapters of the book together and reaching a Bigger Picture, or as a spark of inspiration leading to a novel idea, I truly perceive the additions of the subconscious to be la crème de la crème of creativity.

Flowing in my case could last for days at a time, even after finishing what I had been working on. I have noticed that because whenever I would go on those usual breaks for two or three days following publishing a new piece, I keep getting more insights about it, usually meticulous details, until they slowly recede or be replaced by ones about a new project. It is truly an ongoing process.

This got me curious. Why is the artistic process affected by running, biking, and meditation (breathing) specifically? 



A little bit of research and I tackled the science behind it. The key is in the dopamine and noradrenaline released by the brain during exercise. These chemicals help strengthen brain connections. Aha. One of the related studies showed that people will remember things better if they exercised four hours after they have learned them — biking was actually used. These findings made lots of sense and answered my question.

“Flotation Devices” — Wine and ‘chocolate’ are some
consciousness-enhancers that keep one floating

Another way to take a mental break is through a deliberate change of consciousness. Whether with a drink, a smoke, food, music-playing, some meditation, sitting under a tree and doing absolutely nothing, it is certainly healthy and works like Magick. Those needed pauses provide you with a different perspective on whatever you are working on, as well as life in general. So they end up by helping you grow. Resonating with more wisdom, this time from Albert Einstein’s himself: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

Changing one’s consciousness can equally be achieved through sleeping and dreaming. Dreaming is the domain of the subconscious where the brain is functioning on different levels, which makes it a counterpart in the creative process. Many creative minds frequently wake up with brilliant ideas. As mentioned, remembering them in a way that makes sense is the real challenge. Though just like everything else, it only needs practice to be able to master it.

For me, said breaks feel that I have switched from writer to editor with a different set of eyes, or just to another observer. But because that observer, or the subconscious, is still me, the insights and remarks are still ruthless. Who are you going to offend or whose nerves are you going to get on anyway? So he further adds doubt, uncertainty, and scepticism to the views the writer is initially trying to convey. As I conceive, these are all preliminaries for amelioration and help one improve their arguments. It is like having a double take on most topics and opinions at once — which could sometimes contradict each other. 

While being a significant way to expand one’s artistic abilities and potential, such balanced polarity, or rather, variety gives truthfulness as well as credibility to the communicator.

Putting your project on the side and indulging in another creation or activity can likewise lead to intriguing results towards overcoming the congestion. You can draw, paint, redesign, re-organise your room, cook, do the laundry or dishes.

In many instances, I leave it all, take the camera, and spend an evening taking photographs, or work on editing a video. Other times, I write on a totally different subject. So for instance, my book is about dreams and mind-over-matter psycho-philosophical kind of stuff, and I choose to write about a recent, novel kitchen experience with pasta and mussels (or about some new words I made up).

This way, I get to cook — which is also creation — and take a photo of the final meal, eat it and recharge, then write about it, find a title and corresponding featured photos before finally publishing it to share the light-hearted juices with others. It is still a creative process, you see, but the playground is different. So you first set the parameter and the basic rules, and then proceed to playfully breaking some of them. That is how work and play become one and the same.

Other times one can change mood by reading a book or watching cartoons or a documentary.

The more random and diverse the activity is, the more possibilities of opening new doors of perception and inspiration.

Psychedelic Pop Surrealism Painting Art by Yoko d’Holbachie

The act of snapping out of The Zone is not only beneficial when artists are faced with a creative block, but during normal times as well. And every creative mind would concur.

Think of those creative juices as what you produce when you orgasm. You are required to take breaks to be able to produce more, and stepping away is how you recharge. The reason I use this analogy is because I have noticed over the years that whenever I’m immersed into a heavy topic I don’t think of sex as much as I normally do.

As a fact of the matter, I rarely ever think of other distractions then; it feels like I am possessed by a perseveringly determined spirit who won’t leave unless what I am working on has been finalised. This passionate drive led me to conclude three things:

Juices are way more than physical fluids. It is our choice where and when to expend our Meraki. And a creative person who taps into the Flow State is never really alone. Maybe it’s Thoth or Hermes or Apollo. Ah excuse me, Ladies, it may also be Seshat, Minerva, or even The Muses. 


When the block is somewhat serious, in case one is working on a big project such as a book, sometimes it is be best not to fight it, but to ride it — to live through it. Simply because in the realm of creativity, forcing it will hardly ever work.

You may feel like going away somewhere for a few days; a camping trip into the wild, an adrenaline-fuelled adventure, or doing something you were always afraid of doing. These longer vacations can do wonders when it comes to rejuvenating your psyche.

 Amidst the madness, you must always allow yourself a certain degree of freedom.

In case after all these tips one still feels overwhelmed by the many things they have to do, a practical solution to suggest is to just take the very first step. Small daily improvements and innovations can lead to astounding achievements over time. For everything is a process et Petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid.


Creative minds bring art to life, offering us a glimpse of their realities. True artists are rarely ever bored and are always developing from themselves. One way or another, they keep flowing in and out of their Zones. Quoting Eugène Ionesco: “A writer never has a vacation. For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.”


In summation, creating is a continual learning process which sometimes faces blocks. The causes could be emotional, mental, financial, or simply natural. Fortunately as we have discussed, there are various ways to deal with this lack of inspiration, all involving a certain degree of change. By the time one gets back to working-and-playing on their projects, they have become a different person with new sets of eyes, a wider perception, and, hopefully a recharged energetic imagination. You do it again and again until you eventually come to be satisfied with the ‘Lightning’ end result. Time to share, followed by the time celebrate.

The artistic journey is the destination. This, my fellow Earthlings, is how we constantly keep bettering from ourselves, while never stop learning, growing, creating, and evolving. This is the key to immortality — adding to our Pale Blue Dot that which didn’t exist before. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀


Now go create beautiful things. Fearlessly. Worry not about making mistakes. Though when you do, and you will, embrace them. Make them part of the dance. For if we don’t make mistakes we’ll never learn; and if we don’t learn we’ll never evolve.
 In truth, whether in Art or Science many great discoveries started out as mistakes. There is thus no good reason to be afraid of making some.

Shine On.

“The artist’s task is to save the soul of mankind; and anything less is a dithering while Rome burns. Because of the artists, who are self-selected, for being able to journey into the Other, if the artists cannot find the way, then the way cannot be found.”
― Terence McKenna

ALSO VIEW:
 

Connecting the Dots — a Storyteller Way of Seeing the Big Picture

Gift of the Gab: Meaning and Origin

Creativity Shall Set You Free

Choosing Art Over Corporate and Academia

What The Heck are Vocal Fry and Upspeak?

Why I Share Stuff

From English as a Third Language to Author — How I Expanded My Vocabulary

Artists Between Mindset and Motivation

For The Love Of Storytelling

The Intertwining of Genius and Insanity

On Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing

Unusual English Words learned Later in Life

Some Arabic Sayings and Their Translations — أمثال عربية و ترجمتها

Some Egyptian Arabic Expressions and Their Translations — مصطلحات مصرية و ترجمتها

Some Soulful Artists Quotes

Some Soulful Writing Quotes 

Some Soulful Travel Quotes

OLS Favourite Quotes

What Being Conscious Means

We often hear about being conscious and aware. It is usually linked to “waking up” and becoming illuminated. There is actually a writing category here on One Lucky Soul labelled: Conscious Living. But what does being, and becoming, conscious truly mean? And what are the implications does it have on one’s life?

In simple terms, being conscious means being mindful; it means being aware, attentive, and responsive to one’s surrounding; awake. In the sense of “being aware of wrongdoing”, the word originated in the 16th Century from Latin conscius “knowing with others or in oneself”, from conscire “be privy to”.

Before delving into the topic and to portrait the idea in more practical terms, the following are examples from everyday life which had reminded me by what being conscious is. 
It is interesting to note that most of these observations only came to me later as I was reflecting upon the notion. But during the time they took place, it never felt like I was doing anything unusual or unnatural. It was indeed the total opposite; it felt so right and natural. It simply felt like the conscious thing to do, without seeking certain reward or fearing any punishment. 

1- Reusable Grocery Bags

Once in Los Angeles I was going to the grocery store with my uncle who’s in his early 80s, when we forgot to bring the empty bags. I wanted to turn around to go get them but he said: “It’s OK, the bag is only for five cents.”

I didn’t say anything then, though I was reminded that this is not the only reason why I like reusable bags. But it’s for conservation, recycling, saving the tress and all that. When we buy new ones we go home and usually throw them in the garbage or keep them in drawers which are already full of unused bags. So, the Big Picture wins.

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2- Recycling and Removing Dog Poop in Egypt

Be the change. The rest will follow.

Speaking of, after religiously recycling my trash and picking up after my dogs for several years in Canada and the U.S, it seems there is no going back. Once I began visiting Egypt, it felt absurd not to do so. So even though I didn’t have to, I wholeheartedly wanted to. There came to be a certain compulsion behind the act. 

One day as I was picking up after Shakira, my cousin’s sweet Cocker Spaniel, three foreigners looked at me like I am certainly not from around here. The garbage man, who has to sort the garbage by hands, must have been equally startled to find two separate bags.

Another instance, also in Zamalek, I used a poopy plastic bag to remove the #2 before throwing it in the nearest garbage — no more than 20 seconds for the whole thing. Through the corner of my eye, this time, I could see a kiosk guy looking at me like I’m from a different solar system before telling his friend: “Do you see, man, how clean foreigners are?”

 [ شايف يابني الأجانب و نضافتهم ].

So once done, I headed towards them and smilingly said: “Samo-Aleiko”. This is an “urban” Egyptian-dialect rendition of the full, standard Arabic greeting or salutation “Al Salam Aleikom”. Just to show them that I am indeed local and that cleanliness has nothing to do with one’s nationality or skin colour among other labels. 

Fortunately, picking up after your dog today is no longer such an uncommon sight — yet still far from common.  

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3- Not Throwing Bubblegum Without Cover

How it’s done in Japan

During one of those trips to Egypt, I attended a reunion with a whole lot of schoolmates. We were catching up and talking about those of us who were/are living abroad. Apparently, after living in Japan for a while, one mate Amr no longer throws bubblegum on the ground anymore. The friends found out about it when they were together somewhere in Cairo and, after he was done with his gum, he took out a folded note from his pocket so that he can ‘safely’ discard it. Of course for anyone who grew up and lived all their lives in Egypt, this may seem hilarious. Yet in actual truth it is also impressive. 



In fact, gum containers in Japan come with a little pad of post-it note for your discarded gum. How thoughtful are these Japs, huh. Or should we fittingly say: How conscious.

In my own way, I’ve been doing the same with the occasional smoke filters — in the street and on the beach. 

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4- Not Killing Insects

Laurel and Hardy the fruit flies awaiting their turns to sip
— Venice Beach, 2017 

What had first ignited not killing insects was a single experience that took place when I was 20 and camping somewhere in Sinai. I happened to squash a tiny teeny ant and ending its life. Yet being in a higher state of consciousness due to LSD, it was phenomenally touching. It changed my perspective and made me think about how other creations look at us. Since then, I think 17 times before killing ants or flies among other tiny sentient beings. No matter the level of empathy and compassion towards Mother Nature, I still cannot say the same about mosquitos, certainly not cockroaches. 

The first of three ant articles to come to being many years later in August 2014 was Why Ants Carry Their Dead and Other Fascinating Facts. 

The sequel Ants Carry Other Live Ones as Means of Transportation: Further Evidence That They Must Be Communicating [Videos] followed a mere 48 hours later. 

Finally, the trifecta was completed by the end of the week with Guiding Ants Out Of The Kitchen... Alive — when I did just that in case you’re wondering.

Further observation throughout later years, I realised how a fly stuck in a room will always cooperate with us if we want to kick it out than if you want to kill it. Because, it’s mere instinct. The same goes for ants and other insects.

Truly, now whenever seeing an insect the last thing on my mind is to kill it — either by running to look for a repellent or a shoe. If I can’t kick them out peacefully, I catch and release instead. With practice, you can actually become quite good at it. 



Eventually, I got so  interested in our cousins that the ant articles were followed by ones abotu other species. about how ants carry their dead as well as other nest-mates as means of transportation.
 You can read about the madness Here, Here, and There.

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5- Closing The Tap While Brushing Teeth

This only began later in life when I was in Los Angeles during the California drought of 2014. As mentioned, some of these simple transformations take you by surprise, and that’s why, again, I wrote an article about it: How inspiration Is Transferable.

An additional reminder came to me when I took a break from writing this piece and went to have dinner at the local Lemonade. Along with my food, I picked up four tiny salt and pepper packets and put them on the tray, but I only used one of each. So when I was done and about to throw what’s on the tray in the garbage, I remembered those two unused packets and proceeded in putting them back to where they belong instead of wasting them.




You see how small these acts are? But it’s the collective of minute individual changes that eventually makes the difference. After a while you do not think about doing these acts; your attentiveness to your surrounding is just there. And if you follow through it, you will find that you will lead a happy and peaceful life. Simply because down, deep, inside you know you are connected to the whole and you know you are doing your share. Not because you are forced or required, but because you want to…because being conscious makes you feel alive and in-sync with the Natural Order.

Now that you have a better idea about our topic, let us dive a tad deeper. 

Oftentimes we find the numbers to be 90% subconscious
and 10% for the conscious

By beginning of 1680s, conscious meant “aware of one’s action” — a word of the English Enlightenment. This was a philosophical, intellectual, and cultural movement during the 17th and 18th Centuries, which stressed on the advantage of reason, logic, and freedom of thought over dogma and blind faith. The Enlightenment was the time when the notion of absolute authority of the church and state was openly rejected — hence sometimes referred to as The Age of Reason. 



This epochal movement was ignited by Les Philosophes in France, who were a group of literary men, scientists, and thinkers.

In the field of science, names like Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and Gottfried Leibniz are considered pioneers of The Enlightenment; in philosophy there is Descartes, Locke, Spinoza, Kant, and Voltaire.



It is similar to how several centuries earlier Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo were deeply associated with the Renaissance, which is widely regarded as an antecedent to The Enlightenment.

We can find the same happening much later when the Hippie Movement followed through Bohemianism in terms of borrowed ideas and ideals. More on that on this earlier exposé: Why Hippies Are Sometimes Called Bohemians. 

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Conscious brings us to another term, “self-conscious”. In psychology and philosophy, being self-conscious means: Having knowledge of one’s own existence, especially the knowledge of oneself as a conscious being. 



Paradoxically, self-conscious is also an adjective, meaning uncomfortable, uneasy, and embarrassed. This reminds me of a phenomenon eloquently explained by Alan Watts in The Book on The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are. The title may be enough to give you a hint of what I mean here.

What I would like to note is, the word ‘conscious’ may have been new to language during The Enlightenment, but the concept of “knowing oneself” to reach enlightenment — or Illumination, Soul Liberation, Nirvana, Satori, The Source, The Invisible Piper... — was nothing new to humanity.

For Ancient Egyptians, we find the aphorism as: The Kingdom of Heaven is within you; and whosoever shall know himself shall find it.



For Ancient Greeks, it’s Gnothi Seauton; in Latin, Nosce Te Ipsum.



We also find it in Judaism as He is in all, and all is in him; in Christianity, it’s “Know Thyself”; and in Islam, especially Sufism, the emphasis on self-knowledge came in the form of “Who knows himself knows his Lord.” 



Equally in Buddhism: Look within, you are the Buddha; and in Taoism: In the death of the soil, one sees the Divine, the One.

Psychotherapy is one more school of thought that is based upon knowing oneself — the conscious self and its subconscious counterpart, which is “in charge” of the brain during a staggering 95 percent of the time.

My Journey Towards Self-Transcendence




Conscious also brings us to the act of “becoming conscious” — commonly portrayed as awakening. Because we are born conscious, in the sense of connected. But then by the time we grow up through all the conditioning, indoctrination, distractions, most of us lose this sense. If we are fortunate, later in life we may be given the chance to awaken and re-become who we essentially were. We do so by letting go of all that is not us.  

Awakening means different things to different people. Generally, it follows a big change in one’s life. This can happen spontaneously in an instant, perhaps as a result of a certain realisation or a mystical experience. Or it can happen throughout a longer period of time and through different stages, as with meditation and other esoteric practices. It could also be triggered through overcoming suffering or trauma, like abuse, addiction, or simply a divorce.



One thing remains certain, this self-transformation is not easy. 

We simply do not wake up one morning to find ourselves awakened, it does not just happen. Echoing with Carl Jung: “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

Change, however, requires sincere work on the self, which not many people are willing to go through. That is mainly because they do not want to face their true selves and take full responsibility of their own lives.

The process of going through an awakening and “coming to consciousness” goes hand-in-hand with the evolution of this consciousness. 
It is usually a profound and worthy experience which guides us through the path of the transformation of the soul. It is the process by which we shed our old skin, open our eyes, and become aware and ‘knowing’. As Nietzsche reminds us, “The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die.”

When the level of consciousness is raised towards illumination — Enlightenment, Nirvana, Moksha... — one major transformation entails experiencing a constant state of unconditional love. Not towards anyone or anything in particular, but with Everyone and Everything. True love is directed outwards, yet it is ignited by loving ourselves first. 



When you come to truly know your self — your real higher Self — you cannot help but to love it, you see. When you do love yourself you tend to become conscious towards it; therefore you maintain a healthy mind, body, and soul. You consequently eat right, move right, and talk to yourself right. 



The same cycle also means empathy, compassion, and selflessness; seeing beyond the self. Someone who is truly conscious means they are capable of perceiving the bigger picture of things and the greater good.

 They understand, or come close to understanding, the true nature of reality. Echoing with Joseph Campbell’s word, “When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.”

This is not a mere philosophical stance, but as you have seen in the shared examples, it reflects everywhere on one’s life. When you feel you are one with the entire ocean, not a drop separated from it as it is commonly believed, you naturally become more loving and empathetic towards all bodies of water — as in others as well as yourself. This is where the beauty of Oneness lies.

A Dialectic With Myself: Practical Yin Yang Approach to Coincidentia Oppositorum is a psychophilosophical exposé in which practicality is sought from within philosophy. 

Also conjured during the same Hermit Phase in Sokhna (2020-2022) is another exposé:

Theory of Mind: Thinking About Thinking and the Benefits of Observing the Observer where the simple fact that we are not our thoughts was explored further than the initial 2014 article The Parable of the Cow.  

Metaphysically speaking, becoming conscious also means dropping the ego-self and embracing the Higher-Self — the real us, the soul.

Further, when one becomes conscious of their subconscious mind, they learn to be guided by some mysterious inner knowing — namely called intuition or inner gut — rather than rely solely on the confines of the conscious, rational mind and its senses. This knowledge lays beyond thoughts and words, or language in general; it cannot be taught, only discovered and realised within oneself. And the subconscious is the intuitive mind.

The revival of the intuition is one of the signs of higher consciousness. Intuition essentially means learning from within; in-sight, as inner seeing; a direct perception of truth. It is an untaught, non inferential insight and knowledge that partially comes from awareness, which makes it an essential element of mysticism discussed time and again by scientists, philosophers, and laymen alike.

Spinoza believed that intuition is the third kind of knowledge and is the highest kind attainable.



Later, Einstein said that “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant; we have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.”


Jung considered intuition to be one of four basic psychic functions — along with sensation, feeling, and thinking — which are capable of becoming conscious. These functions are the methods employed by humans to acquire knowledge of themselves and the surrounding world. Cognition is not restricted to one function, but rather, each function provides its own kind of knowledge.

Nevertheless, intuition still remains commonly misunderstood and hard to define. Again, because it lays beyond the apprehension of the rational mind or even orthodox science.

However, the more you follow that inner knowing, the more the results come to your favour. Be it something as simple as finding a parking spot or as a big life decision, when you consider your intuition to be the wise knowledge of the collective Soul and you trust it, it will not lead you astray.

More ‘symptoms’ of a raised consciousness include heightened creativity, finding purpose in life, Wu Wei, discarding old beliefs that are no longer useful, the ability to chose certain thoughts over others and taming “The monkeys”, the ability to enjoy each and every moment — the Here and Now. 

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One could go on forever talking about the subject, but this is not my initial intention. What is shared herein is only a minute portion of what is there to be written about the causes and effects of an awakening. 

I attempted to somewhat briefly show how being — and becoming — conscious is beneficial to you, and inevitably to the rest of us, to the world, and to the universe. And how that applies to our everyday lives. The lengthy, dense material shall be left for the book.

Remember that a single bubblegum can change the course of history. We are not just all in this together, we are This. Stay conscious. 


“Self-observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change. And in observing himself a man notices that self-observation itself brings about certain changes in his inner processes. He begins to understand that self-observation is an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening.”
— George Gurdjieff

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ALSO VIEW:

A Dialectic With Myself: Practical Yin Yang Approach to Coincidentia Oppositorum

Who Are We?

My Journey Towards Self-Transcendence

Why I Share Stuff

How inspiration Is Transferable

Change Is The Only Constant

Why Hippies Are Sometimes Called Bohemians

The LSD Experiments of the 1950s and 60s [Videos & Documentaries]

Why Ants Carry Their Dead and Other Fascinating Facts

Ants Carry Other Live Ones As Means of Transportation: Further Evidence That They Must Be Communicating [Video]

Guiding Ants Out Of The Kitchen... Alive

Reviving a Drowning Bee [Video] — Learning The Do’s and Don’ts

Befriending a Flying Insect

From Insects to Crows: Dogless and Searching for Companionship