Tuning In

Tuning In

Think of the universe as an eternal creative unfolding.

Trees blossom, cells replicate, and the world pulses with productive energy. Everything on this planet is driven by that energy.

Look around you: there are so many remarkable accomplishments to appreciate. Every cloud, every peach, every raindrop is different. How does the cloud know when to rain? How does the tree know when spring begins? The universe functions like a clock—everything has its season.

What season of life are you in right now? How can you best serve yourself and others during this season?

Practice a way of being that allows you to see the world through uncorrupted, innocent eyes, feeling a deep sense of awe even in the most ordinary experiences. The more open you are to the energies of the cosmos, the more sensitively tuned you are to channel the elusive energy of great worth: opportunity.

There’s a time for certain ideas to arrive, and they find a way to express themselves through us. These precious wisps arise from the unconscious like vapor and condense to form a thought, an idea.

Your imagination should have no limits.

The physical world does.

Your work should be able to exist in both.

The gift of awareness allows us to notice what’s going on around and inside ourselves in the present moment, without attachment or involvement. We may observe bodily sensations, passing thoughts and feelings, sounds or visual cues, smells and tastes.

We can expand our awareness. We can quiet it inside so we can perceive more on the outside. We can zoom in on a face so closely it loses the features that make it what it appears to be. The universe is only as large as our perception of it. When we cultivate our awareness, we are expanding the universe. This expands the scope, not just of the material at our disposal to create form, but of the life we get to live.

I invite you to look deeper, zoom out, and open possibilities for a new way of being.

We create forests and oceans, warmth and cold. We read words, hear voices, and form interpretations. Then, in an instant, we produce a response. All of this occurs in a world of our own creation. We perceive, filter, and collect data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation.

To live as an artist is a way of being in the world—a way of perceiving. It is a practice of paying attention, refining our sensitivity to tune into the more subtle notes. We look for what draws us in and what pushes us away, noticing the feelings that arise and where they lead. Your entire life is a form of self-expression. You exist as a creative being in a creative universe, a singular work of art.

Look for Clues

Material for our work surrounds us at every turn. It’s woven into conversation, nature, chance encounters, and existing works of art.

We might read a book and find a quote leaping off the page, or watch a movie and notice a line that moves us to pause and rewind. Or it could be the echo of an idea that keeps repeating in other places—begging for more attention. These transmissions are subtle: they are ever-present, but they’re easy to miss. If we aren’t looking for clues, they’ll pass by without us ever knowing. Notice connections and consider where they lead.

You might imagine that the outside world is a conveyor belt with a stream of small packages on it, always going by. The first step is to notice the conveyor belt is there. And then, anytime you want, you can pick up one of those packages, unwrap it, and see what’s inside.

When clues present themselves, it can sometimes feel like the delicate mechanism of a clock at work. As if the universe is nudging you with little reminders that it’s on your side and wants to provide everything you need to complete your mission.

Look for what you notice, but no one else sees.

Take a moment to marvel at the feeling of your heartbeat and the movement of blood through your veins before sleep.

The purpose is to evolve the way you see the world. You are building the musculature of your psyche to more acutely tune in.

Live your life in a state of constant openness to receiving.