Well, that would be YOU! That's right. I mean "you". There is a creative giant, a genius lurking inside you that is just wacky to get out. Do you have any good ideas about how you're going to wake up that sleepy genius and jump start a flow of creative juices that will lead to the next great invention, or book, or painting, or musical composition?

I will get directly to the point. This may be a tad simplistic of me, since meditating takes some practice. Here goes, and I am totally serious. I suggest that you'll reach that alpha state by simply being "still". Do nothing. Think nothing. Let your mind be blank. Let it wander, as in free association. Take all pressure off of yourself. Pretend nobody is looking or expecting anything of you, not even you. Pretend it's Friday and you have Saturday and Sunday to recreate and even do nothing if you wish.

Boy, that feels good. Doesn't it? Liberating. Now, have you opened the door to your innate genius yet? I know. Easier said than done.

If we are ever "two" with inspiration, it's usually because of inhibition. Why do you think children have natural genius? Why do you think Picasso said it took him a whole lifetime to paint like a child? Unleash the child within. Kids are not inhibited. No preconceptions. They just do it. They paint beautifully from their hearts. They dance the same way. They climb high trees with no fear. They hurdle fences. They do wheelies on their bikes. They're not afraid. Nobody got to them yet with the concept of judgment or failure.

I am a designer by profession, and a painter by soul's desire. I know all about writer's block, inhibition, trying to slip into the zone, and calling ghost busters to erase the goblins. As a matter of fact, I'll confess something to you right now. I'm supposed to be working on something else at this moment. This article is my escape from what's scaring me. Just so you don't worry too much about me, I have given myself an hour to write about unleashing the genie, after which, I will do that very thing that scares me, which involves unleashing the genie. Yikes! Yes, I will do it. There are all kinds of mind exercises to open the portals to creativity.

My favorite exercise that usually chases away any blocks is to submerge myself in nature. Just dissolve into nature. This morning, I got into my car and drove to my favorite spot at the beach where I find it easy to meditate and get deep under, you know, where all the good ideas are hanging out. I will describe the whole process to you, so you can live through the experience with me. If it helps you to crash through some of your own debilitating boulders, I will be so pleased.

Basically, my scene was sand, water, rocks, shells, pebbles, sky, and birds. That's just at first glance, before I became “one” with the landscape, and before I saw it as "one", (a much deeper perception as a result of meditating).

It takes some effort to do this, unless you do it all the time. I gradually slowed my mind, got rid of the monkey brain, clearing it of all trivia such as meeting deadlines, going to meetings, paying bills, extending dinner invitations, petty grievances, worry, worry, more worry, and what to make for dinner. Yup, I swept it all out of my thoughts with a firm sweep of a stiff corn broom. As my mind slowed down, time was no longer apparent. I didn't notice it at all. Then I got into the rhythm of the scene before me. I started to observe patterns in nature. It was windy, so the waves formed little white caps that made a rippling pattern across the surface of the water that frequently changed direction but in subtle ways. The water sparkled where the sun hit it (staccato).The entire landscape was horizontal. I observed rich muted colors, lots of colors that seemed solid over all, but formed subtly speckled bands of color in the landscape. There was a piece of driftwood in the foreground that was a gentle ochre and very spiky looking, and it led into a band of mauve and taupe that was really little boat shells that were washed ashore. This was followed by other bands of color and rocky boulders, all forming a quiet gentle landscape of multiple forms, colors, and complete stillness. Then the seagulls interrupted the stillness with quick quirky darting movements as they flew up and down and dropped mussels on rocks and swooped down to the ground to swallow the little mollusks. The gulls interrupted this stillness, this reverie, but at this point, I started feeling a pattern emerge that was musical, and like a dance. A motor boat broke the calm of the water and formed a crisp ripple in the rolling movement. The top band of color was the sky and clouds formed a caravan across the upper horizon. I heard quiet sounds, even silence, which is the most beautiful sound of all. If anyone talked at that moment, it would have jarred me.

Everything important, even immortality was happening at that moment. In my imagination I saw history take place on this same beach: Indians and pirates on the beach in the foreground, the background remained the same. Timeless. It always was and always will be. I felt one with nature and I was free to dip into the great mystery and received real impressions. As I came out of the reverie, all kinds of ideas danced in my head. I made many notes before coming home.

It felt like I had been on a two week vacation.

Am I suggesting that you do something similar? Yes, though you might be more inspired in a woodland setting or in the mountains, or by the water. The experience involves all of your senses: sound, smell, sight, touch, taste, extrasensory. You can imagine your own made up scene in nature from the comfort of your own home if you wish, but it's not the same as being there. I think this is the reason I enjoy painting en plein air. All of your senses are involved and woven into your canvas. There are other methods that will open the door to your own creativity, but none are as powerful as communing with nature and meditation. The whole purpose is to raise your vibration.so that you can easily connect with the part of yourself that "knows".

Other things you might benefit by doing are:

1. Surround yourself with positive people. You don't have to be around people who pull you down. Don't pull anybody else down either. Keep your vibration high.

2. Break from rituals and routine. Do something different that will change your perspective. Play hooky once in awhile. The stolen apple is very good for the soul.

3. Exercise. Get some good aerobic exercise every day. Get fresh air and sunshine.

4. Make taking action a way of life. It's not enough to get the ideas, you have to act on them.

5. Laugh, laugh, laugh.

6. Read inspirational books and watch inspirational videos.

7. Breathe deeply.

8. Get rid of all clutter.

9. Get an ice cream cone.

10. Chat with friends and family often.

11. Try changing a tool. If you draw with a pencil, try charcoal. If you type most of your writing, then try writing by hand.

12. Change your sleep patterns. If you're more creative at 2:00 AM, then do your work then. Just be sure you get enough sleep to stay healthy.

13. Listen to music, all kinds. But if you want to think clearly, listen to Mozart.

14. Visualize constantly. See youself creating your idea of what is wonderful. See yourself successful, what you deem to be successful.

15. Cut yourself some slack. If you really can't work, go out to dinner and the movies.

One more important thing: before going to sleep, suggest to your subconscious that you will find the solution, the answers during sleep hours and wake up refreshed and inspired. Really works!

Do you feel better?

Now that you know how to wake up the sleeping genius, you can get to work!