Phaww this landed! Thanks Bo. My relationship to time has drastically changed over the last year in a healthier way, but I still feel the pressure to "keep up" in the business side of my career. It sometimes creeps into the creative side too, but it never works. I need to enter into the state of no-time to let flow begin. Clarity arrives with this space, and with lettling go of the constant seeking for what to be done next. I always feel more fulfilled and accomplished with an hour of no-time existence than ticking off a hundred to-do list items.
I even doubted for a moment whether to read and listento this substack amongst all the other to-do lists, but what a gift of time it has been.
I try to practice Yoga Nidrã often to facilitate creative flow, and in a way a broader counter-culture act (or non-act) in redefining productivity.
I also regularly return to my new motto "less is more".
Thanks Isabel. You got me thinking about how we can create less friction for ourselves to keep entering this ‘no time’ space, each and every day. And yeah, the pressure to ‘keep up’ is real and amplified in sharing music 😭😭😭
There is an elasticity to the notion of time experienced in my art practice. Within the act of making, time is 'withheld', 'held' and, in turn, 'kept within this weird bubble of continuum' — rather difficult to fully describe. I am acutely aware of this 'slowing down' of time, kind of like watching a slow-motion film, but I am in the middle, still moving at some speed. And the honest truth is, I like it there - this moment in time where I am at my most heightened and truest to myself.
When I was struck down in 2012 by a malaise which left debilitating effects on my life (brainpower, strength, energy, etc), your description of a triage on my time is the perfect description. Internally, I became anxious that this was the way forward for the rest of my life, which perpetuated all manner of physical manifestations, as you described, Bo. But I kind of had to make a pact with myself, a commitment, to simply face my true self and honour the self that is me. That was a turning point, and my art practice helped me find my way back to this very self.
Thanks Sarah you’re so inspiring! True to yourself, yes! Time is…the perception of time… and I really like thinking about changing the perception part..the slowing down of time is an art form really isn’t it? Thanks for your wise words as always ❤️
When I am feeling time poor or having that sense to "rush" it's in the garden with a cuppa - always brings me back. And if the suns out - the warmth of the sun - I'll stay that little bit extra just to feel and acknowledge things are in I'm in my "own time". Loved this btw.
You've also given me pause on this term 'time poor'. I forgot about it and mulled on it coming back to these comments. In a way, the term makes no sense. Time itself can't be abundant or scarce...it just is. We might perceive being 'time poor' but really, it it us who isn't present to feel it - could we be 'time rich' with exactly the same amount of time...yes!
I think it's funny that we think of time as a type of currency - and you're right it's neither rich nor poor. I'm currently recovering from knee surgery and the space that's been created from this forced slow down has had me look at time and where I place me energy and attention - I see it all in a totally new way .... I think the time gods or keepers are having a laugh at us - supporting us to question our relationship to time and to bring in more of our soul in the "space and time" we do have and use it for our well-being and benefit - that's in of itself is true abundance. Don't you think?
Oh yeah, there’s nothing like an injury or illness to change our perception of time! Space and time. Spaciousness is that feeling of time abundance, for sure.
Yes, the garden moves at its own pace, regardless of our flurry. It’s a beautiful thing, to have something like this, to be on ‘your own time’… I love that Tracy!
Just like to say that white artists are also often asked "how long did that take". I have been asked that many many times. It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the create process. I often say its difficult to know how long it actually took because of the thinking time involved. When do you start counting the time, when the idea came into being? The different iterations you imaged while in the shower? This comment is a result of the western cultural idea that time is money - which you discuss here. The continual counting of time. This is not really how creativity works or for me how life works. Balance is the key in all things and creativity thrives on time staring into space with a cup of tea in the garden as Tracy mentions here in one of the comments.
Ah yes, it's perhaps that creativity and time counting are on different continuums. Like they're almost mutually exclusive? I loved the Liz Gilbert book Big Magic where she talked about ideas moving from person to person, searching to find their way into expression, through us. That's what I thought of when you said an idea might come to you in the shower! Cheers to staring into space with a cuppa and thank you for chiming in Shana.
I loved this article Bo. Feeling rushed or "behind time" is a feeling a absolutely abhor. I recently (nearly 8 months ago) changed my morning routine....ie decided not to open my phone until I had grounded myself. For me this looks like a little bit of yoga (in a sunny spot in the house I discovered during Covid) and meditation first, along with a cup of herbal tea with a teaspoon of Ghee.
I am now trying to regularly add my "The Artist's Way" "morning pages" a few minutes of flow writing whatever comes to mind. This is a great way to calm the nervous system and brain dump before starting to get to work. I must say that I am an artist who works from home, so my only task master is myself and time!
Getting up a little earlier and doing this morning routine helps me start the day on the right calm foot, and I feel time flows a little slower for me xxxx
Thank you Cinnamon! I also need to have some time between waking and my phone. I loved the Artists Way and appreciate the morning pages reminder….i might start again tomorrow ✨
My art practice is the only time where time is not a factor. It seems not to exist.
I do suffer later as I have to “make up” for my lost time during the practice or I’m a walking zombie the next day because I still have to get to work by my assigned time.
Yes, a creative practice almost removes time from the equation. Love that. And yes, this idea of ‘making up for lost time’ is such a pervasive one…hard to shake.
Ps, thank you so much for sharing the video and your experience of long covid <3
Phaww this landed! Thanks Bo. My relationship to time has drastically changed over the last year in a healthier way, but I still feel the pressure to "keep up" in the business side of my career. It sometimes creeps into the creative side too, but it never works. I need to enter into the state of no-time to let flow begin. Clarity arrives with this space, and with lettling go of the constant seeking for what to be done next. I always feel more fulfilled and accomplished with an hour of no-time existence than ticking off a hundred to-do list items.
I even doubted for a moment whether to read and listento this substack amongst all the other to-do lists, but what a gift of time it has been.
I try to practice Yoga Nidrã often to facilitate creative flow, and in a way a broader counter-culture act (or non-act) in redefining productivity.
I also regularly return to my new motto "less is more".
Thanks Isabel. You got me thinking about how we can create less friction for ourselves to keep entering this ‘no time’ space, each and every day. And yeah, the pressure to ‘keep up’ is real and amplified in sharing music 😭😭😭
There is an elasticity to the notion of time experienced in my art practice. Within the act of making, time is 'withheld', 'held' and, in turn, 'kept within this weird bubble of continuum' — rather difficult to fully describe. I am acutely aware of this 'slowing down' of time, kind of like watching a slow-motion film, but I am in the middle, still moving at some speed. And the honest truth is, I like it there - this moment in time where I am at my most heightened and truest to myself.
When I was struck down in 2012 by a malaise which left debilitating effects on my life (brainpower, strength, energy, etc), your description of a triage on my time is the perfect description. Internally, I became anxious that this was the way forward for the rest of my life, which perpetuated all manner of physical manifestations, as you described, Bo. But I kind of had to make a pact with myself, a commitment, to simply face my true self and honour the self that is me. That was a turning point, and my art practice helped me find my way back to this very self.
Thanks Sarah you’re so inspiring! True to yourself, yes! Time is…the perception of time… and I really like thinking about changing the perception part..the slowing down of time is an art form really isn’t it? Thanks for your wise words as always ❤️
When I am feeling time poor or having that sense to "rush" it's in the garden with a cuppa - always brings me back. And if the suns out - the warmth of the sun - I'll stay that little bit extra just to feel and acknowledge things are in I'm in my "own time". Loved this btw.
You've also given me pause on this term 'time poor'. I forgot about it and mulled on it coming back to these comments. In a way, the term makes no sense. Time itself can't be abundant or scarce...it just is. We might perceive being 'time poor' but really, it it us who isn't present to feel it - could we be 'time rich' with exactly the same amount of time...yes!
I think it's funny that we think of time as a type of currency - and you're right it's neither rich nor poor. I'm currently recovering from knee surgery and the space that's been created from this forced slow down has had me look at time and where I place me energy and attention - I see it all in a totally new way .... I think the time gods or keepers are having a laugh at us - supporting us to question our relationship to time and to bring in more of our soul in the "space and time" we do have and use it for our well-being and benefit - that's in of itself is true abundance. Don't you think?
Oh yeah, there’s nothing like an injury or illness to change our perception of time! Space and time. Spaciousness is that feeling of time abundance, for sure.
Yes, the garden moves at its own pace, regardless of our flurry. It’s a beautiful thing, to have something like this, to be on ‘your own time’… I love that Tracy!
Just like to say that white artists are also often asked "how long did that take". I have been asked that many many times. It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the create process. I often say its difficult to know how long it actually took because of the thinking time involved. When do you start counting the time, when the idea came into being? The different iterations you imaged while in the shower? This comment is a result of the western cultural idea that time is money - which you discuss here. The continual counting of time. This is not really how creativity works or for me how life works. Balance is the key in all things and creativity thrives on time staring into space with a cup of tea in the garden as Tracy mentions here in one of the comments.
Ah yes, it's perhaps that creativity and time counting are on different continuums. Like they're almost mutually exclusive? I loved the Liz Gilbert book Big Magic where she talked about ideas moving from person to person, searching to find their way into expression, through us. That's what I thought of when you said an idea might come to you in the shower! Cheers to staring into space with a cuppa and thank you for chiming in Shana.
I loved this article Bo. Feeling rushed or "behind time" is a feeling a absolutely abhor. I recently (nearly 8 months ago) changed my morning routine....ie decided not to open my phone until I had grounded myself. For me this looks like a little bit of yoga (in a sunny spot in the house I discovered during Covid) and meditation first, along with a cup of herbal tea with a teaspoon of Ghee.
I am now trying to regularly add my "The Artist's Way" "morning pages" a few minutes of flow writing whatever comes to mind. This is a great way to calm the nervous system and brain dump before starting to get to work. I must say that I am an artist who works from home, so my only task master is myself and time!
Getting up a little earlier and doing this morning routine helps me start the day on the right calm foot, and I feel time flows a little slower for me xxxx
Thank you Cinnamon! I also need to have some time between waking and my phone. I loved the Artists Way and appreciate the morning pages reminder….i might start again tomorrow ✨
My art practice is the only time where time is not a factor. It seems not to exist.
I do suffer later as I have to “make up” for my lost time during the practice or I’m a walking zombie the next day because I still have to get to work by my assigned time.
Yes, a creative practice almost removes time from the equation. Love that. And yes, this idea of ‘making up for lost time’ is such a pervasive one…hard to shake.