Your Creativity Takes Wings
Summer 2014
Recently I came across some writing by Yeshe Tsogyel that deeply moved me. Although Yeshe is sometimes referred to as a cosmic, virtually divine, being in Tibetan Buddhism, she was also probably a very real Buddhist nun who lived in the 6th or 7th century. It seems strange that she isn’t more widely known because she is often referred to as “the foremost women in Tibetan Buddhism”.
Let Yeshe inspire you! Her writing connects not only creativity and the divine feminine but also creativity and our spiritual and psychological growth. More to the point, she gives clues for how to use this in our daily lives.
The poem below, was written in praise of the Great Mother – known in Tibetan Buddhism as the Dākinī. In this particular poem Yeshe refers to her as the Queen of the Lake of Awareness.
Yeshe uses this exquisite image to remind us that this Queen, this Great Mother, lives not just in the “sky-fields” but in the body and in the “field of the senses”. The Queen of Awareness urges us to stop looking for her outside of ourselves. She is within! “We are not two,” she cries.
And , she says, that when you come to the awareness of this Oneness – not just with the Great Mother – but with all creation you will be filled with joy. “The Creative will be your wings!”
That’s it. It’s that simple: Realize that the Queen – the divine – is within and hold onto this awareness, we will grow creative wings and, in turn, these wings – creative expression of true, divine selves – will lift us up and carry us higher on our spiritual journey.
Creativity Exercise
You! The Queen of the Lake of Awareness!
What an image! Every time I think of it the Queen and the lake come clearly into my mind. And then the image begins to change. Sometimes everything – color, shape, radiance, depth – changes and sometimes the image stays essentially the same, but I go deeper and deeper into it, seeing ever more detail.
1. For this creativity exercise begin as usual with Exercise One (or your own method) to tap into the cosmic source of creativity within, known in yoga as prana-shakti, and have your pen and paper or other creative tools at hand.
2. As you enter the protected, light-filled inner space begin to visualize the lake and the queen, keeping in mind that you, like Yeshe, are the Queen and that this Lake of Awareness is infinite…
3. Allow your imagination (a word that comes from “image”!) to take these images and move where it will.
4. While you are still in a meditative state, open your eyes and begin to express your experience with the tools you have at hand….