Take a Clarity Retreat
Evelyn Rodriguez has a great post titled Accelerating Elusive Aha! Moments in which she talks about taking a "clarity retreat" to help her solve problems. Evelyn is kind enough to share the creative process she uses on her retreats. Her tips:
1. Stay Open. Ask the questions, but let go of the answers. You might think you have a solution in mind, but don't cling to it. You'll be surprised at how much more brilliant your breakthrough will be if you just let go of your fixation that you won't come up with anything better than your so-so, blah(yawn) solution that's your back-up plan. Kill the back-up plan.
2. No-Hassle Beauty. Go somewhere simple that doesn't require a lot of pre-planning. No hassle = low-stress. This is not the time to go on a worldwind tour of Europe. Guy Kawasaki gave away a great retreat location if you live in the Bay Area in his new book, The Art of the Start. (I'm not telling in a public forum, though you can email me.) Ideally stay close to home to avoid air travel; somewhere quiet, typically in nature; and somewhere you'd enjoy being. Ideas can range from day hiking from a base camp/lodge; kayaking along a gentle river or sheltered bay; cross-country skiing hut-to-hut; soaking the gentle sunbeams on the beach as you watch the tide come in; or chilling out on the veranda sipping wine in Napa Valley. Twice I've gone on backpacking trips - but this may require too much preparation if you don't regularly backpack.
3. Treat yourself. Re-treat yourself over and over. Make sure you are eating well (if you're packing and making your own food, make it as simple to prepare as possible so it doesn't feel like an ordeal...unless you adore cooking...) and sleeping well.4. Bring a journal. Only journal if you don't have to force the words on paper - only when and if you're a conduit to your heart without filtering it through your head. Carry the journal wherever possible. You never know when you might want to sketch or write a poem or something seems important to jot down - leave the option open. Don't worry if you never even crack it open. That may just be what's needed especially if you do journal alot now. On one multi-day backpack trip to Grand Canyon, I didn't write a single word. I thought I had "wasted" the retreat time. Nope, it turned out I needed a break from journaling as well. I was overwhelmed with ideas when I returned back home including the entire outline for a book.
5. Avoid email, cellphone and even blogging. Really retreat. Don't listen to news, radio, or pick up the paper. If you are weak (as I am), you may need to go somewhere where it is impossible to stay in touch - you'd be surprised, even in Bay Area you can drive two miles outside of I-280 and be out of cellphone range and in the beauty of nature.6. Go alone. With practice you can go with others that are also seeking time to be more contemplative, but the tendency is to be drawn to go sight-see, chat, and otherwise be distracted.
7. Focus on Being Present. I used to be pretty restless and extremely prone to boredom. If you don't want to "do nothing" that's fine. Fully engage with what you are doing. Anything that captures your attention fully - whether that's because you enjoy it intensely or to let your mind wander would be deadly (whitewater-kayaking comes to mind for me). Limit your time reading - and when you do, make it inspirational instead of intellectual. The entire idea is to rest your mind. So whatever you are doing, really do it and nothing else. Be nowhere else that moment. See the glint of the water splashing on the stone, feel the caress of the wind playing through the aspen trees, note the firmness and the give as the autumn leaves crunch under your footfall, gaze at the crystal moon lying on your back against the meadow grass, admire the depth of the sheer vertical vermillion canyon walls echoing your call.
Evelyn's blog Crossroads Dispatches continually has great posts like this one. I'm going to schedule a clarity retreat for three days next week. I'll let you know how it goes.