A Beautifully Written Post on the Impact of Creativity

Dec 12

By Amy Reinert (participant in Laura’s Mindful Creativity workshop at Kripalu)

Creativity, it isn’t what you always expect…

I was at Kripalu, a yoga retreat in the Berkshires, last week and decided to sit in on a session about creativity.

Until…I walked in and saw the setup: watercolors, markers, paintbrushes—all laid out, ready to go. And I was ready to bolt out the door.

I locked eyes with the guide, Laura Thompson—thankfully, she had this really good energy. The kind that makes you stay.

So I stayed.
And I started nervous sweating.

Because here’s the thing—I am creative. Wildly so, sometimes. With music. With words. With ideas.

But definitely not with “art.” Not with paint or paper. That started in elementary school—it was just the one thing I couldn’t get an A in. And I carried that.

I sat next to someone who looked kind and admitted I was nervous. I hoped she’d say the same.

But no—she was an artist.

Of course.

And of course, we got partnered.

The exercise? Simple, in theory. One piece of paper, folded into thirds.

1️⃣ : What does it feel like in your head when you create? Draw it. Fold it. Hide it. Pass it to your partner.

2️⃣ : What does it feel like in your core body when you create? Draw it. Fold, hide, pass it back.

3️⃣ : What do your legs feel like when you create—or where do they take you. Pass it back.

Unfold.

Reveal.

The laughter. The surprises. The silent “oh wow” moments around the room.

And here’s the thing I took away that I didn’t expect:
I love how I look and feel when I create—on that paper.
Not because it was “good.”
But because that’s how it feels, to me.

And the 40 other people in the room? Theirs looked surprisingly similar.
(yes, my partner was a little more restrained, which has its place in creativity too). But there were so many swirls, explosive marks, strange shapes, chaotic lines.

That’s what creativity is.
That’s what it feels like.
Unfolding.
Revealing.
Letting it speak for itself.

And what I’m most proud about is not walking in the room, it’s that I didn’t walk out.

Because if I did, walk out, I wouldn’t have this. 👇 .

And it makes me smile, from my giant 💜, every time.

So partner up.
And give it a try.