DON’T LOOK. CREATIVE EXERCISE WITHOUT CRITICAL GLANCE

Instructions

Before starting, prepare a sheet of paper and a pen in a comfortable place within your reach. Sit down and take three very slow breaths while focusing all your attention on this activity. Now, take the writing tool in your hand. The key to this exercise is to cover or close your eyes and not open them until the end. Place the pen on the paper and begin to draw lines, strokes, dots in a direction, pressure, boldness, and sharpness that feels right for you. Elements of filling, shapes, figures, words may appear. It may take some time before a trace appears on the paper. When the process starts, do not interrupt it, allow yourself to act.

You will likely have internal questions, dialogue, remarks, even defensive reactions. Note: very difficult emotions may arise. You can stop this exercise at any time. Throughout the process, do not imagine the end result, be in the here and now, let the tool flow on the paper and thoughts pass by. Just observe them. When you feel you have finished, put the tool aside. Slowly remove the blindfold.

Discussion

Do not overinterpret what you see. The created record is a visual expression of muscle movements driven by signals from the mind. This can be compared to dreams in which the brain organizes certain information. It’s an action through which the mind can digest and process its thoughts, without being controlled or criticized by the observer, which is ourselves. By doing this without a sense of pattern, we don’t force the end result, subconsciously striving for it as an image reflected in the mind. We become accustomed to stimulating our creativity through the tool – the medium.

Author: Natalia Zybowska