The everyday mundane life can rob us of our inspiration by taking up all our time and energy. The world can be cold, it can make us bitter and our sense of hopeful wonder can turn to dust. When we were young we were like a piece of bread fresh out of the oven, and for some of us, now that we've sat around or been exposed to the elements, we're quickly turning to toast. Life doesn't have to be this way.

We spend so much time and effort on what we call "making a living" while never tapping into our soul's purpose and development. It's simply not healthy to go on neglecting the spirit. We are not here on this earth to be stressed out. Do you really think all of mankind's rules were intended for us when God created this wonderful place? We are here to enjoy life, to love this earth and each other, and give thanks for these moments.

I will admit, finding the time to stop and smell the roses can be hard these days, but there is a simple change you can make that will open the doors to inspiration. And that is to kick start your imagination again. You do remember what that is?

Did you know Native American's called God "The Great Imagination." If we are extensions from this source, shouldn't this same imagination be embodied by us? But how many of us really give way to our imagination? Perhaps we learned to shy away from our creative fantasies when school taught us to fill our brains with data. It's too bad we often scrutinize our own imaginations, ultimately squashing their fruition due to "real world" thinking. Our imaginations sparked by some precious moment are actually our divine ability to be a part of creation. They are gateways to our very evolution.

There's a whole other life when we begin to access the creative juices at the heart of our imagination. The world originates within us. Somebody once said that our challenge is to act upon life as creators rather than having life act upon us. This is a great challenge to practice everyday when we go out into the world. As the doors are opened to birth new and exciting ideas or knowledge into reality, manifestations of all kinds are born. Culture itself is formed. We suddenly have artists, inventors, musicians, performers, comedians, etc. And they in-turn inspire us, they delight our senses and get us thinking with the mind muscles of possibility, humor, and creative amazement - the very muscles that see each new day as a blank canvas ready to be painted upon.

Using your imagination is an art form that feels good the more you use it. It thins the separation between you and higher dimensions. Playing within the exploration of the imagination is to flow in an embrace of curiosity that nourishes the soul. Each one of us has a choice to exercise the imagination, and as we tap into this resource it is up to us whether or not we censor the imaginal flow. Giving it full reign surprises us and puts us in a playground of possibility - we are linked to the Mystery and are authentic to unfold unexpected results while dancing in a wealth of visionary awareness.

So how do you turn on your imagination again you ask? Well it's different for everybody. The desire to change, build new habits, and improve must be strong enough to resist any laziness. You can start by taking time out of the everyday routine to seek your sanctuary so you can be at peace to let the creative spirit flow. In your sanctuary you might uncover a unique quality, or talent within you that would have been missed if you never made the effort to seek your imagination.

Here are some places to find your imagination:

• Your sanctuary might exist in beautiful music that heightens your way of thinking. You can decide to take up an instrument or you can put on your favorite CD. Music is a powerful gesture to your inner feelings. With the ability to heal and uplift the mood, music reminds us of our youth and can swing us in a more positive direction. We can even witness the blatantly obvious and instantaneous affects of music as we dance and yield our bodies to the beats and sounds in pure creative expression.

• Arts and crafts and other hobbies such as sewing also have the ability to take us into our inner garden. Expression through art such as drawing, painting, creative writing, or poetry have been known to act as therapy and aid in the healing process with physical and mental tension. Light waves of color are another vibratory form besides music that can yield a change in mood. Just exploring the use of different colors whether on your living room walls, your clothes, or on canvas, have impact on our inner senses.

• Maybe your inner garden comes from an actual garden - A place you go to where you can take part in nature and watch it come alive in all its wonder. This could be just outside your door or down a path where you can take in the pure air, trickling water, or beautiful aromas of plants and herbs. Having a garden to visit, a dog to walk, or animals to feed, helps us get outside and exposes ourselves to an unlimited expanse of creative expression force fed to us from the greatest Creator of all.

• You can make your sanctuary in the quality time spent with family and friends as you immerse yourself in conversation and warm company. Even in the very conversation you can use your imagination. This can be by telling a story, or even by smiling with the intent to bring humor into the conversation. When people see you smile it becomes easier to joke, and the desire to talk about something positive is increased.

• Your sanctuary could also be your bed. Yes I said bed. Creativity comes from our dreams and getting plenty of sleep. Not getting enough sleep makes us irritable because our energy is low. It even gives us headaches and bags under our eyes. Sleep is a priority, a must. Your body repairs itself during sleep. And, contrary to common myth, the need for sleep doesn't decline with age, the ability to sleep does. Many creative ideas come from the clarity of the quiet night and the vivid visions one receives just before falling asleep.

About the Author

Jaison Cianelli is a New Age artist who also likes to share his feelings in writing. Jaison is a member of the Arts and Healing Network and believes in the healing potential of artwork to bring about positive change. You can view his inspirational art and healing paintings at www.cianellistudios.com.