As an Adult Third Culture Kid (TCK) or Cross-Cultural Kid (CCK), have you ever thought of yourself as not being creative? Or do you know you are creative but wish to enhance your creativity?
Creativity is often associated with artists, musicians and writers, but in reality, creativity is an inherent power within every individual. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a parent, a teacher or a scientist, creativity fuels your ability to think outside the box, solve problems and bring fresh perspectives to life.
The ancient Yogic wisdom reveals that creativity is not something external that you acquire — it is already within you, woven into the very fabric of your being. Creativity is not a gift bestowed upon a select few — it is the natural expression of a being. Each of us is inherently creative, yet this energy often lies dormant, buried under layers of stress, self-doubt and disconnection.
The Aatmaa (inner being) is the source of creativity, intelligence, highest potential, true freedom, unconditional love, profound peace and lasting happiness.
These traits are not separate. You do not have to strive for each one individually. When you tap into your inner creativity, you also awaken intelligence, clarity, peace and happiness.
But how can we access and expand this inner creativity?
The ancient Yogic wisdom provides a comprehensive lifestyle and spiritual pathway that unlocks creativity from within. Through the C.R.E.A.T.E. path — a six-step journey rooted in Yogic principles — you can cultivate the conditions necessary to express your fullest creative potential.
- C – Connect with Your Creative Core
- R – Relax for Creativity
- E – Eat to Fuel Your Creative Energy
- A – Affirm Your Creative Power
- T – Think with Yogic Wisdom
- E – Exercise Yogically to Awaken Creativity
Let us understand these one by one.
C – Connect with Your Creative Core
Creativity is Your Core
Every spark of creativity originates from within. In modern life, we often look outside ourselves for stimulation and solutions. But Yogic wisdom reminds us that everything we seek already resides within. The practice of turning inward — through silence, breath and self-reflection — helps us access our inner world, where the creative wellspring resides.
Creativity is not a skill you learn — it is who you are.
Fact #1: Your body is constantly creating. New cells replace old ones every second. When you eat, your digestive fire converts food into energy, enabling every activity you do.
Fact #2: The chemical processes taking place in your body with the secretion of hormones and juices from glands create new elements ensuring peak efficiency of your body.
Fact #3: Your mind is continuously creating. Thoughts, emotions and ideas are constantly emerging within you, shaping your perception of life.
Fact #4: Your existence itself is a creation. The reproductive system carries the power to create new life, proving that creativity is embedded in your very being.
It is the creative energy in you that expresses itself through writing, speaking, mentoring, drawing, painting, music, dance, theatre, cooking or inventing.
There is NO limit to that creative energy or how it wants to express itself in you.
Try This: Begin your day with a five-minute silent meditation, focusing on your heart center. Imagine a radiant light awakening your creativity. This simple practice can attune you to your deepest inspirations.
Yogic Insight: In Yogic texts, your inner core is the gateway to infinite wisdom. True creativity is not an act of ego, but a flow from this sacred space.
R – Relax for Creativity
Stillness births creativity.
- Relaxation is not the absence of activity; it is the presence of conscious rest. It is not about doing nothing — it is about being in a state of inner calm while remaining fully aware.
- According to Yogic wisdom, when the body is relaxed and the mind is calm, PraaṇaH (life-force energy) flows more freely. And wherever PraaṇaH flows, creativity follows.
- Tension, worries and stress block not just joy, but innovation. You cannot be inspired when your nervous system is in survival mode.
Try This: Lie down in Shavasanam (corpse pose), close your eyes and mentally scan your body from head to toe. Release any tension you find. After just 10 minutes, you will feel lighter — and more receptive to creative ideas.
Yogic Insight: The mind is like a lake. When disturbed by stress, its surface is choppy, distorting the reflection of truth. But when relaxed, the waters settle, revealing deep insight and clarity.
E – Eat to Fuel Your Creative Energy
Food affects not just your body but your mind and imagination.
Food is not just nutrition; it is energy, vibration and consciousness. The food you consume directly affects your mental clarity, focus and creative potential.
What you eat determines the Guna-s (qualities) active in your mind:
- Saatvic (pure) foods increase clarity, lightness and inspiration.
- Raajasic (stimulating) foods agitate the mind and create restlessness.
- Taamasic (lethargy-inducing) foods cloud perception and diminish creativity.
A Saatvic diet — composed of fresh, plant-based, seasonal and lightly cooked foods — supports clarity, peace and vitality.
Food is energy in tangible form. The more PraanaH (life force) a food contains, the more it elevates your energy and mental state. Processed, heavy or excessively spicy foods can dull your senses.
Try This: For one week, eat a purely Saatvic breakfast — fresh fruit, soaked almonds, herbal tea or warm porridge. Observe how your thoughts and energy shift over the week.
Yogic Insight: You are what you eat. As you eat, so you become.
A – Affirm Your Creative Power
Your words shape your world. Use them wisely.
Your thoughts shape your reality. If you constantly tell yourself you are not creative, those words become your reality. But if you affirm your potential — “I am a vessel for divine inspiration” or “Creative energy flows through me with ease” — your subconscious begins to rewire itself to support that truth.
Try This: Write down three creativity-affirming phrases. Repeat them aloud each morning and evening. Feel the vibrations in your body as you speak them with conviction.
Yogic Insight: Yogic sound practices resonate in specific energy centers (Chakrams), unblocking stagnation and opening the flow of creative power.
T – Think with Yogic Wisdom
Yogic values create the inner space for ideas to flourish.
In the Yogic path, thinking goes beyond mental activity. It teaches universal principles that refine your inner landscape and unlock deeper levels of creativity. Let’s explore how these core values promote creativity:
- Ahimsa (Non-violence): When you live with non-violence in thoughts, speech and action, your mind becomes calm and fearless. Fear is one of the biggest creativity blockers.
- Satyam (Truthfulness): Living in truth lets your authentic voice shine.
- Shoucham (Purity): Purity is not just about physical cleanliness — it is about clarity in the body, mind and environment. A cluttered space — be it physical, digital or mental — hinders innovation.
- SvaadhyaayaH (Self-Study & Study of the Self): By studying sacred texts and reflecting on your own patterns, you gain deeper self-awareness. Creativity flourishes when you truly understand yourself — your gifts, wounds, vision and potential.
Yogic values are not limitations. They are the boundaries that create boundless freedom — they are liberators of your creative genius. They help you create the life you have always wanted, the one that you truly deserve.
Try This: Each night, journal your top three recurring thoughts of the day. Ask yourself: Are they serving my creativity or limiting it? Choose one to consciously shift tomorrow.
Yogic Insight: In an authentic Yogic text called the “Bhagavad Gita,” Krishna teaches Arjuna that the mind must be trained through discipline and detachment. A Yogic thinker is not a passive dreamer but a conscious creator of their inner and outer world.
E – Exercise Yogically to Awaken Creativity
Your body is not separate from your creative expression.
Physical movement is essential for creative expression. Yogic movement is not about performance — it is about presence. When you move with awareness, you awaken PraanaH, and remove blockages in the Naaḍi-s (energy channels).
You do not need complex poses to unlock this power. Unlike ordinary exercise, a Yoga-posture, even the simplest one, is done with awareness, breath synchronization and inner focus, making it a moving meditation that refreshes body, mind and Aatmaa.
Creativity is not just a mental process — it is an energetic flow. When your body is flexible, your mind becomes flexible, allowing ideas to flow effortlessly.
Try This: Begin your creative work with two simple Yoga-poses. Feel the difference in your focus and flow.
Yogic Insight: When your spine is activated through Yogic movement, it becomes the superhighway of inspiration and insight.
Conclusion: Be the Creator You Were Born to Be
Creativity is not something you do — it is something you are. It is the natural state of a being in harmony with themselves and the universe. The Yogic path does not offer a formula for creativity; it offers a way of life that removes the blocks to your natural creative essence.
By following the CREATE framework, you can tap into the infinite wellspring of creativity that resides within you. You CREATE from the inside out.
Now, go forth and CREATE!
Your Creative Journey Starts Now
Begin with one step — whichever resonates with you the most. Perhaps today, you affirm your creative potential. Tomorrow, you choose Saatvic meals. Slowly, these practices pave way for your transformation. And as you evolve, so does your art, your work, your life.
Remember: You are not here to merely consume life. You are here to CREATE it — beautifully, consciously and joyfully.
