How tuning into the natural rhythms of the day can support creativity
This week I want to give you another tool to support your workflow and creative process. Just as the doshas are present in different ways in each of us, the energies of the different doshas “rule” different times of the day. If we can work with this natural cycle of energy on a daily basis, rather than against it, we can start to feel like our work is unfolding naturally, rather than something we always feel like we’re pushing against.
Before getting into this, I have to make a confession. I am one of those people who is obsessed with scheduling, and I always have it in the back of my mind that if I could just find the perfect routine for my day, a way to fit everything in that I need, everything in my life would come together. The truth is there is no perfect way, and certainly not one way for everyone. But in my studies of Ayurveda I have been interested to learn about the energetic qualities that are present at different times of day and how that might help align our choices about scheduling and creativity.
I feel it is important to put this disclaimer that there is not one right way to do anything, and if trying to follow these patterns stresses you out more, just put it aside! I am definitely guilty of obsessing over this stuff to the point of unhappiness. Don’t try to incorporate everything at once. Instead I would suggest picking one of the exercises or daily routines listed below and giving it a try to see if it helps you.
2am-6am: Vata Time
Vata is the ruler of the early morning hours from 2am to 6am. Unless you wake up very early, you might be sleeping through this time–which is great, because vata has that ethereal, mystical energy that will infuse your early morning dreams with some interesting messages. If you can catch the tail end of vata time and wake up at 5am, you can extend this dreamlike state into your morning.
Traditionally, this would be the time you would say your morning prayers or sit in meditation. But if you consider that art can be a form of prayer, or a collaboration with unseen forces, you can see the benefit in using this time for writing or artmaking. Between night and day, sleeping and waking, many people find they can tune in to a flow of creative energy before their more practical minds get in the way. This is probably not the time to dive into a high-pressure project, but can be a perfect hour to do some freewriting or other free-flowing creative expression.
Writing “morning pages” is a practice made popular by Julia Cameron, and many creative people swear by it. Here are the rules: soon after waking, go sit with a notebook and a pen, and create some sort of limit for your writing. I like to set a timer, but the standard way is to fill up three pages in your notebook. Then, simply write without stopping. Don’t let your pen move off your page. I find that when I do this practice very early in the morning, dreams often come through, or undigested thoughts from the previous day. I have experimented with the timing of this exercise a lot and think it can work at different times, but it is a good one to try during vata time to see if it gives you a little extra creative freedom.
I’m a songwriter, and though I don’t often start my day this way, I love the experience of waking up early and going straight to my guitar. I’ve had songs come out of dreams or out early morning meditations, and these pieces feel like they show up easily, right out of the air, compared to other songs which I really have to work for.
6am-10am: Kapha Time
Kapha energy is very different: grounded, earthy, and slow. You may notice that the later you sleep in in the mornings, the harder it is to actually get out of bed. I relate this to the accumulation of kapha energy as we move later into the morning. I find that if I don’t get up by 6am my energy is a lot different and while it can make for a nice lazy morning, I miss that energy of the early morning.
During this time of day it can help to have a structure that gets us moving. Morning is a great time to exercise because it counteracts that heavy kapha energy and gets our creative juices flowing. But we can also take advantage of the grounded kapha energy to help us accomplish some creative tasks. One practice that I love to do in the morning is to reach out to one person every day. I got this tip from Laura Vanderkam and I really love it for creative types. Just pick one person, someone you know or someone you want to know, and reach out with an email, text or social media message. It takes only five minutes but if you do it every day, it can quickly grow relationships and opportunities.
If you’re a musician, maybe you reach out to another musician you admire to ask about booking a show together. If you’re a writer, you could be sending out your latest story to someone new each day. This really helps me with the feelings of isolation that can sometimes come with being an artist. As an introvert, it can be hard for me to reach out and ask for support, but making it a daily practice has helped it to become much less intimidating.
If you start your workday before 10am, as many of us do, try to plan a routine you look forward to that gives you energy, whether it’s setting the mood with a great playlist or brewing a special cup of tea to bring to your desk.
10am-2pm: Pitta Time
Mid-morning to mid-afternoon is ruled by pitta, whose fiery, determined energy can really help us get motivated and focused. I usually use the hours before lunch to dig into whatever is at the top of my to-do list. If I have a writing project I am working on, it is a great time to sit down and write. If you are a business owner, you will probably be doing work for your business.
Since pitta energy can get very intense, it is important to take a break for a nice big lunch in the middle of this time to give our body some nourishment and our minds some time to cool down. After eating lunch is a great time to take a quick rest or a short walk if you have that luxury. As we digest our lunch, we can also digest the efforts of all our work from the morning, and move into our afternoons.
2pm-6pm: Vata Time
By midafternoon we’ve cycled back into vata time, where the spacious, dreamy energy can open our minds to new possibilities. Many will disagree with me, but the afternoons are actually my favorite time to do creative work. Try this exercise: sometime between lunch and dinner, try to give yourself an hour for a sacred creative ritual. If you work from home or work for yourself this is easier to arrange; but maybe it’s something you do as soon as you get home from work to unwind before dinner. How you create this ritual is up to you, but give yourself a full hour to turn off your phone, lock the door and turn inward from all distractions (especially during vata time we can easily get sucked into an Instagram wormhole if we pick up our phones).
You may choose to start the ritual however you like; perhaps you light a candle or burn some incense, or sit for five minutes of meditation. After this opening, you are in your sacred creative space, in conversation with your unseen creative collaborators and guides. Don’t put pressure on the outcome of this time, you are simply going to follow your curiosity. If you are a composer, sit down at the piano and see what comes. If you are a painter, go to your blank canvas. If you are a writer, maybe you take this time to explore a new idea you have been dreaming about; do some free-form journaling or write a character bio.
If you aren’t sure what your art form even is, do something for your inner child. What did you like to do when you were a kid? One of my favorite things to do when I was in elementary school was to draw pictures of girls in pretty dresses while our teacher read to us in the afternoons. I could recreate this experience by putting on an audiobook and sitting with some colored pencils and a coloring book. It might seem like a totally “pointless” exercise but who knows where it might lead!
The point of this time is to create something without pressure and without judgement. You could try coming back to what you created another day during the earlier pitta hours, when your analytical mind is strong. Then you can give yourself permission to rewrite, refine or critique. But I think it’s extremely helpful to separate the “critic” mind from the “creator” mind. Whether you’re a professional artist or not, we all need time to create just for the fun of it.
6pm-10pm: Kapha Time
Evening is kapha time again, and it’s usually best to go with this energy and use it to help us wind down. Hopefully we are finished with our work and ready to have some dinner and relax. Many of us use this time to watch tv, but personally I know I can always use a little encouragement to use this after-dinner time a little more mindfully.
I’m currently working on recording my next album, and have been loving listening to my favorite albums for inspiration. When was the last time you listened to an album all the way through, without doing something else? Put on your headphones and go for a stroll, or set yourself up somewhere comfy with a cup of tea. It’s not a bad way to spend your evening!
Before bed is also a great time to read, and it can help us prepare for sleep if we switch off the screens a little earlier. Again, slow and steady is a great approach. One chapter a night will get you through that classic American novel you’ve been meaning to read. If you have kids or a partner, you could even try reading out loud to make it a time of connection as well.
10pm-2am: Pitta Time
By 10pm, ideally it’s lights out! We’re headed back into pitta time and if we don’t go to sleep, we’ll probably get a second wind and a hankering for a late night snack. Some people are night owls and if that works for your lifestyle then don’t worry too much. My husband often likes to get some writing done after I go to sleep. The pitta energy can make it really easy to focus and get great work done for some people. But for me, I know if I give into that urge I will regret it the next day!
Remember: we’re all unique and I’m not saying we should all follow the same strict schedule. Depending on your doshic type, Ayurveda suggests waking at different times and following a slightly different schedule. But these general guidelines are a great starting place! The most important thing is to notice how your energy feels at different times of the day, and see how you can use that to your advantage. Many of us have learned to push through our days and even into our nights with no time to rest our bodies or let our brains switch tasks.
If you’ve been following a schedule that always feels like an uphill battle, can you switch it up a little? How does your energy change if you wake up an hour earlier? Or an hour later? How does it feel to take a break for “creative playtime” somewhere in your day? I hope this knowledge is fun to play with and can bring a little more ease into your day. Let me know how it goes!