In times of turmoil and stress, I turn to my journal. I retreat to the written word as much as possible in order to manage stress, discover new viewpoints, get advice and become more creative. I have been writing since I was a teenager, penning poems, songs and stories and the process of creation has always fascinated me as much as the writing itself. As I grew older, I began using a journal to process emotions rather than just venting my anger and rage in poetry and lyrics. In amongst all of that writing and study, there has developed a wise, inner voice, reassuring me and pushing me in the right direction. As I learned techniques for writing and applied my healing knowledge to those techniques, a natural process developed that I call Soul Writing. I have taught Soul Writing on and off for the last eight years. I used to only teach in groups, face to face, at retreats and yoga camps that I lived and worked at but have since started online seminars and workshops.

I am a great believer in the human spirit and our natural creativity. I have yet to meet someone who is not inherently creative. Of course, I am not just talking about producing art and this may come down to semantics but merely having a thought or an idea is creative. Choosing what to eat for lunch is creative. Making a decision, making a baby, baking a cake, doing a charity fun run, helping pick up litter in the park, choosing curtains and planting vegetables are all everyday creative acts we take part in.

It is from this standpoint that I surmise that to be human is to be creative. We have an inner voice, a guidance system that leads us to make decisions. It informs us at a very deep level, leading us to experience all manner of things – some would call it our inner knowing or higher self. Yet, all too often, we get caught in subconscious thought loops – places of repeated drama, where trauma and pain seem to thrive. I have spent many a year oscillating upon the peaks and troughs of my own inner soap-opera. And whilst life can run along like this, seemingly forever; because we are creative beings that have full control over what we choose to think, say and do, we can step into that drama and begin to release it. Heck, we can take that drama and turn it into fantastic art if we want!

Soul Writing is a practice designed to help release and free our inner voice and creative spirit. At the same time, it is a healing tool that can help us process old trauma and current issues. We are able to explore our shadows and our depths, offering new horizons from which to look at life. Soul Writing is for everyone. For seasoned writers and beginners alike. Many people have found the Soul Writing process to be unique, refreshing and easy to access. We are learning to ‘unthink’, ‘unplan’ and ‘undo’ the barriers that stand in the way of our writing voice, creative soul and unlimited spirit.

That the world is in a place of crisis and decision, there can be no doubt. Some of us see it as a wake-up call to humanity – to start living in harmony with nature. Others see it as a bid for control – the elite ruling the masses. Yet more see a natural evolution point and inevitable awakening of the entire species. Perhaps the vast majority just see what is presented to them on the everyday news. For me, I see a combination of all these things, a culmination of rhythms and cycles, a need for the human spirit to purge its demons, to evolve, live in harmony with the planet and get on with day to day life in a more harmonious way. I firmly believe that the more inner work we can do to discover our true, creative, infinite nature – the more we allow ourselves to let go of the shadows that hold us back and become clearer about where we are headed.

Do I believe that creativity can change the world? Absolutely, but it must come with awareness and acknowledgement. We must honour the fact that we are all creative beings and can change our world and others’ with just a word. With that recognition comes awareness… that we are responsible for what we give out. We can create chaos or we can create harmony. We can choose to explore our nooks and crannies and feel a little better every day or we can act upon our fears and keep adding to the dream-spell that we find ourselves in.

If we are indeed at an evolution point in the history of the planet, there is no time better than now to recognise our infinite potential and inherent creative beauty. We have a responsibility to ourselves and others to do no harm while discovering how to fully express our very hearts and souls.

Matt Rivers is a singer, songwriter, musician, poet, teacher and writer of words. He is passionate about rediscovering our inner creative flow, adding love and beauty to society and looking after our wonderful, amazing planet. If you are interested in attending one of his Soul Writing sessions check out the workshop page.

Grab a copy of his new book Note to Self: Writing to Reveal Your Soul exclusively on Amazon Kindle.

You can listen to Matt Rivers on Spotify or Bandcamp. Spread the message, follow and share.