Exercise 11, Change in small steps ”Small steps in the right direction can turn out to be the biggest step of your life.” Anonymous I believe that our life develops and changes in all the small choices we make every day. I also believe that we sometimes learn and develop by listening to questions that have the power to change. They are often unexpected, simple, curious and inspiring with an inherent challenge. I remember a question in a particularly difficult period in my life. When was the last time that you laughed? A very simple question, which in that period felt like a challenge, as I was going through grief. It reminded me of the importance of having fun to persevere, to move forward.  Another question was: "Aren't you the master of your own calendar? A third one I got just about this course "Has this method really fundamentally changed your life? I believe that the reflection phase can be a great tool to answer your own important questions. In my own reflections I found that I have created a lot of changes, since I started the process of Creative meditation and they are in most areas of my life. From how I save, to personal selfceare in the morning to what I prioritise and many other things. When I go back and read about the changes that have been made, they surprise me. My memory is often remembering less things or less progress, that is why I am now focusing on how I am thinking about myself. Again I am not perfect in any area, but I have changed a lot of things in my life so that it is better in my opinion. I think that I have often stopped myself because I only saw the big change or the big dream, instead of being in able to see the small wins. So, for a month I started to write them down when they happened, and I had a certain song that I played when I had a win. This might not suit you at all. The process is much more to start to reflect how you have changed things before in your life and how change works for you. When my change gets interrupted or hit a road-block it is often due to an emotion that has lead to negative thinking. To trust that I am doing the things that I am good at and are right for me I take the time to meditate and create on the feeling of the process. It is really interesting to get to know how your own change process works, and for me it is empowering every time that I can go back and read the reflections to see the process with steps and dates. Examples of small steps: put out your exercise clothes the evening before, find more information about a course, make one call or create space for it in your calender. Part 1 Meditation, 5 min Sit or stand so you can see the horizon. Focus your gaze on the horizon and let your eyes be half-closed. Breathe deeply, keep your eyes on the horizon. Relax tension in the body. Focus on an issue that feels important to you right now. Stay focused and feel how the question feels in your body.  If you have difficulty finding a place with a horizon, focus on clouds. Part 2 Creative Meditation, 10 min Please use both words and pictures. Draw, photograph or write about one or more issues that have been important to you. Part 3 Reflection, 15 min We are constantly learning, so one way to reflect on your own questions is to make a mental decision and feel for a moment in your body how it feels when you have made this decision. Try to get into the idea. Then try choosing a different answer to the question and feel how it feels. It is an exercise in being open to our intuition. My gauge sits in my shoulders, shoulder blades and upper arms. For others, it may be an upset stomach, or a migraine. The right decision eases the tension. This does not mean that a problem completely goes away at the beginning, nor do you have to act on decisions, but just train mentally and think about what feels right for you. Write down questions that have been central to how you have developed your life? What is the smallest step (less than 30 mins) that you can take towards what you want? How was the feeling? Good Luck Ingela

Exercise 12, Train your intuitive GPS ”You have to train your intuition - you have to trust that little voice inside you that tells you what to say and how to decide." Ingrid Bergman The other day I listened to the radio and an old interview with Ingemar Bergman, Sweden's most famous director of all time. He described how when meeting and directing his actors he always used his intuition. That it was his most important tool. We all have it, but not all os us have learned to listen to it. When we were children it was a natural part of us, but over time we sometimes turned it off. Sometimes we go against it for the rational odds and intuition seem to go against each other. When logic contradicts it, it can take great courage to listen to intuition. Start with the small things, start listening to your intuition. Practice learning to hear and understand your inner voice. Take small steps, listen to what the body wants to eat. Listen to how the body wants to train or if it needs a break. It takes time to learn to listen and understand. Notice what happens when you listen, and reflect for yourself. Then you can learn to recognise your actions and your own patterns. The days when we can follow, hear and feel our intuition have had an incredible flow for me. There are days when I can laugh, work effectively and share joy with those around me. Just like with everything else, you need to practice recognising the signals. Many describe it as just feeling right.  If you read science today, it is described that these decisions are made in the limbic part of the brain. Although we still describe it as a gut feeling. My meter seems to be sitting in my shoulder blades. Sure it's still the limbic part of the brain, but I have learned to feel tension in the shoulder blades. When I go against my intuition, I often get hurt and hurt. If I however have sat at the computer for too long, there is a purely physical explanation. We must begin to understand and listen to ourselves. There are several good books on Intuition that I can recommend.  For me, our creative expression regardless of what creative piety you practice has a strong connection to intuition. Elisabet Gilbert has written a fantastic book about creativity that describes the connection. To find the body's decision compass, or to learn to understand the GPS of intuition: I think we all have different types of signals. It may be that we are filled with energy, that we get goosebumps and that we feel inspired. Sometimes, however, it is difficult to determine what exactly we feel excited about, and how to make decisions. That's why it's important to practice small things, reflect on decisions we've made that went well and think about how we felt. Let it take time but think about where your intuitive GPS sits and learn to interpret it, and life will flow more easily and you will likely feel greater meaning and happiness, I would look for things that surprise me, and if I notice that a subject or symbol comes to my attention in three different ways I pay extra attention. My intuitive messages often comes in the creative part of the process, but they might start already in the meditation and be discovered during the reflection. That is why I like to pay equal importance to all three steps. Part 1 Meditation, 5 min Listen to a guided meditation. After meditation, ask your intuition what it most likes to eat for dinner. Feel how it feels.  Guided Meditation Part 2 Creative meditation, 10 min Paint, draw or write about your intuition. Part 3 Reflection, 10 min Think of a time when you made a decision based on what felt right. How did it go and what happened? Good Luck Ingela

Exercise 13, To have fun and try something new ”Fuel your ride with positive energy" John Gordon It is very easy to cancel the things in your calendar that you enjoy when you get to stressed out. In the short term that is not a problem, however it can easily become a habit as for many of us there is always a lot of work and not enough time. Getting back to prioritising things that are fun becomes important for health and having energy for others. If you get a bad conscience from focusing on having fun, research has shown that it can bring, among other things: reduced stress, increased concentration, better relationships, better sleep and more energy. Another thing that is important for problem solving, creativity and innovation is to dare to try new things, Pay attention to if you get more or less high quality work done if you took a break and did something that you enjoyed. Part 1 Meditation, 5 min Listen to the audio meditation on the Lemon. The lemon story Part 2 Creative meditation, 15 min Draw, write or paint the scent of a lemon, orange or clementine. Part 3 Reflection, 6 min What can I do today to have fun? When was the last time you were in Flow. How do I fill myself with positive energy? (Building my system for Flow) Good Luck Ingela

Occasion 19, Turn off to turn on ”Offline is the new luxury"  Social  How do you feel before, during and after your creative meditation? Do you feel that there is a time during your day when you do not want to be disturbed? The hope is that you will find a time in the day so that it can be a moment that is just yours where you can experience the luxury of being undisturbed. We all need to find solutions on how to work with technology and be able to find solutions so that we can be focused. It might mean using a focus setting on your devices, turn off notifications or simply turn them off. Not only during our meditation time but also when we need to work focused. However, it often takes time to get into the rhythm and find a habit that fits your everyday life. For me, Creative Meditation has become a morning routine that gives me a good start to the day with energy and focus. I don’t my most important task after the meditation. Personally, I think that the process day by day makes me a better artist, mother, partner, friend because I become clearer about what I want and to fullfill my own needs. I find it easier to let go of worries and focus better when I work. Something else that has happened is that the goal image and vision are more anchored in each day and because I know myself better through the process. If I've had a stressful period and neglected my morning meditation, I quickly feel out of balance. Just like when you start skipping training. I hope and believe you can get the same effect over time. For me, it took at least six months before it really became a routine. Research today says that it takes 66 days to create a habit, there are also other research results regarding the number of days/occasions. That it becomes part of one's lifestyle and something that one longs for, has made me continue. Part 1, Meditation, 5 min,  Try focusing for 5 minutes on a flower, leaf or twig, Please have calm music playing in the background. Keep your eyes half open Every time the mind wanders, just bring it back to the notes, the texture, or the way the blade feels against your fingers. Feel free to use all your senses and think about whether there is a smell, texture, feeling or other sensations. Part 2, Creative meditation, 10 min Paint, draw or write about the experience from the meditation. You can paint the scent, or what remained in your memory. The image can be completely abstract or representational. Part 3, Reflection, 15 min The technology in our phones and computers has developed rapidly, and many of us have found it fun to experiment, learn and test. Now most of us also need to get better at finding ways to close windows, pop-ups, notifications and push messages. Being interrupted shifts focus and makes us loose concentration. Today we talk a lot more about efficiency being created by concentrating on one thing at a time instead of constantly tinkering with a million little things. What can you do today to increase your ability to focus? What can you turn off? When is your most productive time of the day? How can you do your most important tasks during this time? Good Luck Ingela

Exercise 21, Imagination and movement Being curious and creative is part of our well-being. There is research from Dr. Barbara Fredriksson that shows that those who listen to their favourite music for 20 minutes per day show the same positive results as those who meditate for 20 minutes per day. Part 1, Meditation, 5 min Dance or move to a song you love. If you have time, dance until you feel like you're starting to let loose. Try to stay in the moment, be in the music here and now. If music and movement aren't your thing, do something you're curious about. Part 2, Creative meditation, 10 - 12 min Try doing something you've never tried before. Here are some suggestions: It could be something as simple as trying to draw a circle with your left hand. If you want something more difficult, draw a photo and turn it upside down. Try writing a three-line poem. Read an article about a topic that is completely new to you. Part 3, Reflection, 6 min How was it to try something new? Are there more minor things you can try? What happens when you try something new? Good Luck! Ingela

Exercise 22, Your inner icon We usually know who our inner critic is, but what would happen if you turned it around? Who inspires you? Do you have a role model or inner icon? Part 1, Meditation, 5 min Listen to the color meditation. Part 2, Creative meditation, 10 - 12 min Look for inspiration online or draw your inner icon. Part 3, Reflection, 6 min How did it feel to imagine your inner icon? Good Luck! Ingela

Exercise 24, YOUR PROCESS Try your own process of creative meditation. Congratulations, it's time to try your own process for the first time. It is also time to give yourself a reward for going through the whole course. It may be helpful if you decide to try for 21 days and then review if you want to change your process. If I had to choose a single thing as the most important thing in this course That's how it is for me to slow down through meditation or mindfulness before I have to make a decision, perform or do something creative. When it became a habit, I started to feel an increase in self-confidence. I am extremely curious about what you think has been most important. Please write me a few lines. Good Luck! Ingela

Monthly reflection Here it is good if you have set aside a whole hour. Sit down with a cup of tea/coffee and look through what you have created during the month and read your reflections. Write a summary and think about whether there is anything that surprises you. Do you find colors, patterns, words, feelings that recur? Time to celebrate! Now you have finished one month off the course so it is time to celebrate in some way. Decide to give yourself something that you have longed for time for a long walk, a good lunch, a bouquet of flowers or what you perceive as a reward.

Exercise 3, Being present with music "When we are in the moment, the moment is in us." Jacyntha England We cannot hear our intuition if we cannot hear our feelings. For me, music is often connected to my feelings and art of course, but also films, theatre, series, games... Part 1 Meditation, 5 min Music is perhaps one of the most important creative tools we have to express ourselves, process emotions, enjoy and move with. For some, it has become a natural part of everyday life that we wake up to our favourite song, listen to music while doing the dishes, exercise or for total enjoyment in silence before bed with a large cup of tea and lit candles. Listen to a song you used to listen to when you were young. For me it could be soul music and "I feel good". Take a few minutes and listen, if you want to move, move. It's all about being here and now in the music. Just meditating to a song has proven for many to be a good way to train the ability to meditate. There is research from psychologist Barbara Fredriksson that shows listening to music you love 20 minutes a day can have the same positive effects as meditating for 20 minutes. Focus on movement in the music. Listen to the song 1 - 2 times depending on how much time you have. Part 2 Creative meditation, 10 min If time is important, set a timer. Choose the colors or pencils that feel right. Draw/paint without requirements, think about the movement in the music. Listen to the same song, close your eyes and let the pencil/brush follow the notes, what pattern will it be? If you want to write, write with the song playing in the background. If you were to describe the flow in the music, how does it sound. When you feel you are done, stop. During an exercise, you can make as many pictures as you want. Sometimes a picture takes a long time, sometimes you're done quickly.  Part 3 Reflection, 5 min What did you feel in your body when you heard the music? What was it like to focus on listening? Was there anything that surprised you? Good luck! Ingela

Exercise 4, Experience flow with limitation ”But out of limitation comes creativity" Debbie Allen Today we will challenge creativity with a limitation. Creativity has an amazing quality in how it reacts when we put an obstacle, or a limitation on it. It always finds new ways. I think I will repeat it again. You can use the creativity as your own individual innovation department. It brings out new alternative solutions. Part 1 Meditation, 5 min (you will need a candle and matches) Meditation with a candle. Sit comfortably with both feet on the ground, place your hands on your thighs, light a candle and stretch your back. Focus on the candle flame and breathe deeply. Let the breath sink all the way down into your stomach. Pause before exhaling, exhale slowly. Repeat and follow the light with your eyes. If you think it's nice to have music in the background, then put on calm music that you like. Try to discover all the notes in the candle flame. Focus on the movement in the light. To keep track of the time, you can set a timer on your phone. If you are not in a hurry, it is not necessary. Look, observe and feel. Try to keep your mind on the object you are focused on. Every time you think about something else, don't hang up, just let the thought go back to your breathing.  Part 2 Creative Meditation, 15 min If time is important, set a timer. Choose a color for today's exercise. Paint or draw without requirements. Pay attention to what happens when you focus on a color. If you write, choose a theme and focus your text around only that theme.  When you feel that you are done, stop. During an exercise, you can make as many pictures as you want. Sometimes a picture takes a long time, sometimes you're done quickly.  Please try to take this thought with you when you go to work. Limit your work to doing one thing, and make sure you close all other windows on your computer, mobile, etc. Feel free to set a timer. Part 3 Reflection, 5 min What happened when you limited creativity? Were you surprised by something? Was there a new thought, or a new idea? Good luck Ingela

Exercise 7, The Pattern Finder In Astrid Lindgren's fantastic books about Pippi Longstocking the ”thingseeker” is described as someone who looks for valuable objects that can be found anywhere. Objects that others might see as unimportant or as junk. Now I imagine we are looking for patterns. It can be objects, colors, symbols or words that come back to us more than once. Our first step will be to be able to learn to see them and our second step will be to start thinking about what they stand for in our everyday life. Part 1 Meditation, 5 min Take a conscious walk in your home. Look around for things that have value for your development, or are connected to an important memory. Take a few minutes to look at the object, if possible hold it and recall what it meant. Part 2 Creative Meditation, 10 min Draw or write about something that has felt important to you. If you take photos, take pictures from the walk in your home.  Part 3 Reflection, 15 min Pour an extra large cup of tea or coffee, and feel free to take a little more time. Post or browse through all the pictures you've made during the week. Is there any symbol that comes again? Can you find similarities in color, shape or pattern? Reflect on whether they are related. Good Luck Ingela

Theme 2, Energy As you begin to get into the flow of meditating, creating and reflecting so you also start to change your energy for the day. This month you will reflect on what gives you energy, and what gives you recovery. Start to notice what you are doing when you feel energized. What's the time of the day? Who are you with? Where are you?