Hedgehog Cactus
Hedgehog cactus is a beautiful, low-lying cactus made up of one or more little cactuses growing all cuddled together. It blossoms in late April and May at high altitude in the Southwest United States, its tiny buds emerging out of the cactus and slowly opening up as fragile, shockingly bright red flowers. All over the landscape, these little cactuses peek out red between the pale green yuccas and dry, gnarly junipers.
Hedgehog cactus says: Start where you are.
Of course. The place to begin is where you are. Oh, its such a simple truth. There is no way to begin anywhere else. And yet how often do we judge ourselves for not knowing enough, or not feeling ready? How often do you wish you knew how a project was going to turn out before you begin?
I often get sidetracked by the fear of “not knowing” - not knowing what the real theme of a song is as I’m writing it, or how a day will unfold. Oh I’ll find out. When it comes to creativity, I most often won’t find out in the first day of writing a story, or the first week of writing a song.
The theme emerges, as I investigate the memory or imagery that I am developing or wishing to evoke. And if I rush onwards, wishing I knew, or trying to pin it down, it eludes me. In those cases, I’m not even really starting. I’m pretending that I’m at the end when I’m still at the beginning.
HedgeHog’s Meditation:
Sit for a moment, and breathe. Fill yourself up with light. Invite the Spirit of the Hedgehog Cactus to guide you.
Imagine yourself at the beginning of a journey. It will be a creative journey, a journey of the heart, and a journey in the physical dimension. Whatever you could possibly need, you already have with you. Your bags are packed, you're ready to go.
How do you feel, at the outset?
Lets invite the heart into play. The journey will unfold from the heart. So, fill the heart with light, feel it overflowing through your mind, through your plans and through your expectations. Feel it overflowing through your body, through your hands, out into the tools of your trade. Whats at your fingertips? Watch it all fill with light.
Let the light show you what to do next. What do you do? What lights up for you as the next step?
Start where you are. And you’re always where you are.
This meditation may seem simple. But to practice with light in this way transforms the experience of creating. Beginnings are everywhere.
If this approach to creativity resonates, you are very welcome to join the Lunar Grove subscription series, from which this article is extracted.
The Lunar Grove is a monthly membership program with guidance from the Greenworld to support conscious creativity.
