Writing Tips: Overcoming Creative Blocks With A Pendulum

Every writer has strategies they use when they're feeling blocked creatively and the words aren't flowing. In this post, Kim Petersen shares one of her favorite ways to get back in touch with the creative muse.

Can you relate to this scenario?

Imagine that the planets have aligned. The stars are twinkling and shining bright over your Muse. The inspiring energy of the waxing moon has fuelled your creative well and you are at the top of your writing game.

The words are flowing – you idly wonder if fire could potentially catch your fingertips as you clank on the keyboard faster than a Bullet Train en route to Tokyo City. Hell, even the kids are cutting you a break.

Then, in the next instant, you’re drawing a blank. Suddenly, your words have hit a brick wall, your characters are giving you the evil-eye and the stars have forsaken your Muse for a glitzy night out on the town in Tokyo City. And you weren’t invited.

Sound familiar?

I’ve been there – my Muse has polarized me. Yep, he has ditched me for a night out in Tokyo to swing it with other writers while I desperately grasped for inspiration. Yet, I am a writer. I cannot wait around all day hoping he’ll tire of the Tokyo glitz and come back to me.

These are the moments that define us as writers; when we realize that we cannot always rely on the Muse to get creative. So, when the Muse has left us high and dry, we need a back-up plan. One that allows us to explore and engage our imaginative resources dwelling in the creative realms.

I’m going to share an alternative method that I use to tap into my higher-creative mind – the Pendulum. So, let’s get into it.

Understanding the Higher Mind for Creativity

To understand how we can deliberately access the depths of the higher mind, we must first understand that the human mind has many layers. Cognitive neuroscientists claim that only five percent of our brain is conscious while the rest lies beyond our awareness.

The conscious mind rules rational thought and language, as well as logical processing, while the unconscious mind thinks in the expression of form such as images, memories, underlying desires, and creativity.

It is the unconscious part of the mind that holds many keys to the lasting power of creativity.
Creativity takes courage. As writers, we yearn to tell stories; to express a sacred part of ourselves and share it with the world.

When we connect to our natural creative resources, we are actually tuning into the unconscious part of our minds; this is where we discover the pathways that lead us to glorious realms – the highest part of ourselves that defines our existence – the obscure and mystic higher-creative mind.

As creatives, we rely on connecting to those imaginative resources that linger in the unknown realms. Strengthening your relationship with these transcendental dimensions is key to allowing your creative energy to flow – Muse or no Muse.

Putting into Practice

So, we’ve established that the unconscious mind is our connection to our higher-creative minds. How can we use this information to enrich our imagination and inform our stories?

Raise your Vibration
It is well-established that when we raise our level of vibration, we attract influences from higher realms. While we don’t know for certain where artistic inspiration originates, this wondrous resource is available to us all and is the cornerstone of all creation.

This is not a vague, mystical conundrum as many might think. It is at this higher level of the creative process that we become a transparent agent for another intelligence to pass through us.

The higher the frequency of your energy or vibration, the lighter you feel in your physical, emotional, and mental bodies. By raising your vibration, you become more in touch with your higher self.

Practice raising your vibration by:

1. Meditation – no surprise here, meditation has been practiced by our ancestors for eons. The fact that stilling the mind has increased in popularity is related to the many benefits’ meditation produces as a holistic practice. Some of these nuggets include stress reduction, positive effects on emotional health and enhancing self-awareness. Yet, there is more at play here. It is when we are able to cease our thought-stream that we are propelled into the great silence; and this is where it’s at – the portal to the higher-creative mind.
2. Connect with nature – ah, there is nothing like curling your toes between grainy sand, or feeling the soft blades of grass folding beneath your bare feet. Don’t roll your eyes and frown, because guess what? Getting intimate with the earth is like tapping into a natural reservoir of electric energy. That’s right, the earth is equipped to absorb negative energy as well as supply what is needed to achieve homeostasis in our bodies. In short, stepping on the ground electrically balances you!
3. Explore your inner-world through free writing – free writing is to the mind what yoga is to the body. Allowing your thoughts to run free without restriction through your writing develops and fosters your writing abilities, as well as drives inspiration. In addition to promoting good writing habits, free-writing unearths emotional themes and can shatter those invisible barriers stifling creative expression.
4. Contemplate your divinity and reflect – without getting too enigmatic, it is amazing the revelations available to us when we take the time to ponder the mystery of life and our connection to all that is. It is in the small, quiet moments when you’re digging your toes in the sand and gazing at the ocean, or just sitting beneath the sun and appreciating its warmth that you connect with a higher energy, thus, raising your own vibration. Acknowledging and becoming aware of your connection to the universe cannot be underestimated.

Accessing the Pathways

Now that we have discussed a few ways to raise our vibration, we can take a look at opening the pathways to the higher-creative mind.

Accessing other dimensions is nothing new. You are a writer; chances are your interest in exploring the mysteries of life is as insatiable as mine. At least, to a certain degree. So, the fact that channeling the spirit-world has existed since day-dot probably doesn’t spook you.

If you are anything like me, these ancient methods and spiritual-based practices may even fascinate you. One such practice is the use of the pendulum.

Before we dive into more about the pendulum, I will say that this practice is a highly subjective field of interest. I cannot claim the following to be absolute, but in the realm of accessing my higher-creative mind, it works for me.

The Pendulum for Creativity

Did you know that pendulum divination is one of the oldest processes for channeling guidance from the higher realms?

Historically, dowsing has been known for its ability to locate water, gold, oil and other minerals. Neolithic cave paintings have been found depicting figures holding dowsing rods, and the fact that dowsing was practiced by ancient tribes suggests that its practice is naturally occurring.

But what dowsers use more than any other tool is the pendulum. While this form of divination is one of the oldest methods for receiving guidance from the spirit world, the swinging patterns of the pendulum can also be used to access our higher mind for creativity.

What is a Pendulum?

The pendulum is a very simple tool. It is a symmetrical, weighted object that is hung from a single chain or cord, and one that allows the user to tune into their intuitive powers.

The pendulum acts as a receiver and transmitter of information, and moves in different ways in response to questions.

Pendulums can be made from all kinds of materials: quartz, crystals, and gemstones. And metals such as silver, gold, coins, keys, and other objects, as well as various woods.

How Does It Work?

Much like the ever-growing popularity of current practices described for using Tarot to inform our writing, the pendulum can be used in a similar way.

[Note from Joanna: Here's an article about using tarot to access creativity, and here's my podcast interview with Caroline Donahue about tarot and creativity.]

Personally, I own two pendulums and use my favorite rose quartz pendulum daily to inform my creative writing, as well as to help guide me on other life matters. When using this tool to aid with my craft, I will generally consult on character elements and actions, and story structure and plotting. For example:

My Muse is off in Tokyo and I’m stuck with a rebellious character facing a critical best-bad choice. I’m coming up with blanks. I might be in two minds about which way the story needs to unfold. I may even be reeling from the beats not making sense to me (even though I wrote them), and my thoughts are spinning – am I still in alignment with my story theme? Is this what my character would choose to do/say in this scene? Would she actually react that way?

You get the drift. This is the moment that I’m feeling somewhat confused with the progression of my story – you know, that part of the story where you feel as if you are losing sight of the global story?

Enter the pendulum:

• Once you have your pendulum, it is a good idea to start by fusing your energy with the instrument. You do this by holding your pendulum in your palm and connecting with its natural-based energy.
• The next step is to introduce yourself to your pendulum. This might sound silly, but for you to get the most from your pendulum, you will need to get to know each other – intimately.
• Hold your suspended pendulum between your thumb and index finger with your dominant hand and proceed with your introduction. You can then begin with the basics and ask your pendulum to show you its responses. You’re going to need to know the appropriate swinging actions for “yes”, “no” and “uncertain” if you are to elicit information from your instrument.
• Ask for clarity and that your answers be given for your highest good.
• Take a breath and go ahead – ask your pendulum if your character would rather use a sword or a blunt object to slay her enemies! Or if your story is still on the right track.
• Love your pendulum. Accessing the higher realms is a gift. Always demonstrate gratitude for your pendulum and acknowledge these divine pathways your tool provides.
• The more familiar you become with your pendulum, the more accurate the information will flow through to you. In time, you will learn to trust its creative influence on your work and treasure the guidance and inspiration this tool can offer to your vision.
• Have fun! Honor your connection to the higher creative realms, but don’t forget that your higher-self connecting you to the unseen dimensions does not take life as seriously as you do. So, get laughing as you access your higher-creative mind.

The pendulum itself is only a tool. Dowsers believe that they are contacting their higher-self, which is the part of ourselves that connects us to the universal consciousness, therefore has access to all information, including creative energy.

Using your pendulum to access your higher-creative mind and explore your ideas can be fun and informative, and is a great tool to use to connect with the higher realms, but like any other divination tool, it is important to remember that it should be used respectfully and for the right purposes.

Creative energy expressed through art has the power to transcend and shape lives. It is through accessing the mystical chords of the higher realms that we able to harness our unique higher-creative minds and share our gift with the world.

It’s like giving wings to your dream and watching it fly.

What do you do to access your creativity when you're feeling blocked? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.

Kim Petersen is an award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author, Kim’s latest book, Creative Writing Energy: Tools to Access Your Higher-Creative Mind is the first in a series of books developed to help creatives discover and nurture their natural imaginative resources.

Visit Whispering Ink Press for more information on how you can stay connected to higher-creative self.