Awakening through creativity: Lessons from Isamu Noguchi
Isamu Noguchi, the celebrated Japanese American artist and landscape designer, once described the creative act as a process of awakening:
“I don’t think art comes from art… I think it comes from the awakening person. Awakening is what you might call the spiritual… Everything tends toward awakening.”
This idea—that creativity stems not from art itself but from an awakening—feels deeply resonant. Noguchi’s words remind me that the creative process isn’t just about making something new; it’s about becoming more alive, more attuned to the deeper currents within and around us.
In my workshops, I often emphasize that creativity is about shifting out of the thinking mind and into a state of connection—with ourselves, with the world, and with something greater. It’s about listening, sensing, and allowing insights to emerge rather than forcing them. Noguchi’s concept of awakening aligns beautifully with this approach. Creativity doesn’t just happen—it flows naturally when we are present and open.
Awakening in the Creative Process
Noguchi’s use of the word “awakening” speaks to a transformative process, one that feels spiritual at its core. Awakening is about seeing the world with fresh eyes, allowing ourselves to be moved by beauty, and stepping into a space of wonder and possibility. It’s not about doing so much as being.
I’ve seen this in my own work and in the journeys of those I guide. When we let go of rigid expectations and open ourselves to the moment, something remarkable happens: the art (or the writing, or the idea) reveals itself. Noguchi’s idea that “everything tends toward awakening” feels especially true in these moments, as if the creative act is simply our response to something larger calling us forward.
Practical Ways to Awaken Creativity
If Noguchi’s philosophy resonates with you, here are a few ways to integrate this idea of awakening into your creative practice:
- Pause and Observe: Spend time simply noticing—whether it’s the curve of a leaf, the texture of a surface, or the way light moves through a room. Awakening often begins with deep observation.
- Engage with Beauty: Surround yourself with things that inspire you. As I often say, beauty has a way of calling us back to center and sparking new ideas.
- Let Go of the Outcome: Instead of striving for a perfect result, focus on the process. Let the act of creating be its own reward.
- Listen to the Inner Voice: Trust the subtle nudges, the ideas that come in quiet moments. Often, they’re the whispers of awakening.
- Create Space: Awakening requires room to breathe. Give yourself the gift of unstructured time to explore and experiment.
Awakening as a Lifelong Practice
Noguchi’s perspective reminds us that creativity and awakening aren’t one-time events—they’re lifelong processes. Every time we engage with our creativity, we’re also engaging with our growth, our potential, and our ability to see the world more deeply.
Whether you’re designing a garden, writing a poem, or simply noticing the way the wind moves through the trees, every creative act can be an act of awakening. And as Noguchi suggests, perhaps everything in life—art included—is gently nudging us toward that awakening.
Some of Isamu Noguchi’s inspirations:
