Look for Clues #

I'm reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being book by Rick Rubin now, and I came across a chapter that I'd like to quote here.

It's about the clues we can learn to notice and let them guide us.

This chapter is certainly more general than specifically about angel numbers, but it fits perfectly.

If you get stuck trying to solve a creative problem #

“When looking for a solution to a creative problem, pay close attention to what's happening around you. Look for clues pointing to new methods or ways to further develop current ideas.

A writer may be in a coffee shop, working on a scene and unsure what a character is going to say next. A phrase might be overheard in the chatter from another table that provides a direct answer, or at least a glimpse of a possible direction."

Learning to be open to signs #

"We receive these types of messages all the time, if we remain open to them. We might read a book and find a quote leaping off the page, or watch a movie and notice a line that moves us to pause and rewind.

Sometimes it's the exact answer we've been looking for. Or it could be an echo of an idea that keeps repeating in other places begging for more attention or affirming the path we're on.

These transmissions are subtle: they are ever-present, but they're easy to miss. If we aren't looking for clues, they'll pass by without us ever knowing. Notice connections and consider where they lead."

Notice, pause, and reflect #

"When something out of the ordinary happens, ask yourself why.

What's the message?

What could be the greater meaning?

This process isn't a science. We can't control clues, or will them to be revealed.

Sometimes it helps to have a strong intention to find a specific answer, or to confirm a particular path. Other times, letting go of that intention altogether can help you find your way.

An integral part of the artist's work is deciphering these signals.

The more open you are, the more clues you will find and the less effort you'll need to exert. You may be able to think less and begin to rely on answers arising within you.

You might imagine that the outside world is a conveyor belt with a stream of small packages on it, always going by.

The first step is to notice the conveyor belt is there. And then, any time you want, you can pick up one of those pack-ages, unwrap it, and see what's inside.

A helpful exercise might be opening a book to a random page and reading the first line your eyes find. See how what's written there somehow applies to your situation.

Any relevance it bears might be by chance, but you might allow for the possibility that chance is not all that's at play."

Look for what you notice but no one else #

"When clues present themselves, it can sometimes feel like the delicate mechanism of a clock at work. As if the universe is nudging you with little reminders that it's on your side and wants to provide everything you need to complete your mission.”

Great book, and a very nicely designed, that you want to have in paper format on your shelf to come back to from time to time. I recommend it to all creative people.

Written by: Chelsea Lee
Published: 4/28/2024
Time to read: 4 min