Episode 2: Fan Your Flames
Welcome, The Exploration is now in session
For this experience, we'll travel to a place of inspiration
A mental refuge to explore so you can seize your creativity
But before we take this journey
We first need to prepare the body and the mind for what's next
So find a calm setting free of noise and clutter
Sit in a comfortable, alert position
Place your hands together or rest them gently on your knees
Feel the floor beneath your feet
Close your eyes
Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth
Again
Focus on the flow
Inhale
Exhale
Slow
Smooth
Only on a remote island, can something like The Hydra reach its full strength
For me and for all my Wu-Tang brothers
Staten was that island, AKA Shaolin, Parkhill Projects, Stapleton
We grew up there
It was a place of isolation
But that isolation was our greatest gift
Without isolation, we would've sounded like everybody else
But on the island, me and my brothers were cut off from the mainland, the mainstream
We had to find our own sound
We had to assemble our own influences, and we did just that
Scientists have laboratories
Craftsmen, they have tool sheds
My chamber was inside my basement
That's where I spent many hours of my formative years
Surrounded by comic books, VHS tapes, kung fu movies, and gadgets, my turntables and equipment
And with that, trained my music
That was all I had
It was that understood habitat that allowed for deeper exploration
That allowed me to reach my full potential
Now I'm not there physically anymore
But I can mentally summon the island whenever I need inspiration
I can picture it in my head
It's crystal clear
And all the feelings I felt, all the influence
Everything that I had myself surrounded with, it comes to me again
The lessons I've learned
They still center me to this day
Now, we will summon your island and fill it with the key influences in your life
By creating this mental space, this island
You can shape your own unique creativity and your own creative output
When you feel stuck, you can travel here to explore
And return to your breath for a moment
Focus, envision your island
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
How does it smell?
Now I want you to fill it with your greatest influences
Let your mind wander so they can surface
Dig deep, go to your earliest memories
As they emerge and they come to you
Write them down on a piece of paper or jot 'em down on your cell phone
It could be a feeling, the voice of a loved one
The smell of some home-cooked meal, the sound of the subway train
Anything you want
Or maybe it's just your favorite piece of artwork
It's your island and that's the catalyst for your creativity
Now look at what you wrote
Reflect on those influences
Now select only eight
That's the number that represents build
By building positivity, you automatically destroy negativity
Your influences are with you on your island now
Explore a bit
How do you feel? This is your inspiration space
No one can take it away from you
I have my island and now you have yours
As we move towards the exit of our exploration
I want you to put your paper or that note somewhere safe
This is now your map
It will help you find your way back to your island at any given time
And that island will be your perfect place to begin any mental exploration
Aight, now take a deep breath in through your nose
Out through your mouth
Again, focus on the flow
Inhale, exhale
Slow, smooth
Slowly open your eyes and return to your day
---
Fan Your Flames - RZA
