A Zen Master’s Question for Creative Clarity
A Journaling Prompt
I have a go-to question in life — five words that I ask myself when I need a dose of creative clarity.
I first encountered this question on a retreat and it piqued my curiosity, because it’s Zen master Suzuki Roshi’s favorite thing to ask:
What’s the most important point?
The question seemed so obvious. Yet I couldn’t answer it, which makes sense.
In Zen practice what appears simple on the surface has an ocean of depth underneath. After the retreat, it didn’t go away. It settled into my life as a living question (koan) and started to reveal it’s clarifying potential. That got me thinking…
How can I integrate this wisdom into my daily life?
Here’s a simple journaling prompt to begin. You can do it once, weekly, daily, or as needed. Regardless of the cadence, the power of asking is unlocked.
PROMPT
Write down what you want to clarify.
This could be a creative project, a relationship, a career decision. I used it recently in the birth of this blog. State your intention as clearly as possible.
Ask yourself out loud: “What’s the most important point?”
Take three deep breaths.
Write the answer down.
The next day ask again: “What’s the most important point?”
Take three deep breaths.
Write the answer down.
The third day ask again: “What’s the most important point?”
Write the answer down.
Reflect on your responses.
A Little Note on Zen Koans
Did you get a different answer each day? That’s a sign that your intuition is starting to come online. These “living questions” or koans are designed to short-circuit our logical brains and drop us into a space of intuitive knowing. This creates an opening for wisdom.
Why ask the question if the answer keeps changing? The good news is, the "point" of this question isn’t a static answer. It’s the continuous process of engaging with your lived experience, right now. Discovering for yourself what truly matters in each moment. That’s the most important point!
How is this clarifying? By engaging in mindful creativity and pausing to ask ourselves these deeper questions, we’re inviting intuition into the creative process.
To keep checking in with your heart and mind. To allow space for change to inform the process. To realize life as a question. This mindset is actually what enables clear decision-making to happen.
The exercise is so simple. But it won’t work without time and attention. That’s the most clarifying gift we can give to our creative practice. — xo. Jess
