Mon 17 Jan 2022 • Christina Hunt
Finding Inspiration | Molly the Sunshine Yogini and the Musician
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Winter 2021 | Finding Inspiration
You may know Molly as The Sunshine Yogini who has graced Soul Circus with her yoga talents and this summer we got the chance to know her music side as well when her band, Molly and the Moon, played for us at our Summer Garden. Here we learn a little more about how Molly creates and stays inspired to keep bringing us joy through multiple mediums.
What is your favorite thing to create?
At the moment I am finding great joy in creating poetry. Capturing beauty and snapshots of life in a fistful of words has a simple and soulful pleasure to it. I find poetry rather soothing - to me it has a fragile, human element that makes it so delicate and heartfelt. The words we select help us to share our messages and experiences of life and so to me, the written word becomes a rare medium in which we can bare our truest self.
Can you share (either visually, musically, or in words) your most prized creation with us?
The most recent album I wrote and released with The Moon is the creation I currently hold in my own highest esteem. The album means so much to me personally and as an artist. I've moved away from my hometown recently and can no longer play with my band as much, so the music within those five tracks really mark the end of an era. It feels a bit more grown-up and isn't scared to get in deep and talk about some things. The track I've nominated to share with you is 'In The Morning' - the title track and my own favourite off the album.
Molly and the Moon - In the Morning
What inspired you to create this particular piece?
In The Morning is a prayer written to capture the inspiration of the listener to make a change in the world. Originally written about the climate crisis during a period of my own adventures into environmental activism (still ongoing in many forms!) this song is an ode to the heart of humanity - to come together and lift one another out of the darkness. I love to write music with a message and this song was totally inspired by my own observation of the good that can come out of community and the belief in something bigger than ourselves. Although this song was originally written about the climate crisis I feel it holds a reverence now more than ever in our current global situation. I totally believe in the power of people and of the magic that can happen when we love and lift one another and this is what this song talks about.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Most of my inspiration springs forth from the natural world and human stories I have either witnessed or lived. I love to tell stories of people and places through music and poetry and so songwriting combines my love of both these things. My deep love of folk music and art has had me listening aptly to some of the worlds greatest storytellers for most of my life; Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling to name just a few who have had a significant influence on me. My own songwriting inspiration has definitely become a tapestry of interweaving influences, tributes, explorations and love affairs with various mediums. After around 12 years on the stage I am just now becoming accustomed with my own message, my own voice and I'm enjoying exploring what that means. I do think it's a constant evolution and development process and the main takeaway is simply to enjoy every second of the adventure.
When your inspiration levels are low and things look pretty bleak, how do you get yourself back into your creative space?
Meditation in all its many forms is, for me, the greatest access back to my creative self. Sitting for traditional meditation, practicing mindfulness, getting pen on paper in a monster free-writing session or taking long walks in beautiful places are all ways I find easiest to reconnect. My songs are so full of natural imagery that I find getting back into nature the quickest route to inspiration, if I'm feeling creatively blocked. I think also being gentle and kind to yourself and not forcing anything that doesn't want to come, as that can be so frustrating and block the creative juices even further. Patience, compassion and a touch of magic.
Any words of wisdom or advice for those who find themselves lacking inspiration at this moment in time?
Be kind to yourself. We are all deeply creative beings and when natural instinct doesn't swell and rise naturally like the tide, then perhaps we are unplugged from the source in some manner of speaking. To reconnect, find something that really inspires you! Surround yourself with beautiful art in all its forms. Breathe it in. Meditate. Take long walks and luxurious baths. See new places. Meet new faces. Sing (badly if necessary!). Dance. Write utter nonsense (just write something!) and let go of the urge to always make something 'good'. Remember that the tap often needs to run for a while before the water becomes clear, it's your job to simply turn it on.
Where can we find you and your work?
You can keep up with my creative work on instagram or you can find my work online!
@mollyandthemoonmusic
@thesunshine_yogini
