Most of the time we associate creativity with painters, writers, inventors, musicians, choreographers etc. We think that it belongs in the realm of artists of one kind or another. We go to a concert or a movie and if it’s good we frequently feel energized or altered in some way. Artistry of all kinds has the ability to move us and impact our emotions and sometimes, even our lives. What is it that makes that happen?
All creation begins with nothing and then it becomes something. Artists talk about “the muse”. What do they mean by that? I think they mean that they lose themselves in the moment and something deeper, more profound, takes over. They lose their sense of themselves, their ego-identity, and that creates space for something different to reveal itself. You’ve heard stories about how inventors, scientists etc. come up with some great idea when least expected. They could be cutting the grass or sitting on the beach when the light bulb goes on and not thinking at all about creating/solving something.
So, what does creativity have to do with us? Are we even aware of how and when we express it? Have we minimized it or not paid attention to our own expressions of brilliance? We all have them. We don’t even think about all of the times “the muse” has visited us. Maybe it’s figuring out how to jury rig something or rearranging the furniture so there is more beauty or space? It could be trying new herbs and spices in your cooking or how you plant your flower/vegetable garden. We have opportunities many times during a day to think outside the box and to allow something new or different to show itself to us. How we access that is by really choosing to be present with whatever it is that we are doing. New ideas don’t come if we are constantly thinking that we know everything all the time.
Sometimes, just for fun and shaking up the continuity, I pretend like I don’t know what’s what. I let go of my sense of myself and watch what the universe is offering me. Yesterday I was sitting in the hot springs, staring at the Sangre de Cristos, when the whole notion of creativity occurred to me and I had the impetus to write about it. Why? I have no idea. I think that I was doing nothing and then there was something – out of nowhere – which is how it has to be. If we are filled up with ourselves and our knowing, then there is little space for the new or the creative to reveal itself.
My questions for you are:
1. What are your thoughts, judgments and relationship to your own creativity?
2. How does it express itself day to day? Or does it? Do you want it to?
3. Would you be willing to shut down the internal chatter for awhile to see what exists in the silence when you are looking for solutions?
Go for it!
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