I like to begin each creative endeavor with the understanding of creativity and how it’s a journey rather than a final destination. It is my hope that you all start to step into something new and lively: a magical island where possibilities are everywhere. You only need to reach out!
For many of us, our conditioned way of living expects us to excel at everything we do, this limits the opportunity to explore. I invite you into this tribe as a creative explorer searching for what your soul desires!
It’s All About the Process
Creativity has many forms with neither beginning, middle nor end. She is formless, open, expansive––divine. However when trying to capture the energy that moves creativity, or in this case when asked to receive a part of it, creativity moves through us picking up little parts of who we are, as well as who we think we are (at times). Who we are creates unique, expressive, beautiful, interesting work, whereas who we think we are (at times) has skillfully learned to block, edit, suppress and push creativity away. Creativity does not strive for a finished product, yet it desires to be invited in, to co-create and experience divinity (how ever you like to define that). Creativity is all about the process, and the process requires your participation.
There are two creative hiccups that sabotage any creative process: “not enough time” and “i am not an artist.
The Creative Hiccups- Why we don’t begin to receive and play with creativity.
“I don’t have time!” We feel affected by time because we don’t believe that we have the time we need. If we did believe in our time, it would be easier to enjoy the journey rather than focus on the end-results. No doubt, checking the box or crossing tasks off the to-do list(s) are satisfying and can give you the feeling of accomplishment, but know that creativity is always there, you just have to invite her in.
My suggestion is to do as much as you can––engage with the process, and call that enough. It's similar to the hurdles that appear when beginning to cultivate a personal meditation practice––we won't sit unless we have a cushion and a long time allotted without distractions. Unfortunately the reality is that if we wait for everything to be “in order” we will never meditate, we will never create, and we may lose the opportunity to connect with the mysterious-unknown-magical-divine.
For my master’s thesis I had no choice but to move into the chaos of my life in order to create. I thought I would have the luxury of my new home, in my new state, surrounded by all the necessary books. None of that happened. Instead I spent three weeks in a lovely cabin surrounded by redwoods without internet, which meant that I sat at Starbucks for about 8 hours a day and then drove to Office Depot to print out each night. It may not have been romantic nor practical at all, but it was one of the most creative times of my life, where I felt closest to creativity, love, beauty, and the pulse of accomplishment running simultaneously through me.
I tell you this story because no matter where we are or what we are doing, creativity is a force that wants to collaborate with us. She doesn’t care if we have cleaned up the house, or still have a load of laundry to finish, she is ready!
“I have no artistic skills.”
I, like the late Irish poet John O’Donahue, believe that we are all artists. O’Donohue said in an interview that “everyone is involved whether they like it or not in the construction of their world. So, it's never as given as it actually looks; you are always shaping it and building it. And I feel that from that perspective, that each of us is an artist. Secondly, I believe that everyone has imagination. That no matter how mature and adult and sophisticated a person might seem, that person is still essentially an ex-baby.” It’s interesting that when creativity is involved there is a tendency to turn away, to not care, or give ourselves very low expectations so we don’t fail. This you may notice is like when children play: they don’t turn away, they have the ability to adapt and let go. It isn’t that they don’t care they are just not attached to the results and they fail all the time, yet they continue to play.
You don’t have to call yourself an artist, but begin to explore the word creative. “I am a creative,” embodies the spontaneous, exploratory, quirky, awkward and playfulness of children seeing the world with fresh eyes. You have all turned towards creativity already, however sometimes fear makes an appearance because creativity may be that one place where our authentic voice shares the treasures of our soul. Maybe some of you have just begun to relate to that part of yourself, others may not want to show this side because it's fresh, gentle and raw. I invite you to our sacred circle to share that beautiful, curious, creative person you are, in whatever capacity you are comfortable!
