I express my creativity when I seasonally decorate my home, and cook/bake. I also like to do searches for images on peoples birthdays or anniversaries, and send that image along with the greeting.
. . . through everything I do.
I can’t help it.
I’ve been criticized about it before,
but I can’t stop.
I inject into my garden beds,
in my cooking,
my decorating,
my methods . . .
I am always seeing some way to create.
And this is over and above the traditional arts . . .
it’s in my blood.
I exhaust myself with it . . .
it exhausts me
and still it stays
like a glorious albatross on my shoulder
that changes colours every time it moves.
I share a morning meditation from April 2023:
For me, to be creative is to see with new eyes. When I write meditations and poems, I’m seeking contact with a greater self awareness. I’m sharing my vulnerability to connect with the vulnerability of others. I’m craving a relationship with reality.
Some would label many of my pursuits as creative. I spent many years acting in community theatre. I did a stint as a blues singer on Bourbon Street and I sang in several church choirs. I used to say I traveled between the saloon and the sanctuary and didn’t find them much different. Both are filled with people searching for meaning.
When we trust our creativity,
we encounter a supreme kind of enjoyment –
an amazement at the natural unfolding of life
beyond our ordinary way of looking at things.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
This quote grabs me! What does it mean to“trust my creativity?” How often do I allow myself to pause, stop and enjoy the “natural unfolding of life?” How often do I let go and let life flow in and through me? If I truly believe that life is trust worthy, that I will always be shown a way through, why can’t I relax?
Perhaps, the challenge is my “ordinary way of looking at things.” I still, after over 80 years on this earth, fear failure, crave acceptance, struggle to feel of worth. I am wounded. We are all wounded but to quote Henri Nouwen, “May we become wounded healers.” Perhaps the key is the word “creativity.” How often do I remember that we are all Creator? What we think, what we do matters. And so I pray: May I, May you, May we all develop a healthy love and acceptance of self that shares, cares and creates a kinder world.
Carol, thank you for taking the notion of creativity to a deeper level. I will read this more than once as a source of inspiration and understanding. Lovely.
I do not generally think of myself as an artist or a creative person. But I have sometimes used creativity in trying to communicate about principles that are dear to me. For example, I presented a worship service a couple of years ago in my faith community about nonviolence. I used my creativity to think about what to talk about, to choose a video clip to share, to choose a story to tell the children, to develop a role play to dramatize a historical conversation that I thought was humorous and full of synchronicity. While I try to limit my social media, finding that too much has a scattering effect on my consciousness, I find that in limited doses social media can be a way to share creativity with a community of friends who will be supportive– sharing photos I took or a poetic way of noticing some event in my life that day (and enjoying/supporting others’ creativity as well)
I love the answers that remind me of how many ways creativity can show up. Some of the things that come to mind for me include:
– writing, both personal writing (including responses here!) and things for work;
– painting rocks I leave at bus stops and in the nearby park (although I haven’t done that lately);
– drawing in the Zentangle method that turns repetitive doodling into wonderful patterns;
– choosing my outfit each day and combining colors, shapes, and accessories;
– designing trainings and my approach to my staff meetings to engage people and give them new ideas and information;
– developing and delivering talks;
– planning events;
– developing policy language that changes how things are done in my state;
– cooking, baking, and preserving foods;
– knitting;
– decorating our home;
– gardening;
– choosing routes for walks and bike rides;
– figuring out how to get places without driving whenever possible;
– planning travel;
– doing improv;
– dancing;
– trying to respond to the needs of friends or family in ways that are empathetic, supportive, and helpful by their standards (not mine);
– this time of year, picking up autumn leaves on my neighborhood walks I call “leafspeditions” and arranging them on the ground near our front door when I get home to create temporary art.
– capturing images on my phone–this time of year is especially good for bike shadow pictures as I ride, showing my shadowy silhouette on the ground when the angle of the sun is right.
Love this question. Just answering it has called on my creativity.
What a lovely list, Barb C– I have sometimes seen painted rocks in a park when I’ve gone on my walks, and it always brings me such incredible joy to see them!
I like to think that I am a creative problem solver.
And I feel I do this best, when I’m in an open state of mind. Away from judgment. I can actually enjoy figuring out a solution, instead of dreading the process.
I love the way you are seeing the positive in having problems to solve, Charlie T! I will try to remember this outlook when I come upon problems in my own life.
I like to express creativity through cooking, my yoga practice, and dancing (which I need to do more of). I do also like to change my route up when driving around town(s). Even though we are leaving the area we moved to soon, the 4 weeks before the storm were great exploring so many trails and mountains between Black Mountain and Tryon, even over the border back into SC. And clicking a different GPS route on the way back often led us through some incredibly beautiful areas.
Weaving creativity into whatever I am doing has become a practice that really brings me into the present. Sometimes I am creating from scratch, other times I enjoy putting a little twist on something to make it unique. Our home, our porch and gardens, my dress, cooking, music choice, planning a party, what route I take or the mode of transportation any given day. Everything old becomes new again.
I live in and on a tremendous creation, our universe and world. My days are filled of working with creation. Each new day I am gifted, I spend expressing my creativity.
I express my creativity in various forms through coming up with comedy songs. I also have interesting discussions with my people on various issues and come up with stories through Project 9X to make the world a better place, especially for those who are autistic, have mental health struggles, and feel different from the majority helping with the social components. Some days, I can make 5 posts in a day. Other days, I can go 5 days without posting anything on Facebook. As an artist, I work more in spontaneous bursts of energy than a consistent flow. Spontaneity is crucial in my creativity. Embracing the value of rest is the other key component. Time off is as good as time on.
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I express my creativity when I seasonally decorate my home, and cook/bake. I also like to do searches for images on peoples birthdays or anniversaries, and send that image along with the greeting.
I lii oh be to create with oil painting. Makes me feel at peace .
. . . through everything I do.
I can’t help it.
I’ve been criticized about it before,
but I can’t stop.
I inject into my garden beds,
in my cooking,
my decorating,
my methods . . .
I am always seeing some way to create.
And this is over and above the traditional arts . . .
it’s in my blood.
I exhaust myself with it . . .
it exhausts me
and still it stays
like a glorious albatross on my shoulder
that changes colours every time it moves.
Lovely.
Sparrow, That’s a beautiful poem…very creative…it got into my blood!
I share a morning meditation from April 2023:
For me, to be creative is to see with new eyes. When I write meditations and poems, I’m seeking contact with a greater self awareness. I’m sharing my vulnerability to connect with the vulnerability of others. I’m craving a relationship with reality.
Some would label many of my pursuits as creative. I spent many years acting in community theatre. I did a stint as a blues singer on Bourbon Street and I sang in several church choirs. I used to say I traveled between the saloon and the sanctuary and didn’t find them much different. Both are filled with people searching for meaning.
When we trust our creativity,
we encounter a supreme kind of enjoyment –
an amazement at the natural unfolding of life
beyond our ordinary way of looking at things.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
This quote grabs me! What does it mean to“trust my creativity?” How often do I allow myself to pause, stop and enjoy the “natural unfolding of life?” How often do I let go and let life flow in and through me? If I truly believe that life is trust worthy, that I will always be shown a way through, why can’t I relax?
Perhaps, the challenge is my “ordinary way of looking at things.” I still, after over 80 years on this earth, fear failure, crave acceptance, struggle to feel of worth. I am wounded. We are all wounded but to quote Henri Nouwen, “May we become wounded healers.” Perhaps the key is the word “creativity.” How often do I remember that we are all Creator? What we think, what we do matters. And so I pray: May I, May you, May we all develop a healthy love and acceptance of self that shares, cares and creates a kinder world.
Carol, thank you for taking the notion of creativity to a deeper level. I will read this more than once as a source of inspiration and understanding. Lovely.
Beautifully said,
dear Carol . . .
it resonates deeply within my being
with love
Thank you, Sparrow
I do not generally think of myself as an artist or a creative person. But I have sometimes used creativity in trying to communicate about principles that are dear to me. For example, I presented a worship service a couple of years ago in my faith community about nonviolence. I used my creativity to think about what to talk about, to choose a video clip to share, to choose a story to tell the children, to develop a role play to dramatize a historical conversation that I thought was humorous and full of synchronicity. While I try to limit my social media, finding that too much has a scattering effect on my consciousness, I find that in limited doses social media can be a way to share creativity with a community of friends who will be supportive– sharing photos I took or a poetic way of noticing some event in my life that day (and enjoying/supporting others’ creativity as well)
I love the answers that remind me of how many ways creativity can show up. Some of the things that come to mind for me include:
– writing, both personal writing (including responses here!) and things for work;
– painting rocks I leave at bus stops and in the nearby park (although I haven’t done that lately);
– drawing in the Zentangle method that turns repetitive doodling into wonderful patterns;
– choosing my outfit each day and combining colors, shapes, and accessories;
– designing trainings and my approach to my staff meetings to engage people and give them new ideas and information;
– developing and delivering talks;
– planning events;
– developing policy language that changes how things are done in my state;
– cooking, baking, and preserving foods;
– knitting;
– decorating our home;
– gardening;
– choosing routes for walks and bike rides;
– figuring out how to get places without driving whenever possible;
– planning travel;
– doing improv;
– dancing;
– trying to respond to the needs of friends or family in ways that are empathetic, supportive, and helpful by their standards (not mine);
– this time of year, picking up autumn leaves on my neighborhood walks I call “leafspeditions” and arranging them on the ground near our front door when I get home to create temporary art.
– capturing images on my phone–this time of year is especially good for bike shadow pictures as I ride, showing my shadowy silhouette on the ground when the angle of the sun is right.
Love this question. Just answering it has called on my creativity.
Thanks for the inspirations, Barb C!🍁🍂
Indeed,
an amazing and enchanting list,
dear Barb.
You get it.
What a lovely list, Barb C– I have sometimes seen painted rocks in a park when I’ve gone on my walks, and it always brings me such incredible joy to see them!
I like to think that I am a creative problem solver.
And I feel I do this best, when I’m in an open state of mind. Away from judgment. I can actually enjoy figuring out a solution, instead of dreading the process.
I love the way you are seeing the positive in having problems to solve, Charlie T! I will try to remember this outlook when I come upon problems in my own life.
I like to express creativity through cooking, my yoga practice, and dancing (which I need to do more of). I do also like to change my route up when driving around town(s). Even though we are leaving the area we moved to soon, the 4 weeks before the storm were great exploring so many trails and mountains between Black Mountain and Tryon, even over the border back into SC. And clicking a different GPS route on the way back often led us through some incredibly beautiful areas.
Weaving creativity into whatever I am doing has become a practice that really brings me into the present. Sometimes I am creating from scratch, other times I enjoy putting a little twist on something to make it unique. Our home, our porch and gardens, my dress, cooking, music choice, planning a party, what route I take or the mode of transportation any given day. Everything old becomes new again.
I appreciate your drawing the connection between creativity and living in the present moment, Mary Mantei
I live in and on a tremendous creation, our universe and world. My days are filled of working with creation. Each new day I am gifted, I spend expressing my creativity.
I express my creativity in various forms through coming up with comedy songs. I also have interesting discussions with my people on various issues and come up with stories through Project 9X to make the world a better place, especially for those who are autistic, have mental health struggles, and feel different from the majority helping with the social components. Some days, I can make 5 posts in a day. Other days, I can go 5 days without posting anything on Facebook. As an artist, I work more in spontaneous bursts of energy than a consistent flow. Spontaneity is crucial in my creativity. Embracing the value of rest is the other key component. Time off is as good as time on.