“Our True Divinity is in Our Power to Create” – John Perkins
How To Be Creative
We are all born creative. As young children our minds are not confined to a rigid way of thinking. The line between reality and our dream world is a blurry one. Just observe how young kids are able to switch worlds with such ease.
They will be playing, you talk to them, they listen to you, then as soon as you’re done they switch back to their dream world as easy as changing TV channels. You can catch the glimmer in their eye; they really are living in a world of infinite possibilities.
If we want to reclaim the creativity that was once ours we need to get rid of all our social conditionings, otherwise whatever we create is truly not our own unique creation. Our social conditioning only allows us to modify and copy ideas that were never really ours. To be creative in the purest sense is to be an individual, to not allow our creations to be colored by mass psychology.
If you really observe creative people, you will see that the more creative they are, the more assured they are in their individuality. Creativity is also something that comes to you when you are healthy, relaxed, and calm. The desire to create naturally arises within you when you are feeling good.
Getting Ready To Create
Your Being: Before you create something of lasting beauty make sure your being is in harmony. Achieve harmony in mind, body, and spirit. Being in tune with these three aspects makes you more aware, conscious, and open to creativity.
Feeling: Become aware of your feelings, they let you know how you are interacting with your environment. Your feelings know no boundaries, they transcend logic. You simply need to allow your feelings to express themselves through you. Become drunk in your feelings, and be the medium in which the universe creates something new.
Action: The ideal place to take action is from a calm relaxed state of being. When you are relaxed and aware of your being and you feel a hunch, you will take the appropriate action. Actions arising from a calm being are total because they are not hindered by the past or future; it’s simply a response to the present. This is the perfect response because it is not contrived. You also have the energy necessary to take action, when you are relaxed you just go on accumulating energy.
When you take action make sure it is just not an activity you are doing. Let your actions be unrehearsed inspired actions in response to the present. An activity always has a certain motivation to it. When you are really relaxed there is no urge to participate in the activity.
If you make your painting an activity, it will then become a goal that always exists in the future. It will not have the beauty of a painting that arises from you in the present moment when you become engrossed and integrated with it. When you are so relaxed that you feel empty, everything comes out. “Wei Wu Wei” is a Taoist term that translates as action that is non-action, from the stillness that comes from a totally relaxed state, action will arise from inaction.
Being creative the deepest parts of your being are activated. You feel an amazing feeling of connection to your higher self. When you are being creative you realize that you already are everything you always wanted to be. All that matters is your creation and the creative process, your ambitions fade away because they belong to your ego.
“every child is an artist. the problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up” Pablo Picasso
Obstacles Keeping You from Creativity
1. Recognition: Society has made us believe that something is not creative or beautiful unless it is recognized. This is nonsense, when you create something do it only because you get personal fulfillment from it. If you like to dance, then dance, don’t worry if you will be recognized for it. If you do become recognized, so be it, even better, but don’t let this be the focus of why you create something.
2. Your Beliefs: When you are creating something become immersed in the experience, put your beliefs aside. Your beliefs make you closed, because when you believe something you don’t accept new perspectives and ideas. Be open to the experience you are having. Anything can become a creative experience if you bring enough awareness and love to it.
3. Intellect: You have to be able to transcend your thinking mind; your knowledge binds you to seeing the world to what you know. Through meditation you can rise above your thinking mind, to be in a space that has immense clarity. Just learning to watch your thoughts and mind without becoming attached to them.
4. Trying to be perfect: There is no such thing as perfection. When you are creating something don’t judge it, just become consumed with your experience, it will be perfect in that moment.
5. Being Self-Conscious: Just remember that what you create is not really your creation but the universe, you are simply the medium of how the universe expresses itself. As soon as you become self-conscious you worry about how others will perceive what you are doing. You are trying to put your stamp on it, because of your ego. When you create through the ego you are constantly seeking approval from others. You will not create something unique because you are trying to please everyone.
How To Be More Child-Like
1. Be Ready To Learn: When you don’t know something you are open to new possibilities. Cultivate the attitude of being open and ready to explore unknown experiences.
2. Find Beauty in the Ordinary: Beauty is all around you, you just need to become aware of it. Learn to observe your environment without judgment, without verbalization, and let its beauty reveal itself to you. Go to a park, sit on a bench, and take in all the sights and sounds.
3. Dare to Dream like Peter Pan: Impossible is nothing when you are from never-never land 🙂
Hope you enjoyed my article on how to be creative. I hope you realize that creativity is intrinsic to your nature, so go into the unknown, and create something new. That is the best contribution you can make.
If you enjoyed this post please help me out by passing it along to your friends and ‘like’ our Facebook Page. Also, if you have any of your own insights please share them in the comments section.
Ivan, your post is really about the spiritual meaning of *creative*—in which we all ARE creating every second of our lives.
Also being a fine artist, I *know* that most artists feel they have nothing to say unless they are in a state of TOTAL ANGST aka despair aka anger aka emotional crisis. When they feel good, they just don’t have much they want to say creatively.
Once I became adept at representing a 3D item in 2D (drawing/painting), I lost interest in the process until I could make it more conceptual/abstract. But when I became a deliberate creator in my life, then I seemingly lost all interest in 2D creation. Creating my life is not only more fun, but then I get to *live* the results of my efforts!! What could be better than *that*?
Many blessings,
Nancy
@AffirmingSpirit
Ivan you touch my soul by showing time and again that how we look at the world really does affect what we see. I was at a friends house 2 weeks ago..she’d set up in her basement a place with 2 eisels and loads of paints and brushes and pastels and ink and all things art and before supper she cried out…art attack and off we went to the basement and drew our interpretations of a sparkle maganet I will send you mine. Being in that moment was totally amazing…later we sat around the dinning table and each of us had 15 minutes to come up with a stroy about something in the room…7 people…it was amazing. I have never lost touch with that side…it keeps me happen and sane and floating in the clouds .
Ivan, thank you for some great tips on getting in touch with creativity. I like the Biblical Scripture, where Jesus stated that we must become like children if we are to inherit the kingdom of heaven. I like that you stated we must take action from a place of relaxation and meditation. That’s something I need to cultivate more of. Great post!
Ivan, this is a wonderful and relevant post,particularly because I am a fine artist and educator! There is no greater sense of peace as when I am immersed fully in the creative process and my mind is quiet! It took years for me to arrive at this place and to not feel as though my art was a selfish endeavor. For me, creating is a way of communicating, manifesting and sharing my dreams. I often tell my students to “see beauty in the world around them, even when it is most difficult to find.” I assure them that it is there. It surrounds us. Thank you for the insight and inspiration!
@AffirmingSpirit:
thanks for your thoughts nancy 🙂 very much appreciated…@LunaJune:
Thanks Luna 🙂 sounds like you lived my article…way to go sister :)…the painting was awesome by the way:)@Steve:
That is probably one of the most meaningful scriptures 🙂 it really is the key in to gods kingdom 🙂@Jude Harzer:
Thank you Jude 🙂 I am sure you where able to relate since you are a really creative person 🙂 thanks again…hope all is well..
hi Ivan – I think I encounter a lot of pressures you mentioned here, as being part of a ‘creative’ role. Undue pressures arise, and it’s quite refreshing to see clear vision of what it means to get back to the basics. I have an innate tendency to try things to perfection, and i end up (often) exhausting myself without results – or quickly losing interest in it. Thanks for the post, will try to apply the tips.
Great to connect with you through Twitter. Your insights shared here ring true. Its a blessing you choose to share them with the world. This kind of initiative facilitates more widespread soul awakening.
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Ivan, your insight and wisdom is well beyond your years. I only wish that when I was your age, I knew what I know now. You are a good friend and have been faithful to me since I started my online journey. Such friendship is hard to come by. Thank you for being you… Robin Hale *robinana
thank you for your kind words my friend 🙂 @Robinana:
very good post; creativity is an essential part of everyday life. It helps us grow. You are asolutely right about how important it is to be relaxed and to drop ideas about beliefs. Creativity is central core to a human and doesn’t need to be hindered by beliefs that “cage” it up and stop it’s flow!
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Great insights here, and I agree with most of it, especially the concept of wu wei, I find when I struggle and try to come up with an idea for a blog post, or a way to earn more money, I end up easily tired and give up easily when my ideas don’t come to fruition. There’s a good Zen saying “The desire to win robs you of power”.
There’s also another school of thought that says stress, especially emotional stress can lead to creativity, such as when you’re depressed or angry at something. You agree that this can lead to creativity?
From the past month I have been thinking about creativity, how to develop it, where to find creative people because I believe that if I am surrounded by creative people then I will pick up their traits and ideas. What seems to be challenging is recognising creativity, I have heard that you as an individual has certain hunches that spring up in the mind at anytime but it just knowing when it is there any remembering to take note. I desire to create something out of the ordinary to enrich other peoples lives, sort of like an innovator.
No, emotional stress just wants to get out. I think it’s an easy way to try and force creativity at your own expense. If the stress is simply part of your life and your journey you can transmute it into positive creativity and overcome, however if you strive for emotional stress in your life just to create, that’s cheating yourself and is self inflicted forced “creativity”.
The desire for creativity robs you of life.