How's your creative life?

Creative Spirit

“Every single person is born with something to create—that creation might be a child or a business or a garden or a circle of friends or a peace accord. Whatever it is will be personally beneficial as well as beneficial for others.  Blocked creative expression is as detrimental to your well-being as drug addiction.”

                                  Caroline Myss

         Creativity is one of the signs of life—like change, adaptation, and growth.  Blocked creativity can cause physical illness, and spiritual maladies, such as anxiety and depression.  According to Caroline Myss, “The size of your action or gift is not the issue, the act of creation is.” 

         Creativity can be as simple as arranging the towels in the linen closet, or tidying up the desk on which you work.  My friend, Ellen, loves to iron linens.  She sprays them with fragrant water and irons a whole stack of pillowcases or table napkins.  My friend, Isie, makes stuffed puppies out of old tee-shirts, and little tables from scrap wood.  My cousin, Sandy, decorates her house according to the season. 

         Supporting someone’s creative endeavors is the same as supporting his/her spiritual journey.  No one can manifest his or her creative gifts in a vacuum.  Everyone needs someone to look at their work and appreciate their creation.  With children, this is especially true.  Children will create in a way that is uniquely their own—I remember well my son Jake’s ‘collection’ stage around age four.  He would fill his red wagon with empty plastic plant pots, the type that seedlings come in.  And, then he would spend all day filling each cup with something different—acorns, pebbles, flower petals, etc.  I have photos of some of those collections.  They were colorful and varied and beautiful. 

         One of the reasons for activity rooms in senior centers is to foster and support creativity in the elderly.  Making almost anything can connect body and soul and keep the neurons working longer.  I once attended a lecture by a psychologist who was conducting poetry workshops with Alzheimer’s patients.  He read some astonishing poems.  That creative center of the brain was still alive and begging for an outlet.

         Whatever your soul craves in the way of creative expression is as necessary to your well-being as clean water and fresh air.  I encourage you to build into your day, everyday, some time for creativity.  I’d love to hear from you about what feeds your creative spirit.

                                  Blessings,

                                  Jane