| As every artist can attest, the creative act is a | | | | and those who become it in the form of |
| spiritual one. Regardless of belief, there is a universal | | | | self-decoration and performance. The same can be |
| sense that the art, whether visual, performance, aural | | | | said, though not always as obviously, of those living |
| or other, flows through the artist almost as a | | | | in modern societies. |
| separate entity, with a sense of enrichment. | | | | Atheists and agnostics don't typically acknowledge |
| Humanists also ascribe to this concept, in identifying | | | | the idea of "spirit", while people who are religious |
| art in all its forms as one of the most glorious | | | | have proscribed ideas of its meaning. Humanists |
| aspects of humanity, and something that feeds our | | | | bridge this gap by identifying art as one of the |
| individual spirits and enhances our societies. Inspiration | | | | ultimate forms of human expression, enhancing the |
| - the very word meaning to breathe inward that | | | | meaning and experience of life. |
| which is outside of and all around us - comes to | | | | How can we pursue creativity as a spiritual path? |
| artists as a force, a Muse, a substance that is not | | | | Essentially, the process of being creative, and the |
| the artist but inhabits him or her for a little while. | | | | regular inclusion of it in our daily lives, can enhance |
| Those who are most in tune with this force, we call | | | | our personal well-being, our sense of connectedness |
| genius; the well-known writer Elizabeth Gilbert | | | | with the world and its inhabitants, and our attitude of |
| suggests that we reframe this concept in keeping | | | | benevolence toward others. Creative process can |
| with that of the ancient Romans, and view the artist | | | | improve our quality of life and our relationships. |
| not as someone who is genius but who has a Genius, | | | | Whether the end result is "good" by common |
| a spirit that inspires. | | | | standard is irrelevant; it's the process itself that's |
| Writers often speak of characters and stories that | | | | important. |
| develop in spite of the writer's intention and in | | | | If you like to write, try keeping a journal; if you |
| unexpected ways. Musicians and composers talk of | | | | prefer to draw, or paint, or sculpt, or compose |
| music 'in the air all around' that flows through them; | | | | music, then find a regular time to do so. Meditating |
| one scholar even went so far as to suggest music as | | | | beforehand, or at least sitting quietly with an open |
| the matrix, the inherent fabric, of the universe, | | | | mind and a focus on your breathing (inspiration!), will |
| correlating it to subatomic matter and string theory. | | | | aid in the connection of creativity to spirit. To access |
| Performers permit their characters to 'inhabit' them. | | | | less familiar areas of your mind and spirit, experiment |
| There is a sense of otherworldliness connected to | | | | with styles of creativity that you haven't done |
| the creative act, and to art itself. | | | | before, or even considered. Creativity in a group |
| What about those of us who aren't artists, or who | | | | (think: drumming circle, or the artists' schools in the |
| don't self-identify as such? | | | | Renaissance era) can be even more powerful, and |
| It is a given that all humans are creative. We must | | | | surely, when community and creativity come |
| think creatively every day in order to solve problems, | | | | together, Spirit is present. |
| make the most of our lives, get what we want and | | | | Creativity can be an effective tool for enhancing our |
| need. While some of us exercise this ability more | | | | spiritual growth. Adopting it in various forms as a |
| than others, it nevertheless exists within each of us. | | | | regular, even daily practice can provide opportunities |
| Indigenous people typically fall into two categories of | | | | to shift our consciousness in ways as yet only |
| creativity: those who make art as external objects, | | | | imagined. |