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Creativity is all around us
The vivid expression of Creativity is Creation itself. Nothing can be as creative as life around us. But as they say, we are made in the image of God. If this were true, then ‘humans are creative’ also stands true.
The silkworm creates the cocoon all by itself as it requires no learning and a spider weaves its web from its saliva. In a nutshell, nature has primary and secondary creators who expand the creation of God.
But, humans express creativity in the best possible means as they are superior to all species, may not be by intention but by capabilities.
Man has an innate creative potentiality
Man is incomplete without creativity.
Unless man expresses his passion through art, he fails to find peace within. Creative work always releases spaces of deep relaxation within man.
But, the sole reason for growing discontentment lies in the inability to discover a niche for oneself. If creativity gets obstructed for some reason, people take to a path of destruction.
However, the irony is that every person has a creative flair that at most times remains unexplored. Due to ignorance, the creative energy is converted into a negative form of energy, leading to destruction.
An unskilled child who is unaware of the creative, positive side of life engages in useless pursuits. This energy mishandling leads to social unrest at large. Activities like gossiping and spreading rumors are hallmarks of people who are not interested in exploring their innate creative capabilities.
Exploring creative fields to sharpen the mind is a great way to get started. It helps release ourselves of grossness and makes our minds effective tools for strenuous tasks.
Let us consider some aspects that hinder our creativity.
Stress impairs creators
Working for long hours on a piece of artwork causes ‘the artist’s block’! Painters, musicians, actors, and other creative people suffer from creative blocks, quite commonly.
In such a state, the person is unable to perform on the creative front. Becoming oblivious to subtle disturbances can affect our performance. Sometimes we may be expected to deliver loads of work. If time becomes a criterion of worry, creative fluids stop flowing.
Outside pressure creates stress in our system and leads to low-quality output as it does not highlight creative work. It is work born out of stress.
We must create space for creativity to express itself.
All art outputs require time and mental freedom for our inner nature to express itself beautifully. Such an expression is the direct expression of the Supreme Creator, God. Art is meditation. It can never under any circumstance be pressurizing, but only be relaxing.
One needs to find a balance between creative work and earning through creative work. Creativity should never be a slave to money.
So, the thumb rule teaching is that artwork is an expression of the deeper self, which cannot manifest itself in stressful situations.
Emotional disturbances throttle creativity
Creativity gets hampered with emotional disturbances.
We do not always have an ideal family. All families have problems, but, relationship problems can negatively impact the production of creative juices in our brains.
Same for people with the inability to cope with people around us, in our workspace, and on social media. Unless clarity dawns in minds of people, there cannot be a creative output.
One must understand that all emotional trauma or disturbances misalign the system thereby, not letting the act of creativity manifest. Creativity can be honed and increased through practice. But undoubtedly, our psychological environment creates room for art in its full glory.
Overusing Creative faculties stunt Creativity
Sometimes one may be constantly be involved with art. Out of inspiration, we may create a lot of great works. But, if we tend to get greedy and try to over-produce, the creative faculties shrink or pull back.
It happens as a consequence of over-exertion and plays itself out as a natural phenomenon.
Creative works are expressions of the Divine and manifest with the proper alignment of the mind with the spirit. The slightest of distortions in intentions leads to stunted creativity.
Questions to ask oneself
We should start asking this question “Am I stretching too far or expecting something more from my creative activity? Am I relaxed? Am I enjoying my work?”
Unless there are positive responses to the above questions, creativity shall prove to be a futile venture.
Pursuing materialistic goals through Creative endeavors
The best way to allow creativity to manifest is through non-expectation.
Non-expectation is a spiritual quality. Creativity should be spontaneous and becomes possible with alighting the burden of earning a livelihood from it, at least consciously.
The story changes if creativity makes room for itself while we try making a living from it. That is upon the creative faculty to decide.
But it is foolish to think in terms of earning money through it as it can lead to unnecessary stress on our minds.
One should pursue creativity for the love and joy of the creative process. Let passion for what we love decide how it goes.
We must keep asking the questions we discussed earlier to ourselves, to keep our creative faculties under check. If we get a yes, after being honest to those questions, we must follow our passion.
We must not force ourselves to earn money consciously through the creative angle. It will be a betrayal.
Instead, we must focus on honing our skills and graduating on the ladder of creative achievement. By achievement, I mean internal and not external.
If this is our approach, the presiding deity of creativity shall earn us a living through a path that shall notch satisfaction above all.
Pride and its negative impact on Artists
If one becomes proud of one’s creative achievements, there is an immediate effect on our creative output. Every signal of emotional disharmony thwarts the flow of creative juices.
Our sensory perceptions and skills start becoming blunt. Creativity is all about expressing the finer aspects of creation. But, ineffective equipment blames creativity as a repetitive task that never ignites the interest of the on-looker.
In simple terms, Pride kills creativity. Getting rid of mind-related vices and compulsions becomes crucial for a person pursuing art. Only if the mind’s dross is under check can creativity express itself in the most positive ways, retaining its continuance for a prolonged period.
Test your Alignment with the Spiritual Subject Matter (only 7 Questions)
The scores generated in this Quiz are relative. There are no right or wrong answers. A percentage towards 100 indicates that you are more aligned to the overall subject matter.
What are Creative blocks?
Sometimes, creativity seems to withhold itself, compelling people to retire from creative work. In such situations, one should consciously take a break and not give in to the diktat of the mind.
Creative blocks are common for writers, music composers, painters, etc. So, if we are facing it, we are one of them. Yet, we need not worry. Instead, we must look at them as an indication to take a break, which will help us return with strengthened fervor.
This shall fix the problem.
Need for Consistency
Consistency is necessary for success.
However, when we free ourselves of compulsions, the laws of the world will no longer bind us. Art is born in that freedom.
Consistency is usually necessary to form a new habit, something positive. In the domain of the soul, we are present. When ridding ourselves of all compulsions that bind us , art is born. Soul power drives art. An artist lives in the moment and surrenders to Supreme Will.
Artists who do not attribute their skill to God are not creative in their truest sense as they are oblivious of the source of creativity. The Self is covered by the dust of Ego. If the Creator of a piece of art has realized for certain that he was never the Creator of that piece of art, then he is fortunate, because his creativity has taken him closer to his source which is much beyond individuality, space and Time.
On the other hand if a so-called artist contributes his art to himself, such an artist is in delusion. It is not long before that his art will leave him. This is a certainty.
People can never take ownership of their achievements. It just takes a moment, (the artist’s block that we discussed earlier) to make one realize that he or she is not responsible for their supposed creativity.
Works of such ignorant people are mere imitations of reality, which are mere pebbles on the sands of time.
Inner qualities of a Creative person
Luxuries and comfort are not prime objectives of a true artist.
His art flows as a result of that inner condition that does not depend on external factors.
Discipline does not directly promote creativity. However, this state of creativity is a result of a soulful endeavor. If lack of creativity concerns us all the time, we must take a break from it. we should just go with the flow.
We need not bind ourselves to our compulsions of art.
Then when we get back to it, with a mind devoid of stress and clutter, creativity will flood in. It brings happiness to our life and refreshes us. The power of creativity floods happiness into our life.
Being creative cannot be a privilege or a commodity of reputed artists but, it can be our very expression. Creativity and art are ways of life and by connecting with life, we automatically become creative and artistic.
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