June 2015
Today I would like to explore more ideas on how each of us can become more creative. I need to remind everyone that this is an exploration only. I make no pretensions that I have all the answers, or that we are going to solve every problem as take this journey.
I am proceeding from the assumption that we are all naturally creative and that somewhere in the process of our daily living; we lose this natural ability. And that does not mean we are automatons, simply going through our regular routine. Most of us still act as intelligent people and perform the necessary functions for a reasonably successful life.
However, as we mature, the creative static that is always in our consciousness grows louder, and demands to be heard. The status quo is no longer good enough, and we know we need to make changes if we are to become the person we were meant to be.
We also know that the changes we need to make will only come about if we become more creative in our approach to every aspect of our lives. For those who have experienced this, little explanation is necessary. We know this nagging sensation that something is not right.
Before we can continue we need to define what being creative is and if there is actually a process that can be standardized for all of us. I’m not sure there is. So we need to proceed cautiously from this point and make sure we understand everything that is discussed can only be applied individually and by no means presumes there is some magic formula at work here. There is not.
First, we must realize that being truly creative is rare. There are only so many Michelangelo’s, Leonardo da Vinci’s and Einstein’s. This type of creativity belongs to the rarefied few. So where does that leave you and me? For most of us, creativity will be defined as what is new to us if not necessarily to the world.
Each hour of everyday we discover something new. This may apply only to us and no one else. However, this does not diminish in any way these events. Newness for us may be simply rediscovering the old in a different way. That is often enough to give us a creative insight into a more imaginative world. So as we said in our previous episodes, creativity begins by being observant and habitually conscious of what you are experiencing. It has been said quite simply: “We must always focus on the present to be fully appreciative of the world we know.”
While this statement is easily understood, we also know that it is often impossible to do. However, what we all can do is increase our conscious effort to see the subtlety in the obvious. As we come to appreciate what is in front of us rather than constantly being distracted by other thoughts and events, we begin to recapture our innate creativity.
So begin this very minute to be more observant of the moment and appreciate the significance of the wonders that surround you. No matter what your situation, you can start by being aware of your gift of consciousness.
Next: How do we define creativity within the context our personal experience?
Brother Giovanni
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