It was a dilapidated old room, with a worn wood floor and yellow walls antiqued by the years. A slight damp odor greeted us as we canvased the room, tossing out possibilities for how to setup for tonight's show. Ryan has a knack for this sort of thing and within 15 minutes we were busy moving tables, setting up lamps, and bringing in band equipment. The initial push finished, I sat down to work on a new poem that started in my mind during the drive up. I felt compelled to write a new piece for tonight's performance. I had been on and off tour with The Cobalt Season for the last month and they had set out a couple new tracks during that time. Seeing that creativity expressed I was inspired to put something new out; besides I was tired of doing the same material - it was time for something new.
As I sat in my chair to write I jotted down a few possible starting stanzas. Pen in my mouth, I read them back and let them rest on my soul. As they laid there I reflected on why I was writing, what was the impetus on this particular occasion that was compelling me? My eyes began wondering around the room as I watched the band setup. Ryan unraveling cords, Holly chasing their son Paxton around the room, Jared bringing in a few last pieces of equipment. These dear friends of mine were the reason I was writing - the relationship we shared, the adventures we had been on, the atmosphere of creativity they provided. All of these things created a safe, encouraging environment to express those words that were already weaved into my body.
As my gaze returned to my paper, the first line of my new poem immediately resonated in my eyes. Turning my notebook over,
I re-wrote that line and with a peaceful flow the words and pattern of the poem simply illuminated in my mind. All I needed to do was transcribe them on the paper before me. This was one of those moments where the divine life living inside of me surged with life and could not be contained - it had to be released.
Looking back on this experience, the reason for such creative expression is as a bright as the winter sun on a clear morning - community. Had it not been for my relationships with the people in the room that evening that poem would never have been written. They provided not only the inspiration, but also the space for it's emergence. In our creative lives community plays a vital role. Our long term ability to live artfully is directly related to the relationships we have in our lives. We all need the encouragement and safety of close relationships. Our tribes will inevitably pull things out of use we never knew existed. They have a way of awakening the voice within us that we simply cannot do on our own. As we bring this particular experience to a close, think about how the relationships even in this environment affected your creative voice. What did you learn through other people? What did they awaken within you? Do you have some relationships in your life that will help you continue this creative journey? What steps can you take to deepen those relationships? We all need a community around us to help us discover and refine our voice.
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
10 February 2009
shadows
Part of our Awakening Creativity class last week was to explore our shadows; those dark corners of our personality. We were to come in costume and character to have portraits made that will be incorporated in the Art Show on Feb 13th. Meet one of my shadows. A power hungry, maniacal, person obsessed with himself, money, and all the worldly pleasures. My brother dubbed him "Don Greasy"
27 January 2009
confronting shadows
(this is not proof-read, so bare with me)
It's as if I looked into his eyes yesterday, not two years ago. And the conversation I had with Hal seems just as fresh. I was on my way home after a Sunday morning breakfast at Boogaloo's when I noticed Hal moving back and forth on the sidewalk in his wheelchair. It was one of those instances where just as soon as you notice someone conversation begins. I could see by his matted brilo salt and pepper hair that he'd been sleeping outside for at least the last few nights. No sooner did I ask how he was doing, than he was telling about his mother who was sick with cancer and reliving childhood memories with me. As he reached into his coat to pull out a pocket sized photo album I caught a glimpse of a frail body that no doubt had been through a lot. Hal spoke with a calm clarity on this particular morning and casually walked me through memory lane. His times of football as a child, his foray into jazz, and how his life had taken some turns that wound him living on the streets. It was here that his tone and demeanor took on a soulful intensity. Intently moving his head closer to mine, his brown tired eyes looking directly in mine, he instructed me “I've been to the dark places” He let those words sit there between us, allowing them to sink in before proceeding any further. With time frozen in this instance, he repeated himself “I've been to the dark places, seen the spirits there.” It's what his eyes told me, and what he didn't say that he really wanted me to understand. He had been there, and being revealed something to him. He went on to make it more explicit, explaining that what had been revealed in that darkness was indeed light.
I believe this is the case for all of us. We all have dark corners of ourselves that we carry with us. Sometimes they get the better of us, sometimes not, but mostly we ignore their existence. We're caught up in life, in to-do lists, and an over booked social life to pay them any attention. If only we would realize that through walking into our shadows we would find healing and light. Ranier Maria Rilke once wrote:
I love these lines. I believe they speak to a truth about becoming human. Namely, in moving into our darkness, or shadows we not only diffuse any power they have over us, but we also begin to understand the depth of our being. It's in this depth of being that we discover the strength to be with not only the light within but also the dark. Through confronting our shadows we open the door healing and begin to understand the importance of keeping them in the forefront.
There will inevitably be a shock when we first begin the work of looking into our darkness. However, once the initial surprise wears off we'll recognize that the pain we're feeling pails in comparison to the healing that follows. This is a vital component to living artfully. For when we hold the light in one hand and the dark in the other we can now “paint” about life from both directions. We are now able to more fully express the our human experience. In so doing, we demonstrate the freedom that comes from confronting our shadows.
It's as if I looked into his eyes yesterday, not two years ago. And the conversation I had with Hal seems just as fresh. I was on my way home after a Sunday morning breakfast at Boogaloo's when I noticed Hal moving back and forth on the sidewalk in his wheelchair. It was one of those instances where just as soon as you notice someone conversation begins. I could see by his matted brilo salt and pepper hair that he'd been sleeping outside for at least the last few nights. No sooner did I ask how he was doing, than he was telling about his mother who was sick with cancer and reliving childhood memories with me. As he reached into his coat to pull out a pocket sized photo album I caught a glimpse of a frail body that no doubt had been through a lot. Hal spoke with a calm clarity on this particular morning and casually walked me through memory lane. His times of football as a child, his foray into jazz, and how his life had taken some turns that wound him living on the streets. It was here that his tone and demeanor took on a soulful intensity. Intently moving his head closer to mine, his brown tired eyes looking directly in mine, he instructed me “I've been to the dark places” He let those words sit there between us, allowing them to sink in before proceeding any further. With time frozen in this instance, he repeated himself “I've been to the dark places, seen the spirits there.” It's what his eyes told me, and what he didn't say that he really wanted me to understand. He had been there, and being revealed something to him. He went on to make it more explicit, explaining that what had been revealed in that darkness was indeed light.
I believe this is the case for all of us. We all have dark corners of ourselves that we carry with us. Sometimes they get the better of us, sometimes not, but mostly we ignore their existence. We're caught up in life, in to-do lists, and an over booked social life to pay them any attention. If only we would realize that through walking into our shadows we would find healing and light. Ranier Maria Rilke once wrote:
I love the dark hours of my being.
My mind deepens into them.
There I can find, as in old letters,
the days of my life, already lived,
and held like a legend, and understood
Then the knowing comes: I can open
to another life that's wide and timeless.
So I am sometimes like a tree
rustling over a gravesite
and making real the dream
of the one its living root
embrace:
a dream once lost
among sorrows and songs.
My mind deepens into them.
There I can find, as in old letters,
the days of my life, already lived,
and held like a legend, and understood
Then the knowing comes: I can open
to another life that's wide and timeless.
So I am sometimes like a tree
rustling over a gravesite
and making real the dream
of the one its living root
embrace:
a dream once lost
among sorrows and songs.
I love these lines. I believe they speak to a truth about becoming human. Namely, in moving into our darkness, or shadows we not only diffuse any power they have over us, but we also begin to understand the depth of our being. It's in this depth of being that we discover the strength to be with not only the light within but also the dark. Through confronting our shadows we open the door healing and begin to understand the importance of keeping them in the forefront.
There will inevitably be a shock when we first begin the work of looking into our darkness. However, once the initial surprise wears off we'll recognize that the pain we're feeling pails in comparison to the healing that follows. This is a vital component to living artfully. For when we hold the light in one hand and the dark in the other we can now “paint” about life from both directions. We are now able to more fully express the our human experience. In so doing, we demonstrate the freedom that comes from confronting our shadows.
20 January 2009
Identifying Context
Tomorrow night marks the beginning of ReIMAGINE's Awakening Creativity learning lab.
Here's snippet of some the curriculum I wrote for tomorrow nights session:
Identyfing Context
The 30 mph wind turned the cool air into a savage force set out to rob me of all my comfort as a human being. At 3 am the cold air is expected, but the howling wind was an unpleasant surprise from a fictional winter torture-land. This wasn't exactly what I was hoping for as the temperature setting for my first 50 mile ultra-marathon. I, and all the others racers for that matter, hoped the wind would die down and give our bodies a more enjoyable temperament to run our 50 miles. As it was, we were already going to ascend over 10,000 feet during those 50 miles so any help the weather could give, the better. And it did. The wind gave way at around 4:45 am, just before the start of the race. Fifteen minutes later the 196 of us ran into the morning black abyss; our paths lit only by our LED headlamps. The day and the miles passed like a tapestry of adventure tales and some 9 hours and 45 minutes later I finished what was one of my most enjoyable race experiences yet.
I'm often asked: "Why do it?" Usually that simple question is accompanied by some of the most puzzling facial expressions I've seen on a human face. Why indeed. I have many reasons that I've discovered along the way. However the quintessential reason is: it's inside of me. Long before I ran 50 miles for the first time there was a small whisper that said one day I want to run an ultra-marathon. All I did was listen to that voice and make intentional choices to ensure that it could come to fruition. It was the same for my first Ironman. I can remember, at 16, swimming across a lake with my brother and girlfriend at the time and commenting that one day I'd like to participate in an Ironman. Eight years later that utterance became a reality. I believe that within each of us there are small inclinations of things we would like to do. The execution of those small voices is what I call creative living.
Embracing the voice we have inside and allowing it to express itself is our creative life's work. Think through the implications of that statement. If you began to view life as your canvas and time your brush and paint, how would that reorient your view of living?
This is what I hear Jesus saying when he declares "Time's up! God's kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message." (MSG)
He is telling us, life is different than we imagined. God is present, active and wants to work through us to bring about the goodness of the Maker's vision. I see two things coming out this:
1) Recognizing the voice of God within us. Jesus is recorded as saying "the kingdom of God is within you." Part of our waking up to the reality of love is to cultivate that seed, that original Gensis vision within us. One of our tasks is allowing it to take root within our soul. Depending on where we are at in the process this could take years. We have wounds to get over, shadows to wrestle with, misconceptions to root out. We start that essential understanding though that there is a good voice within us leading forward.
2) Expressing the whispers of the Spirit. Once we recognize the Spirits movement within us we need to figure out a way to express it. God has granted each of us with an imagination for what our life could look like and how we could impact the world around us. Here is where creativity really begins to take shape. How we express the voice within is unique to us for two reasons: 1) someone with our DNA and personality has never heard God's voice before 2) the path we choose to express that voice noone will have done before. Even if it is similar in manifestation the creation process, which changes us and those around us, will be different and our sharing of that experience will be different.
These are the 3 great creative tasks at hand. 1) Figuring out ways to remove the layers of clutter and shadows that hinder us from hearing the voice of God and 2) Learning to see our own life, with our unique personality, family tree, gifts, time, geographic and sociographic place as a unique sacred gift, 3) developing ways to express the creativity that lies within.
Suddenly, now our life is a creative expression. We've discovered a voice within, began to understand it's origin, what skills it might take to express it and have started the process of expressing it. For instance, my experience of the world is very visceral. I had/have this sense that much of life is tied to how we live in our bodies. And I mean beyond eating right, and mild exercise. There's something found outside our limits. This started off as a hunch (imagination), and as I dove in deeper (cultivating skills) I was able to push myself further and further into the boundaries of bodily existence (expressing). This is one voice of the many voices I have inside that I've chosen to indulge. While many people consider it crazy, I do have conversations that allow me reveal the deep meaning and revelations I've had along the way. Trying to fit all the training in while running my consulting company, a non-profit organization and participating in a faith community has been a process and passion of mine.
Organizing our lives in order to express our complete selves takes a lot of time to work out and often a lot of creativity. This is the beautiful task of artful living. Forging new paths in life that allow us to express the image of God we carry is a creative endeavor that we must embark on.
This workshop is an introductory course to this very idea of artful living. We look forward to journey ahead.
Here's snippet of some the curriculum I wrote for tomorrow nights session:
Identyfing Context
The 30 mph wind turned the cool air into a savage force set out to rob me of all my comfort as a human being. At 3 am the cold air is expected, but the howling wind was an unpleasant surprise from a fictional winter torture-land. This wasn't exactly what I was hoping for as the temperature setting for my first 50 mile ultra-marathon. I, and all the others racers for that matter, hoped the wind would die down and give our bodies a more enjoyable temperament to run our 50 miles. As it was, we were already going to ascend over 10,000 feet during those 50 miles so any help the weather could give, the better. And it did. The wind gave way at around 4:45 am, just before the start of the race. Fifteen minutes later the 196 of us ran into the morning black abyss; our paths lit only by our LED headlamps. The day and the miles passed like a tapestry of adventure tales and some 9 hours and 45 minutes later I finished what was one of my most enjoyable race experiences yet.
I'm often asked: "Why do it?" Usually that simple question is accompanied by some of the most puzzling facial expressions I've seen on a human face. Why indeed. I have many reasons that I've discovered along the way. However the quintessential reason is: it's inside of me. Long before I ran 50 miles for the first time there was a small whisper that said one day I want to run an ultra-marathon. All I did was listen to that voice and make intentional choices to ensure that it could come to fruition. It was the same for my first Ironman. I can remember, at 16, swimming across a lake with my brother and girlfriend at the time and commenting that one day I'd like to participate in an Ironman. Eight years later that utterance became a reality. I believe that within each of us there are small inclinations of things we would like to do. The execution of those small voices is what I call creative living.
Embracing the voice we have inside and allowing it to express itself is our creative life's work. Think through the implications of that statement. If you began to view life as your canvas and time your brush and paint, how would that reorient your view of living?
This is what I hear Jesus saying when he declares "Time's up! God's kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message." (MSG)
He is telling us, life is different than we imagined. God is present, active and wants to work through us to bring about the goodness of the Maker's vision. I see two things coming out this:
1) Recognizing the voice of God within us. Jesus is recorded as saying "the kingdom of God is within you." Part of our waking up to the reality of love is to cultivate that seed, that original Gensis vision within us. One of our tasks is allowing it to take root within our soul. Depending on where we are at in the process this could take years. We have wounds to get over, shadows to wrestle with, misconceptions to root out. We start that essential understanding though that there is a good voice within us leading forward.
2) Expressing the whispers of the Spirit. Once we recognize the Spirits movement within us we need to figure out a way to express it. God has granted each of us with an imagination for what our life could look like and how we could impact the world around us. Here is where creativity really begins to take shape. How we express the voice within is unique to us for two reasons: 1) someone with our DNA and personality has never heard God's voice before 2) the path we choose to express that voice noone will have done before. Even if it is similar in manifestation the creation process, which changes us and those around us, will be different and our sharing of that experience will be different.
These are the 3 great creative tasks at hand. 1) Figuring out ways to remove the layers of clutter and shadows that hinder us from hearing the voice of God and 2) Learning to see our own life, with our unique personality, family tree, gifts, time, geographic and sociographic place as a unique sacred gift, 3) developing ways to express the creativity that lies within.
Suddenly, now our life is a creative expression. We've discovered a voice within, began to understand it's origin, what skills it might take to express it and have started the process of expressing it. For instance, my experience of the world is very visceral. I had/have this sense that much of life is tied to how we live in our bodies. And I mean beyond eating right, and mild exercise. There's something found outside our limits. This started off as a hunch (imagination), and as I dove in deeper (cultivating skills) I was able to push myself further and further into the boundaries of bodily existence (expressing). This is one voice of the many voices I have inside that I've chosen to indulge. While many people consider it crazy, I do have conversations that allow me reveal the deep meaning and revelations I've had along the way. Trying to fit all the training in while running my consulting company, a non-profit organization and participating in a faith community has been a process and passion of mine.
Organizing our lives in order to express our complete selves takes a lot of time to work out and often a lot of creativity. This is the beautiful task of artful living. Forging new paths in life that allow us to express the image of God we carry is a creative endeavor that we must embark on.
This workshop is an introductory course to this very idea of artful living. We look forward to journey ahead.
05 January 2009
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