I have returned to my website blog after a long break. My last blog posts were on my Tumblr page where I offered some deep reflections, my favourites titled 'Fate, destiny and the mystery of human connection.', 'We are angels walking the Earth.', 'Climate change is good for Humanity' and 'The Eternal Now.' You can read them here.
New Blog 12/11/2016 - RANDOM THOUGHTS CREATE: To be original is a great challenge for many Creatives, many of whom are guilty of copying other talented artists and designers, rather than trusting their capacity to experiment, play and think. (The term Creative is given to designers, writers and directors in the creative industry). The creative process is random. Influences, experiences and interests we randomly stumble upon can take us on a whole new path of creative exploration, New tools, software or technology that we experiment with, produce unexpected results. Taking time to explore, experiment and play is crucial for true originality. But there is skill involved. Not just the ability to compose random elements, or use technology or your chosen medium, instrument or art form. Its a human skill that true Creatives have particular access to, and I believe can be developed through meditation and connection to nature. Its the skill of openness. The skill of openness means the ability to unzip your skin bag and expose your inner self to the entire realm of existence. The ability to channel inspiration at will. The knowing to get out of the way. The discipline to control the mind so that it becomes the receptor for thought, rather than the controller of thought. There is a lightness of being, when we open. The ego is dropped, even forgotten, as we sway, dance, dream, sing and receive what I can only describe as the a glow of divine inspiration. The Creator flows through the Creative. Being able to feel is essential in order to be able to open to this energetic flow. Using the breath, focusing on your heart and solar plexus and cracking them open to the outside world. Using your imagination to 'see' light flowing out from within you, and receiving light in through the top of your head. Learning to name your feelings. Trusting yourself to respond to your feelings. Being able to be with not knowing what's next. Becoming the observer of self, and becoming witness to your own creative capacity as you allow the unfolding to happen. The skill of openness is essential to living a creative life. To live a creative life, is to be fully alive, to be fully human. If we all learn to develop our creative capacity we may find new aspects to our humanity. By taking ourselves to the feeling gym, we strengthen empathy, psychic capacity and our ability to love. We become wise. We find peace. We discover unity. I had a random thought, to write a blog about how random thoughts create. In writing about the creative process, I harnessed the skill of openness that I have developed as an artist. I didn't know that this is how I write, draw, paint, cook and create until I started to describe what I do. I cook best when I'm inspired by love, open my heart to the pantry and call in inspiration as I feel my way into the ingredients. I've never been good at following rules, or recipes. I love to dance and to dream. I hug trees. I am in awe of beauty. Creatives will do well to throw out their formulaic designs, their 'style', their tried and tested tired-old sameness, and flex their openness muscles. Taking time to focus on our breath, walk barefoot on the earth and play in new media will help us to trust our own unique access to random thoughts and bring in original, refreshing, creative works. I have been reading 'Dreaming Reality' by Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell. Their work on dreams and the role of REM on how we see reality is breakthrough work! I love it.
Basically we can utilize our ability to dream by inducing the REM state through meditation and guided visualisation, so we can consciously program our sub-conscious. It looks at why we dream (to resolve unfulfilled expectations during the day) and the importance of dreaming (how REM affects us physiologically). The process is simply self-hypnosis and shows how we can direct our lives. Their work is making major breakthroughs with Depression and has implications for Schizophrenia and Psychosis. Probably the most exciting thing I have read in years. I am very interested in exploring this work and recognise the many cross overs with art therapy. The most striking thing have taken from this work is their view that "For every negative thought, create one hundred positive thoughts!" This is disciplined self-programming and along with learning skills for self-acceptance has some truly exciting implications for wellness. Thumbs up from me. |
Julia PeddieArtist and Graphic Designer, Transpersonal Art Therapist and Labyrinth Facilitator. Archives
November 2016
Creative Life
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