First, you calm down. Afterward, you sort of … play. Then, the moment comes when you know what you are to do. Next, creative juices start flowing and you are surfing them. Keep your knees soft, head low and eyes looking forward. You’ll notice strange but pleasant things appearing. Say “yes” or “maybe”. Say “thank you” constantly. And that’s how you feel alive.
There is no better medicine for individual and for society as well than getting creative juices flowing. There is no other cause of illness than stopping them.Lately, I’ve been having repeated visions of a creativity discovery center, for kids and but for adults too. Because there is no point in offering to our kids creativity tools and facilitating their creative process, hoping they will do what we didn’t have the guts to do, while us, parents, sit aside and watch them (or just plain watch TV). We all know kids don’t do as they are told but as they see adults, especially parents, do.
And if creativity and happiness go hand in hand, creative kids will never be completely happy when they look or think of their unhappy working and tired TV-watching parents and grandparents. So for a happier society we need to get those creative juices flowing in every living human being, from 9 to 99 (years-old). To achieve that goal we must turn to the basics. Way, way, way back to the very simple basics: get calm and safe, play, get inspired, learn basic techniques, do it on your own, show it to the world.
In an accurately designed environment, where all necessary conditions are met, human creativity is bound to sprout and flourish.
What exactly is creativity? I like to define it as a way of thinking with the whole being, that being whole body, whole brain, whole heart and soul. Getting the creative mode going for one particular subject, we notice the individual starts using creative mode of thinking in all areas of his/her life. So it becomes a way of being.
Creativity is moment specific. Each moment has its own particular inspiration. Follow that. Need to let go of all planning and all outcomes. Need to go over (or around) your psychological obstacles. Need to have fun every step along the way.
Check back soon for updates on the Creativity Discovery Center. (Don’t ask me when and how!)
Theo and Mira 