Welcome to the fifth issue of Creative Intentions. With this newsletter, I hope to inspire all creative types to learn about their personal creativity and how to grow from their creative work. Each week, for twelve weeks, you can look forward to a feature article with information, tips and ideas surrounding the realm of creativity.
Feature Article Topic:
Creativity and Health
Have you ever felt uncomfortable, anxious, and upset, but you didn’t really know why? OR Have you ever felt truly inspired to write, dance, paint, keep a journal, design clothing, or try the latest craft technique? In either case, I would recommend that you pay attention to your feelings and express them through a creative endeavor. When you honor your feelings of anxiety and/or inspiration, you take a great step toward self-understanding and fulfillment.
Most of us want to feel that our life is good and fulfilling, but sometimes things happen in our lives that cause us to feel pain, to suffer. These feelings are inevitable; it is the nature of life. However, when we recognize our suffering and take creative action to move through the hard times, we not only grow emotionally, we often grow creatively as well. At first glance, this idea of “moving through” difficult times seems quite abstract. However, once you try a few techniques and work through a difficulty in your life, the idea and the process are much more concrete. For example, I recently took a workshop from a licensed expressive art therapist. In the workshop, we did an exercise called “The Bridge”. The directions were to create a bridge going from some place to some place, and to put yourself in the drawing. The bridge could be connecting two areas of your life that are challenging each other, etc. The options were open to almost anything, with a variety of materials for either 3-D or 2-D bridges. After we made our bridges, we were to think about a variety of things, such as, “What matter crossed or was drawn under the bridge?” We were encouraged to write about our process, and how the exercise led to new understanding.
Doing an activity such as this really does help a person to process a difficult issue because you are looking at the issue from a different perspective. Your unconscious mind is given space to speak, and your mind, body, and spirit are working together to solve a problem. It is healthy to deal with difficult issues, rather than suppress them. And, it is healthy to use your creativity to express your pain or joy.
Suggestion:
This week, try a creative exercise that helps you to move through a difficult issue in your life. It might be helpful to ask a friend to listen to your process, or it may be necessary for you to do this with a therapist. The support piece is important to think about.
There are several good books that you could find at your local library or bookstore. Here are a couple of titles I recommend:
Trust the process: An artist’s guide to letting go by Shaun McNiff
Creative healing: How to heal yourself by tapping your hidden creativity by Michael Samuels
Announcements:
July 19, 2010 Issue No. 6 will feature an article on
Creativity and Body Awareness
Create for your health!
© BrianaCreates 2010 All Rights Reserved
Briana: Artist, Writer, Teacher, and Creativity Coach
Contact at bmriskin@earthlink.net
Blog http://courageouslycreating.blogspot.com/
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianacreates/
Twitter http://twitter.com/BrianaCreates
4 comments:
lovely article. just what i needed to read right now. i may just check out those books!
Right on, very inspiring article Briana, I love your art here too. All is so true and painting a bridge is a great idea. My daughter and I did that intuitively on our collaborative blog...how interesting.
I am looking forward to your next article.
XOXOrly
Thank you Dawn and Orly. So glad you enjoyed the article. Come back next Monday (7/19) for Issue No. 6.
Briana, I love that you are doing this. I think we might need to meet one day since we are both here in the midwest. Great work you are doing!
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