Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Creative Power - What propels us to create?

I wonder about the Creative Power.  What is it that propels us to create? To create Art.  Art in the form of dance, paint, sculpture, song, music. There are countless forms in which we choose to express ourselves.

I mean, here I am writing to you. Is it that we want to connect to one another, up and outside of ourselves? Not just to another, but to have one common experience amongst many others, a thread that embroiders us together on a single fabric of existence.  For instance, when we all observe a dance or a play perhaps we walk away with a different interpretation of the work, but we still share some universal moments within the piece.

I find it intriguing that God has often been referred to as 'The Creative Power'. While I don't understand the 'why' of the creation process, I am aware of the power and magic of it.  As an artist you become nothing but a tool possessed, needing to express what it is that you have to give to the world.  It is not yours to give, or even to create, you are just a messenger, the pen, the voice, the feet and the hand even in the case of the surgeon.

I've been feeling that way as of late.  Possessed with creative power ready to unleash itself. It is such a raw and potent power, like fire. You become both the actor and audience to this happening within the self.  If you are a writer, painter, dancer or any other form of artist you know the "glimmer" I am speaking of here.  If you are a lover you too know the madness and passion that flows through you.

This potent energy flows from each of us through each of us, like the ocean, something that connects us all...

I had a conversation with a man today about how his novel in progress. Being a heavyset married smoker, father of two, and employed in somewhat mundane industry, he never struck me as a man who may be working on a novel, and a scifi thriller at that.  It just goes to show you just how far our prejudgements take us - into a brick wall.  With a smile that spanned from rosy cheek to rosy cheek, he explained"I just had a dream one night, it was so vivid and real. So at 6 in the morning my wife walked in on me typing away thinking what the hell is he up to.  I had to get all down before I forgot it.  And I work on it every now and then. It's nothing I would ever intentionally write about, or am even interested in, it just sort of manifested itself." His story reminded me of Stephanie Meyer's story of how she stumbled upon her novel.  She too had seen a vivid dream of a couple in love one of which was a vampire, and now here she is 4 books and 2 movies later.

The same has happened to me, a story has manifested itself after a year of just simmering silence. Not in the form of a dream but just on paper, nothing that I would have thought or even the courage to write about.

As I head into the tunnel of creation, I am heeding the following advice:  


The Alcazar, Sevilla Spain May 2010


Trying to make progress when the time is not right would be like trying to cook noodles in cold water.  

(I Ching - Book of Changes, http://daoloatse.wordpress.com/01-creative-power/)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Advice from a Great Woman...

I heard the below quote over this past weekend; pearls of wisdom disseminated from Mother Teresa herself.  What she says in the lines that follow liberates us from the transactional nature of all our actions. She simplifies our role in our lives to being both true to ourselves and harboring only kindness in our hearts; unyielding to outside forces that may challenge these principles in whatever form they may come into our lives...

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

Mother Teresa

Friday, July 9, 2010

To Catch a Dream

"I am here this is happening. First two, then me, then three,
the room is filling up.

I try to calm my mind, it flutters,
overwhelms, at the possibilities
of casting a net out wide,
to catch one's dream.

Calm, Calm, Calm..."

Last night, I began my first Gotham Writers Fiction I Class with Evan Rehill. The Class will meet once a week for 10 weeks and I intend to attend every session. The irony is that I was sitting in this same class exactly one year ago.  However after completing my first short story I stopped coming to class. I ran away because of the coward that I was; but more than cowardice, it was my insecurities that were suffocationg my dream;

tying it up until paralyzed into inaction,
tying it up until there is no life.

But my Revival has come! You too, find your dream, cast your net wide, catch it because you can! (not if) ;)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Pride Weekend : "Black, White, Gay, Straight, Love Does Not Discriminate!"

This among others were the chants I heard thousands of people recite down 5th avenue - producing a powerful consortium of sound at this year's Gay Pride Parade in New York.

The above chant being my favorite, intoduces such a lovely idea, that Love in its true form does not discriminate. As I walked through the streets, I saw women, men and children, dressed in all the festive colors of the rainbow. Marching, Chanting, singing, and laughing, they were all supportive of this notion of tolerance and the rights of the individual. Of course there were other chants like,

"We're here, we're queer and we're bringing up the rear!" or,

"1, 2, 3, 4 What the hell are we marching for? Equal rights and nothing more. So come on folks, let's hear you roar! 5, 6, 7, 8 Stop the lies and stop the hate. Open your eyes, it's not too late! Show your pride and celebrate!"

Looking into this sea of people drenched in color and sun, I thought this is how we are all meant to interact with one another - with tolerance...and love.