We are all creative. No-one is exempt or is an exception to the rule. As a result of our creativity we are creating all the time. We are creating conversations, thoughts, decisions, relationships, opinions, beliefs, values, hopes and aspirations, not to mention families, partnerships, careers, homes, lifestyles, outfits, businesses, projects and futures for ourselves and those we love.
As you can see from my photo I have been travelling on a new and exciting creative journey recently. Being pregnant is definately a creative journey. Obviously it is an amazing process of creating a new life, but it is also a creative journey of self discovery for both my husband and I.
As with any journey or adventure it is important to understand the processes involved, the challenges likely to be faced and the gifts or opportunities that will be presented at each stage. Well creativity is no different. Not only do we need to understand the meaning of creativity, so that it is not confused with things like artistic ability or some ’special’ gift that only few are born with, but it is important that we understand the process of creativitiy.
According to Carbonetti (2001) we are never out of the cycle of creating and living a creative life. She believes creativity is cyclical in nature, with each stage having its own unique gift. According to Carbonetti creativity follows the below cyclical steps. When we are in this rhythm and appreciating each stage, life flows and we can access our creativity: life is joyful. Each stage is important and like a ripple of water, habits in one affect each other stage and future endeavors.
Waiting: is the first stirring of intuition that begs development
Opening: is a stage of experimentation, with lots of options taken in with no discrimination or elimination
Closing: in this stage we separate ourselves, protecting our creative dream and digesting the food of our experimentation.
Holding: here we face our fears courageously, and with determination complete the tedious chores required to produce
Releasing: we let go of our control of the creative process and allow our creation to take on a life of its own
Emptying: creation is over we have birthed our creative endeavor and we stop, recognizing the shift in energy
Sitting: here we just pause, taking in the space between an out breath and an in breath
Waiting: is the first stirring of intuition that begs development
Opening: is a stage of experimentation, with lots of options taken in with no discrimination or elimination
Closing: in this stage we separate ourselves, protecting our creative dream and digesting the food of our experimentation.
Holding: here we face our fears courageously, and with determination complete the tedious chores required to produce
Releasing: we let go of our control of the creative process and allow our creation to take on a life of its own
Emptying: creation is over we have birthed our creative endeavor and we stop, recognizing the shift in energy
Sitting: here we just pause, taking in the space between an out breath and an in breath
Waiting: is the first stirring of intuition that begs development..........
Carbonetti uses the illustration of ‘pearl making’ as an analogy for the creative process:
Waiting: The oyster recognizes it has a hunger and in preparation for feeding it attaches itself to a solid place, a rock or wall.
Opening: The oyster opens to see what comes in. It feeds and filters. Some things it keeps some it does not.
Closing: The oyster closes itself to the world, ingesting the food it has taken in. It makes sense of what is inside. Still expelling what is not wanted.
Holding: The small particle of sand that lodged inside as an irritation has been rolling around inside being coated with mother of pearl. It is almost a pearl, but still needs work. The oyster must stick with the creative process or a pearl will not be created.
Releasing: The pearl is complete, it is as big as it is meant to be. The shell must be opened and the pearl released.
Emptying: The open and empty shell floats up onto the beach. The pearl is gone and pearl making is done.
Sitting: For the oyster this is the juncture of death and life; an empty shell on the beach and the creation of another pearl.
Source: Carbonetti, J. (2001) Making Pearls: Living the Creative Life. Watson- Guptill Publications: New York
Waiting: The oyster recognizes it has a hunger and in preparation for feeding it attaches itself to a solid place, a rock or wall.
Opening: The oyster opens to see what comes in. It feeds and filters. Some things it keeps some it does not.
Closing: The oyster closes itself to the world, ingesting the food it has taken in. It makes sense of what is inside. Still expelling what is not wanted.
Holding: The small particle of sand that lodged inside as an irritation has been rolling around inside being coated with mother of pearl. It is almost a pearl, but still needs work. The oyster must stick with the creative process or a pearl will not be created.
Releasing: The pearl is complete, it is as big as it is meant to be. The shell must be opened and the pearl released.
Emptying: The open and empty shell floats up onto the beach. The pearl is gone and pearl making is done.
Sitting: For the oyster this is the juncture of death and life; an empty shell on the beach and the creation of another pearl.
Source: Carbonetti, J. (2001) Making Pearls: Living the Creative Life. Watson- Guptill Publications: New York
