A Pause For Beauty
One ought every day at least to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture,
and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.
- Goethe
. . .
Creativity: Entering The Sacred Realm
There is a secret that real artists know and wannabe artists don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.
- Steven Pressfield, The War Of Art
We evolved out of a creative universe, a universe that is itself constantly evolving, self-creating. When we do creative work, we descend into a spiritual realm where the beauty and radiance within links up with the beauty and radiance of the natural world, of the universe. We enter a realm of deep silence and peace. We may not be able to understand the source of that peace, but we can feel it.
And perhaps the most magical aspect of living a creative life is that once one devotes oneself to his or her true self, to creating work out of one’s mysterious inner world, and throws their being into manifesting its beauty, our inner power gains momentum. Self-surrender opens doors to inner power that can be accessed no other way. Our devotion leads to the appearance of an ally, an unseen friend, who accompanies us and supports our creative journey.
Creative work involves a risk of failure. We are creating something new, something unproven. We pursue a vision that may not yet be fully formed in our imagination. A creative life is full of paradoxes, none more profound than the fact that the more attempts we make, and the more failures we accomplish, the greater the power and value of our ultimate work to others.
Everything sacred requires sacrifice. The price of entering the creative realm is to accept failure as a major part of the journey, and persist. Persist, fail, persist, fail. Keep creating. Have faith in the value of your unique beauty. Above all persist. And keep creating.
The help that shows up will surprise you. It is a constant surprise in my life. But not consistent. If you want consistency, it's probably best to get a job at the post office.
The two-page spread above is from the book I’m working on:
Sing Us The Song Only You Can Sing (preliminary notes here).
Creating A Life And Doing Creative Work On Your Own Terms
To access a version that is easier to read, you can download a PDF by clicking on the image above or by clicking here.
Travels With Ada
For the next six months, I plan to travel around the southern United States in a travel trailer doing interviews of interesting creative outsiders, seekers and searchers.
Know of anyone I might contact for an interview? Want to hang out?
More here.