The Pursuit of Nurturing & Understanding Creativity

Welcome back to Discover More Health.

Last Friday, a friend asked me, “how do you figure out what to write about in your newsletter?”

Through a bit of rambling, I eventually stumbled into an answer - this content is born through paying attention. Paying attention to what’s around me, what resonates, and what sparks an interest for deeper learning.

I think back to the writer’s block that plagued me throughout my school days. Now, this newsletter is just part of my weekly routine. The big lesson here, for me, is creativity is a skill that can be improved over time.

Like any skill, practice is key to progress. With creativity though, there seems to be much more to it. I’m still learning about and deepening into my creative process every day, but today we’ll explore what I’ve uncovered so far.

Specifically, I’ll share insights from music producer Rick Rubin and writing legend Julia Cameron in the pursuit of answering these three questions.

• What is creativity?

• Where does it come from?

• How can we enhance it within ourselves?

What is Creativity?

I used to relate to creativity in a typical sense - the process of bringing ideas to fruition, especially through imagination and/or invention.

For much of my life, I didn’t consider myself creative. Subjects involving numbers came easy, while the arts were more difficult for me. This experience, coupled with some youthful ignorance, led me to believe that creativity is a natural gift. Something you are born with or weren’t. Something that was for some but not for others.

Now, I recognize that’s far from the truth. Creativity is for all of us.

Over the past few years, I’ve come to deeply believe that humans are inherently creative beings. Every structure, system, and situation you see in the world is creative in nature– the transformation of idea to reality.

I’ve recently been studying two books on creativity— The Artists’ Way by Julia Cameron & The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. Both books are written with a deep appreciation for art and examine the relationship between creativity & spirituality.

“Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy: pure creative energy,” shares Julia Cameron, as the first of ten Basic Principles of Creativity in The Artist’s Way.

This central pillar of the book reminded me of Rick Rubin’s observation that creativity is an element of the human condition:

“Creativity is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It’s our birthright. And it’s for all of us…

Regardless of whether or not we’re formally making art, we are all living as artists. We perceive, filter, and collect data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information set. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation.”

Life itself is a creative process. Whether it’s an email or an essay, a painting or a sketch, or even a new recipe or workout, creativity is at play.

Creativity is what it means to be human.

Where Does Creativity Come From?

So if creativity is our birthright, why is it so damn difficult sometimes? Why does creative energy stagnate?

Fortunately, the work of Rubin & Cameron shed some light here. Both assert that creativity is born from an outside source and channeled through the artist.

What some call the “Muse,” Rubin & Cameron refer to as Source– an inspirational, cloud-like “wisdom surrounding us,” as Rubin describes.

Have you ever noticed that if you have an idea but don’t act on it, someone else in the world brings it to life?

Rubin wisely describes this phenomenon in a succinct poem, within his new book The Creative Act:

"There’s a time for certain ideas to arrive,

and they find a way

to express themselves through us."

The notion that ideas flow through us is widely believed in music & art. Artists often refer to creativity coming through them - whether that’s music, drawing, or dance.

What is believed to often get in the way of this flow, is ourselves. Our beliefs (of what’s possible), perceptions (of what’s come before), and judgements (of what’s good or bad) block creative flow.

“The position of the artist is humble. He is essentially a channel,” said Piet Mondrian, a Dutch painter who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

There’s a reason why many of the best artists in the world are sensitive individuals - they can sense things that others don’t. They can pick up on signals and transform them into feelings that we’re collectively more familiar with.

When we get out of our own way, cultivate a sense of awareness, and stay open to the creative energy around us, we become channels for ideas from the collective consciousness.

How Can We Enhance It Within Ourselves?

Maya Angelou once said “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

Coming from one of the most prolific writers of all time, this is comforting news, for sure. But then what is the key to accessing creativity on demand? Is there a formula?

“The essential element in nurturing our creativity lies in nurturing ourselves,” shares Julia Camerson in the Artist’s Way. Her point implies that the key to accessing creative energy is replenishing yourself - in the same way that we might restore our physical or mental energy.

Cameron suggests two practices to help with this process:

1. Morning Pages: Each morning, writing stream of consciousness everything that comes to mind.

2. Artist Dates: Each week, going somewhere new and creating in whatever way feels right. “Assigned play” is how she describes it.

Both practices are said to improve your relationship with Source/creative energy and help move through the blocks that keep creativity stagnant. In just a few weeks experimenting with these ideas, I feel they’re working for me just as Cameron described.

Rubin, on the other hand, recommends meditation. Dropping into stillness and clearing the mind.

In this fascinating interview with Anderson Cooper (on 60 Minutes) he shares that meditation “clears the distractions. The distractions can get in the way with the direct connection to the creative force.”

Whether it’s writing through stream of consciousness or dropping into meditation, tuning in is the foundational principle that gets us in touch with creativity.

What I’ve found as the key to tuning in - is openness. Remaining open to the inputs & energy we experience, and not letting our ‘distractions’ cloud what is coming through.

Openness, to me, is a function of paying attention and existing in a state of acceptance. Accepting what is around me without resistance or analysis.

When we’re open, we pay attention on a deeper level.

When we pay attention, we experience more.

And when we experience more (deeply), creativity naturally emerges.

Quotes on Creativity for Deeper Understanding:

“Creativity is… seeing something that doesn’t exist already. You need to find out how you can bring it into being and that way be a playmate with God.” ―Michele Shea

“Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order.” ―Virginia Woolf

“We will discover the nature of our particular genius when we stop trying to confirm to our own or to other peoples’ models, learn to be ourselves, and allow our natural channel to open.” ―Shakti Gawain

“The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through.” ―Jason Pollock

“The precise role of the artist, then, is to illuminate that darkness, blaze roads through that vast forest, so that we will not, in all our doing, lose sight of its purpose, which is, after all, to make the world a more human dwelling place.” ―James Baldwin

Thank You for Reading.

This exploration of creativity makes me curious - What forms of creativity are you most drawn to? What helps you cultivate your creative energy?

Wishing you a beautiful weekend ahead.

Your friend & supporter,

Aidan