Creativity - what is it? And more importantly can it be learned? Can anyone be creative? Or is the territory of born geniuses? These questions are important. They are important to ask but more importantly these questions have answers. They have answers which we need to find.
Too long we have been told that only a few of us have great talent - genius if you will. I have always believed this to be a lie. After studying "great" human beings - what they achieved, and how, I stumbled upon the work of Abraham Maslow. Maslow published his works on self-actualization after studying along the same lines. His findings are worth reading. Yet he merely identified qualities which these people shared. He did not have a road map to get there.
Michael J.Gelb on the other hand, has written several books on creativity. The latest of which, I just purchased after watching an interview he did with Lisa Garr on Gaiam TV. It details how to awaken, nourish and feed your own creative genius, which he, like I believe is innate, albeit different, in everyone. For anyone who wants to know how to become more creative and use their inner talents, Michael, after extensively studying in particular, Leonardo da Vinci, drawn us a road map.
I was intensely curious about his book, having read many so-called analyses of creativity and studies about it by learned academics (who obviously did not exude creativity themselves but were somehow going to manage to explain it to others) and having found no satisfactory explanation. Being partway through Michael's book, I can truly say that he details everything that I personally know about creativity, along with many of the means that I used - although at the time I didn't know it would increase my creativity. I would recommend the book.
I think I need to further say a word about the academic (university) idea that they are creative. Some few doubtless are; Those write their own fiction, drama, or some other original work. Most are simply chewers and regurgitateurs of other people's information and experience. That is what passes for creativity at the university. Research is not creativity. Writing about your research findings is not a creative act, since it is not original, nor is it truly yours.
I recently read an article that claimed that "creativity", understood as the chewing and regurgitating mentioned above, was an essential quality of a university qualified person. Perhaps they need to read Michael's book, or study for themselves the creative geniuses of the world. But since academia tends to like their experiences "re-fried" rather than first-hand, all except the branches of science would likely balk at that.
Creative people by definition, keep a child-like wonder about the world at the ready. They are not foolish or childish - they know what is happening in the world around them. But they do not let their circumstances define them. They choose to be optimistic, believing in their dreams and acting on those beliefs long after others have resigned themselves to mediocrity. Because of this and their connection with the energy we are, they are able to tap into the potential, not only of themselves, but also of the universe and the collective mind.
I know for myself - when I write or paint- time is suspended. (If you doubt this is possible, watch David Wilcock's recent Gaiam episode on Time for a summary of the findings about this) Creativity is of something higher than everyday reality and thus outside of time. There is a joy and a flow that is in keeping with Maslow's peak experiences. I couldn't imagine a life with no creative outlet - it would be much less fulfilling but perhaps that is simply my bias.
If creativity is something you wish to learn more about or develop in yourself - pick up one of the books by Michael Gelb or find him on social media.
Too long we have been told that only a few of us have great talent - genius if you will. I have always believed this to be a lie. After studying "great" human beings - what they achieved, and how, I stumbled upon the work of Abraham Maslow. Maslow published his works on self-actualization after studying along the same lines. His findings are worth reading. Yet he merely identified qualities which these people shared. He did not have a road map to get there.
Michael J.Gelb on the other hand, has written several books on creativity. The latest of which, I just purchased after watching an interview he did with Lisa Garr on Gaiam TV. It details how to awaken, nourish and feed your own creative genius, which he, like I believe is innate, albeit different, in everyone. For anyone who wants to know how to become more creative and use their inner talents, Michael, after extensively studying in particular, Leonardo da Vinci, drawn us a road map.
I was intensely curious about his book, having read many so-called analyses of creativity and studies about it by learned academics (who obviously did not exude creativity themselves but were somehow going to manage to explain it to others) and having found no satisfactory explanation. Being partway through Michael's book, I can truly say that he details everything that I personally know about creativity, along with many of the means that I used - although at the time I didn't know it would increase my creativity. I would recommend the book.
I think I need to further say a word about the academic (university) idea that they are creative. Some few doubtless are; Those write their own fiction, drama, or some other original work. Most are simply chewers and regurgitateurs of other people's information and experience. That is what passes for creativity at the university. Research is not creativity. Writing about your research findings is not a creative act, since it is not original, nor is it truly yours.
I recently read an article that claimed that "creativity", understood as the chewing and regurgitating mentioned above, was an essential quality of a university qualified person. Perhaps they need to read Michael's book, or study for themselves the creative geniuses of the world. But since academia tends to like their experiences "re-fried" rather than first-hand, all except the branches of science would likely balk at that.
Creative people by definition, keep a child-like wonder about the world at the ready. They are not foolish or childish - they know what is happening in the world around them. But they do not let their circumstances define them. They choose to be optimistic, believing in their dreams and acting on those beliefs long after others have resigned themselves to mediocrity. Because of this and their connection with the energy we are, they are able to tap into the potential, not only of themselves, but also of the universe and the collective mind.
I know for myself - when I write or paint- time is suspended. (If you doubt this is possible, watch David Wilcock's recent Gaiam episode on Time for a summary of the findings about this) Creativity is of something higher than everyday reality and thus outside of time. There is a joy and a flow that is in keeping with Maslow's peak experiences. I couldn't imagine a life with no creative outlet - it would be much less fulfilling but perhaps that is simply my bias.
If creativity is something you wish to learn more about or develop in yourself - pick up one of the books by Michael Gelb or find him on social media.
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