How does your soul speak to you?
We are all born with a gift. The trick is realizing what that gift is and manifesting it during our lifetime. It’s easy to believe that creativity belongs to the world of artists. I have had countless people tell me that they are not creative and then guided by this belief, do not explore the opportunities that lie within.
Our world would be a dark and lonely place without the artists: the musicians and painters, the writers and poets, the craftspeople and builders and creators of magic. The dancers, the actors, the ingenious architects of buildings, landscapes and ideas of all kinds. And bridge builders. I am in awe.
I envy artists. I am not an artist. And yet, I feel the need to create and have come to accept that this comes from a deep place within all of us. It is human nature.
As a child, my mother enrolled me in all of the culturally appropriate activities at the time. Piano, violin, ballet. I almost decided to study classical piano in college until I realized that I wasn’t really that good at it. Much as I appreciate the foundation of these classical arts, these are not the choices of my adulthood. I’ve had to improvise, come up with methods and interests that fit my current life.
I discovered over time that creativity, if tuned into, is really about curiosity. What am I capable of doing? The gift is in the opportunity to imagine. Creativity and curiosity allow us to remain open to possibilities and dicoveries that otherwise remain hidden.
Creativity is communion. Creativity is immersion. Creativity is connection. It is seeking and discovering the erotic nature that we all possess. Anytime we allow ourselves to deeply immerse in something, we are encouraging a neurological pathway to develop. The more you practice it, the deeper the groove. Eventually that part of your brain recognizes which internal muscle to access in order to strengthen it. It’s a beautiful and divine gift that we all possess.
A good friend of mine discovered she had a curiosity about cake decorating. Rather than ignoring this, she choose to lean into it. Not because she needed a career or a side gig, but rather because her creative juices were flowing and led her here. Over time, she has become a skilled and talented cake and cookie decorator. Her creations are breathtaking. She’s studied with master decorators. One might say she’s even a little obsessed.
Great. Because that’s what I’m talking about. Allowing your imagination to guide you into a place inside of yourself that longs to be seen and explored.
Maybe without a clear purpose. Not goal-driven, but soul-driven.
Currently I have decided to take care of some projects around the house. I like to build things. I usually bite off more than I can chew and spend most of my time looking for tools, frustrated at my mistakes, cursing my decision to embark on something that takes too much time and might be over my skill level. And in the end, when I complete something that’s chewed up all my patience and free time, I’m already writing a list of supplies for the next frustrating project on my list. It’s as if the struggle is forgotten in service to the creativity muscle asking to be used.
And then there’s the greatest creative endeavor of all, the art of loving. Love is what drives all of this, what gets the juices flowing, sparks the ignition. Without it, whether love of craft or another person, we will flounder. Creativity needs wholeheartedness, demanding that the heart is open and fully alert, on board.
Ask yourself some questions:
- What did I love doing as a child?
- How much heart do I bring to my daily activities?
- When do I feel lost in what I am doing (I don’t mean scrolling on TikTok)?
- What do I wish I had more time to do?
- When do I feel most alive?
- Do I crave validation from others instead of satisfying my deepest desires?
Anything can be a creative endeavor. Cooking. Exercising. Building. Decorating. Playing. Growing a tomato plant. It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel while doing it, your intention, your openness. Are you always going to love it? Of course not. In allowing the struggle to be an inherent aspect of whatever we do, we then can expand our capacity and our imaginations.
I invite you to open up to the vast possibilities that lie with you. Be brave and dive in.
“Someone once asked, What is love?
Be lost in me, I said. You will know love when that happens.
Love has no calculating in it. That is why it is said to be a quality of God and not of human beings.”
Rumi
On Reflection 