The Myth of Creativity

How many times have you been impressed with the creativity of other people?  The number of people considered creative is extremely large, yet almost infinitesimal in comparison to those who believe they are not creative.  Musicians, artists, authors, chefs, singers and so on are often acknowledged as being creative.  You see these people as having special talents.  You judge them as exceptional.

To adequately understand creativity, you must first know what it means.  To judge someone as creative and yourself as not so creative, you must know what it means to be creative.  Webster defines creativity as the “ability to create.”  Create is further defined as “to bring into existence.”  What a beautiful concept: “to bring into existence.”  What is there in your world that is not constantly bringing something into existence? 

You are constantly recognizing other people’s creativity as being unique, special, and far beyond your own.  Because you compare their creativity to what you believe to be yours, you seldom realize your own uniqueness, and your own creativity.  In fact, how many times have you actually considered yourself creative?  How much of your life do you consider to be acts of creativity?  Unless you become famous, do something extraordinarily different, stand out from the crowd or are recognized by others, you do not consider yourself creative.

What a mistake this is.  The fact is that every moment of your life you are being creative.  Every action you take, every word you speak, every thought you have, every emotion you experience is an expression of your creativity.  It is about time you begin to recognize your own originality, as well as that of others.  What others create is beautiful, but not to the detriment, disqualification or discounting of your own.  Their creativity is simply different from what you do.  Their creativity is not better or worse, more or less, just different.

Remember, the definition of to create is  “to being into existence.”  What I am going to say may shock you.  You accept God as the creator who “brings into existence.”  My definition of to create is not that there is a God entity who creates, but is the process itself of creating.  God is a verb, never a noun or adjective.  What is being created is not important.  The act of creating is what counts.  The very fact that you are in a constant state of creating makes you a God.  You are in a constant state of process.  This process of creating, moment to moment, creates the Godliness of your existence.  You are always bringing something into existence.  Every moment of your life you are creating.  Because God is creating the universe and everything within it, does not make you any less of a God.  In fact, you and God are One!  Yes, this means that you are also God! 

Unfortunately, you compare yourself with others, and in so doing, you disparage or belittle who you are, and what you do.  Creativity cannot be judged or compared, but only enjoyed.  Years ago, I was in a junior college choir.  We performed at a number of different locations.  Before one or our performances, my choir instructor gave me a set of instructions.  He whispered to me that I should fake my singing.  I could not carry a tune, but I loved to sing.  I felt what I was singing.  I was devastated.  After that experience, I no longer sang, except to myself in the shower.  Years later, I was asked to join a group of people in a sing along group.  I told them that I could not sing, that I could not carry a tune.  One of them asked me if I could open my mouth and make noise.  The answer was obvious.  She then said if I could do that, I could sing.  The only problem I had was in comparing myself to others.  Why compare?  Enjoy your own creativity!  What a joy it is for me to be singing again and not comparing, but creating from my very being.

Another example happened to my son, Ian.  It was in the area of art.  He was selected to be a member of a high school specifically designed for the artistically talented.  There were times he would come home with a piece of artwork, which he really liked.  Yet, his instructor had criticized the work and even gave it a grade lower than what my son thought he should have received.  Of course, the art instructor had no intention of hurting my son’s artistic endeavors, but only wanted to further his talent into a path that he considered more artistic. 

There were pieces that my son created that I enjoyed and others that I did not.  Whether I liked or disliked his work was my issue, not his.  The issue is not one of creativity.  The fact is that he created.  The criticism or grade is not the issue.  The real issue is what is considered art.  When a piece of art is done, and the artist likes it, then it is perfect art.  What is not so obvious is that even if he does not like the art piece, it is still perfect art.  The only thing that prevents the disliked piece from being perfect is its being compared with what the artist thinks it should be, with other pieces of art he finds pleasing or some other comparison.  Art is art, only your mind makes the difference between good and bad art. 

It is easy to see the majesty of a giant hardwood tree.  You look at one of these old forest trees with awe, amazement and reverence.  Yet, at the same time, a simple blade of grass is ignored.  Is one really less than the other?  Is the tree truly a greater example of creativity than the blade of grass?

What you consider creative is often nothing more than that which is different.  How can the ordinary be creative?  A blade of grass is very common, very ordinary.  How awe inspiring can it be?  On the other hand, an old forest tree is huge and rare; it must be something special.  However, it is all a matter of perspective.  Once you drop your misperceptions and simply enjoy the experience, then one creative act cannot be greater than another, just different.  Now, the blade of grass is just as awe inspiring as the old forest tree.  The fact is that you may not like all that is created, but you will still recognize all as acts of creativity.  You may do what you can to change or prevent that which you do not like, but you still know that it is an act of creativity.  Even your attempt to change it is an act of creativity.  Everything in the moment is a verb, an action and is God creating.

Bottom line, creativity is your inheritance.  It is your total being.  However, you will only truly recognize your moment-by-moment creativity when you move from a state of the mind to that of awareness.  Eating a meal is a creative act, when done with awareness.  Watering plants or tending a garden is a creative act, when awareness is present.  Anything and everything you do is creative, but only with awareness, can you truly recognize the creativity of your being.  You do not have to work at being creative, you are creative.  You do not have to work at awareness; you simply have to be aware.  Be aware, not of what has happened, or what might happen, but of what is happening.  Enjoy your creativity!  Enjoy your moment!  Enjoy your Godliness!