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How do you define “spirituality”?

The definition of spirituality depends on many things. But I think that the definition depends on the person defining it. Everyone has different views and opinions that vary. For me the definition of spirituality is that it is an unconscious feeling or spirit that is present in everyone. Some people choose to ignore this unconscious feeling and are not spiritual while others embrace it and have it represent them. But I believe that it is present in everyone, it is just a matter of choosing to acknowledge it or not.

Does spirituality differ from religion?

Yes I think that spirituality is different from religion. There are many people who are spiritual and do not identify with any form of religion. Spirituality does not always mean there is a structured set of rules or guidelines. If anything spirituality is less structured and more free form. As for religion this is the opposite. There are many rules and guidelines for most religions. I think that this difference is the key when trying to find the distinction between the two.

How do you define “creativity”?

My definition of creativity is that it is a process in which a person can have their values or beliefs expressed in some sort of way or outlet. I also think that creativity is a mix between a person’s views and beliefs and the world as a whole. This process of creativity can vary and change from person to person. That is why creativity is so unique. It is constantly changing or evolving from person to person. Different people find new and exciting ways to be creative and express their values and beliefs.

What is the source of creativity?

I think that the source of creativity is from the outside world. Everything around us that we see in our daily lives can be a source of creativity. It does not matter if it’s a sign or billboard or a group of people, all of these things could be a source of creativity. I do not know how many times I have been walking to school and I have seen something that has inspired me or made me start thinking. The one thing to realize is that it depends on the person. One person’s source of creativity will be different than another persons.

For this post I wanted to focus on what I thought was the most interesting part of the reading. Which is the creative process. The first step in the creative process is “Formulation”. This step is when the artist discovers their subject or problem. I find this somewhat interesting that during the formulation step that an artist can identify a “problem” rather than just a subject. I believe because of the “problem” aspect that this formulation step can be applied to many other professions other than just artists. Problems can arise in many different fields of work or even life. The second step of the creative process is “Saturation”. During this step the artist deeply immerses themselves in their subject or problem. The artist does research about the subject and finds out anything and everything about the subject and problem. I think that this is one of the most crucial parts of the creative process. The more the artist knows about the subject or problem the better prepared they are further down the creative process. The third stage of the creative process is the “Incubation” stage. This is when you process the research and knowledge. This is when the artist tries to understand the subject or problem and develop a response. This step can vary. There are times when an artist can sift through the information quickly and formulate a response and then there are times where it takes the artist an extended period of time to finally grasp the information. I believe that if you put more into the “Saturation” step then the “Incubation” step will be much easier for the artist. The fourth step in the creative process is the “Inspiration” step. This is where the magic happens. The artist puts his or her own unique idea to the subject or solution to fix the problem. This can also be seen as the step where and when an artist can actually use their creativity. The next step in the creative process is the “Translation” step. This fifth step is when the actual artwork or problem solving happens. After researching the subject, understanding the subject, and putting an artist’s creative touch it is finally time to create the subject or fix the problem. All of the previous steps in the creative process lead the artist to this point of creation. The sixth and final step in the creative process is the “Integration” step. In this step the artist has already created the subject or fixed the problem and now they must share their work with the community or world. In the step artist seek feedback and try to see where they could have improved their piece of art or how to improve their solution. This step does rely on others to help the artist out but it is still on the artist to take in the feedback and use it to better their work next time. The main thing that I took away from reading about the creative process is that it can be applied to different professions or aspect of life other than art. Yes we are viewing it in the context of art and how artist use the creative process but by no means does that limit what you can apply it to.