When I think of the word “spirituality,” I think more along the lines of the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Spirituality is like an immaterial reality that a person enters to discover himself or herself. It is the way in which an individual analyzes his or her deepest values. Spirituality is often times practiced with spiritual practices such as meditation, prayer, yoga, etc. Spirituality is experienced as a source of inspiration whether divine or personal.
Spirituality can differ from religion but it is also a part of religion for some people. Grey quotes Ernest Watson, “There is a vast difference between looking and seeing – a difference which is fundamental to the artist’s experience.” My definition of spirituality refers to the human spirit and soul. Many times, it is easier for a person to dig deep and find their personal values through religion and God. On the other hand, spirituality is also experienced individually through things like nature, yoga, meditation, etc. Spirituality only differs from religion if it is found through another source.
By definition, creativity refers to the use of the imagination or original ideas especially in the production of an artistic work. Grey says, “An artist’s finest works can symbolically unveil depth upon depth of meaning…In order to bring forth their most profound work, artists need to be sensitive to and courageous about their own creative process.” In other words, creativity is a form of expression. Grey states six steps to the creative process: formulation, saturation, incubation, inspiration, translation and integration. Creativity is the artist’s way of putting their inspiration and spirituality into concrete form to share with others.
Creativity and spirituality almost go hand in hand. The source of creativity is spirituality. Once the individual finds their deepest values and meanings in life, the creative process can begin. Through spirituality, the artist discovers the most important question, which Grey refers to as “What is my subject?” Grey also states, “I have always been mystified by the body-mind-spirit relationship and the difficulty of making these multiple dimensions of reality visible in a work of art.” Creativity comes from the inspiration an individual receives from the body-mind-spirit relationship, which I would say may come from spiritual practices. Basically, however, creativity comes out when the artist finds their inspiration and puts it into their perspective for others to see.
Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.
