1. How do you define “spirituality”?

I think “spirituality” is an awareness of self, nature and the universe. It is an inner mental power which is beyond the physical sense. Everyone has different spirituality because each person has different understanding to himself, nature, and the universe. In addition, I think there is no right or wrong for spirituality, and spirituality should not be limited by other outside factors, like religion, race, or nationality. Overall, I think it exists in our inside mentality.

2. Does spirituality differ from religion?

Yes, I believe that spirituality differ from religion. First of all, spirituality is totally come from our inner, but the effect of religion is come from outer. Religion was created by people then spread it to others, but spirituality natural power for everyone. Secondly, religion always tell people what is right and what is wrong, but there is no right or wrong for spirituality. For example, Buddhism tell people eating meat is wrong but spirituality is depended on personal judgments to decide.

3. How do you define “creativity”?

I think “creativity” is a kind of comprehensive ability and only human have this ability. Creativity is an ability to create new ideas and new objects. The differences between creativity and other general abilities are the novelty and originality. The thinking way of creativity is diverging that means no constant direction so freedom to discover unknown things. Overall, I think creativity is to create new things that other people do not know in personal special ways.

4. What is the source of creativity?

I think human’s creativity mainly comes from our curiosity. I think only when a person feel curious to something then he can propose a question then he will try to resolve this question. This process is creation and feeling curious is the first step. As Thomas Edison said, “who lost their curiosity who will lost their creativity”. Driven by curiosity, people continue to explore the unknown and therefore creativity was produced. Overall, I think curiosity is extremely important to creativity. No curiosity, no creativity.

The reading “Art as Spiritual Practice” mainly discussed the spirituality of art and how do we think when we see an object. As we discussed before, art could express and evoke emotion. Meanwhile, Grey suggested that art is a kind of spiritual practice so this opinion is really similar with our previous discussion that art could be an expression of emotion. This reading introduced a interesting theory that is Saint Bonaventure’s three eyes of knowing. As the article mentioned, the three eyes are “the eye of flesh sees the “outer” realm of material objects: the eye of reason sees symbolically, drawing distinctions and making conceptual relationships; and the mystic eye of contemplation sees the luminous transcendental realm” (Grey, 73). I think the most of us just can apply the eye of flesh and the eye of reason in our daily life. For me, when I look at an object, I almost just focus on its appearance and sometimes would think about the distinction of it with others.

Comparing with ordinary people, an artist must apply the third eye that is the mystic eye of contemplation. As Grey argued, “artists need to be able to see on each level in order to bring technical beauty, archetypal beauty, and spiritual beauty to their work” (Grey, 73). I believe this is a necessary requirement for an artist, and especially for the outstanding artists. An artist needs to explore the deeper meaning of objects so that they can express them well in art form. In addition, Grey think the third eye have the relationship with soul, as he explained, “only in the deepest art, a condition of the soul is revealed, one’s heart is opened, and spiritual insight is transmitted to the eye of contemplation” (Grey, 82).

Overall, I think applying the mystic eye of contemplation in our daily life is very difficult because most of us do not have the talent of art, and I believe applying the third need the talent of art.

Reference:

Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.