Creative Spirituality
February 21, 2014
- Spirituality is an intimate connection to anything in a way that transcends the tangible world. This isn’t to say that someone cannot have a spiritual relationship with a physical person or thing. Rather, it is the process by which that connection is made. For example, the practice of yoga is something that can be both physical and spiritual. It is physical because it is a form of instructed exercise. It can also be spiritual if the individual practicing places a deeper meaning on it and develops a connection with the practice that transcends the physical act of it.
- Spirituality differs from religion because there are no constraints on the belief system. In religion, a deity is being worshipped. However, in spirituality an individual or group can pay tribute to, and appreciate on a greater level, any person, thing or even feeling. The connection is not defined by a specific god. Further, spirituality tends to be more about the individual, rather than the person or thing being worshipped. For example, in Grey’s account of Kundalini yoga it is stated that, “there are seven primary chakras or wheels of subtle energy located along the central axis of the body. The chakras mediate the energies of the auric bodies that surround and interpenetrate the physical body” (94).
- Creativity is the artistic process by which an individual generates an original concept. The term “original” is used loosely in this sense. The creation does not have to be completely without inspiration or recognizable resemblance to something else, however the process by which it is conceived has to be unique. Grey frames the first step of the creative process as identifying an issue, stating, “The first stage is the discovery of a problem. This is the most important question for an artist, ‘What is my subject?’” (76). For example, the creativity and ingenuity of Steve Jobs came from his recognition of the lack of a user-friendly personal computer.
- The source of creativity is unique to each person. As I mentioned in my comment on Autzen Student’s blog, some people have a vision of the end product, while others start the creative process without any direction. Grey’s belief that the first step of creativity comes from an individual’s recognition of a problem reflects the first source of creativity. The second source of creativity that I argue for reflects a more innate state of being. This type of creativity comes from a desire to create something because of an internal drive. It doesn’t necessitate that a problem be solved, rather it is more concerned with the individual’s relationship with aesthetic beauty.
http://donnaquesada.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/are-zen-and-kundalini-yoga-compatible/