Category: Unit 07

1. How do you define “spirituality”?

 

I do not think there is one definition for the spirituality as the word likely means something different to each individual. Many people would likely associate spirituality with religion or the belief in some higher power. I am not religious nor do I believe in a higher power. To me spirituality is belief in a metaphysical realm in which each person has an identity, the “spirit” or “soul”, without the belief in any singular higher power.

 

2. Does spirituality differ from religion?

 

Spirituality differs from religion in many aspects. Spirituality does not include the belief in a singular higher power or eternal life in an alternate realm with utopia or prison. Religion is also a worship-based belief; meaning people who subscribe to a given religion often worship the eternal being in which they believe in order to gain eternal life in a perfect alternate realm. Spirituality, in my opinion, is based on the belief in souls, not gods.

 

3. How do you define “creativity”?

 

Creativity is derived from the word “create”, which means that creativity is rooted in creation. But rather than creating any simple thing, creativity is the process of creating or culminating a new or unique idea. That idea may be expressed through a variety of channels, whether it is a physical creation or spoken or written language. Creativity may be a process, skill, or characteristic. An individual who is said to be creative is often considered artistic, while someone who is engaging in creativity is often said to be creating art.

 

4. What is the source of creativity?

 

I believe that the source of creativity is different for each individual and it is impossible to claim that there is a singular source of creativity. I think source of creativity is somewhere in a layer of consciousness beneath the surface. A place where thoughts run free and the imagination can create, like during a dream, mediation, or trance. I think this layer can be partially active while an individual is awake and can be triggered by external stimulants that lead that part of the mind to some idea, connection or inspiration.

Alex Grey’s piece about art and spirituality was interesting and a bit unexpected. After I read that the subject for week 7 is spirituality I quickly assumed it would be include a lot of discussion about religion. However, Grey focused relatively little on religion compared to what I expected. He wrote a lot about the spiritual process of creating art and the spiritual process of seeing and understanding art. Grey wrote concerning seeing art:

 

“…the viewer first encounters a work of art as a physical object seen by the eye of flesh. Second, the eye of reason sees harmony of sensations that stir the emotions, and a conceptual understanding of the art arises. Third, and 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.”

 

I think that Grey’s explanation of seeing art is interesting. I imagine that in order to fully understand what Grey is saying one would have to have been through the entire process before. I think that it is probably uncommon for people outside of artistic fields or without an interest in art to relate to what he is saying. For example, I am studying accounting and rarely spend much time looking at or analyzing art in my studies or in my free time. I do not think I have ever experience spiritual insight via the eye of contemplation and because of that I find it difficult to understand Grey’s explanation. I do agree, however, that seeing art comes in waves and at multiple levels. I believe that most people can understand and relate to the first two steps that Grey described, seeing a art only as a physical object and then beginning to see the harmony in the art.

 

The other portion of Grey’s piece that stood out to me was the creative process of artists that he described. Grey wrote concerning creating art:

 

“For artists, the goal is to reach a state of mind where art flows irresistibly through them. Finding that energetic and idiosyncratic fountain of creation, an art spirit, is the artist’s task. Artists must remain open to the tumultuous ocean of potential inspiration, the entire spectrum of consciousness, and yet reduce or essentialize that infinite ocean to a few flowing strokes from their own fountain, providing tangible evidence of inner discovery to the outer world.”

 

I think there a lot of fascinating thoughts in those lines, but what stood out to me is how Grey indirectly defines spirituality. Rather than any religious based meaning, to me, it seems that he defines spirituality as a deep inner level where conscious and unconscious thoughts seem to blend, like dreams, trances and meditation. It seems to me that Grey views spirituality as a very personal and self-centric level of consciousness rather than a relationship with or belief in an eternal being.