Creative Spiritually Reflection

Q: How do you define “spirituality”?

A: I think “spirituality” is an individual thing that relates to sociology, philosophy and psychology. One’s spirituality reflects his or her inner thoughts or internal world. Spirituality should include one’s belief, religion and desire. It can be different in many ways. Some people build their spirituality based on the real world such as their families, friends and experiences. Also, some people’s spirituality comes from books. They believe a particular person’s thoughts such as Aristotle or Plato. Therefore, I think “spirituality” does not have a universal meaning.

Q: Does spirituality differ from religion?

A: In my mind, the range of spirituality is boarder than religion. Religion really depends on one’s root in history. And the same religion could bring people together. They have shared beliefs and hopes. Otherwise, religion also has a long history and its own characteristics. But, spirituality might not have a very long history. It can be changed as time goes by. It also does not have any limitations or boundaries.

Q: How do you define “creativity”?

A: “Creativity” is one’s ability to make or create new things or ideas. It can be both instinct and acquired.  Creativity should not have limitations. Some people may have talents in art, literature, politics or science. Also, there is no such an exact criterion to evaluate creativity. That is to say, we cannot grade someone’s creativity.

Q: What is the source of creativity?

A: There are many sources of building and improving creativity. We can write a journal from what we see in the world. We can create a lyric after listening to a music concert. We can draw a picture of our dream last night. We can cook a dinner because of a smell. We make a sketch when we visit a museum. In this digital age, people have a lot of ways to be creative. If you are curious about something, you will find your own way to explore it and create new things.

Deeply Seeing

In the article “Deeply Seeing”, the author talks about the importance of seeing. When we see the subject, the meaning is coming up in our mind at the same time. He says, “Seeing determines every aesthetic decision” (72). First, artists see the subject that inspires them to create new things. Second, they scan the subject, then “dissecting the relationships of part to part balanced within the forms, appreciating the rhythm of its structure”. Furthermore, the author talks about his adaptation of the scientists finding of creative process. The creative process includes formulation, saturation, incubation, inspiration, translation and integration. In my opinion, I don’t think seeing determines every aesthetic decision. Artists can get inspiration beyond seeing. They can hear, touch and taste. Many ways would inspire people to create such as sound, music and smell. For the creative process that the author introduces in the article, I agree with him, but it is also a little complicated for me. This kind of creative process is very logic and strict. Also, the author says, “Not all artists will recognize each phase in their work, and each phase takes its own time, widely varying from work to work” (76). Everyone has his or her own way to create things. I think some artists might just have two or three stages of the creative process that is mentioned in the article. When I took my creative strategist class, I drew a map of my creative process. My creative process only has four stages. I wote, “I am seeing what is going on in the world” – “Then I use my DSLR to record what I am seeing. The images are like puzzles” – “When I close my eyes, all of the images become a mess picture. I don’t know what it is, but it’s colorful” – “Images + Key words + Ideas = Story. Telling is the center of my creative process”. Finally, I complete the puzzles, a beautiful and colorful puzzle.

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