Being Creative When It Seems Impossible

February 25, 2009 by · Comments Off 

As global shifts accelerate, the path of creativity can seem less practical or even unattainable. But whatever response to change is chosen, its more important than ever to be aware that, whatever the circumstance or situation, we’re always creating.

We create every form in our world, moment by moment, experiencing it through our senses and making sense of it with our brain.

One way to increase our awareness of how we create things, out of “no-things” is to read about someone who temporarily lost this ability

Stained Glass Brain by Dr. Jill Taylor

Stained Glass Brain by Dr. Jill Taylor


Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor vividly describes, in her fascinating book: My Stroke of Insight, the effects of the stroke she suffered in the left side of her brain, temporarily giving the right side almost complete right of way. Not only does she remember the event, but she describes it from the unique perspective of a scientist/musician/artist/storyteller and recovered stroke victim. Her purpose is not only to improve understanding, treatment and care of brain trauma patients, but also to raise individual awareness of the brain for a greater life experience.

Unfortunately, as the world becomes increasingly conceptual, the left brain (interpreter, controller, ego, analytic, reasoner etc.) can become increasingly dominant. But now we’re seeing the downside to being so attached to our left brain “concepts” which can suddenly shift and we’re unable to conceive new ones to take their place. This, of course, is playing out every day, individually and collectively, in our personal, economic, political and social experience. We’re out of touch with our imagining faculties.

I recent episode of Battlestar Galactica is a great metaphor for the suffering that follows when we forget about our power to create when we yield to the right. You need not be a fan of the show to get the context. Dean Stockwell, who plays the petulant, jealous, controlling Cylon John/Cavil, flips out in a jealous rage against his creator/mother over his resurrection from pure machine to a human form (skin job).
cavil-bsg

“I saw a star explode and send out the building blocks of the Universe.”

“Other stars, other planets and eventually other life. A supernova! Creation itself!”

“I was there. I wanted to see it and be part of the moment. And you know how I perceived one of the most glorious events in the universe? With these ridiculous gelatinous orbs in my skull! With eyes designed to perceive only a tiny fraction of the EM spectrum. With ears designed only to hear vibrations in the air.”
– Cavil (Dean Stockwell)

Like the above author, the character John/Cavil became aware of what he’d lost. And so must we. Because once we become conscious that we’re creating our experience moment to moment, we then realize that we have the power to create it the way we want it.

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Filed under: Cognition, Consciousness, creative habit, Creativity, metaphor, Metaphysics, Natural influence, self-awareness, shift
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