Secret 1: Acknowledging Your Creative SelfHow many tender souls have been hurt like this? How many of us are carrying around that hurt? I often think that if we had art-ray glasses to identify this particular wound, we'd see it on everyone we encounter. Maybe for you it was drawing. Or singing. Or dance. Maybe you were the wrong size or shape or gender. Maybe it was a teacher, a classmate, a parent or even you yourself that spoke the words that crushed the artist inside.
When we're wounded in this way, a part of us shuts down. We start believing a lie - that we can't paint or write or perform, that we are not creative. So, does it matter? So what if we don't tap dance anymore? Big deal. So what if we mouth the words when we sing Happy Birthday to our loved ones? We pass it off with humour, jovially turning down an invitation to the dance floor because of our 2-left feet.
What does it matter?
It matters. Whenever a part of us is closed off, we are not whole. When we don't allow ourselves to experience something, we miss out. And when we are shut off from our artistic and creative expression, we lose our confidence in being creative at all. We start to doubt our ability to be a creative force in our lives and in the world - and when that happens all of us miss out.
We are all meant to experience the joy of our body's dance, the power of our own voice, the telling of our own story, the creation of our own images. This is the language of our souls. If you ever wanted to pick up a paintbrush, write a song, learn the drums, then it is meant for you. If you ever wanted to recite poetry, create a sculpture, learn to clown, it is meant for you. Start today.
It is not about being in the National Ballet or playing at Carnegie Hall or showing at the National Gallery - though that might be for you too. It is about you deeply experiencing yourself and sharing your full expression with the world. It's about love.
The arts belong to everyone. And that means you too.
Let the healing begin.
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27 comments:
Let the healing begin indeed! I am currently finishing Step 1 and journalling about just that! :)
Healing is SUCH a vital part of who I am right now - and you are right, there is so much more healing than the healing that we assume needs to be done. "I
t is about you deeply experiencing yourself and sharing your full expression with the world. It's about love."
Yes!
All I have to say to that is AMEN, SISTER!!!! That was a powerful and butt kicking post. I am so happy to be a part of the blogging group. I keep nodding my head as everyone writes and saying, "Yes, Yes!" It is awesome. The energy vibrating so intensely.
Peace~
Dawn
Wow, that was powerful Jamie...and healing to read too, thank you!
Peace,
Lil
You make me feel like dancin'. Whoooo!
Thank you Jamie. I will follow this journey of all of you.
Elizabeth
Thank you, Jamie, for facilitating this book club.
The healing issue seems so intimately entwined with acknowledging our artistic selves.
I think of what Hemingway told Fitzgerald about having a horrible childhood. He told him, sure, didn't all writers? But the point was to USE it. Move past it by creating art out of it.
The most healing approach of all.
I can already see how this is going to impact all areas of my life. Yes to healing! Yes to dancing! Yes to everything!
Isn't amazing how so many times mis-spoken words can destroy dreams? We are all so much more fragile than we wish to admit.
I think that rebuilding our confidence in our own abilities is a great step forward. Let the healing begin indeed.
jamie, your words are powerful and beautiful, as always. it's interesting how your refer to it as a dance, both physically and metaphorically because i think the actual act of dancing can be such a liberating experience. i see it in my creative friends, who are comfortable in their own skins, and when they dance, they are at one with the rhythm as themselves. i'm not completely there yet, but i'm getting it. and getting there. a big part of that is due to the work you have done in bringing people together in safe, creative and supportive environments such as this. so thank you.
Thank you for that and for this group - I am so excited about what lies before us!
This is inspiring! I wish I had more time, so I could have joined in on this group. I'll be reading about it, though!
Thank you Jamie for presenting us with another book blogging opportunity and continuing journey to find our authentic selves!
Let the healing begin-- and CONTINUE! Expressing my creativity has literally saved my life at times.
Creative is for kids who can dream but once we become adults there no time to be creative.
The world out there to be won over.
That the message I got.
But I' giving my self permission to create even if it a little bit now.
Coffee is on.
Loved the quote by Barb Sher about your creativity waiting like a dancing partner....then come here to see you the dancer and your collage.
This is going to be another great experience.
xx
I send a heartfelt "Amen!" from my little corner of the universe, too.
I really believe your right we need the movement I put that in my book how one needs to dance as a part of healing. I also agree with you about writing, drumming and sculpture .. Life is for living its not a rehearsal.
marilyn
ps you have created a mini town lol...
It does matter! I absolutely LOVE that you are a defender of the creative spirit Jamie. Oh it's so sad, do we all have the same wound? Together we will heal during this process, I know it.
FAB collage! That's the cutest little girl ever.
Last night my son and I went out for some Indian food and we talked about our experiences of people who have said unkind things to us about our art. It was a great conversation and I learned about some awful things that was said to him by a small minded "aide" in his third grade year. It must have been a good conversation because we came home and after I went to bed he pulled out a sketch pad and made a wonderful illustration ~ one that he is happy with.
I love your collage. It says soooo much. You have a great eye for composition.
I think the wolf in my soul has finally found her pack. Thank you Jamie and thank you all.
Jamie,
thank you so much for putting this together. Tonight i am lucky to take some time to go through all of the posts that these brilliant women have shared.
Enjoy the week, i look forward to more growth together!
Amen, Awomen, Apeople, HEALING!!! Healing heARTs rule the world!! :) Thank you so much, Jaime, for hosting all of us again. What a treasure to share in everyone's secrets -- and to have the amazing gift of the interviews. LOVING IT!
Miracles, miracles to you!
k-
nourishing that spark within ourselves and others IS very important. but hard to remember. we are so quick to make the joke, to shoot someone down... let's campaign to stop! Thank you again for allowing us to gather with you on this endeavor - I believe we will learn so much from each other!
YES! YES! YES!
We all have some scars we´re trying to repair, I truly believe creativity can heal.
I have a feeling there were a lot of creative souls snuffed out at an early point in their lives but thank God a lot of them survived! We have a beautiful world! Our paintings and photography, sculpting, poetry etc. for sure but think about the buildings, home decor, the color swatches at the paint store...all art too! We really would be so sorry if there were no artist, wouldn't we!
Have a great hair day! Becci
You are so right, Jamie...it DOES matter! In the past few years, I have been wounded by negative-minded and over-bearing students but now, that is behind me and I am ready to find the creative goddess within.
I'm so happy to be joining in on the book club again. Thank you for being our guiding light.
love, light and peace,
serena
Beautifully written. Your words truly resonated with me.
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