Since creating and launching our new course: Creative Wisdom: Introductory Online Training this past summer, we have been challenged to more deeply articulate, in writing, our
approach to Expressive Arts. It has been a birthing, of sorts, and the publication of the course brings us closer to the eventual, inevitable publication of our book!
When we set out to create our Certificate Training Program in 2010, we wrote our Guiding Principles. The first one is:
We believe in the positive power of creativity in every person.
In considering this statement today, nine years later, we believe it more than ever. The growth trajectories of our students, clients, and workshop participants keep affirming this truth. Not to mention our own growth!
Sometimes the creative spark is hidden, and may seem inaccessible, or even gone. That is often an indicator of how sacred it is. When threatened, or questioned, or diminished, it hides a little deeper within us. We protect it, like we do anything valuable. It is possible, though, that we bury it so deeply that we can't even locate it ourselves. We may believe that we are not creative
or we may believe that our creativity is not to be trusted.
What does it take to re-discover our creative spark and bring it into our lives, and into the world?
Some of the words that rise up for me are: courage, a safe place, trust, acceptance, witnessing, compassion, encouragement, understanding, community. These are qualities that we must give ourselves, as well as receive from outside sources.
I (Kathleen) grew up in an environment where creativity wasn't entirely trusted. There was a largely unspoken, yet pervasive belief that creativity and instability went hand in hand. I buried my creativity deep inside, and almost forgot about it. It's a long story, but when I was approaching midlife, and the unpredictable twists and turns of life had brought me into a
training in Expressive Arts, the image of a "tiny ember" showed up. Since then, I have been nurturing that tiny ember and allowing it to become a flame - lighting my own life, and, in turn, the lives of others - as a guide, a therapist, a teacher. I must say that now, I totally trust that flame. Of course, whenever I step out of my comfort zone, I may notice the flame wavering a bit, as I question myself. I expect that, as it reminds me that I am in new territory.
What about you? Do you trust the positive power of your own creativity?
If you would like to have some discussion about this, leave a comment over on our blog.
or send us an email
Creating the Creative Wisdom training was one of those exciting, "out of the comfort zone" times. We were sending our work farther out in the world, and becoming even more visible, with videos, deep sharing, and stating what we believed. For me, my tiny ember/flame image guided me through it, and we used the image as the logo for our course.
The image is titled: Ember to Flame
We often invite our images to "speak", in their own voice.
This image said:
I am a seed of fire, fed by the ground of all my experiences.
Protectively nurtured for many years, safely, yet hidden.
I have grown from tiny ember to flame, and I find new ways to spread, to scatter, to fling, to dance that fiery energy out into the world - landing in the lives and hearts of others, while still nourishing me.
What is the seed, or the ember, that you are ready to nourish, to nurture, to take into the world?
Meditate on that question. Make an image. Give it a voice. Let it guide you. Share on our blog or in our private FB
group.
Your creativity is so needed in the world...
We will have some exciting news about Creative Wisdom soon.
We are working on some additional supporting material to supplement the course itself. Whether you are in the course, considering registering, or already have your Certificate of Completion, we expect this will be good news for you!
In a few days we will be sending an email focusing on another one of our Guiding Principles, and we will have more information to share.
With gratitude,
Kathleen, Tamara, Victoria
Kathleen Horne, MA, LMHC, REACE, REAT
Tamara Teeter Knapp, BA, REACE, Certified K-12 Art Teacher
Victoria Domenichello-Anderson, MA, REACE
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