Embodying Creativity

Where does creativity come from? The roots of creativity have been researched and pondered by scientists, artists and philosophers for centuries but a definitive answer still eludes us. Though its origins may remain a mystery we certainly recognize the results when we see a great film or are awestruck by an amazing work of art.

Children naturally embody creativity. As a child, it was very easy to shift my perceptive lens so a stick became a sword, or a magic wand, or a magic-sword wand if desired. I intuitively sensed the connectedness of all life so of course I could talk to a frog, or grow a tail or wings if I wanted. My friend Kathy and I spent many hours jumping off a wall at the corner of her street. We both were quite sure that if the wind was just right and we flapped our arms at the perfect speed, we would certainly take off and fly. To see through the eyes of a child implies a sense of wonder, curiosity and delight.

As time goes by that spontaneous connection with our environment tends to fade. Our ‘reality’ becomes more constrained by cultural expectations, discipline and regimentation. We sit in rows and walk in lines and stay in our chairs. We grow busy with the chores of life and play moves from self directed imaginings to the more structured activities of sports and gymnastics. Over time there is a tendency to operate mostly from a level of habit. In this state, our thought processes also becoming increasingly predictable; functional perhaps, but not lush, imaginative or juicy. How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, I’m just not the creative type” or “I’m not very artistic.” Maybe you’ve said this yourself. We start to believe that creativity requires producing a product, such as a painting, sculpture or book and if we aren’t engaged in one of those activities, we are somehow not creative. We forget that creativity is our birthright.

So, how do we rekindle this connection? Body/Mind Dynamics-Embodying Creativity offers an elegant and simple method of reclaiming our basic nature as vibrant creative beings.

All life requires water. In Body/Mind Dynamics-Embodying Creativity we will explore our connection to this ubiquitous yet mysterious substance through Continuum Movement. Emilie Conrad, a visionary pioneer in the field of movement and creative expression developed the method of Continuum over 40 years ago. The practice continues to evolve with input from the latest neurobiological research. We recognize that through our essentially fluid bodies, we are in resonance with a larger field of intelligence. This gives us access to an entirely new way of seeing and perceiving our surroundings. We experience ourselves as whole living organisms, existing beyond our habits and cultural constraints. During the practice we suspend our judgment and expectation and open to whatever comes. We discover that the way in which we ask questions often limits the possible answers. This clears the way to find insights and perspectives that are otherwise missed. It becomes increasingly obvious that in fact, we are in a constant act of creativity. On a cellular level, our body shifts, changes and renews our blood, bones and organs physically recreating ourselves over and over. We are literally not the same person we were a few years ago.

So, where does creativity come from? It comes from everywhere, it surrounds us constantly and is available to enrich and nourish our lives. We need only open our consciousness to the possibilities.