The VQ Newsletter Archive
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Creativity,
Healing
& Shamanism: Workshop
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Thoughts Beneath The Trees,
We all know the feeling described above by Mitchell’s song.
You know the one where you discover a hole where you used to have a
heart. The hole left to replace whoever, or whatever, was the object
of your heart’s desire. I’m
pleased to say that this writing is not about that pain, though I know it well.
Rather, it’s about another insight we find when looking back that led
me to these “Thoughts beneath the Trees.” I’ve heard it said, though I don’t know who deserves credit for the
quote, that on the path of personal, or spiritual, growth we may know the
direction we are heading, but we cannot know just where we are on the path.
We can only see where we have been.
It is an “uncertainty principle” somewhat like Heisenberg’s
principle in subatomic particle physics. In
particle physics, we can either know the position of a particle, or its momentum
(direction & speed), but in order to ascertain one these, we will inevitably
change the other. Joni Mitchell,
particle physics, Heisenberg, “What’s
the connection to creativity?” you ask. Well, suppose for a moment that you are a subatomic particle dancing
somewhere in creation. In addition
to conducting your normal subatomic affairs; i.e., interacting with other ”subatomics,”
you have the gift of self-reflective consciousness and free will as do all your
others particle pals. Now as long
as each of we particles keep our attention focused on where we are headed while
occasionally looking back to see where we have been, everything goes along
swimmingly. We interact
appropriately with other subatomics out of our natural proclivity.
Our mutual dance yields creation upon creation upon creation.
Oh, but then there is that self-reflective thing. Self-reflection is a good thing, right?
Well most of the time when it doesn’t get in the way of other subatomic
affairs. (It didn’t workout well
at all for Narcissus you may remember.) Imagine
taking the time to sit and ponder one’s status as a subatomic and make a
personal assessment of just how far you have come on “the path.”
It is somewhat akin to a pilot stopping to consider his position midway
down the runway on takeoff. Problems
get critical fast. At this
microcosmic level though within just a few trillionths of a second countless
interactions are delayed, deflected, and destroyed.
In short, by ascertaining position, the subatomic has changed its course.
In this subatomic simile, creation comes to a halt.
So, “What’s the connection to creativity?” you ask again.
Well, knowing that I have made every physicist reading this cringe, I
will return to the macrocosm and get to the big picture of our creative acts. When we create, we also encounter an uncertainty principal.
We can have a sense of where we are going as our inspiration leads us.
Conversely, we can try to ascertain our position as a creator
relentlessly editing our self with those questioning thoughts that float through
as we work. Is it good enough?
Will people like it? What
will they think of me? You know the
questions you hear as everyone has their own critical editor.
The difference is in our focus. We
can focus on the process and often lose track of ourselves, or we can focus on
our self and lose track of the process. I suggest great works come most often, when we lose track of our self in the
process. In so doing we evolve with
the act of creating. There is of
course the risk that we get too lost in the process.
It is also possible to perfect one’s skills through the constant
critical-editor. However, creations
done in this way generally become repetitive as the “critical-editor” causes
us to use what has worked before and take fewer chances.
Visionary creativity is inherently full of chances. In conclusion, what’s a creative “subatomic” to do?
Lose yourself, or lose the process.
Well, there is a middle path. When
in the creative act, ignore the editor and “flow with the go.”
Let the process lead you where inspiration will.
Then, when your creation has come to life, ask for the editor’s help.
Create first, edit second. This
is of course not linear. One must
be prepared to oscillate between the two modes many times before a creation is
finished and given to the world. “Don’t
it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got till its gone?”
Perhaps so, but this time it is looking back to see where you have been
-- without melancholy. You are a
co-creator and the creative process has re-created you along the way and
instead, left you filled with the seeds of inspiration. Whether we call it spiritual development, personal growth, art, or innovation
it is our most vital and individual evolution.
So, next time you bump into those subatomics and are invited – dance! I recently found a few copies (30) of our first CD pressing EnterQuest IV in
the basement. For those who don’t
know, this is the same Harmonic Matrix as Vantage Quest VI but has the old title
and address information on the cover. I am offering them to this Newsletter group exclusively for
$15 each while they last. I will
ship by normal mail in the US free or add the usual S/H for Priority Mail.
International customers can chose Global Priority Mail as shown on the
order form or regular Airmail for $3. I
don’t plan to post them on the site. To
order use the order form http://www.vantagequest.org/ord.htm
on the site but write NEWSLETTER in the comments with your mailing preference.
This is the very last of these so please take advantage of the great
price while you can. Sat. Sept. 16th, 7:00PM The last newsletter announced the opening of Coyote Oaks, our gathering
ground. I thank the many of you who
contacted me with your well wishes and especially you who attended our event.
I also appreciated those who contacted me about presenting a workshop.
We are actively planning for next season now. If you have a workshop that you would like to suggest or
present, please contact me with your ideas and availability. Saturday evening, Sept. 16th, we will have our monthly drumming
circle at 7:00 PM. We invite
everyone near enough to come join us. There
is no charge, just bring your drum and a smile.
Please call if you need directions.
(785-827-1835) The August winners are:
Congratulations Glenn and Kimberley. Your
Vantage Quest CDs are on their way. This is not a "bulk" mailing.
If you are receiving this writing, it is because you have signed our
Guest Book, bought our product, are our link partner, a good friend, or have
communicated with us in some other way. In
the process of generating this mailing, some addresses have been accidentally
included from the Undiscovered Lands Sweepstakes list for which I am also the
webmaster. Your address has not
been shared. I apologize for the
inconvenience. If you do not want
to get this quarterly letter, please use the “remove” address below from the
email account in which you received this mailing and it will be automatically
removed. Hitting “Reply”
will NOT remove you automatically. If
you received multiple copies to additional addresses please send them directly
to me and I will manually remove them. If a friend has forwarded this newsletter to
you and you wish to subscribe for your self, please use the Subscribe link or
the Guest Book on our site. The
goal remains to build a creative community, not make "e-mail enemies." To subscribe to our newsletter: mailto:newsletter@vantagequest.org?subject=subscribe To be automatically removed from future mailings: mailto:remove@vantagequest.org?subject=remove If you would like to learn more about the creative process, I would like to
recommend a friend Eric Maisel’s site. http://www.ericmaisel.com.
Eric is a prolific author on creativity and has been a great help to me
personally. Though we have
different perspectives on the creative process, you will find his materials very
useful. That’s it for this quarter. If
you’re near by come join us Saturday night. “Why not do some dreamin” Regards, Carlisle |
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