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Open Magazine - Index

Open Magazine - magazine - Index

Open to Being Inspired
Splash Creativity
Into Your Life
by Barbara Wilkinson
Cover Story
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting,
growing, taking risks, breaking rules,
making mistakes and having fun.”
Mary Lou Cook
Creativity may sound daunting, but surely you remember
the happy little kid you once were. Do you remember how
much you loved building tree houses, making paper airplanes
or cutting out paper dolls? What has happened to that flame
of creativity that once resided within you?
Life is so busy that we often forget to acknowledge our
inner longings. We multitask mindlessly, eating while we
read, phoning while we drive, worrying while we sleep; being
constantly “on,” while forgetting to honour our deepest callings.
We wonder why we feel frustrated, angry or just hungry for
something to feed our souls.
In his book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters
with Addiction, Gabor Maté, MD, talks about everyone’s need
for creative expression. He recognized the huge impact of his
own call to write as a means of relief from overworking. Perhaps
we are ignoring our own passion and creative expression when
we say, “What…me draw? You have got to be kidding!” We
forget about the satisfaction we got as children when we took
pencil to paper and knew that we were artists.
Judith Rosenberg was inspired to create Spark of Brilliance
when she saw her own son slowly recover from mental illness
through creativity. She delivered his charcoal, paints and
drawing papers to his hospital room, and with each drawing,
he grew stronger as he reconnected with his inner self.
Spark of Brilliance is a community based mental health
initiative in southern Ontario that promotes healing
through creativity. Thousands have joyfully participated
in the creative workshops and healing community.
As a psychotherapist, I listen every day to people’s
sadness and pain. I support them in bringing to light
their stressors. Out of this comes an awareness of what
needs healing in their lives before it destroys them.
Over and over again, I find that if people can connect
to the creative spark within themselves, they begin
to recover. And as for myself, at the end of a day
of listening, I love nothing more than to soothe
my own soul by writing, painting, drawing or
engaging in craft work.
16 Open Magazine Summer 2008
Tap into your creative side by establishing a special spot in
your home. Decorate it with splashes of orange for inspiration.
Take some time at least once a week for just 30 minutes and
dedicate it to your creative passion whether it be music,
painting, scrap-booking, writing, sculpture or needlework.
Enjoy! Remember that this moment is the only moment you
have. Create it well. Savour it. Have fun.
Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain an artist
once we grow up.”
Barbara works as a psychotherapist helping people heal.
She teaches Mindfulness and Mindful Eating groups and invites
you to contact her at www.barbarawilkinson.com
Sources: www.drgabormate.com www.sparkofbrilliance.com