So I went to the most amazing conference called The Gathering this fall… It was created by Juliette Powell, George Mueller, and Astro Teller. I was asked to speak about what the creative community is… These are some of my thoughts.
Creative Community: Inspiration before and after The G5 Gathering
What is creativity?
Creativity to me is anything that a human being brings into reality. . . from the un-manifest to the manifest. . . and creativity should not refer only to faculties of art. Unfortunately this label of what creativity is has been applied solely to artistic abilities and has stuck to define what a creative person is.
But to me, creativity is a state of a liberated mind – Creativity can and should be applied to all people, to all passions and to all jobs. Creativity can be found in words such as those of Martin Luther King Jr. “What I’m saying to you this morning, my friends, even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; (Go ahead) sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.” “a liberated mind that develops into a creative genius.
In Genesis, our inherent image is made in the likeness image of the creator. It is in our very essence to mirror this divinity of the creator and to create. Unfortunately, we live in a world where most people are what I refer to as the walking dead. This means that they are unaware of the creativity they have locked inside their empty shell. They are unaware of what their passions truly are, unaware of what they really want to accomplish in life. Unaware that they CAN achieve if
what they want in life – if they only realize that they posses this power of creativity. Creativity comes from a place of purity, of finding the essence of the creator within us – ourgoal is to reach beyond what is to what could and should be. But, most people remain trapped in their shell, far from self-actualization about who they really are . . . and what they could be if they had a mirror to their soul – that captures the promise of the creative – from the creator. I believe that we are moving into a integrated global village where people can awaken to their creative talents and to their ability to change the world to a better place from their perspective.
What is a creative community?
It may or may not happen in our life time but our efforts working together
can at least lay the foundation for this fountainhead of creativity that lies within us – and in converging together in all parts of the globe can
translate into the most powerful force on earth.
This conference is living proof of this promise. This society, a creative
community, in my own eyes, is where everyone realizes the soul purpose in their lives and works until they follow it to fruition.
Another truth again put more eloquently so eloquently by Dr. King regarding finding your niche is,” Everybody will make the so-called big, recognized things of life. Very few people will rise to the heights of genius in the arts and the sciences; very few collectively will rise to certain professions. Most of us will have to be content to work in the fields and in the factories and on the streets. But we must see the dignity of all labor.” We must realize also that not everyone makes the choice to make it big. People are looking for three square meals, clothing shelter, safety, and work If these ingredients aren’t in place globally, how can we awaken this creative community? A creative community where each person has what they want and knows his or her role and plays it out to the utmost potential, but Maslow’s hierarchy first needs to be in place globally.
This may sound like a utopian dream but it’s not. It is a visionary map where everyone gets to create in the manner they choose, thus contributing to & motivating others and allowing the community to add and reach it’s full potential. One globe – fully utilizing the creative and passionate promise of all of its people
This assumes that each person will serve the needs of the whole. We have to be decisive yet humble enough to see not only our passionate plans, but the creative promise of others. But how do we move now towards such a creative community? How do we awake and move into the future of creativity surrounding the globe? My passions and my roles are to help manifest a creative community.
How do we institute the creative community?
My understanding of change is one that it initially happens internally. As
Gandhi said – “be the change you wish to see in the world.” This is truth. But the first step is awareness of your current state of mental sleep. I am blessed to be born in a country and live in a city that was founded upon this principle of change and moving forward. Circa 1770, when John Hancock and Samuel Adams had enough of the stagnation of the status quo, their creative minds lit a fire of freedom that lead to lead to the creation of a new society and a promise we all treasure.
We again are at the creative crossroads. And I truly believe it is our inherent duty to serve each other and help to awaken the consciousness of the entire human race through our projects partnerships and inspiration.
We are the agents of change for a global village that truly is a creative
community based upon freedom of choice and passions to create to our fullest potential. We must make a commitment to ourselves and to our brothers and sisters that we will awaken from our sleep and lay the foundation for a community based upon inspiring eachother and living the creative promise that each of us has a duty to live. We must see we are the ones who have been chosen to be the microphones and put on lampstands to shine light into the darkness. Whether we like it or not this is the responsibility and duty that comes with the territory. And we have an obligation to use our power to inspire and create this global community.
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