The Healing Power of Spontaneous Creativity

"Spontaneous creativity is an affirmation of our deepest nature."   ~ Richard Moss

People sometimes say to me, "I do not think I have much to express. I do not know if I have an authentic self. I do not think I have much inside of me." I always say, "Begin expressing yourself regularly. Intend to express yourself spontaneously. See what comes out. Your creativity will show something new about your deeper self."

If you are feeling bored, depressed or unimpressed with your life, it is helpful to cultivate a spontaneous creativity practice every day so your authentic self-expression can come alive and find its own living language. Even 30 days of spontaneous creativity will tell you something startlingly fresh about yourself. 

We can often feel frustrated, resistant and confused when something new wants to come into our lives. So, we can practice "wearing" a creative question. You might ask yourself, "What do I need to express right now?"

You might live your question within a dedicated journal and take 15 minutes a day to draw a mandala. Or, you might choose to write, paint or draw intuitively. Over time, larger themes for your healing will emerge. Through regular creative practice, your vague subconscious rumblings become a more precise, living language.

"Only in spontaneity can we be who we truly are."   ~ John Mclaughlin

Your Creativity Knows the Next Step in Your Life

Answers are always inherent in our questions. And, every day, there is a new growth edge that we can access. When we sense into the "edge" of our inner life through spontaneous creativity, new information is revealed.

With determined questioning, the answers will come. Synchronistic signs, symbols and words will arise from within or without. Your creative imagery will form into an honest, original living language.

Life will come forward and speak to you because you have asked it to - because you have intended to express yourself, and because you have made the effort to sense beyond your regular, everyday habits.

Following Signs, Symbols and Inklings

Years ago, when I was contemplating moving to the big city from the rural mountain town where I was living, I ruminated about how people in my intuitive painting classes found it difficult to be spontaneous. 

I was aware of how most people simply could not face a blank sheet of paper unless they had cultivated a lot of psychological, emotional and spiritual willingness. It is challenging to allow the repressed parts of ourselves to speak and be heard. Most often, resistance to spontaneous creativity reigns supreme.

Driving down the highway, questioning how I could teach spontaneous creativity in a better way, I got the inner message, "Teach collage!" I felt surprised enough to follow the directive. I had never tried making a spontaneous collage before. So, I took my insight seriously and began to explore.

Living in Creativity Every Day

When I tried spontaneous collage, I absolutely loved it. My collages flowed together with ease. As the multiplicity of imagery poured out of me, I began to see all aspects of my unconscious mind in visual form, and I began to heal emotionally.

Over the next many years, I made hundreds of collages that helped me to know and accept myself more profoundly. Due to our varied experiences, both positive and negative, we all have many aspects of our personality that we would like to be properly seen, heard, and integrated. Collage is a perfect medium to express these neglected parts of the self.

Our accepted personality aspects are always out front and clearly visible as part of our social mask. The less accepted parts of ourselves hide in the shadows. Our hidden aspects of self will eagerly show themselves through spontaneous imagery. Creating spontaneously involves inviting something new and possibly not yet accepted into our conscious awareness so that it can become loved, healed and whole.

Overcoming Resistance

"Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads."

~ Erica Jong

We are conditioned to fit in for our survival, and our spontaneity can sometimes feel dangerous to the guarded parts of ourselves that try to maintain the acceptability to others.

Whenever you bring something new into creation, it will likely be accompanied by doubt. There are many parts within that are longing to be seen, accepted and welcomed into loving wholeness. This conflict between acceptance and non-acceptance can be resolved through daily expressive practice.

"Imagine a time when we meet ourselves, with elation at the door, and invite ourselves in to become reacquainted with this 'stranger' who has loved you all your life.”   

~ Derek Walcott - Poet