Spiritual Highs and Other Effects of Being Creative

By Chris Dunmire

As the publisher of a creativity-inspiring Web site, I get excited when I overhear other people discussing the topic of creativity. Often, I joyously (and silently) agree while listening to their interpretations of what creativity is, and how the act of being creative adds to their happiness and fulfillment in life.

Most of the time on the Creativity Portal, "creativity" is framed as a positive, uplifting quality that people enjoy and wish they had more of. People who are frustrated with their creativity often have underlying issues that cause blocks — such as lack of skill or experience, fear of what others think, or a harsh inner critic.

Those who learn how to manage their blocks and enjoy their creativity have interesting things to say about it. Recently, I followed an online discussion at author Barbara Sher's Web site about this very topic. It was a casual conversation touched off by a participant’s experience watching a TV show featuring a woman who looked rather unhappy, old, and tired. During the program they showed a picture of the same woman five years earlier, and she looked quite the opposite: radiant, happy, and beautiful. When asked where she was in her life when the picture was taken, she responded that she was being creative, artistic, and happy with her life. It all changed when she “took the safe route” for a steady paycheck and got a job in business.

How many of us have lived a similar story — or a mirrored version of it? Maybe we became more radiant and alive after leaving our soul-less job to pursue work related to our creative passions. I know I did. I traded in my name-plated corporate cubical for expensive textbooks and went back to school to earn a degree in a discipline that I loved. After that, I did all the footwork required to enter the field as a newbie in an entry-level position in my late 20s. I have no regrets, not even when I lost my first job right after 9/11 because of how hard the travel industry was affected in our business. I knew I’d find another, and I did. As long as I was able to do the work that allowed me to exercise my creativity, I’d be okay.

Here are some interesting follow-up responses from others in the online discussion I mentioned. One participant said, “I definitely notice that I'm happier when I am doing creative work. Whether I'm working on my writing, or painting with my watercolors, time flies. And at the end of the evening, I feel I've done something worthwhile.”

Two others said respectively, “I can attest to the fact that when I'm using my creative talents, time flies, my mood improves, and I feel cheerful!” and “When I do anything creative, I generally feel elated.”

This discussion reminds me of an article we published by self-care coach Linda Dessau titled "Emotions and Thoughts in the Creative Process." Under the subtitle “As We Work” Linda shared several artists' comments from her Creativity Interviews that described how uplifted and spiritual they felt while creating. Here's one:

"Many of the artists described highly creative times when they are responding to strong emotions and want to express them through their art — transduce them from one form of energy to another. These emotions are sometimes brought on by other pieces of art they are witnessing — the depth of their experience as a listener or observer inspires creative expression from them — a desire to participate in the creation. (The Creativity Interviews, page 7)"

Another article by Linda "What Does Creativity Bring to Your Life?" based on her interview of 19 creative artists from a variety of disciplines also includes the spirituality theme. Under 'Creativity brings a spiritual connection', she notes:

"Themes of spirituality such as 'gratitude', 'purity' and 'essence' could be heard in some of the answers from artists. One claimed creativity gives them 'a glimpse of the spiritual realm', and another described creativity as 'a soulful experience'. There was also the idea that creativity brings 'a connection to something larger than myself', and 'the feeling that I'm 'in the zone', in the flow of life'. Many of us connect to our spirituality most easily through being in nature. One artist found that creativity brings a 'freedom to recreate what I see in nature'. I think one artist summed up the link between creativity and spirituality by answering with one word: 'wonder'."

It's no wonder why many people link creativity with spirituality. And it's no wonder why so many people love the way being creative feels to them. Our creativity not only allows us time and space to be completely authentic, but it puts us in touch with ourselves on a spiritual level in a way that nothing else does. •

© Chris Dunmire 2005. All rights reserved.

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About the Author | More by Chris Dunmire
Chris Dunmire is an artist, humorist, workshop facilitator, and the driving force behind the Creativity Portal Web site. Chris trained as a creativity coach with Eric Maisel, Ph.D. and inspires people of all ages with her Web sites and printable playbooks — including the world-famous Dollar Bill Origami Money Plant.

10/28/05