Creation and creativity

Photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash

There was a time in Vedic mythology when the world and all its manifestations were created by the mind of Brahman or God. As God thought of the universe the children of his mind, who are considered the gods, were created. This was the first creative process ever experienced by the universe. Stuck in their own process and absorbed in the mind these Gods would spend their time in deep meditation and were not involved in the world in tangible ways.

As God noticed the behavior of these gods he/she realized that their behavior was too thin, to fragmented, to aloof to create the world he/she wished for. Upon this realization he/she knew that creation had to come from the flesh. He knew that in order to facilitate the depth of commitment that would sustain the worlds physical manifestation, not just the manifestation of the mind had to be born.

This seems to be an apt description for the modern condition. Many of us are shortsighted, hijacked by our thoughts. Feeling as if we deserve and are entitled to success and love like gods. We feel as if we don’t need to expend any effort and that we can manifest anything that we would like in the physical plane. We are full to the brim of ideas ,but very few of us have the dedication and commitment that is necessary in order to bring these inspirations into fruition. Why?

Because true manifestation on the physical realm requires physical effort. As God discovered that any life worth living needed to be bred from the physical he/she created sex and in creating this experience the world was born in its current form.
Life, creativity was created from physical bodies carrying and investing energy into the manifestation of life. This is the same with our dreams, our visions, and our hopes. They take time to mature to deepen to develop.

This is relatively rare in today’s world. Jack of all trades, master of none. 

I think an apt analogy is that of raising a child. The depth of commitment and preparation that it requires to bring a new life into the world and to sustain that life is perhaps the most challenging human task. If we are clear and are led by principles then we can bring life into this world in a way that will bring us profound joy. When I say principles I mean that we are able to make choices based not on short term needs but on an underlying values such as generosity, integrity, compassion.

Life is art. Art is all that we have and if we are all stuck in our minds and unable to create a legacy in the physical realm from the physical body that we inhabit our lives will feel empty. Thus the prevalence of depression, because so many of us have been accustomed to having our needs met by sex, money, and drugs.

There is no true art that is born from the heart because we don’t have the commitment, the honor, the ability to hone in and create in a committed and deep way. Think of your art as raising a child. Think of your art as living in a way that would be positive influence on your child. Think of your dreams as something you would be willing to commit to for the next 18 years of your life. This is a good standard by which to determine if what you are involved in now is going to serve you down the road.

Creativity is considered one of the primary pillars of health on which so much of the rest of our life depends. If we have not found a creative outlet that we can commit to. If we have not found our souls calling and cannot generate the creative force that will propel us toward the evolutionary calling of our life then our time on earth will feel deaf.

This is perhaps why we as a culture are so absorbed with sex and sexuality.  Because it is a reminder of this creative force. It is a reminder that we are capable of creating new life in the form of a child, but more than that we are capable of creating beauty and inspiration through artistic expression that also brings new life to those who experience it.

Life is art and our true work becomes art. This is the Vedic concept of dharma or duty at its best. When our duty, our life’s purpose can express itself through our life in the work. When our work becomes art. There are a million ways to work, but the way that we work is artful, committed, looking at the long term effect of all of our actions. The goal of many of us is to earn money, but this is not a goal in of itself that will bring us true happiness. This is not a goal that will allow us to be in service to our life in a meaningful way. It is very likely that we will sell out and not hold to our principles is we have a money centered life.

The art we create depends on the principles that we hold most dear. When we allow ourselves to get in touch with our dharma we will come into contact with the guiding principles of our life. These are not like traffic signs that show us when to turn and what speed to go, but they are more like rules of the road. We all know they are true and we abide by them for the most part. Sometimes when we think no-one is looking and we may speed or run a red light and this is when we compromise those principles. By developing a belief in God or a higher power we realize that each choice that we make is being measured against the potential of our soul and we no longer take what is not ours when no one is looking.

This sense of community of connection with the broader whole is a gift beyond words. It is a way of living in touch with the heart of humanity. It is a way of feeling your life is part of a bigger picture, a larger plan than the seemingly small identity that you have identified with. Take the plunge and be resolute in your understanding that you have been born from a commitment to bring life out of the physical manifestation and reconnect it with the transcendental to merge the vertical and the horizontal as is depicted by the cross. You have made a sincere effort to be absorbed in the life that you have chosen to lead. May peace find your footsteps and lead you into the bounty of your hearts content.