Healing Power of Creativity

If you would ask my honest opinion of what makes being human awesome, it is our power of creativity. The ingenuity and the drive to create something with our hands from our minds or just create something beautiful. That desire is something special and should be nurtured, not forced. Many times we strive to be creative only to be bombarded with all the details and frustrated by the fact that by the end of it, we treat it like work. And become impatient and want the finished product right here, right now!

Yet it isn't the destination that is important. It isn't the final product that is most fulfilling aspect. It is the process getting you there and basking in the glory, that yes, you did make this. You had a part in its birth, creation and it was fun making it!

So why frustrate ourselves to the point where we aren't enjoying life and the fact that we are artistic and capable of such beauty? It boils down to perspective, expectation and the current American mindset of instant gratification. The truth is that things take time and it often takes hard work to achieve something great. We shouldn't expect things to happen miraculously and barely manage to produce results worthy of our names. The lack of integrity and accountability is palpable in all aspects, but where it counts the most is in how we view ourselves and act within our lives.

This brings us back to being creative. It is healing in that it brings us back to thinking in the moment, the here and now, rather than ruminating about the past or forever planning tomorrow and years from now. Painting a picture, cooking a gourmet meal, knitting a scarf, planting your very own vegetable garden and even writing poetry draws you away from those thoughts that can turn self-destructive and distracting and channel your energy into something productive and that will bring joy.

For many the tricky part is finding your joy. What would make you happy? What hobby would you look forward to doing at the end of the day or weekends? In those musings do you get to know yourself and discover that you are more than just a housewife, an administrator, caretaker or manager. You are a creative being that deserves to be happy and capable of being beautiful just being you. Then you start to let go of petty office drama and arguments from months to years ago. You start realizing what the buzz is about living in the now and enjoying the process and not hurrying to get to the finish line.

This is my first attempt at crocheting an afghan. It is a very soothing practice and makes watching television exponentially more productive. ^.^ Photo taken by James Badgett

Spring Forward

Here we are again in this lovely time of Spring and all that is green is flowering. I managed to get out and check out the lovely Houston Japanese Garden and you can just feel the serenity emanating from this picture. With Traditional Chinese Medicine there is balance of natural cycles of the seasons that is reflected in the 5 Elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These elements are also represented in the human body. There is a connection with five major organs in the human body to these elements as well. Wood relates to the liver, fire to the heart, earth to the spleen, metal to the lungs, and water to the kidneys. Considering the time of the year, let us focus on the spring-wood-liver connection.

Springtime is the natural beginning of the year, with the winter season coming to a close and all the dormant plants waking up and beginning to sprout; it is a chance to start fresh. The element associated is Wood energy. There are several key factors to wood, beyond what you may think of or believe. Stocky, unmoving, rigid, stoic, boring, brown, take your pick. However the energy of wood is the energy you need to start a new project. The zeal and excitement you feel when you are in the beginning stages of anything is represented in the wood element. That is also in part why the negative aspect is reflected as anger. Think about anger as a powerful source of energy and means to getting results. You are angry that the house is in disarray, and you want to do something about it; so you make a plan and clean it up. That anger fuels it, and part of the struggle is channeling this influx of energy in constructive ways.

The tricky part is realizing when we are feeling overwhelmed by this energy or enraged, and then need to siphon this off into an enjoyable hobby or sport. Been wanting to begin training for a competitive sport or try a new one? This is the perfect time to do it, since all the natural seasonal energy of growth and prosperity is at your fingertips. This includes being creative and crafty. So if you find yourself in a situation where you are bored, frustrated with life and restless, you need to get off your butt and go try something new and fun! It is guaranteed to put you in sync with the natural cycle of the seasons, as well as keep you in balance with your own element of wood, highlighted by lovely spring.