Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Creativity tips
Creativity tips by experts
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Creativity tips Creativity tips by experts |
|
|
|
|
Improvisation in Life and the Arts: What I learned from Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch
Can you be an artist while you're washing the dishes? In this article I share some of my learning and impressions from a chapter of the exceptional book, "Free Play", by Stephen Nachmanovitch. This subtitle of this book, "The Power of Improvisation in Life and the Arts", speaks of bringing the improvising we do as creative artists into our daily routines and interactions. The chapter we'll be discussing is titled, "Inspiration and Time's Flow". At the end of the article I'll provide some in-depth questions to help you explore this topic further. In "Inspiration and Time's Flow", Nachmanovitch challenges us to experience free play and creativity in our "ordinary" activities. He states the ideal existence as one of nonstop flow, and he quotes Balinese philosophy that "We have no art. Everything we do is art." Here are 10 key points of learning from this chapter: 1. Conversation is a form of improvisation. The sentences we create may never be heard again. This is a delicious reminder that anyone is capable of improvisation in life and art. 2. In creating a work of art, there are two kinds of time - the flash of inspiration and the labour of capturing that in a form that can be shared with others. Performance introduces a third kind of time. It's so helpful to distinguish between these times because often when someone is struggling with their art it's with only one of these three (at a time). Artists can suffer from negative and distorted thinking which can convince us our creativity is in trouble, when really it's just one aspect of the creative process that has us temporarily stumped. 3. Improvisation exists in ONE time and outside of time. Everything happens at once; those rare and beautiful moments of being in the flow. Virtually all of the 19 creative artists I talked with for my Creativity Interviews book mentioned this state of flow. It seems like one of the main things keeping us in this sometimes difficult world of the arts - that glimpse of "flow" that we've all seen, some more than others. 4. Our aim is to improvise in our common day-to-day activities, without being attached to their outcome, "because the doing is it's own outcome". So often we think our job is to make things turn out a certain way, to control our own fate and to keep everything together. When we let go of that job and just concentrate on doing what's in front of us, we enjoy a freedom and enjoyment of our everyday tasks that can't be possible when we're focused on the future and how things might turn out. 5. Improvisation in day-to-day life means having heightened awareness, tapping into intuition and opening yourself to fate's will. 6. The teacher's art is to connect the living body of knowledge with the living bodies of the students in the room. 7. Scripts (a predetermined set of actions) are appropriate sometimes, and are a part of being committed and responsible i.e. to perform a concert when you said you would. 8. Once you've learned techniques or craft, it's essential to let them go and just relate to what's in front of you. Create through your technique and not with it. 9. Improvisation entails surrendering to the unknown. 10. Each moment is precious and can't be preserved, even though we tend to want to preserve what we create. If you'd like to explore these ideas of "creative flow" and "everyday improvisation", spend some time answering the following questions. 1. When have you experienced "being in the flow" in your art or in your day-to-day life? 2. What precipitated that state? What helped you stay in it? What brought you out of it? 3. How do you best learn from a teacher? What have you noticed about learning based on a syllabus versus having the learning customized to your needs? 4. Where in your life is improvising not an option? When do you find it necessary to stick with a schedule or outside structure? 5. What do you think of when you imagine "surrendering to the unknown"? 6. What's been your experience in the different "times" of creativity? The flash of inspiration, the creation into form and the performance? 7. Which are the underlying techniques that you're grounded in (have learned so deeply that they're internalized), and that you need to "forget" when it's time to improvise? 8. What creative moment in your life do you most wish you had a record of? So, can you be an artist while you're washing the dishes? Watch your hands dance through the bubbles, watch the graceful movements of your arms, see the shining surfaces appear before your eyes, watch the precision as you stack your finished products, and notice how time both seems to stand still and pass effortlessly as you lose yourself in your task. I think you can. This article was originally published on the Muses Muse Songwriter's Resource website (April 2005) http://www.musesmuse.com (c) Linda Dessau, 2005. All rights reserved. Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. Feel like your creativity is blocked? Sign-up for your complimentary copy of the popular e-course, "Roadblocks to Creativity" by visiting http://www.genuinecoaching.com
MORE RESOURCES: See the complete list of Articles on Creativity tips here Have a look at Best Selling Books on Creativity tips
See also : Other articles on
Depression,
Grief Loss,
Happiness,
Humor,
Inspirational,
Motivation,
Latest info on : Creativity
Creativity - Google News
Why not be an expert yourself ? If you can write on
any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your Submit
your article here |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mindfulness and Teaching: Lessons From Dynamic English Back in 1983, I was hired to teach English in rural northern Japan. I had no experience teaching, and didn't speak a work of Japanese. Lucid Dreaming: Discover a Whole New World Did you know that all of your most cherished dreams are just a good night's sleep away?Lucid dreamers share one of the greatest secrets of modern living. They have discovered a whole new universe-a universe within. Becoming Radiant: Boost Your Teams Creativity with Mind Mapping I don't take notes anymore. Instead, I create one wildly colorful, creative and inspiring page whenever I need to make a decision, prepare a presentation, or plan an event. Ideas While the inception of penicillin brought a bit of a stir, and the television warranted some focus, it is somewhat easier now to fashion an idea into something sustainable.Easier again is the ability to make an idea into a business without leaving the house. New Inventions - From Absurd to Wacky! New inventions? Heard of a revolving restaurant combination television tower? How about color x-ray pictures? Or heard of a new invention that turns the sea's salt water drinkable? These are wacky new inventions not having been fully used!Are you on the lookout for shirts that don't require ironing? For $4,000.00, you are able to purchase a shirt processed out of titanium-alloy fibers interwoven with nylon. Five Steps to Higher Creativity: Engaging the Human Spirit Unleash Your Creativity! Creativity has often been the misunderstood child of the genius family. This misunderstanding has brought along with it a tainted picture of what creativity is, what function it serves, and where it comes from. Inspiration, Creativity, and Channeling - Opening Ourselves to Greatness Channeling is much easier to do than most people suspect. As a matter of fact we have all seen people channeling and you have probably done it yourself many times, even though you may have been unaware of it or didn't know what to call it. 3 Clever Creative Strategies! I've got a confession to make.. How To Master Your Game Learn how to master your area of endeavor the right way. Start out by finding the people and books that will make you exceptional. 9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity Time is the great equalizer. Everybody has the exact same number of hours in each day. 10 Ways to Thrive as a Creative Artist 1. Connect with your DREAM - Indulge yourself in a vision of the bigger picture and get out of the mire of self-doubt, details and challenges of today. Computer In The Shop? What Do You Do Now? Have you ever had one of those days when you just feel like something is missing? ? something just doesn't feel right? like you should be doing something but you can't remember what?Well, I had one of those days recently? my computer was in the shop for a minor repair. Ahhhhh! What was I going to do?Ok, so I planned to take my computer in for the repair. Connect with Your Muse Lately I've been discussing how to thrive as a creative artist by connecting with different things. I thought it might be helpful to begin this article with some distinctions. Creativity and Inspiration Creativity for the mystic has special meaning. In the world of the mystic all is one. Overcoming Artists Block (Part 1) How many times does an artist stare down at that blank piece of paper thinking "What on earth do I paint - Where do I put my first mark?" More often than you would imagine! It happens to all creative people actually, from visual artists, designers, poets, through to musicians and writers.When this situation arises, you are in the grip of creative block. Produce Creativity: 4 Ways To Motivate Your Melon It was 8:00 PM and I'd hit a creative wall - hard. But there was so much work to be done! And I just had to get out of the office or else my article would never get finished. 7 Things Sapping Your Creativity Right Now This was a very easy article to write. I was late in getting started this month, and as my publication deadline got closer and I could no longer wait until I "felt" like writing an article, I was forced to sit down and do it. Who Wants To Be A Creative Genius? Can You Learn Creativity?Have you ever watched Robin Williams do a stand-up routine? Could so much creativity and spontaneity result from a highly organized approach? Definitely. Wild and funny thoughts don't come from nowhere. A New Discovery Of An Old Secret Some years ago, when the world seemed to close in on me and I felt asthough I was trapped between the sword and the wall, I made an excitingdiscovery. Actually, it was a phenomenon that was as old as dirt but ittook on significant meanings for me because it freed me from all myproblems and all the stresses and pressures that were being imposed uponme. Attraction: What We Attract With Our Creative Choices I used to be a jazz singer. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, they were wonderful and I strived to sing like they did.
|
|
You are here |
|
| Creativity Home | Creativity Tips - Complete list | |
|
| Main Home | | Meditation Corner | |
|
|
| Recommend us | |
|
[About
us] [Contact] [Privacy
Policy]
Copyright 2006, Meditation
is Easy.com, All
rights reserved
