The act of creation is born out of joy. We forget this because we listen to the ego conversations we have with ourselves, “Everything’s so hard,” “I can’t do it,” “I’m never going to make it.”
When we get challenged by creative work, we falsely equate challenges with pain. When we get stuck or meet obstacles or are asked to confront our deeper selves we repress, suppress, shut down feeling, retaliate, get angry and resentful, self-critical and resist.
And for sure, that’s not joyful. That sucks.
But that’s not the true state of our being.
How we actually are born into this existence – the procreative act – is an act of love, of joy, of connection, of intimacy.
As a character in the play, I Hate Hamlet, exclaims, “Sex is wonderful! It’s right up there with bayberry scented candles, potpourri, unicorns and antique lace.”
That means it’s fun! Unicorns people!
I’m not sure why we still adhere to the mythology that dysfunctional creativity is true creativity. The lie that in order to do our best work we have to be f***ed up, in pain, chaotic and all over the place. That if we stay in confusion and turmoil we have something more to tap into. We don’t.
Actually, it’s just the opposite. The real things we want as artists come out of joy and were created from joy. To not create from that truth – a place of health and clarity and insight and intuition – is simply not optimally creating.
It’s like running a marathon with rocks in your shoes. You can still do it, perhaps, but why? It would hurt like hell and handicap you and make you want to give up. You simply wouldn’t be running at your potential.
The things we’re seeking in our creative work – freedom, vulnerability, safety, empowerment, risk – ask us to stay in a state of joy, and are actually derived from joy.
Try and remember that. We come from joy we are joy. Life is joy.
And if it weren’t, what would be the reason to create then anyway?