Creative Living
Vivir Creativamente-por Elizabeth Gilbert
[...]Esta, yo creo, es la cuestión central sobre la que gira toda la vida creativa: ¿Tienes el valor de mostrar los tesoros que hay escondidos en ti?
Mira, yo no sé qué hay escondido en ti. [...]Puede que tú a penas lo sepas, aunque sospecho que entrevés algún destello. Yo no sé cuáles son tus capacidades, tus aspiraciones, tus anhelos, tus talentos secretos. Pero seguro que hay algo maravilloso dentro de ti. Y digo esto con toda confianza, porque resulta que creo que todos nosotros somos depositarios de un tesoro enterrado. Yo creo que esta es una de las bromas más viejas y más generosas que el universo nos gasta a los seres humanos, tanto para su diversión como para la nuestra: El universo entierra extrañas joyas profundamente en nosotros, y luego se aleja para ver si somos capaces de encontrarlas.
La lucha para descubrir esas joyas- eso es vivir creativamente. El valor para ir el primero en esta búsqueda- eso es lo que separa una existencia mundana de una más mágica.
Los habitualmente sorprendentes resultados de esta búsqueda – eso es lo que yo llamo Gran Magia.
Cuando hablo de “vivir creativamente” aquí, por favor entended que no estoy hablando necesariamente de perseguir una vida que se dedique profesionalmente o exclusivamente al arte. [...] Cuando me refiero a vivir creativamente, hablo más ampliamente. Hablo de una vida que es guiada más por la curiosidad que por el miedo.
Uno de los mejores ejemplos que he visto de vida creativa en los últimos años, por ejemplo, viene de mi amiga Susan, quien se apuntó a patinaje artístico cuando tenía 40 años. Para ser más precisa, ella ya sabía patinar. Había competido en patinaje artístico de niña, pero había dejado el deporte durante la adolescencia cuando quedó claro que no tenía talento suficiente como para ser campeona. [...]
Durante el siguiente cuarto de siglo, Susan no patinó. [...] Entonces cumplió 40. Estaba inquieta. Se sentía apagada y pesada. Se preguntó a si misma cuándo había sido la última vez que se había sentido realmente ligera, feliz y –si- creativa en su propia piel. Le impactó darse cuenta que la última vez que había experimentado esos sentimientos había sido de adolescente, cuando todavía hacía patinaje artístico. Se quedó pegada cuando descubrió que se había negado a si misma durante tanto tiempo esta actividad que le daba tanta vida, y tuvo la curiosidad de ver si todavía le gustaba.
Así que siguiendo su curiosidad. Se compró un par de patines, encontró una pista de patinaje, contrató un entrenador. Ignoró la voz interior que le decía que estaba siendo caprichosa y ridícula al hacer esta locura. Acalló sus sentimientos de extrema vergüenza por ser la única mujer de mediana edad en la pista, con todas esas niñas de nueve años menudas y ligeras
Simplemente lo hizo.
Tres mañanas a la semana, Susan se despertaba antes del amanecer y se iba a patinar. Y patinaba y patinaba y patinaba. Y si, le encantaba, incluso más que nunca, quizás porque ahora, como adulta, finalmente tenía la perspectiva para apreciar el valor de su propio disfrute. Patinar le hizo sentirse viva y joven. Dejó de sentirse como si no fuese nada más que una consumidora, nada más que la suma de sus obligaciones y deberes diarios. Estaba haciendo algo de sí misma, haciendo algo consigo misma.
Fue una revolución literal, ya que volvió a girar en la vida y en la pista. [...]
Por favor fíjate en que mi amiga no dejó su trabajo ni se fue a Toronto para entrenar 70 horas a la semana con un entrenador de nivel Olímpico. Y no, esta historia no termina con mi amiga ganando ninguna medalla. [...] De hecho esta historia no ha terminado en absoluto, porque Susan sigue haciendo patinaje artístico- simplemente porque patinar es todavía la mejor manera que tiene de desplegar cierta belleza y transcendencia en su vida.[...] Eso es lo que yo llamo vivir creativamente.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Qué significa para ti vivir creativamente? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de algún momento en el que fueses capaz de acceder a lo que te hace brillar de verdad, estar alegre y ser creativ@ en ti mismo? ¿Qué te ayuda vivir creativamente?
Sacado del libro: “Gran Magia” de Elizebeth Gilbert.
Excerpted from Elizebeth Gilbert's book "Big Magic."
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What does "creative living" mean to you? Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to tap into what makes you truly light, joyous and creative in your own skin? What helps you tap into creative living?
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13 Past Reflections
On Sep 5, 2016 Dorothy Loutfy wrote :
Inspiring! I'm gonna write a poem and draw a picture today!
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On Aug 28, 2016 Amin wrote :
Creative living in my opinion is having fun expressing yourself through your passion/art, in my case martial arts.
When I train and let my techniques and body go without worrying about external factors like the person in front of me, I really feel alive and that's when I shine the most. In that moment there's nothing in my mind, is just me enjoying myself while being relaxed doing my things.
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On Jun 1, 2016 Wanda wrote :
To me, creative living means liberation. Liberation from the labels of others. Liberation from toxic and negative people. It means living mindfully in the present to the good of yourself and others. It is freedom from judging others. It is having realistic expectations of yourself and others. Creative living is being your authentic self with pride and self confidence. Creative living is simple, joyous, and honest.
2 replies: J, Yvonne | Post Your Reply
On May 31, 2016 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
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On May 31, 2016 Susan B. wrote :
Elizabeth, I am inspired by your writing... I've had a desire to live around the world, to work and live in different communities. My life has been quite mainstream as a single mom focused on children and family and providing. My daughters are grown and on their way in their lives now... still I couldn't figure out how to make this live/work idea come to life for myself... then I lost my job and, to coin a business term, a forcing function occurred in the need to find a new job. I began to spread my net of out reach for a new job, as well as my networking and some educational efforts, to include opportunities abroad... I also allowed myself to dream more about the possibilities, what it might look like, how it might feel to actually live and work in another country... low and behold, I was recruited for a job in China - I accepted! And my exciting journey to live and work in other communities has begun!
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On May 31, 2016 Ken Elkind wrote :
We now can all find our creative lives by joining our global community drum circle. You have to be, or have been a drummer to express joy in banging on a drum. It's the instinct that allows us to join community drum events. There is a reason we can all do this, and uniting all people musically on Earth,is our evolutionary duty. ww.groovism.org is the gateway site to gathering of our globe.
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On May 30, 2016 Anna wrote :
To me creative living is feeling spiritually connected to nature, to the universe, and to all mankind. I have had moments of such joy in experiencing that connectedness, of knowing that I am in the right place at the right time and at peace with the universe. In those moments I have felt the warmth of joy and of just letting go.
Unfortunately those moments do not come often enough. I feel so disconnected by the humdrum of each day's obligations, duties and chores. I long to be free, to feel the breeze of the wind and the warmth of a setting sun, to pull me out of this stagnating life.
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On May 28, 2016 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
Creative Living for me means living fully while sharing the gifts (treasures) we possess. I feel truly grateful that for whatever reason I have been able to do this most of my life. Perhaps it came from growing up in such an unhappy and stressful childhood, that in my 20s I decided to live on my own terms and that continued to blossom up to present day late 40's. Two items I never leave home without: Free Hugs sign and bubbles to share. I thought Id include my 5 minute TED for you all that speak to this magic of discovering joy in small moments: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vp2WNkQB0o
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On May 28, 2016 david doane wrote :
Creative living means spontaneity and improvisation. It means having no plan, no predetermined goal or outcome, and instead being in the present, responsive to what is happening within and without moment by moment. It means being out of my head, especially my left brain, and operating out of my guts and right brain. It means mining the buried treasure within and bringing it to the surface. It means being alive. During the moments of living that way, I am light, joyous and creative, and it's wonderful. What initially helped me tap into creative living, other than the first year or so of life when I suppose we're all that way, was being with someone who was living creatively. That was inspiring. The experience lit my pilot light, which has at times been neglected but never gone out, and I sometimes turn on and allow the pilot to become a full flame. Doing it helps me do it more often.
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On May 28, 2016 david doane wrote :
Creative living means spontaneity and improvisation. It means having no plan, no predetermined goal or outcome, and instead being in the present, responsive to what is happening within and without moment by moment. It means being out of my head, especially my left brain, and operating out of my guts and right brain. It means mining the buried treasure within and bringing it to the surface. It means being alive. During the moments of living that way, I am light, joyous and creative, and it's wonderful. What initially helped me tap into creative living, other than the first year or so of life when I suppose we're all that way, was being with someone who was living creatively. That was inspiring. The experience lit my pilot light, which has at times been neglected but never gone out, and I sometimes turn on and allow the pilot to become a full flame. Doing it helps me do it more often.