Archive for the Category » Possibilities «

Dec
30

Happy Endings & Creative Beginnings

“Once we’re thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it’s only here that the new and the good begins.”
Leo Tolstoy

Happy new year! Have to taken some time to do a ‘year in review’ ritual?  In my family – we review our individual accomplishments, then make a list of things/behaviors/conditions we are ready to release, as well as a list of ‘happy dreams/goals/intentions’ for the year ahead. This year I’m adding a new ‘wish’ the list: doing something that scares me every day!  Fear is the biggest joy and creativity blocker ever.  Our brains grow every time we take risks and do things differently.  If you do nothing else this new year – make friends with change.  Explore more. Try things that look interesting.  Pursue your curiosities. And experiment with new ways to play.  Most of us have forgotten how to be silly.  Just the act of laughing can positively change your outlook and your life!

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.
And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.
Don’t settle. Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
Steve Jobs

The simple collage pictured above is my tribute to Steve Jobs, originality and playfulness.  I thought about getting a tatoo of the “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” quote, but my creative alternative is producing a lazer cut rubber bracelet that just looks like a tattoo!  Anyone out there have any design ideas?  I am looking for a ‘quote product’ production partner.  If you’re interested, send a note to: magicalmarta@aol.com

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.
Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Steve Jobs

2011 was a big year for accomplishments for me: I completed my Master of Science degree, got accepted to Saybrook University and began my doctoral studies. I was also hired as adjunct faculty to teach Creative Process at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. The experience has been amazing!  My next goal it to earn my PhD in Psychology + Creativity to become a full professor.  As a result of my Saybrook experience and the magical mentorship of Dr. Ruth Richards, I’ve been published in a peer reviewed journal (Neuroquantology) and I launched my first research project in partnership with my professor.  My research question was:  “How do you define creativity?”  The initial findings show many people associate creativity with expression, imagination, and being inspired to bring something new into being.  When I think about it, I wonder: “Is there any form of expression which is NOT creative?” What do you think? 

This collage features photos I’ve taken in 2011.  Photography is my ‘go to’ creative outlet most days. It’s easy for me to carry my little Canon Sure Shot and catch ‘in the moment’ memories.  I love the way light bounces off the waves as I walk on Siesta Key beach (top left), a sign in a shop window reminding me to “Share Joy”, a funny face orchid at Selby Gardens, posing my puppy next to a hybiscus bloom on my front porch, capturing a truly amazing baby starfish in a tiny pool of water (look at the hearts in between each tentacle), the dance tracks of seagulls and my own painted toes, along with my ’award winning’ spiral fern exploding with light.  Gather up some images from the past year that inspire you. What themes do you see?  Consider starting your own blog and sharing your pictures with me!
 
“Find something you’re passionate about and
keep tremendously interested in it.”
Julia Child
 

Natalie Rogers has published an all-in-one guide to group facilitation titled: The Creative Connection for Groups ~ Person-Centered Expressive Arts for Healing and Social Change, which, I believe, has the power to impact personal and global transformation and healing.  Every step of her unique, intermodal expressive arts process is explained in a way which allows readers to take part in the exercises as if they were participating in a workshop intensive. The tools, procedures, and resources designed to initiate creative action have all been included, making it a ‘must have’ book for anyone ready to stimulate growth through expressive creative action.This book is a soulful wake-up call for a world in crisis which requires new ways of seeing, acting, and being to begin the journey toward peace through community engagement. Natalie Rogers writes: “Using creative expression to get acquainted with oneself – one’ values, thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams – is imperative in today’s world” (p. 4). The next step – using expressive arts to build community and move in the direction of inner and world peace – is the goal closest to Rogers’ heart. The underlying theme of the book is encouragement of expressive arts being used in groups as a vehicle for personal growth, transpersonal work, and building a sense of belonging and community (Rogers, 2011, p. 208).

The book is divided into 3 main parts: Part I – covers the theories and concepts incorporated into person-centered expressive arts, and outlines Rogers’ unique system which weaves together movement and expression to fully awaken creativity and consciousness. Carl Rogers’ philosophies for working with groups, in addition to step-by-step facilitation guidelines Natalie Rogers developed over the past 35 years doing this work around the world, are also included. Part II looks at the way groups work. In this section the author shares nearly every aspect of a typical facilitation. She details the processes and guidelines from saying ‘hello’ to facilitating closure, as well as managing the ‘hard’ emotions and ‘shadow’ moments which are bound to appear. Specific examples are shared and participant perspectives are peppered throughout. Section 3 is a showcase of the work person-centered expressive arts practitioners are doing with different populations nationally and internationally. It is a beautiful testimony to the power of this work to heal and make a positive difference. The exercises and meditations in this book, applied, can be transformational. The author held nothing back. This text is as much an ‘expressive arts tool kit’ as it is a guide for multi-modal group facilitation. The resource section is another priceless addition.

“Creativity is like freedom: once you taste it, you cannot life without it. It is a transformational force, enhancing self-esteem and self-empowerment.”
Natalie Rogers, The Creative Connection: Expressive Art as Healing

I am so grateful to Dr. Rogers for sharing her life’s work in a way which is as enlightening as it is easy to read and understand. As a professor of Creative Process, I can attest to the importance of weaving together movement, self-reflection, and expression as a way of activating creative potential. The techniques shared in this volume have wide applications for personal and professional growth, creativity enhancement, and building a community of conscious change leaders.  One of the most exciting aspects of my PhD program at Saybrook University is the opportunity to incorporate the two-year Person-Centered Expressive Arts Therapy Certificate.  The next cohort begins in January 2013.  Visit www.Saybrook.edu for additional information.  I’d love to know if you found this book review helpful. Your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated!
 
 
Did you know Saybrook University also offers a Master’s Degree in Psychology with a specialization in creativity?  There is also a brand new PhD in Psychology + Creativity…the first of its kind in the world! If you would like more information, contact: Dr. Steven Pritzker: spritzker@saybrook.edu  This is a distance learning program which includes two residential conferences per year in San Francisco.  I’d love to see creative change agents from around the world joining me on this journey! 
 
 
“Creativity challenges the status quo.”
Ruth Richards
 
I invite you to visit this link to read a wonderful story on iJourney titled “Everyday Creativity” written by my esteemed professor and magical mentor, Ruth Richards, M.D. & PhD!  It’s a real wake-up call for those times we think we are ‘awake’ – but are really ‘asleep at the wheel’ of life.  Please leave a comment on that site to share your reactions and similar experiences.  You are also invited to explore an article published in Neuroquantology co-authored by Dr. Richards and ten Saybrook peers (myself included!) about the importance of creativity in everyday life and connecting with creative mentors.
 
“Creativity pervades human life. It is the mark of individuality. The vehicle of self-expression. The engine of progress in every human endeavor.”
Elliot Samuel Paul
 
Creativity prompt #1:  Pick up a wall calendar for 2012 for $1 (I found some at Michael’s Craft Stores). Create your a collage for each month to replace the original images.  Build up a file of clippings from old magazines or book with images/words which make you smile. Use them to design your own, personal “joy” or “creativity” calendar. Have fun with it. This is a project you can also do with kids. Another option is dedicate each month’s collage to one of your intentions for the new year. 
 
Creativity prompt #2: No matter where you are on New Years Eve – alone or in a crowd – do a dance to bring in the year joyfully! Flap your arms like wings and feel yourself transported into a magical realm where your imaginings become real.  Visualize meaningful changes and doors opening to great opportunities all around you.  Give your creativity full reign and enjoy the ride.
 
Creativity prompt #3: Invite friends over for a New Year’s collage party! Have everyone bring stacks of old magazines, or visit a Goodwill store or your local library’s resale shop and buy some. Pick up some scrapbook sheets in a variety of colors for the collage bases, along with glue sticks and scissors and you’re set. Set a ‘collage theme’ of:  My Creative Vision for 2012 and let the creativity begin!
 
Creativity prompt #4: Looking for an introspective, solo activity to move you into new realms of creative possibilities? Check out these two sites: The School of Life  - I found the bibliotherary section really great! As well as the latest Brainpickings blog.  Guaranteed fabulous food for thought I predict you’ll enjoy!
My new puppy Alejandro!
The last six months have been a whirlwind for me.  On top of everything – I welcomed a 2 month old puppy into my household September 14th!  He is a bundle of joy who makes me laugh and play every day.  Who (or what) can  you add to your household to perk up your playfulness?  I wish you many happy endings and creative beginnings as we move into  2012.  My last little ‘new years gift’ to you is this link to a site which can provide funding for your ‘wild and wonderful’ creative endeavors.  Give yourself permission to take risks daily…fail fabulously…and really DO what you’ve imagined!  And be sure to share your comments.  This blog is a ‘we’ thing!
 
Light the sparklers! Welcome the 2012 with a vision of justice, freedom, healthcare, creative education, joy and meaningful work for all!
 
With billions of blessings and great gobs of gratitude for your
support of this blog and www.JoyofQuotes.com
Marta Davidovich Ockuly
 
 
 
Category: Beginnings, Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Creativity Book Reviews, Endings, Fun, Joy, Play, Possibilities  Tags: , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Jun
13

Are creativity & empathy connected?

 

Research based on 14 years of Peace through Art and Healing Arts programs, has shown measurable development of empathy in all those connected with these creative efforts (Lancet medical journal, December 2006). People who ‘own’ their creativity are possibility thinkers. To them obstacles are opportunities. They have the courage it takes to act on ideas and think differently. High creatives are sensitive to feelings (their own and others) and can easily come to tears, but they also bravely stand up for what is right and refuse to be silent witnesses to suffering or inequity.  We all have the creative ability to look at situations through another person’s eyes or imagine life walking in another’s shoes.  Radical creativity is about joining hands and hearts with creators worldwide and fashioning a sustainable world where both creativity and empathy are seen as keys to a peaceful and flourishing planet. Are you ready to get involved? 

Creativity & Empathy Collage

“Creativity challenges the status quo.”
Ruth Richards

One of my greatest discoveries as a student at Buffalo State, was the work of Ruth Richards, M.D., PhD.  Earlier blogs sang the praises of  Everyday Creativity: Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Perspectives.  Now, I’m excited to share a link which lets you to see, hear and learn from my mentor.  Click here for your front row seat:  Age of Empathy? New Views of Health, Human Nature, and Relational Creativity is an informative talk by Dr. Ruth Richards, Harvard researcher, eminent creativity scholar, and professor of psychology at Saybrook University, which offers insights into the connections between creativity and empathy.  I invite you to view the video and share it with others who have an interest in both creativity and empathy’s roles in the survival of our species!  After viewing the video, the slide show and reference list can also be printed out.  I found the information about Darwin’s later works very illuminating. I encourage you to explore Edwin Rutsch’s site:  http://CultureofEmpathy.com . It’s a rich source of empathy quotes, projects, experts, empathy curriculum suggestions, and much more. You are also invited to be part of: http://www.facebook.com/EmpathyCenter

 If you are a parent or educator interested in building empathy in children, Ruth Richards recommends Growing up Global: Raising Children to be at Home with the World by Homa Sabet Tavanger (2009).  How do you encourage empathy in your family?  I’d love your feedback in the form of a comment on this blog or via e-mail: magicalmarta@aol.com

“The encouragement of creativity from an early age is one of the best guarantees of growth in a healthy environment self-esteem and mutual respect – critical ingredients for building a culture of peace.”
UNESCO

Empathy-building creativity in action can be witnessed June 17-19, 2011, from 4th Street to 7th Street of the National Mall in Washington DC (across from the U.S. Capital), the site of the 4th World Children’s Festival. If you live in the area – consider come see me. The event is free and the public is invited.  I will be presenting Saturday at 2pm during “Creativity + Imagination Day.”  A group of ten students and graduates of Buffalo State’s International Center for Studies in Creativity led by Dr. Cynthia Burnett, will be stimulating children’s inherent creativity and potential in playful, experiencial ways. We’ll be there Sunday (at 2pm again) to present creative workshops focused on building creative and healthy communities during “Peace + Leadership Day.” The festival is held in honor of nearly 1,000 Arts Olympiad winners from around the world, along with their teachers and parents. More than 200 artists, educators, engineers, entrepreneurs, Olympians, scientists, and technologists will host free workshops and creative activities.  This event is designed to, “…nurture children’s creativity and develop their empathy in a global setting…The festival is a transformative experience where creativity and co-creation become building blocks for innovation and positive social change which empowers the children to shape the future and change the world” (ICAF program).  I am so excited to be part of this amazing event.  Creativity, playfulness, joy and connections will be fully present…GUARANTEED!

“It’s a joy discovering so many creative spirits sharing their gifts with a hungry world.”
Marta Davidovich Ockuly

 As a very recent graduate with a Master’s of Science degree in Creativity, I’m thrilled to be discovering so many amazing applications of creativity by agents for positive change in our world.  Shortly after returning home to Sarasota, I noticed this inspiring sculpture in front of a home on the way to the beach.  I love the message (and the fact the person who put it up cares so much about inspiring others!)  Giving ourselves permission to make mistakes is powerful. What fear is blocking you?  Pretend it’s a dragon you’ve banished from your kingdom. You are a creative free spirit with a destiny. Imagine me waving a magical wand over your head and declaring: “The world is waiting for what you long to create. The sooner you start making mistakes JOYFULLY, the sooner you’ll make the discovery which leads to a life-changing discovery.”  Make this a time of creative action. Consider re-creating yourself as a compasionate activist.

Creativity Prompt:  What ’cause’ do you care about?  How might you begin playing with this possibility? Create a ’cause’ collage (better yet – host a ’cause collage’ party)!

10 New Quotes About Empathy

“The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy, we can all sense a mysterious connection to each other.”
Meryl Streep

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection – or compassionate action.”
Daniel Goleman

 ”Only by examining our personal biases can we truly grow as artists; only by cultivating empathy can we truly grow as people.”
Jen Knox

“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not – and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation – in its’ arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.”
J.K. Rowling

“To embrace suffering culminates in greater empathy, the capacity to feel what it is like for the other to suffer, which is the ground for unsentimental compassion and love.”  
Stephen Batchelor (Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist)

 ”I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.”
Roger Ebert

“If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists, we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love that is the frame we see them in.”
Frederick Buechner

“Help someone, you earn a friend. Help someone too much, you make an enemy.”
Erol Ozan

“We live in a culture that discourages empathy. A culture that too often tells us our principle goal in life is to be rich, thin, young, famous, safe, and entertained.”
Barack Obama

 “Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing.  Instead of offering empathy, we often have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling.  Empathy, however, calls upon us to empty our mind and listen to others with our whole being.”
Marshall Rosenberg

Ann Paquin, creator of 'Gratitude Dancing'

This is a photo of my amazing friend Ann. She is the inspiration and creative spirit behind ‘Gratitude Dancing’ on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, FL.  I joyfully participated in her last session and it was a truly beautiful experience seeing friends and strangers dancing with joy.  Ann sets the scene by bringing a boom box (her own or borrowed), CD’s, a variety of colorful silk veils in adult and child-friendly sizes, and a small sign which invites everyone to take part in the fun.  It’s all about appreciation for the gift of  ’this moment’ and the healing benefits of moving our bodies to music in nature.  Veils are offered to people passing by. At first some people seem shy, but with a bit of encouragement they use the scarf to give their dancing spirit wings!  Men and women, boys and girls, elders and newlyweds, tourists and locals, jocks and self-professed ‘non-dancers’ connect with the primal urge to move with the music in a form of moving prayer to the angel of the present moment. Ann’s newest idea is to somehow help people make time in their busy days for a ‘dance break’ which can relieve stress while adding a dose of joy ‘in the moment’.  I told her my personal ‘dance break’ song is Waka Waka by Shakira. I simply cannot hear that song without getting up and dancing. What’s YOUR happy dance song?  Play it. To explore Ann’s creative ventures visit www.chezastara.com and www.facebook.com/gratitudedancer .  How can you use YOUR passion to bless the world?  It’s time to share our stories, build our creative tribes, and use our creativity to fuel empathy for a better world…gratefully.

“I want us to organize, to tell the personal stories that create empathy, which is the most revolutionary emotion.”
Gloria Steinem

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”
Oprah Winfrey

June is a month of very special celebrations. My website: www.JoyofQuotes.com will be 2 years old  June 18th!  Now we’re very close to hitting the “100,000 monthly visits” milestone thanks to positive, empowering quote lovers from around the world who choose this site for daily inspiration!  A big blessing goes out to every single person who has ever visited Joy of Quotes and recommended it to someone in need of encouragement, as well as my son who set up the site as a loving gift to his mom.  Thank you all for ‘getting inspired and passing it on!” 

June “Happy Birthday” wishes go out to Hanif, Miley, Ronni, Chepe, Stephan and Juliana.  May you all enjoy a year of great joy and amazing miracles.  Each of you are special blessings in my life!

With much love,


Marta Davidovich Ockuly, M. Sc.
(next step…PhD)

 

Category: Creativity, Creativity and Inspiration, Creativity and Joy, Creativity and Potential, Dance, Empathy, Encouragement, Gratitude, Imagination, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Mistakes, Movement, New Quotes, Play, Possibilities, Potential, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , ,  2 Comments
May
03

Creativity & Potential: Lessons from a little bird

“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.”
Emory Austin

A little bird taught me a lot about taking an ecological approach to creativity measurement.  I am a week away from finishing my Master’s Program at Buffalo State’s International Center for Creativity Studies.  Today’s blog is part of my ‘Final Product’ assignment for a class called Creativity Assessment: Measures and Methods.  Luckily it is taught by a fun and creative professor  – Dr. John Cabra. 

Dr. John Cabra 

 He patiently tutored us for months to learn the difference between quantitative and qualitative data, various forms of reliability, validity, and usability, and the magic Cronback-Alpha cut-off (.70).  Now that we can all properly assess research methods and evaluate factor loadings, we get to prove we understand the concepts by creating a product which proves our proficiency.  If you didn’t get all that – it’s ok, because the fun stuff starts here!

  

April 16th – while doing my morning journaling – I got a vision of the direction I wanted to take for my product.  I sketched it out in my journal along with some notes – and the “egg” of my idea was born.  I know enough about creativity to let things like this incubate – so that’s what I did.  Creativity is a really complex phenomenon to try to evaluate.  Lots of smart people have tried, but most focused on just one aspect (the ‘seperatist’ approach) or only paid attention to process.  The new direction in research is called the Ecological (or interactionist) approach.  It looks at complex interactions in an attempt to understand creativity.

 “Creativity is imagining possibilities and making them real.”
Marta Davidovich Ockuly


 Are you still with me?  Ok. One of the articles in my textbook (shown above with photos of the authors: Dr. Mary Murdock who sadly passed away last year, but continues to teach us through her videos, and Dr. Gerard Puccio our department head and noble creative leader) tells a story about a little bird in a cage.  If you studied the bird and wrote down all your observations, how much would you know about the bird?  Not very much.  Do you think a bird that’s been kept in a small cage can still fly?  In the past creativity assessments looked at creativity like a bird in a cage.  They were measuring artificial settings and none of the complexity.  Fortunately – our caged bird WOULD fly. The ability is encoded.  Here’smore good news.  Guess what’s encoded in all of us?  Creativity!  Why?  Because we were not born with wings.  How else could we hope to soar (or even survive) without our ability to imagine?  Imagination is unique to humans. It is so powerful – that if we imagine we’re not creative, we can – to all external measures – make it look as if it were true.  Can it ever be true – really?  The answer is no.  All human brains are creative and have unlimited amounts of potential. Now the question becomes – how do we activate it?  No need for tests or assessments – just start using it.

Now back to my project.  I found a bird cage with a little bird to symbolize our creative potential.  There were eggs in a nest which represented all the dreams and ideas we haven’t ‘hatched’ yet.  I added a Buffalo State lanyard holding 4 shiny keys which stand for the widely accepted four components of creativity: person, process, product and press.  The keys are also to remind us we have the ‘key’ to open any door if we use our creativity.  The butterfly perched on the outside of the cage is a symbol of transformation and playfulness.  Lighten up. Have fun with creativity.  Play with ideas, and projects and things you are deeply passionate about learning.  These actions will give your creativity wings. 


 Part two of my product project was to create a collage which spoke to ecology and how we (people and birds) must interact with nature.  I used this quote by John Muir at the top: “When one tugs at a single thing in nature…one finds it attached to the rest of the world.”  Thinking in terms of the ecology of creativity I wrote: “Creativity is a 1000+ piece puzzle…as complex and evolving as nature.”  The ecological model of creativity shows four overlapping circles representing person, process, product and press, but I added a fifth circle called potential.  Every one of these aspects is made up of many, many puzzle pieces.  Just like we can’t look at a bird and know if it can fly, we can’t look at a person and ‘see’ their creativity.  Research points to certain personality traits and thinking styles which sometimes lead to creativity, but no measure right now takes into account a person’s history, birth order, personality traits, knowledge base, habits, attitude, blocks, fears, competencies, culture, environment, health, commitment, motivation, self-esteem, openness, tolerance of ambiguity, curiosity, playfulness, intuition, risk-talking, learning style, flexibility, originality, values, interests, preferences, passions, talents, and challenges.  Rather than blocking creativity – challenges and a level of anxiety can actually encourage it!

Now what happens when we put it all together?  Would the bird act differently outside than inside?  Would it feel excited or afraid seeing other birds?  Some people create well in groups, and others prefer to be alone.  To me the ecological approach makes sense when it comes to the study of creativity and anything else.  If you are in the academic world – I hope you will join me and calling for creativity assessments which follow the 3 priorities suggested by Drs. Murdock and Puccio:  (1) nurturing creative potential; (2) ensuring that the differences in how people exhibit their creativity are recognized and used; (3) exploring creativity as closely as possible to the way it happens in realistic settings.

“Reliance on a single measure to draw conclusions about creative potential is like holding one piece of a 1000 piece puzzle & attempting to describe the overall image from that single part.”
Murdock & Puccio (1998) Creativity Assessment:  Readings and Resources

 I hope you enjoyed this ‘lesson.’  In just three weeks I begin teaching my own course in Creative Process at Eckerd College in Sarasota, Florida.  Thanks for helping me complete my assignment in an original and elegant way.  The 10-week journey into uncharted creative waters we began in February is officially over.  I will continue posting about creativity – but it most likely will be once every other week or even monthly.  I encourage you to follow my creative prompts, encouraging quotes, and informative posts on Twitter by following me on QuoteJoy.   As always your questions, comments and feedback are blessed and appreciated.  You can use the comment form or simply write me an e-mail:  magicalmarta@aol.com  If you need positive quotes, you’ll find my 200 topic collection at http://www.joyofquotes.com/  Create a joy and potential packed day, week, month!


 Marta Davidovich Ockuly

Category: Creativity, Creativity and Potential, creativity assessment, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Play, Possibilities, Potential, Take Action, Teaching Creativity Creatively  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Apr
24

Teaching Creativity Creatively

“Everyone has huge creative capacities. The challenge is to develop them. A culture of creativity has to involve everybody, not just a select few.”
Sir Ken Robinson

 

Happy Spring everyone! This week’s blog is dedicated to every person who recognizes the importance of nurturing, inspiring, and encouraging creativity.  Our 10-week journey into unlocking creative potential and the expressive path to personal growth ends – officially – with the next post.  The time has come for me to gather feedback.  Over the past two months I’ve shared my creative process so that you could follow along.  Now it’s time for you to grade my efforts.  Have these posts inspired you?  Did I encourage you to believe in your creative potential? Did I nurture your confidence to try? Did you follow any prompts?  Did you try something new?   Did you connect with an old or new joy?  Please e-mail your evaluation of my effectiveness to: magicalmarta@aol.com Thanks for your help!

Cricket Creativity

 “In today’s rapidly changing world, people must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems. Success is based not only on what you know or how much we know, but on your ability to think and act creatively. In short, we are now living in the Creative Society.”
Mitchel Resnick, MIT

 Something I found very amazing about publicly sharing my creative process and products is how much acceptance I felt. It turns out the world IS a safe place to share our creative experiments.  I have also noticed each topic I feel inspired to research, shows up in my in-box five minutes later.  Is this intention, intuition, or just magic?  Whatever it is, this morning, right after thinking I wanted to find a scholarly study on creative ideas and inspiration, I discovered the work of Mitchel Resnick, Research Group Leader at the MIT Media Lab.  Google “Sowing Seeds for a More Creative Society” and print out a PDF copy for free. You can also access the work through Learning and Leading with Technology, 2007, http://www.media.mit.edu/ . This article introduces a ‘creative thinking spiral’ which tracks the process in a beautifully simple way. First – people imagine what they would like to do, next – they create a project based on their ideas, then they play with their creations and share their ideas and creations with others.  In the final step they reflect on their experiences and then imagining starts the process over again.  This process works well with children and adults. The report also cites exciting examples of creative learning inspired by Cricket and Scratch technology.  Sound interesting?  Explore the possibilities!

TLC: Cool 'Creators' School

My next discovery was a blog from 2008 about Teaching Creativity with TLC.  TLC stands for The Learning Connection, a school for creators (no matter what road they take in life) located in Wellington, New Zealand.  I so love the idea of “a school for creators” – aren’t we ALL creators?  Of course we are!  This school is the creation of Jonathan Milne. His wife, Alice Wilson Milne, is the school’s administrative genius.  Together they’ve built a school which teaches art in a way which grows entrepreneurs who have learned creative strategies through their art which can serve them in other life endeavors. They reach out to individuals beyond the arts with an interest in enhancing their inventive and entrepreneurial know-how and use a pioneering approach to teaching which puts self-choice learning in the driver’s seat. I just purchased Milne’s book: Go! The Art of Change. Visit The Learning Connection’s website: http://www.tlc.ac.nz/  to read about the miracle ‘success stories’ this school has stimulated.  I am in awe of the many creative gifts of communication, collaboration, and connection offered by the internet. I feel so blessed to be sharing this information within seconds of discovering it. We truly live in an amazing creative age.

 

Last week talked about our creative brains and started HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? conversations with people as part of World Creativity and Innovation Week.  Did you make any interesting (creative) discoveries or take part in any creative events?  I participated in a Creativity Week dance party in Dr. Cyndi Burnett’s office (disco ball and all!).  Dr. Burnett set things up so that people she’d invited from all over the world could dance along with us via Skype.  A great time was had by all!  Dr. Burnett has been mentioned in previous posts. She is one of a handful of professors who have made my experience at ICSC (International Center for Studies in Creativity) at Buffalo State College extraordinary! 

 

Showing off our Creativity Week collages!

I’m happy to share photos from the World Creativity Week Grad House Collage Party Open House, Wednesday, April 20th.  Our visitors included a visiting professor from Taiwan, students from Colombia, Italy, Korea, China, India, and an assortment of creatives from the United States.  If you decide to have your own collage party – all you need is magazines, glue sticks, scissors, poster board or scrapbook sheets to use as backings.  Let people know collages are optional.  It’s more about exploring your interests and taking time for creative play.

 

My parting gift to you today is an inspiring collection of 100 Creativity & Teaching quotes.  Just scroll past the end of this blog and you’ll come to it.  If you feel this information is valuable – please share it via Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail. I really appreciate it!

 

New links in the Grad House creativity chain.

Create a beautiful week! 

Marta Davidovich Ockuly

Category: 100 creativity & teaching quotes, Creativity, Creativity and Inspiration, Creativity and Potential, Creativity Education Quotes, Creativity Quotes, Encouragement, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, New Quotes, Personal Growth, Possibilities, Potential, Teaching Creativity Creatively, Teaching Quotes  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  2 Comments
Apr
14

How are you creative?

Your beautiful, creative brain!

“Creativity is for us all – it’s about you, me, and about everyday life. It is
about the abundant originality we manifest, and our flexible improvisations,
whether teaching a class, raising our kids, fixing the car, helping
a client, landscaping the yard, planning a benefit, or
trying to figure out why we’re on this earth.”
Ruth Richards, M.D., PhD, originator of the term ‘everyday creativity’ 

Imagine this…you are in a large auditorium and the speaker asks everyone in the audience who thinks he or she is creative to raise their hand. Would your hand go up or stay down?  Truthfully!  Do you ‘own’ your creativity? This blog has an important mission and that is to inspire you to enlighten anyone you ever hear declaring they are ‘not creative.’  In fact,  ”Are you creative?” is the ultimate ‘trick question.’  If you are alive and have a functioning brain, the only correct answer is “yes.”  Need more evidence?  Spend ten minutes taking our new HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? Quiz. Then explore the latest creative brain science explored in this blog. 

 

Shelley Carson, PhD, a Harvard researcher whose new book is titled Your Creative Brain, has this to say on the subject: “We are all creative. Creativity is the hallmark of human capacity that has allowed us to survive thus far. Our brains are wired to be creative, and the only thing stopping you from expressing the creativity that  is your birthright is your belief that there are creative people and uncreative people and that you fall in that second category.”  Once and for all we need to erase the old myth that creativity is something doled out to “the select few”. It is not just for artists, composers, rocket scientists, and other geniuses.  Our entire beautiful brain pulses with creativity.  You can create anything you can imagine – no matter who you are. The key is playing with ideas, being curious, and building up mastery the subject area(s) you find most intesting. Doing what you love is important to unlocking your creative potential, but simply learning new things, moving new ways, and stretching your creative muscles on a regular basis will deliver amazing results. 

 “You are in possession of one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, one that has virtually unlimited potential not only to change your life, but also to change your world.”
Shelley Carson 

 April 15th is Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday and the kick-off of World Creativity and Innovation Week .  In honor of creativity week, a committee of creative change leaders (including me) attending the International Center for Studies in Creativity are launching an international HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? campaign aimed at increasing every person on the planet’s awareness of their brain’s creative power. Will you join us?  Simply ask 5 people “How are you creative?” – have a creative conversation about the reality of everyday creativity – and then ask them to pass the information on the same way.  Encourage people to watch this wonderful video my friends Juliana, Erika, and Meagan created for our Current Issues class.  It’s all about ‘regular’ people talking about the importance of claiming their creativity.

“Most people see what is, and never see what can be.”
Albert Einstein
It’s time for people everywhere to know we can all be creative catalysts and agents for positive change. When people claim their creativity, they are empowered.  Awareness of creativity also opens up feelings of possibility.  Go public with your creativity between April 15th and 22nd.  Gather friends for creative play parties.  Everyone is invited to Grad House in Buffalo to attend our Creativity Week Collage Party Open House. E-mail me for details and directions: magicalmarta@aol.com Doing something as simple as using your non-dominant hand to hold your toothbrush will stimulate your creative brain!  Pick a fun-for-you-creative-project and just do it!  The point is to get creative!  Creativity is a great thing to share with your friends,  family, co-workers, and other people in your community.  Remember: playfulness pays big creative dividends, too!

Co-founder of Creativity Week & graduate of ICSC

 “Helping people to connect with their personal creative capacities is the surest way to release the best they have to offer.”
Sir Ken Robinson
 

  

 Creative Prompt #1:  Here’s the HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? word and idea cloud I created.  Read through it and find the phrases which inspire you most. Tweet those words, make up your own colorful ‘affirmation’ card, or use the words to inspire a new creation this week.  If you usually collage, write a poem.  If you are comfortable writing about ‘reality’ – jot down a fantasy.  

 

Creative Prompt #2:  Click the link to take our new  HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? Quiz.  There are just 10 questions.  Every ‘yes’ answer affirms your creativity. I challenge you to ask everyone you know if they are creative. If they answer ‘no’ or seem less than confident about their creative abilities, share this survey with them.  I’d love your feedback.  Send me a note about your results and/or experience and I’ll send you an autographed copy of the HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? word and idea cloud. 

 

Creative Prompt #3:  Looking at things differently. Many creative discoveries come from combining things in a new way.  The fish and the feather show above are a beautiful example.  This prompt suggests you take a discovery walk in nature and begin to imagine unusual combinations – maybe a flower bird or cloud candy.  Be sure to take along a small notebook or journal to capture your imaginings.  Use as many of your senses as you can during your walk – including balance. Your brain will love you for it! 

 

Have you heard Ken Robinson’s newest TED talk?  It’s a great introduction to his recently released, revised edition of  Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative.  This book is literally calling for a creative education revolution – and it’s solidly founded on facts I believe most people will find astounding. Robinson offers evidence personalized education for every student is an investment rather than a cost.  He states,”The only way to raise overall standards is to engage the energies and imaginations of every student in the system.”  The book covers examples of this type of ‘radical innovation’ which is working miracles in pilot programs affecting thousands of students who use technology coupled with group work, collaborative projects and ’thinking’ time.  Standardized test scores are balanced with “…exhibits and demonstrations of achievement reflecting  real world evaluations and assessments that all of us face in our everyday lives,” (p. 258).  He does not suggest identical changes be imposed throughout the country. It’s up to each community to design a system which addresses their unique challenges. This book also has a strong creative leadership focus.  In his closing comments Robinson states, “To realize our true creative potential – in our organizations, in our schools and in our communities – we need to think differently about ourselves and to act differently towards each other. We must learn to be creative.”  To that I say ‘amen’! 

 

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
Albert Einstein
 
 
  
 
 
 
 

My creative spirit daughter Sarah. Photo credit: Marta Ockuly
“Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naïve at the same time… Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
 
Creative Prompt #4:   Take yourself lightly. Pack a mini-picnic and pick up a package of sidewalk chalk first. Then go find a playground with a set of swings and set yourself in motion.  Make up a ‘swinging song’.  Here’s my attempt: Swing high, touch the sky, floating like a butterfly. (You need to sing this;)  Now it’s your turn!  Send me the words and I promise I’ll sing them back to you. Now take out the sidewalk chalk and make a ‘temporary mural’ or set of ‘silly signs’.  Use your imagination.  Invite some kids to play along.  Sing songs, run around, and fall down laughing.  If that isn’t enough to get your creative juices flowing, dip your hands in watercolor paint and leave hand prints on each tree you hug!  Journal your feelings the next morning.

 

I wish for you a crazy, fun, creative week of pulling out all your creative stops.  I hope you’ll also join our HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? crusade. It is truly time for every man, woman and child in the world to know, without a shadow of a doubt, they are creative.  Teaching creativity has the potential to change lives and our collective futures for the better. Let’ get started!

 

SPECIAL REQUEST:  If anyone reading this blog has insights into available grants or fellowships for a person pursuing a PhD in psychology and creativity (that would be me!) I’d greatly appreciate hearing from you.  I’ve started the application process and hope to be starting my PhD studies at Saybrook University this Fall.  If you are looking for a PhD with a humanistic and creativity focus – Saybrook offers a fantastic program!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s creative brain work out.  As our journey of creative exploration moves toward closure, is there a topic you wish I would cover?  Let me know.  I’m very grateful for your comments and feedback.  Don’t forget to visit www.JoyofQuotes.com when ever you need some positive inspiration or encouragement.  My hand-picked quote collection includes 200+ subject categories as well as a fun ‘inspire me’ button for those times you need instant inspiration.  Enjoy the warmer weather and signs of spring.  I often end my blogs with an image of me dancing. This time I’m sharing a photo of a frog who has taken up meditation (or maybe he just downed a ‘chill pill’).  Keep going with the creative flow….Marta Davidovich Ockuly
  

 P.S.  Sending out Happy Birthday wishes to my super creative, master’s project  ’sounding board partner’ Amy!  It is certainly fitting for you to be celebrating the anniversary of your arrival on earth during World Creativity and Innovation Week!  Sending you billions of blessings and your happiest dreams come true! 

 

 

Category: Brain, Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Creativity Book Reviews, Encouragement, Imagination, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Movement, New Quotes, Personal Growth, Play, Possibilities, Potential, Take Action, Uncategorized  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Apr
04

Explore the Intuitive Path to Creativity

“It is always with excitement that I wake up in the morning wondering what my intuition will toss up to me, like gifts from the sea.
I work with it and rely on it. It’s my partner.”
Jonas Salk

Last week I sent you out to play with your passions. This week I’m urging you to take a solo adventure leading into your deep, rich, creative potential. You’ll be guided exclusively by your intuition. Throw out the road maps (and any tendencies toward logic). Stay open to the possibilities (and intuitive promptings) and you’ll make some amazing discoveries!  All you need is a pen and a journal or notebook. Keep them with you at all times. You’ll need them to capture the intuitive clues, coincidences, and insights you discover.  

  

Before we get started, let’s cover the ground rules:
#1. Everyone is intuitive.
#2. Intuition is present at all times.
#3. There is no way NOT be intuitive. It shows up anytime you have a choice to make.
In Holistic Approaches to Creative Problem Solving class, Dr. Cyndi Burnett taught us a simple ‘check in’ system which looks at all questions through the lens of facts, feelings or hunches when we are collecting data, and head, heart, and gut for those times we’re narrowing down choices.  When it comes to creative actions this week – take every opportunity to follow your hunches (another name for intuitive prompts)! Just trust the process & take baby steps.

Guess what? I just had to share this fun intuitive gift I just received. Last night I felt a strong prompting to ‘google myself.’  It was an odd enought prompt to catch my attention so I followed it and continued through 11 pages until I saw something that caught my attention: a blog named “The Creative Edge” was inviting readers to check out my “intuitive path to creativity” (the blog you’re reading right now). The amazing thing is – the writer of the blog, Wayne Morris,  director of Future Edge Ltd – a consultancy “specializing in applying whole brain principles to leading, learning and creating…is in New Zealand. Isn’t that wild!  A creativity professional in New Zealand is promoting my blog in Buffalo. I find that so wonderful. Talk about creative connections.  And the cool gifts of following our intuition!  Now it’s your turn. What intuitive discoveries have you made today? If you’d like to take a peek at creativity in New Zealand – here’s the link: http://thecreative-edge.blogspot.com/

“It is through science that we prove, but through intuition that we discover.
Henri Poincare

 Photo caption: Here’s my terrific teacher, Dr. Cyndi Burnett (in the black & white top) with classmates in Holistic Approaches to CPS last semester. I’m the silly one wearing sandals! We joined hands and heads to create a ‘living mandala.’  

  “Intuition is a way of knowing about the world through insight and exercising one’s imagination.”
Valerie J. Janesick

Intuition is a very effective problem solving and creative action tool which can be used individually and in groups, personally and professionally. Dr. Valerie J. Janesick, professor, chair and doctoral program director in the Department of Educational Leadership and Organizational Change at Roosevelt University, explains intuition as: “…immediate apprehension or cognition”. She compares creativity and intuition to dancers who are so connected they move as one, and adds: “Intuition is connected to creativity, for intuition is the seed, so to speak, of the creative act.”

In the 2010 Cambridge Handbook of Creativity, creativity scholar Dr. Ruth Richards’ chapter titled: “Everyday Creativity: Process and Way of Life – Four Key Issues” states intuition is “…quick and global” and an “…alternate way of knowing” which plays a key role in the creative process.  Are you getting the idea intuition is real and important?  It most certainly is!

“Intuition is the supra-logic that cuts out all the routine processes of thought and leaps straight from the problem to the answer.”
Robert Graves

If you are interested in developing your intuition, you may find this DVD helpful. It teaches you how to feel the difference between impulse and intuition, includes an intuition in business segment, and shares tips for learning to trust it. Click here details.  Does the word ‘intuition’ bother you? If so, consider re-naming it: Muse.  A muse is a source of creative inspiration. You can ‘call in’ your muse or simply ask your muse for creative guidance. Award-winning writer, photographer and lecturer, Jan Phillips, wrote a wonderful book titled: Marry Your Muse: A Complete Course in Creative Expression. It’s all about “making a lasting commitment to your creativity.” My muse (Mr. Lizard) highly recommends it!

 

 Intuitive Prompt #1:  Let’s try a little experiment.  All you need is your journal or notebook and a pen. Take a minute to examine the collage below.  Write down the first thought which comes into your mind when you read these questions:   What did you notice first?  What did you notice next?  What did you like?  How does it relate to your life?  Ask yourself, “What’s the story here?” and write a sentance or two.

Did you get a strong insight or did you feel you were ‘making things up’? Either way – it was intuition at work.  Your brain picked up visual clues. Those clues triggered memories. The memories got projected into a story using your imagination. Every single word you wrote was triggered by an intuitive prompt. Congratulations!  You’ve just collected your first prize: an awakened imagination!


 “The more you trust your intuition, the more empowered you become, the stronger you become, and the happier you become.”
Gisele Bundchen

Intuitive prompt #2:  Do you haiku?  Haiku is a form of poetry from Japan which is only three lines long. The 1st line has 5 syllables, the 2nd line has 7, and the 3rd line has 5. You can use punctuation or not, capital letters or not. It’s all up to you! Let your intuition (and my poetry muse Sharon) guide you through the process of creating your first haiku.

a blank canvas awaits
edge of imagination
 artist paradise
 Sharon Pacione

Sharon Pacione is a dear friend and prolific poet who has written hundreds of haiku. I’ve picked a few of my personal favorites in hopes you’ll find both guidance and inspiration.  The beautiful image was taken by her talented daughter Andrea during a recent visit to the Atlantic-side of Florida. Thank you Sharon & Andrea for all the ways you share & care!

 

 a blank canvas awaits
edge of imagination
artist paradise
Sharon Pacione

 thoughts on paper dance
words feel at home in the heart
release to know more
Sharon Pacione

Intuitive prompt #3:  Take a mindfulness break with your journal and a pen at your side. Close your eyes. Relax. Think about a question you’d like to ask your intuition. Write the question in your journal. Now switch the pen over to your non-dominant hand and write the answer. Sometimes the answer will come into your awareness before you even finish writing the question. Other times you will get the impression of one word and then the next. Allow the experience to flow without judging. Repeat as often as you like.

 “For whereas the mind works in possibilities, the intuitions work in actualities, and what you intuitively desire, that is possible to you. Whereas what you mentally or “consciously” desire is nine times out of ten impossible; hitch your wagon to a star, or you will just stay where you are.”
D. H. Lawrence

 Intuitive prompt #4:  Plan an intuitive collage ‘play date’ with yourself.  Create a sacred space – light a candle, gather a few precious-to-you objects for inspiration, and meditate for a minute on an intention for your next collage. It may be one word, such as ‘hope’, or it could be something concerning a challenge you are facing. Record the words or impressions which come up for you and set them aside. Now quickly page through magazine and cut or tear out every image you find interesting. Do not worry how it will fit in your collage or how it pertains to your intention – simply harvest images until you have about 20. Now cut or trim each image and turn it upside down. When they are all done, close your eyes and let your intuition guide your selection of images. Now open your eyes and glue them in place. If there is an image ‘calling you’ from the unselected pile, feel free to use it. When the collage is complete, reflect on it with your intention in mind and record your impressions. Come back after a week and reflect again – see what new intuitive insights are revealed.

This is the door to my room at the Grad House at Buffalo State.  Anything can be a collage!  I’m starting to get nostalgic because my Master’s program will be complete in just 39 days! It’s hard to imagine but I’ve been here in Buffalo nearly a year.  By mid-May I’ll be heading South to my sweet sacred space in Sarasota, Florida.  My intuition led me there and I’ve never regretted it for a moment!

 “It is through science that we prove, but through intuition that we discover.
Henri Poincare

How’s that for lots of intuitive homework?  I hope you make time this week to try out a few of the prompts. At the very least, consider journaling your intuitive insights and experiences. Just writing about them can trigger answers to important questions. If you have a tough issue you feel blocked about, use non-dominant hand writing in your journal and see what comes up. Your intuition has gifts to deliver, but it needs you to be open to receive. I’d love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share them in the comments section or e-mail me directly: magicalmarta@aol.com  

 “Intuition isn’t the enemy, but the ally, of reason.”
John Kord Lagemann

 I wish you a joyful journey this week – filled with unexpected delights and intuitive insights! Thanks for visiting this blog. Come back as often as you like. Consider this an open-access creative tribe. Come here when you want encouragement and inspiration.  Take what you like and then pass it on!

 

 Your intuitive creativity catalyst and Chief Inspiration Officer ,
Marta Davidovich Ockuly

 P.S.  Just barely belated birthday wishes go out to both Sharon Pacione (March 31st) and Dr. Ruth Richards who celebrated her special day April 3rd.  Here’s hoping all your happiest dreams come true!

  

Looking for positive inspiration, coaching and encouragement.
It’s available 24/7 at:
www.JoyofQuotes.com

 

Get inspired…pass it on!

Category: Coincidences, Creativity, Imagination, Insights, Inspiration, Intuition, Intuition Quotes, Journaling, Muse, Possibilities, Potential, Promptings, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment