STRENGTH & FOCUS: The art and healing of expression – why you should create every day
Human beings are incredibly fascinating. We constantly absorb and process information, tap into our minds to recall past experiences, and piece together bits and pieces of thought and emotion all over the span of mere seconds. However, the most fascinating quality about humans, I find, is our innate ability to create, to formulate something from nothing.
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Creating is something that we have been doing for hundreds of years. From the first stone wheel to the first musical symphony, our eager and curious minds thrive off of that ability to create. However, a common misconception is that we are either born creative or we are not – we either have it or we don’t. This is not the case, for we are all born with the drive for creativity; it’s just often clouded by the perceptions of the society in which we live. Furthermore, creativity can be learned and developed, like a muscle that requires proper care, training, and conditioning. When a muscle is underdeveloped, it serves little purpose; however, when fine-tuned and strengthened, a muscle can move mountains.
Creativity is such a beautiful characteristic in life because it guides us closer to our innermost selves – the self that has the curiosity and bewilderment of a child, the self that needs the most care, and the self that requires healing. Sure, we can develop beauty superficially, but if the deepest layers of ourselves require vast amounts of healing, superficial remedies can only serve to an extent. What we need is a true, deep connection to ourselves, and the only way to reach that level of depth is to peel away the layers and layers of sociological conditioning to ultimately find our self – raw, messy, and vulnerable. There are many ways to locate this deep center: playing music, singing, creating art, dancing, and different forms of movement, to name a few. All of these have a common denominator; they are means of expression. One does not need to be a master to create because it is the initiative that leads us deeper. It is the initiative that promotes healing.
Living in an era of hustle and bustle drives us forward technologically and scientifically speaking, but ironically creates a deeper and deeper gap between who we are and our innermost self which, overtime, can be damaging. Shying away from creating can solidify us into the mold of mindlessly moving through our days without the slightest sense of wonder. The only way to fill the gap while continuing in progression is expression, tapping into that innate sense of creativity. Finding something that makes sense in your own experience and developing something out of nothing keeps that passionate, creative fire burning. Regardless of age, creativity can be developed, deep healing can happen, and we can locate our inner child-like self and experience expression.
Create every day, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Draw or color a picture, begin the journey of learning how to play an instrument, attend a dance or yoga class, formulate a written piece of how it is you truly feel – do what you want to do, what makes you spark inside. Dive deep and do what you are passionate about. The results will feel and be astronomical, and not only will they keep you moving forward, but they will promote deep healing in bits and pieces along the way.
Cristina Spradlin has always had a sensitive eye for the extraordinary. This keen sense of wonder and bewilderment is what ultimately led her through 300 hours of yoga teacher training and is what drives her to write creatively, amongst other hobbies, such as exploring nature and practicing martial arts. She is also a lover of animals, herbs, mindful reads, and all things spiritual. Contact her through e-mail or on Facebook.
