Everything in the universe goes by indirection. There are no straight lines.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
A creative journey seldom flows in one direction; instead, it is multi-directional and constantly in a state of becoming. The road from concept to completion, generally contains many deviations. Initially springing from fragments of thought and design, it then involves a persistent search for and struggle towards a structural ideal for the original concept. Along the way, a variety of paths are trodden, experienced, rejected or incorporated into the best possible form – one that finally can be pronounced ready.
“There are passive stages as well as energetic and even frantic periods during the creative process. There are times when creative people need to immerse themselves entirely in the problem at hand and simply think, and other times when they have to work at an accelerated pace in order to capture and develop their impressions before these particular feelings dissipate. (HAVE YOU EVER HAD A HUNCH? The Importance of Creative Thinking)
The most difficult decision for us, however, is to realize that the path we have followed diligently for weeks, months or even years, is wrong for us – even though it might be right for someone else. When we then have to change course after so much work and go back, perhaps, to the beginning again – and again and again, we need to exercise grim discipline and a single-mindedness of purpose. We have to be motivated by our belief in the value of what we are hoping to achieve. Spunktaneous in THE WORLD OF GLIMPSE, demonstrates much resilience as he springs off the paths he has chosen, each time finding himself in the gloomy suction force of the Drooma:
“Got you, Spunktaneous! You still don’t know your way?”
But then Spunktaneous realizes that indeed, he does know his way: “It’s the Greenway!” and…
Immediately.
the beam of light flashed
bright emerald
and transformed
into a skidslippery lightshute
beaming
perpendicularly
all the way back to Glimpse.
This is so true. Sometimes the work really flows and other times the work hits some ruts. In addition, there are times life gets in the way. After years of working, it is helpful to have this awareness and trust that the work will move and develop yet, not always at a smooth pace.
Yes Jill, I agree. Ellen, I am sure you know this well. Your creativity through sound, words and art all come together in a crescendo of creativity. Sometimes it feels as though I’ve reached the end, the very end of the road of thought in creation…I stop. I let it rest there. I have no choice. If I pushed at this point my work would seem contrived, not spontaneous. Then, some time later, I am refreshed. It could take hours, days or longer. And suddenly a whole new path of creativity opens up. Spontaneity in creativity plus. It seems the rest powers up the creative surge and there is no stopping it. It is then that I feel I am in Space not Time. That wonderful feeling only the creative know and I’m sure you and Ellen know what I mean.