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Creativity and Healing
I have recently started a spiritual journey. Over the years I have done tons of soul searching, however, none quite like this one. While I would love to share with you all the details, right now, words will do it no justice. So for now, I will share with you one recent experience.
Last night I started a Creativity Arts and Healing course through an adult continuing education program. Truth be told, I really had no idea what this class was going to be about, I just knew I wanted to keep my energy flowing in a positive direction. As I got on the elevator, I encountered another woman who was also taking the class. In three short floors of conversation, it was clear that I had found the right place.
As I entered the room, the teachers design studio, it struck me how this entire space resembled one big open canvas; my mind felt no clutter. Sitting down as a group, we shared our stories. Each woman was unique yet each story yelled out a cry for creativity and a longing to connect to her inner self. Their stories spoke to my soul.
Our first exercise was to share a quote. The quote that I shared I have also shared with some of you before:
“Hope and Fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay.”
-Maya Angelou
When I first found this quote, my first instinct was realizing that I had a choice to be hopeful or fearful and this thought gave me strength. However, as I delivered the quote to the class, the words seemed to take on a whole new meaning. As the teacher engaged me to name what spoke to me about this quote, I found myself not talking about hope, but rather about fear. My response did NOT come from my head because I really didn't exactly know what I was saying until I heard myself speak the words. “Sometimes you want to invite your fear in and by doing so, you can face what you have been fearful of and then let it go.” Who just said that? Invite Fear? Who would want to do that?
Before I started my spiritual journey, I had believed that I did face my fears. And I still believe this is very true when it comes to things beyond myself. However, as the words were shared with the class, it was clear to me that I was just now understanding what it meant to truly invite fear and that my biggest fear was not something that lived outside me but deep within me. This Fear (with a capital “F”) is a fear of past emotional pain and resentment.
I can name it now only because I had invited it in just a week earlier, something that I would have never, ever done before. (*Facing My Fear post to follow)
After sharing, the girl next to me added that the passage moved her because she had also invited both Fear and Hope in her lifetime. She then shared something that I now know to be true: Fear is finite whereas Joy (hope) is infinite.
By allowing yourself to face your fear, you can and will let it go. The emotions that surface with this fear will not last forever, but the joy that fills it's space will last long after the fear is gone.
We continued with the class. We moved our bodies to help open our souls. We painted pictures holding ‘qualities’ in our mind and allowing that ‘quality’ to be expressed. We gave a name to aspects of our paintings that seemed to need a voice and wrote to them.
This is like no other class I have ever taken, but this journey has been like no other.
By allowing yourself to face your fear you can and will let it go. The emotions that surface with this fear will not last forever, but the joy that fills it's space will last long after the fear is gone.
Yes, I already said this in the post, but I feel it is worth repeating over and over and over again.
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I'm so happy to see that each day on your spiritual journey is a fulfilling one. The image in my mind is of a yellow bud unfolding. That class sounds amazing, as well. Please give me the details so I can sign up for the next one, that way I'll have more goals to post on the site;P
I read a passage the other day that I think will resonate with you. It said something to the effect of:
You are what you seek, you can only search for what you are. The moment that this is understood by you, then you already have what you're looking for. So you really don't have to seek at all because you wouldn't be able to seek it out if you didn't already know what it was.
Whew, that's a heavy one!
Cheers to you.
Thank you Amanda,
I loved what you shared (deep and moving) and I thank you for the imagery. I know that bud is me, I can feel it.
In this class there were people at various levels in their journeys, some further along, some starting out. I am happy that I entered with class 'in bloom' because I can now see more clearly both ends of the spectrum (which I might have not seen a few weeks earlier) and I know which end I want to be on!
The class is called The Creativity Workshop with Patrisha Thomson at SMC Continuing Ed. Its 7 weeks, there is one that starts Nov. 7th!!
beth |community coordinator | life coach |seeker of knowledge|
Way to go Beth! Your movement in this area is palpable. Fear is powerful, it motivates, the key is to not let it over take us or fill us up. Sounds like you got that, get that and are living in a moment of release!
Peace and Light,
Teri Johnson
Spiritual Life Coach
Guiding You Into Authenticity with Grace
All I can say is...."AWESOME!!" Kudos to you for taking this journey. I cannot wait to hear more about it so I hope you will continue to share.
Beth, you are so right, in order to let go of fear we have to face it -- not shove it under the carpet or in the corner with the dust bunnies. Stuffing fear only helps it to get stronger. As you mentioned, once you remove it you create room for joy -- amen to that and to the idea of creating space for the good stuff to come in.
Thank you Teri and Pam for your support.
It is so nice to be able to share an experience here and know that it will be well received.
smiles.
beth |community coordinator | life coach |seeker of knowledge|
Beth,
Your words moved me and I felt as if I was in that room myself. I recently came across an old Jewish saying that stated, "We are all tied to God (the Eternal Source)by a rope. When something bad happens, when fear enters, it can be as if the rope has been cut in half. But the beauty of the experience is when the two ends of the rope are tied together, for it brings us ever closer to God." For me, I feel as if a spiritual journey is all about re-tying the knot along the journey and knowing that you are getting closer to the Eternal Source within every time you face fear or difficulty - the rope is long and life is a journey, but it is a "sacred pilgrimage, made stage by stage. (Alvin Fine)"
Cheers to you, Beth! Bravery has its advantages, indeed. I wish more people thought like this, and I trust that through the work of PeopleJam we are initiating such a change. I like how you mentioned working THROUGH the fear and not simply destroying it because there are lessons to be learned through the new F-word. Peace.
What a great story. I agree. I have found that the feeling of fear is not as debilitating as the FEAR of fear. People have a greater capacity to deal with their fears than they think they do. I think your story is a good example of the ancient biblical principle that "perfect love drives out fear". Your love of creativity and growth was too powerful for the F-word in your life. Thank you for inspiring us all to follow our love in life by facing our fears.
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