Creative Crap

I am so grateful to those who remind me that I haven't done any additional work on this blog despite my declaration to write whorishly. I can see in this first sentence what the problem is...I just referred to this as work. My declaration was to write freely, lustfully even, playing with words and the joy of tapping keys. This freedom from the inner critic must be the source of all creativity. Perhaps that's why some of the most mentally deviant individuals have been the most creative.

For those of us who may not be mentally deviant (notice I'm inserting some doubt in this statement), there must be a method to this creativity (even play has some rules). Some intelligent anonymous person once said that all learning begins with play and I would add that the reverse must simultaneously occur. So play must include some method.

In the past, when involved with dream groups as a member or as a dream coach, I used a technique intended to help the dreamer let go of their mental restraints so that they could explore the meanings of their own dreams. The question I used for this technique was "If I were from Mars and had no idea what __________ (fill in the blank with something associated with the dream) is, please explain it to me."

For example, if the person had an eagle appear in their dreams, I would ask them to explain to me what an eagle is as though I had no preconceived ideas about its meanings. The person might say, "It's a bird" and I would respond with "What is a bird?" The person might tell me that a bird is something that soars from place to place enjoying an expansive view, a birdseye view, of the terrain. Or the person might respond that a bird is a filthy creature whose droppings spoil statues in town squares. The person's response always opened up further questions such as "What advantage would there be in having an expansive view?" or "What is a statue and why would someone want to keep it clean?"

This line of questioning and probing would continue until some symbolic meaning was revealed to the dreamer relevant to their own answers. As in the examples used, the dreamer might determine that they need to look at the "big picture" rather than be bogged down in worrisome details or that they felt "shit on" when, in fact, there was no personal insult intended.

The purpose of recalling this dream interpretation method is to explore my unconscious about what it means to write. Is it work? Is it play? Is it something entirely different yet to be revealed. The interpretation of creativity for the purposes of this blog is about being a writer.

Woman from Mars: What is a writer?
Me: It's someone who not only writes but finishes what she set out to write.
WFM: What does it mean to be finished?
Me: To have something ready to send to a publisher.
WFM: Why is it important to be published?
Me: That's how other people have a chance to read and critique my work.
(Uh, oh, I just shit on myself!)