The Soul Of Creativity

This book explores human creativity to illustrate how the legal system can protect a wide variety of authors from attribution failures and other assaults to the intended messages of their works.

The field of art therapy is discovering that artistic expression can be a powerful means of personal transformation and emotional and spiritual healing. In this book, Shaun McNiff, a leader in expressive arts therapy for more than three decades, reflects on a wide spectrum of activities aimed at reviving art's traditional healing function. In chapters ranging from "Liberating Creativity" and "The Practice of Creativity in the Workplace" to "From Shamanism to Art Therapy," he illuminates some of the most progressive views in the rapidly expanding field of art therapy: • The "practice of imagination" as a powerful force for transformation • A challenge to literal-minded psychological interpretations of artworks ("black colors indicate depression") and the principle that even disturbing images have inherent healing properties • The role of the therapist in promoting an environment conducive to free expression and therapeutic energies • The healing effects of group work, with people creating alongside one another and interacting in the studio • "Total expression," combining arts such as movement, storytelling, and drumming with painting and drawing

"Remarkable. This profound volume informs and inspires." —PW, STARRED review From the Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times science reporter acclaimed for “bring[ing] scientific concepts to life” (Bill Gates), a pathbreaking new investigation into the mysteries of human creativity How does creativity work? Where does inspiration come from? What are the secrets of our most revered creators? How can we maximize our creative potential? THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW WE CREATE. Creativity defines the human experience. It sparks achievement and innovation in art, science, technology, business, sports, and virtually every activity. It has fueled human progress on a global level, but it equally is the source of profound personal satisfaction for individual creators. And yet the origins of creative inspiration and the methods by which great creators tap into it have long been a source of mystery, spoken of in esoteric terms, our rational understanding shrouded in complex jargon. Until now. Inspired is a book about the science of creativity, distilling an explosion of exciting new research from across the world. Through narrative storytelling, Richtel marries these findings with timeless insight from some of the world’s great creators as he deconstructs the authentic nature of creativity, its biological and evolutionary origins, its deep connection to religion and spirituality, the way it bubbles in each of us, urgent and essential, waiting to be tapped. Many of the questions Richtel addresses are practical: What are the traits of successful creators? Under which conditions does creativity thrive? How can we move past creative blocks? The ultimate message of Inspired is that creativity is more accessible than many might imagine, as necessary, beautiful, and fulfilling as any essential part of human nature.

Trust the Creativity within You—Then Get Out of Its Way “[This] is the invitation of the inner creative spirit: you are created to create. The creative potential within you is one of the things that makes you ‘in the image and likeness of God.’ Whether your medium be music, watercolors, clay, gardening, woodworking, writing, cooking, dance or voice, the Creator has gifted you with creativity. Your gift in return is to use it.” —from the Conclusion This inspiring guide shows you how to cultivate your creative spirit, particularly in the second half of life, as a way to encourage personal growth, enrich your spiritual life and deepen your communion with God. Each chapter provides questions for reflection to help you identify your creative energy, overcome your insecurities, and connect with your chosen method of expression. Practical exercises at the end of each chapter help you awaken your creative spirit within. Whether you’re a novice or expert; young adult, middle age or golden age; you will be challenged by this invigorating call to set free your creative potential.

Can a creative mind thrive in a corporate landscape? Can a business leader use creativity to guide teams more effectively? From one of today’s leading creative minds comes a book for modern rebels on building a rewarding life without losing your edge. Written for uncompromising creative thinkers and aspiring changemakers, The Art of Creative Rebellion encapsulates insights and wisdom collected over a life of creative and professional prosperity. In these frank and insightful reflections, John S. Couch shares with young free thinkers the uncompromising principles needed to thrive in a world that seems to reward conformity. Above all, The Art of Creative Rebellion is a guide to shaping a life, career and reality that nourishes the spirit and feeds the soul—without compromises or apologies.

?There is no single definition of creativity. It is as wide-ranging as the people who seek it: writers, painters, musicians, actors — indeed anyone who desires a richer, more rewarding life. Many consider it inaccessible — limited to gifted artists and celebrities. But as the extraordinary contributors to this book show, it is really everyone’s birthright, too often shoved to the recesses of our psyches by the demands of everyday life. From the vibrant naturalist and poet Diane Ackerman, to musical theorist Don Campbell, to inspirational author SARK, these talented contributors guide us through the creative process with clarity and insight. They remind us that inspiration is always available to those willing to realize the power and possibility of their true creative being. Contributors include: Diane Ackerman • Pat B. Allen • Christina Baldwin • Hal Zina Bennett • Echo Bodine • Jean Shinoda Bolen • Don Campbell • Lucia Capacchione • Michelle Cassou • Judith Cornell • Adriana Díaz • Riane Eisler • Linda Firestone • John Fox • Robert Fritz • Aviva Gold • Robert Grudin • Jean Liedloff • Ann Linnea • Shaun McNiff • Eric Maisel • Jill Mellick • Stephen Nachmanovitch • Kent Nerburn • Jan Phillips • SARK

Who we most deeply are is mirrored in our artistic work. Our need for mirroring simultaneously attracts us to and repels us from our creative callings and relationships. It is one of life's great dilemmas. Artist's block and lover's block flow from the same pool. Often, we fear deeply the very thing needed to create original art, to experience intimate relationships and to live authentic lives: we are frightened by the impulse to be fully revealed to ourselves, and to others, as this most often entails exposing the unacceptable shadowy aspects of our humanity and risking rejection. Mirrors in all their manifold guises permit us to safely see and experience ourselves in reflection and become better acquainted with the rejected, ostracized aspects of our personalities. Creative work is one of the few places where we can truly express and witness lost aspects of our authentic selves. Within us a treasure beckons. This is what we spend our lives pursuing. What slows and distracts us is not the object we long for, but where we search. To find this precious gem, we must eventually return to our own creative spirits.

In The Soul of Anime, Ian Condry explores the emergence of anime, Japanese animated film and television, as a global cultural phenomenon. Drawing on ethnographic research, including interviews with artists at some of Tokyo's leading animation studios—such as Madhouse, Gonzo, Aniplex, and Studio Ghibli—Condry discusses how anime's fictional characters and worlds become platforms for collaborative creativity. He argues that the global success of Japanese animation has grown out of a collective social energy that operates across industries—including those that produce film, television, manga (comic books), and toys and other licensed merchandise—and connects fans to the creators of anime. For Condry, this collective social energy is the soul of anime.