C.G. Jung Society, Seattle C.G. Jung Society, Seattle
Stoking the Creative FiresLecture: Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, 7 to 9 p.m.
Good Shepherd Center, Room 202, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Seattle
$15 members, $25 nonmembers
2 CEUs offered ($10)
Genius is the power for lighting your own flame.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
What are you on fire about now? Where does your fiery urge to create come from? What do you do to rekindle the inner flame of creativity when it is nearly extinguished by despair or fear? And what are you doing to pass on the torch of your inspiration?
These questions are at the heart of one of the greatest human mysteries of all – creativity. This evening's lecture explores the practice of creativity, from painting and writing to photography, movies, and business, and in its use in psychological practice. We will also delve into the power of visualization as a means to constantly remind ourselves where we are in the creative journey, which can prove to be a tremendous boost in helping us complete our projects.
Our focus will be on three incandescent parts of the Journey: Inspiration, Perspiration, and Realization, and its nine stages: Inspiration, Reverie, Time, Sacred Space, Mentors and Muses, Focus, Burnout, the Real Work, Cooling Down, and Passing the Torch. Our themes will include: the ever-changing role of the arts, the cultivation of work habits, the
use of dreams and role of mentors, the dreaded creative block, the myth of genius, art in the marketplace, and the spiritual side of art. The presentation will include stories, film clips, and animated discussion.
Workshop: Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Good Shepherd Center, Room 202, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Seattle
$50 members, $70 nonmembers
5 CEUs offered ($10)
As Aristotle wrote twenty-five hundred years ago, "One learns to play the harp by playing." The emphasis in our workshop will be the exploration of "The Creative Wheel," a mandala-like circle that reflects the nine different stages of creativity. We will ask: Where are you on the creative journey? Where are you stuck? Where do you want to be? What are you willing to do to take the next step to complete your project, and how can you help others stoke their fire? To explore the Great Round of Creativity we will emphasize a series of actual practices and exercises, which we might call "sparks off the flint," that enable us to sustain a creative life in any chosen field. We will also engage in writing, sketching, active imagination, and observation exercises, as tools for finding our true voice and deepening our work. This workshop is designed for all those who are fascinated by the possibility of lifelong creativity, from painters and poets to gardeners, coaches, teachers, and therapists.
Phil Cousineau is a writer, filmmaker, photographer, adventure tour guide, sports coach, and script consultant. He has published twenty-five books, including Stoking the Creative Fires: 9 Ways to Kindle Passion and Imagination, The Olympic Odyssey, Once and Future Myths, and The Art of Pilgrimage. Among his twenty-two documentary film screenwriting credits are The Hero’s Journey: Joseph Campbell on his Life and Work, Ecological Design, and A Seat at the Table: Struggling for American Indian Religious Freedom. Currently, Cousineau is the host for the LINK TV thirteen-part television series, "Global Spirit."
Related Web sites: www.philcousineau.net.
Updated: 31 August, 2008
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