I have spent my life in the creative arts and am currently writing a book on creativity so I may, in this way, encourage others to realize, access, and take joy in the rediscovery of themselves and a hidden asset they can pull out and used.

I AM A FEATHER FOR EACH WIND THAT BLOWS. -SHAKESPEARE



In life we often find ourselves at a crossroad… a place of change, a place of decision. This is what adulthood is all about. We are tossed to and fro by fickle winds of fortune. Day after day we face risks and challenges usually unburdened by the fears that plague us because we know so much about the hazards of life. Fear is learned quite naturally in the process of living. This fear is quite normal, even beneficial. In fact, this fear is a great protector in times of real danger. But fears can be taught! It is these fears that are dangerous in themselves, because they are very insidious. They hinder one's education and stifle individuality. It is these fears that immobilize The Creative Drive.

These fears are in the mind, but do not despair: the human mind is a wonderful organ that is capable of absorbing an incredible amount of information. It is believed we only use a fraction of its capacity. Until the day one dies, the mind hungers for new information. There is no rut deep enough to capture and contain the seeking mind. It is forever seeking to fill itself with new information, and it is this quality that distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

What is the mind desiring? Freedom! Education is vital to real freedom, re-education about shedding the burden of inappropriate fears, cultural programming, and a narrow mindset. When one makes a decision to re-vitalize and let go of inappropriate fears, one can begin by allowing The Creative Drive to make the necessary changes.

These days The Arts are well known as great tools for reprogramming the mind. In fact, art therapy is one of the most upcoming fields of study in college educational studies, as well as in the field of general psychology. In our culture work is held up as the most merit-worthy use of one's time, but true revival comes about through play. There is good reason for this advice but often we are in a quandary as to just how to go about getting back in touch with that 'child'. Art therapy is successful in that it offers the opportunity to play, something that we, as adults, rarely allow ourselves to do.

Current trends realize the intrinsic value of encouraging revival of the child within. In its quest for knowledge the mind embraces science, which has limits in its search for absolute truth. But within every heart resides a spirit, the creative 'child', which desires freedom from the limitations of mere knowledge. The child cries out for wisdom and for understanding. The fact is Science disciplines the mind, whereas Art responds to the voice of the heart, but both the mind and the heart need to be engaged to maintain balance, an absolute essential to mental health and human well-being.

Artistic endeavor releases the spirit by unlocking the prison of our preconceptions. The result is the satisfying experience of true spontaneity, the greatest attribute of the ‘child’ within, and the critical, innovative thinking vital to survival. So when the wind blows, don't forget…

DEFEAT IS IN THE MIND, BUT VICTORY IS IN THE HEART !!