Maybe They Needed To Be Triggered: The Creative Impulse & Why You Need to Keep Sharing

Ix Chel stepped forward for my Goddess Guidance group today. She’s a creativity goddess whose energy is that of the upturned urn that ever flows – the womb that continually births new life, new energy into the world.

As is so often the case when a goddess steps forward, she begins to show up in a number of surprising ways. Like this morning when my daughter, out of the blue, stated how, when she creates something new, she feels compelled to strive towards her own vision of perfection. Things have to be neatly finished off, fashioned cleanly, the form beautifully expressed and elegantly ended.

I shared with her my favourite Martha Graham quote…

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. … No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”

I explained to her that it is not our job to judge whether something is perfect, or even “good enough”, whatever that might mean. It’s is not for us to discern its worth, its value to others. It is only for us to keep marching, keep making, keep sharing, keep creating.

And then I remembered the goddess of the day, and I saw Ix Chel in action, reminding me to keep the channel open, the creativity flowing. This is the second reminder I’ve had of this nature in the last 24 hours when a beautiful FaceBook friend shared with me how my selfie work had initially called her into a place of judgment, and how recognition of this had allowed her to make a shift in the way she, not only engaged with the selfies I continue to take and share, but also in how she thinks of herself.

This touches a tender place for me because, yes, I know that there are those out there who judge me negatively for the selfie work that I choose to create and freely release into the world. Narcissistic, self-involved, self-obsessed, vain, show-off, exhibitionist – all this and a few more too, I imagine. And believe me, it’s nothing that I’ve not directed at myself. If anything, the selfie work very strongly, powerfully calls me to address these places in myself – to map out my own judgements, my own intolerances. It’s never been an easy path – it’s never simple been sharing a selfie. It’s always been a conscious decision, an effort to allow my self-expression free reign.

What makes it easier is when a friend like the one who commented on my FaceBook friend shares that same map, that same response, and then shows me the positive effect of acknowledging this for herself.

Because you see, my lovely, if someone is triggered by your work, your words, your very presence, then maybe that’s why you shared what you did, said what you said, showed up as you were called to. Because maybe they needed to be triggered. Maybe that was their call to shift.

But as Martha reminds us, whether that is the case or not, is really none of our business. We can only ever take responsibility for our own output and our own response. All we can ever do is heed the call to create, to share, to love, to live. But maybe by situating the negative responses into this context, this framework of creative outpouring, of triggers, of value, of judgement, and of self-responsibility, we can keep that channel clear and direct and open and ours. Maybe we can meet that “divine dissatisfaction” and find permission there to keep on keeping on.

PS If you have been moved by my selfie work, I would love it if you could vote for me for The People’s Choice Award in the upcoming See:Me exhibition in Paris. Click here if you feel called…