We began this series by looking at Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, noting how Maslow has creativity positioned at the uppermost level, at the level of Self-Actualization. We also noted that while the first four levels were characterized by a sense of “deficiency” or lack, this uppermost level of Self-Actualization was marked by a sense […]
The Scale of the Universe
I highly recommend the following, interactive link for a wild ride into the mind blowing scale of the universe: http://scaleofuniverse.com/ When it comes to science and spirituality, one of the most interesting parallels I find is the scale of the universe. From the unimaginably big to the incomprehensibly small, things look so dang similar to […]
Creativity and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, part IV: Creativity and Culture
Last time we explored personal traumas and their effects, both positive and negative, on our ability to create. Now let’s take a wider view, this time exploring the reigning attitude of a culture and how it can either thwart or enhance the creative process. Remember, since the finite ego perceives itself as separate from the […]
Creativity and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Part II: The Finite Ego and The Absolute Self
Since the ego perceives itself as separate from the world, it always feels a sense of lack or deficiency. By contrast, the absolute Self, which is the spark of divinity in each and every one of us, experiences the luminous interdependence that makes everything possible. The finite ego and the absolute Self In my last […]
Consciousness and Creativity, Part VI: The Mysterious Origins of Conscious Self-Awareness
We began this series on consciousness and creativity by pondering their mysterious beginnings some several hundred thousand years ago. Take a moment to put yourself in that unknown creature’s shoes. Imagine what it would have been like to go to sleep one evening with only your senses and instincts to guide you and wake up […]
Consciousness and Creativity, Part I: The Dawn of Conscious Self-Awareness
The mysterious origins of conscious self-awareness It’s early morning in a wide, steeped river valley, some several hundred thousand years ago. Before nightfall, someone or something wedged its way into a crevice in a rock outcropping near the summit, instinctively settling there for a bit of warmth and protection, sleeping fitfully during the long, cold […]