Creativity is all about relationship. When we create something new, we are making a connection with our self and our inner voice (of course). We’re also connecting with whatever is inspiring us at the moment–the subject we are studying, the tree we are painting, and so on. But there is another connection as well–when we create, we’re making a connection with something beyond ourselves. We are plunging ourselves into something unknown, something that is not realized yet. Many artists and creative people believe that when they create something new, they as humans are not actually doing the creating–they say that it’s like they are channeling something “higher” when they create. Many believe that creativity is a spiritual path. I believe that too.
In Symbol and Metaphor in Human Experience, Martin Foss writes,
“In the process of life, [creative] expression means always communication with a Thou which is never fully realized but remains an inexhaustible power…”