{"id":2631,"date":"2017-05-31T08:13:05","date_gmt":"2017-05-31T16:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wayofstory.com\/?p=2631"},"modified":"2017-06-26T08:02:14","modified_gmt":"2017-06-26T16:02:14","slug":"clarion-call-creativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wayofstory.com\/?p=2631","title":{"rendered":"A Clarion Call for Creativity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

A Clarion Call for Creativity<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Joseph Campbell<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>In response to the political turmoil of 2016, which left so many of us dispirited, arose a clarion call for democracy. Democratic freedom was threatened and America responded with group-centered response and courageous resilience. This movement is necessary and sometimes productive. However in the long view, it is individualism itself which must be protected, nourished, and expressed creatively. It is the arts which create culture and, in turn, \u00a0a living, lasting civilization.<\/p>\n

All art arises from a singular vision of the individual. For this the individual artist, writer, composer, painter, singer, actor, must step back, turn within, and listen to his or her own soul\u2019s vision. This demands time and space to embrace a necessary solitude to plant the seeds of creativity.<\/p>\n

Writing can be a sometimes lonely pursuit yet it brings forth the harvest of our deepest expression. \u00a0As the ancient shamans who descended to the underworld and turned within and listened in order to bring forth the messages needed for his community, so must today’s creative serve this vital function. From this is born a freedom that no government or corporation can squelch.<\/p>\n

More than ever, individual vision is needed. It has naught to do with government policy or fashion.<\/p>\n

One individual can change the world.<\/p>\n

Individuals change their world over and over, individuals make the future.<\/p>\n

They do it by imagining that things can be different.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Neil Gaiman<\/p>\n

Every day the world is changed by ordinary people. A young Chinese student stands stolidly in<\/p>\n

front of a tank in Tiananmen Square. A black woman decides it is time for a change and refuses to sit at<\/p>\n

the back of a bus in Alabama. In the distant Himalayas in India, there are meditating yogis who never<\/p>\n

leave their caves, yet some say that these wise ones are helping to keep the world in balance. Never<\/p>\n

underestimate the value of ordinary human beings, for they are the ones who change our world.<\/p>\n

We have a duty to our deeper Self to be true to who and what we are, to be true to our story.\u00a0 How to find<\/p>\n

your authentic voice? By being still, turning within, and listening to that deeper Self.<\/p>\n

Stay at your table and listen. Don\u2019t even listen, just wait,<\/p>\n

be completely quiet and alone.<\/p>\n

The world will offer itself to you to be unmasked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Franz Kafka<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Next Way of Story Sat workshop in Ojai, CA is Sat, Sept 9, 10-4pm. <\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Catherine\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 THE WAY OF STORY in OJAI<\/strong><\/h4>\n

with Catherine Ann Jones<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Saturday, Sept 9 (10-4pm)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cWe\u2019ve become lopsided living only in our heads. Writing, in order to serve the soul,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 must integrate outer craft with the inner world of intuition and feeling.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 – Catherine Ann Jones, NY TIMES<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The Way of Story<\/strong> offers an integrative approach to writing narrative, combining solid craft with experiential inner discovery. Craft alone is not enough. No other writing workshop offers the solid craft to guarantee a good story along with the intangible inner dimensions of writing.<\/p>\n