The Seven Stages of Creativity: An Outline
EXPANDED TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
A Personal Account
Part One
Mounting the Dragons Toward Heaven:
Stages of the Creative Encounter
The Creative Process
Stage One: Discovery & Encounter
Discovery of working framework; theme, concept, and suitable medium
Search for what one needs to do / one's deepest responses or heartfelt questions
Finding what is one's own / what one really cares about
Art grows out of inner necessity
Overcoming of fear, doubt, and insecurity
Necessity of engagement / encounter with process
Invites full and enveloping quality of concentration
Stage Two: Passion & Commitment
Passion encourages growing commitment to process
Necessity to fully engage / the intensity of the encounter
Energizing reciprocal process / joy of creation
Neurological changes / heightened awareness / Entering the flow
Risk taking / innovation / creative discoveries
Rapid and smooth progress / unexpected gifts from process
A deepening relationship with the work is experienced
Stage Three: Crisis & Creative Frustration
Initial momentum expended. Process hits the wall
Reached the limits of one's own skills and conscious initiative
Review of works reveals limitations and frustrations
Tendency to give up; Many stop at this stage
Need for new discoveries / fresh energy / new direction
Need for inspiration / intuition / something beyond one's own skills
One's understanding and the work itself is incomplete / something missing
Stage Four: Retreat & Withdrawal
Voluntary withdrawal of forces / stepping back
Impartial review of ongoing works and efforts: effort to see "what is"
State of questioning; accept frustration, embrace not-knowing; take time away
Inner quiet and search for inspiration; place conscious will and intent on hold
Aware of one's own limitations and incomplete work
Search for new energy / new understanding
Put question in back of mind / allow to gestate / activate unconscious
Stage Five: Epiphany & Insight
Open to unconscious / deeper layers of response beyond conscious mind
Breakthrough of understanding: insights often shift direction / gives new understandings
Inspiration can be encouraged, cannot be forced / comes from depth consciousness /
Heightened consciousness and awareness / need to be open and flexible
Process has its own integrity / work gains its own momentum
Artists become the vehicle for the work / insights pass through
New direction brings energy to continue and deepening insights
Stage Six: Discipline & Completion
Merging of conscious action with new awareness
See what is needed with work as a whole / receive feedback from others
Completion phase / disciplined work with craft / techniques
Craft at service of new vision
Attention and concentration given to works
Process follows to natural conclusion; finish work according to new insights
Conscious efforts to express / embody new understandings / to give them shape
Stage Seven: Responsibility & Release
One's work and understandings are not for oneself alone
Artists are only the vehicle for work / understandings to be born
Creative children must be released into world; let go
Preparation for new cycle of work; ndigestion without this stage
Release the work / communicate to others one's understandings and insights
Making one’s contribution; contributing the to the dialogue of our times
Help / inspire / nourish others and move on to new endeavors
All chapters in Part One close with a section titled Creative Practice, consisting of questions, tools & exercises for the benefit of the reader.
Part Two
Wayfinding: Guiding Principles of the Creative Impulse
1. Creative Courage
Meeting the Challenge
2. Right Place; Right Time
Suppportive Conditions
3. Deepening Connections
Art and Spiritual Practice
Notes Toward the Future
Selected Bibliography
Introduction and selected chapters available as a pdf file to download. Please visit Downloads
