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The Creative Act: A way of being

Somebody recommended this book somewhere and as I am wont to do, I bought it. I am a sucker for books on creativity. Especially if it is recommended. By someone I know. Or dont. Or on Amazon. Thus it is that I have a collection of books on Creativity. 

Helps that somewhere along the way, I self identify as a creative person. And over the years, I have in my own way understood creativity. 

Helps also that I conduct creativity workshops and thus have an insight into creativity. 

All said and done, I picked up Rick Rubins book -The creative act. I had no idea who Rick Rubin was - I forgot to google- this was an impulse buy remember. Turns out that he is a creative musician (yes, the book has a lot of references to music). 

So, done with all the backstory. Lets get to the book.

The book is a master piece of writing on the creative process. Hands down the best book I have ever read that captures the creative process (if you call it capturing, because the whole point of the creative process is about being creative and non conformist) in such a beautiful fashion. 

Ideas come. Ideas go. Do you know how to kindle the brain to get to that flash of insight? Rick calls this ideation/insight process a gift from the universe. Are you listening, he asks. And you are just a mere instrument in making the idea happen - the idea is floating in the universe in a manner of speaking. So, how do you align, body mind and soul with the universe and prepare yourself for receiving the idea? He calls the creative process divine - well almost. And meditative. And having got that flash of insight, how do you nurture it? How to execute? What might happen? What might go wrong? And then what? Rick turns over every tiny stone on the path. 

Rick takes you through this process like a meandering river. And it meanders through every possible path.  The book flows through pretty much all aspects of creativity and takes you through in a gentle manner. This is a book to be savoured. Read slowly. Dipped into. 

This book is meditative. He speaks of detachment. Following the path. Trusting the process. What does that sound like? Yes, Creativity is a deep spiritual experience and he asks, are you able to see it? Feel it?

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