By Kathryn and Seth Kopald
Kathryn’s paragraph
Rav Gav asked Seth and I to share how the power of creativity shows up in our lives and how it has allowed us to step into the fullness of life.
For me, art making has become a sacred practice, and it’s been especially important during the past year which has had its share of challenges, sorrow, and pain. It is a place for me to connect, shift my perceptions, and know myself better. Engaging in the creative process, using my hands, quieting my mind is a sanctuary that I return to again and again. It allows me to step into my power, and be more fully present in the world.
Seth’s paragraph
Creativity is a life force that carries wisdom, potential, and hope. Creativity is not only expressed through making art, or making anything; it’s also a way of thinking and being. I like to use my creativity while woodworking, art making, playing music, writing, and more. It’s a place where I don’t follow other people’s rules, unless I choose to.
Mitchell Widharma, a friend who was deported this year, just posted this on FB, “Be weird, do art”. To me, he’s an example of holding your power.
Next, Kathryn and I will read a poem that we co-created. We each wrote ideas that were important to us on strips of paper, and we moved them around on the kitchen table until this poem emerged. We hope it’s meaningful to you.
Creativity is the expression
of Aliveness
We are driven to
moved by
examples of
pure expression
It is nourishing to the very core
Of who we are
Connecting and reconnecting
To the Divine within
Creativity is
Free Will
My hands
move
with
Divine Sovereignty
I create for me
It’s the why
The purpose
The heart
Of all I seek to do
And become
Creativity is Freedom
You cannot control my connection
to the Divine flow
There’s no right or wrong
endless possibilities
In this moment
I AM
Eyeh Asher Eyeh
It’s unstoppable
Its public expression
can be controlled
Its private expression
CANNOT
2
Creativity
is one of the innate
powers of all humans
And it's one of the first
to be squelched
But the Pilot Light of Creativity
can never be extinguished
We need to give ourselves permission
to turn on the gas
As we create
we are in a state
of transference
Ideas transferring
out of our bodies
Hands
Mind
and spirit
Engaged
Bringing hope
when the world
feels hopeless
Creativity
a force that moves
through me
A higher power
who doesn’t
follow
human rules
Connecting me deeply and fully
to my own inner wisdom
Creativity
will live
with or without me
I pick it up
or someone else will
To make change
when change is needed
To make sense of
what doesn’t make sense
3
To feel into sadness and loss
and see
the beauty
in feeling those things
To release
what was given to me
what I didn’t ask for
and
what no longer serves me.
To cultivate joy
when joy cannot be found
The way
to tap into
creativity
is to be fully present
in the moment
where the fullness of life
resides
To be here
in this moment
present when the world
feels darkest
To be a light
and point the way
