Let Creative Potentials Materialize Fully
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Manase chetase dhiya akutaya uta chittaye
Matyai shrutaya chakshase vidhema haviÌ vayam.
- Atharvaveda 6/41/1
We worship by havi (altar offerings) for the power of reflection (mental inspirations and emotions), for consciousness and contemplation, for spiritual intellect (concentration), for inner resolves (miscellaneous stimuli), for intelligence, for powers of memory, hearing (learning), and sight (manifestation).
Mental consciousness is the source of all creative potentials. In the fertile soil of mind sprout forth various kinds of creative urges. With proper nurturing and nourishment they grow to maturity and make a very impressive impact in the arena of practical life. Such persons are honored by the world as geniuses. They not only bring laurels to themselves but the whole world benefits from their invaluable contributions. It is this secret that lies behind the extra-ordinary talent of those luminaries whose amazing stories we keep reading in the annals of human civilization.
Music, painting, dance, drama, architecture, sculpture, sports, management, researches – all these are multi-dimensional expressions of human creativity. No form of these expressions is inferior to or lesser than the others; it is simply a matter of priority, skill and distinction. Talent develops any of the creative potentials to a high level. It is the source of all the glories and possessions of the world. Wealth, honor, power, fame, everything flows from this fountainhead of talent. Its absence begets only endless tumbles, rejections and slights. Everyone wants to cultivate proximity to the meritorious, while the meritless is shunned by all.
Those who have been able to develop their latent creative potentials are like shining stars in the human firmament. Their extraordinary achievements and glory act as beacons of inspiration for others. People longingly gaze at these luminaries, quite oblivious of the fact that many such potential stars are hidden in their own interiors too. Only, their brightness has to be brought to the fore. Then they, too, can sparkle and shower their illumination on the world. For this only the potential lying within has to be developed and awakened.
But how? "I have nothing like this in me", "I do not see any distinction in me" – One often comes across negative refrains of this type. Such persons are advised to look within once again a little more minutely and deeply, and also objectively.
The moment we do it, we will definitely notice something special in us, something that distinguishes us from others and makes us unique. It could be that there exists in us no philosopher or scientist, in whose anticipated uncovering we have been making futile searches and finally got tired. It is possible instead that in some remote corner of our inner space a budding sportsman, or a musician, or a singer may be dimly twinkling but whom we have always overlooked and are paying no heed even today. Remember, there is an inexhaustible store of creative energy in everyone. God is not partial. He has not deprived anyone in this whole creation of his grace. Believe it, you are unique in yourself, and this uniqueness is the creative potential which always yearns inside you for release. This yearning is the originality of our lives. Only, it has to be awakened, developed and properly channelized.
To the souls who are immersed in dejection, an anecdotal story of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry will be inspiring. Those days the head of the ashram was Sri Ma (the Mother) herself. The selection of the students of the ashram's school was made by her which she did with her inner vision. It is well known that the mode of education there is quite different from the normal pattern obtaining elsewhere. Teachers live there as companions of students and nurture the latter's potentialities. In one particular batch, a student was very indisciplined and mischievous, and had made all the teachers an exasperated lot.
The matter was finally reported to Sri Ma. After hearing everything, the Mother smiled and said: "You people could not recognize the real potential of the boy. There is a painter hidden in him. We have to bring that to the surface". The teachers asked: "Mother, how should one recognize one's creative potential and develop it"? The Mother said: "Its method is very simple. There is, of course, a sea of potentialities latent in everybody, but there is also something special or exceptional among that. This very exceptional entity is the originality or unique talent of the person which subconsciously goads and stimulates him again and again. This could be music, painting, science or any other thing. To recognize it, we should try to perceive the subtle sensations arising in the inner mind.”
Once this potentiality has been perceived, practical steps should be taken for its nurturing. If some one, for example, has a natural flair for writing, he should not kill the emerging waves of thoughts, ideas or emotions in him. He should keep a diary with him and note them down. At the same time, he should keep alive the inclination for study and contemplation so that he remains in touch with the other currents of thoughts circulating in the world. He should also earmark a time for writing regularly so as to give effective expression to his budding talent. It is likely that this expression may not be very good in the beginning, but with time, it will improve and gain maturity. This process applies to other fields too. For the right and meaningful expression of these creative potentials, it is also necessary that the direction of creative thinking be fixed too.
Matyai shrutaya chakshase vidhema haviÌ vayam.
- Atharvaveda 6/41/1
We worship by havi (altar offerings) for the power of reflection (mental inspirations and emotions), for consciousness and contemplation, for spiritual intellect (concentration), for inner resolves (miscellaneous stimuli), for intelligence, for powers of memory, hearing (learning), and sight (manifestation).
Mental consciousness is the source of all creative potentials. In the fertile soil of mind sprout forth various kinds of creative urges. With proper nurturing and nourishment they grow to maturity and make a very impressive impact in the arena of practical life. Such persons are honored by the world as geniuses. They not only bring laurels to themselves but the whole world benefits from their invaluable contributions. It is this secret that lies behind the extra-ordinary talent of those luminaries whose amazing stories we keep reading in the annals of human civilization.
Music, painting, dance, drama, architecture, sculpture, sports, management, researches – all these are multi-dimensional expressions of human creativity. No form of these expressions is inferior to or lesser than the others; it is simply a matter of priority, skill and distinction. Talent develops any of the creative potentials to a high level. It is the source of all the glories and possessions of the world. Wealth, honor, power, fame, everything flows from this fountainhead of talent. Its absence begets only endless tumbles, rejections and slights. Everyone wants to cultivate proximity to the meritorious, while the meritless is shunned by all.
Those who have been able to develop their latent creative potentials are like shining stars in the human firmament. Their extraordinary achievements and glory act as beacons of inspiration for others. People longingly gaze at these luminaries, quite oblivious of the fact that many such potential stars are hidden in their own interiors too. Only, their brightness has to be brought to the fore. Then they, too, can sparkle and shower their illumination on the world. For this only the potential lying within has to be developed and awakened.
But how? "I have nothing like this in me", "I do not see any distinction in me" – One often comes across negative refrains of this type. Such persons are advised to look within once again a little more minutely and deeply, and also objectively.
The moment we do it, we will definitely notice something special in us, something that distinguishes us from others and makes us unique. It could be that there exists in us no philosopher or scientist, in whose anticipated uncovering we have been making futile searches and finally got tired. It is possible instead that in some remote corner of our inner space a budding sportsman, or a musician, or a singer may be dimly twinkling but whom we have always overlooked and are paying no heed even today. Remember, there is an inexhaustible store of creative energy in everyone. God is not partial. He has not deprived anyone in this whole creation of his grace. Believe it, you are unique in yourself, and this uniqueness is the creative potential which always yearns inside you for release. This yearning is the originality of our lives. Only, it has to be awakened, developed and properly channelized.
To the souls who are immersed in dejection, an anecdotal story of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry will be inspiring. Those days the head of the ashram was Sri Ma (the Mother) herself. The selection of the students of the ashram's school was made by her which she did with her inner vision. It is well known that the mode of education there is quite different from the normal pattern obtaining elsewhere. Teachers live there as companions of students and nurture the latter's potentialities. In one particular batch, a student was very indisciplined and mischievous, and had made all the teachers an exasperated lot.
The matter was finally reported to Sri Ma. After hearing everything, the Mother smiled and said: "You people could not recognize the real potential of the boy. There is a painter hidden in him. We have to bring that to the surface". The teachers asked: "Mother, how should one recognize one's creative potential and develop it"? The Mother said: "Its method is very simple. There is, of course, a sea of potentialities latent in everybody, but there is also something special or exceptional among that. This very exceptional entity is the originality or unique talent of the person which subconsciously goads and stimulates him again and again. This could be music, painting, science or any other thing. To recognize it, we should try to perceive the subtle sensations arising in the inner mind.”
Once this potentiality has been perceived, practical steps should be taken for its nurturing. If some one, for example, has a natural flair for writing, he should not kill the emerging waves of thoughts, ideas or emotions in him. He should keep a diary with him and note them down. At the same time, he should keep alive the inclination for study and contemplation so that he remains in touch with the other currents of thoughts circulating in the world. He should also earmark a time for writing regularly so as to give effective expression to his budding talent. It is likely that this expression may not be very good in the beginning, but with time, it will improve and gain maturity. This process applies to other fields too. For the right and meaningful expression of these creative potentials, it is also necessary that the direction of creative thinking be fixed too.
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