Written by Niek | 03 November 2011

Thoughts about the power of creativity in connection to our activities with emotional processes are not new. Not for CCI World News Service, since 2010 in its actual appearance, using the search possibility right on the top of this 'page'). That gives nine quotes in 1,5 year! Recently, last weekend, I experienced 'the power of creativity' personally again. So I 'googled' about 'power of creativity' and guess the outcome: more than 68 million results!

My interest is focused especially on 'the power of creativity in healing' and its energetic influence on the activity of discharge, as mentioned in this newsletter of June 10th of this year. Google informs me now that Mary Rockwood Lane and John Graham – Pole, long ago wrote an article on this subject published in 1994 in Arts and Aesthetics in Nursing (ISBN 0-88737-609-6) with the annotation that 'the views expressed in this publication represents the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflects the official views of the National League for Nursing – in the USA.

So thoughts about this item are not new! In 1888 Florence Nightingale writes - they quote her in their above mentioned article - 'people say the effect is only on the mind. It is no such thing. The effect is on the body, too.' And the authors write: ' The overall mission in creating this arts program is to explore and demonstrate links between the creative arts and the healing arts. We see these links as enhancing and integrating our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being'.

personal observation

My last amazing observation on the power of creativity was last Saturday on a yearly home concert of non professional musicians of all ages – and all kinds of qualities, just enjoying (and having the stress) of performing in the best way they could, for about 10 minutes each. We, a cellist, a flautist and a pianist played the Sonata in C major of Benedetto Marcello (1686 -1739). All of a sudden, while playing the piano, I couldn't keep the time by counting anymore. I just played. 'It' (what ever it was) took over and I just played and enjoyed playing. And at the same time, I realized that composing is an art, and performing is another!

prof. James W Pennebaker

Soon afterward my daily paper (NRC Handelsblad) draw my attention by an article about a ' writing therapy' as developed by prof. James W. Pennebaker, department of psychology, University of Texas, USA. Doing so, and clicking on 'writing and health', you enter 'some practical advise' to do at home. This starts with: 'Writing about emotional upheavals in our lives can improve physical and mental health. Although the scientific research surrounding the value of expressive writing is still in the early phases, there are some approaches to writing that have been found to be helpful' they write. And it follows like: 'Keep in mind that there are probably a thousand ways to write that may be beneficial to you.' And the practical advises ends with: 'What to do with your Writing Samples: The writing is for you and for you only. Their purpose is for you to be completely honest with yourself. When writing, secretly plan to throw away your writing when you are finished. Whether you keep it or save it is really up to you.' There are also some outstanding books mentioned for reading. 'The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion' by Pennebaker, James W. (1997) NY: Guilford Press, seems to be highly interesting to me!

Besides following these advises you are in the meantime busy with creating safety for yourself for being 'open', 'honest', while writing what you never have mentioned to anyone. And your activity in this field now is, that you allow yourself, to use energy to create the needed safety to do so!

Prof. Pennebaker seems to have created a whole theory around our emotional being and the words we use in our writings. Interesting is also the relation of these with the so called 'non violent communication' language of NVC. Which approach has also links to the CCI approach!

the link with CCI

In my view are the links between CCI and this approach obvious. There is in CCI no authority telling you what or how to write or to express or what you have to say. You only have to create the circumstances that you can express what is going on within you. That means, to find the right words, and that is a creative activity, and write as long as you need. Neither is there any authority within CCI telling you what you have to say. In both approaches is it only you, who is in charge!

Of course there is a difference. Within CCI you are NOT alone. This means that there is a human being witnessing what you say. Without whatever commend what you are expressing. In my experience has this knowledge on the situation of 'the worker' or 'the speaker' a kind of 'magic influence'. Possibly it is even cultural restricted. By the way, it is restricted by the knowledge, that there will be, in no way , never with who ever, being referred to the content of what you said. The only one who may refer to that content are you, who stays to be the only one who is in charge in this part.

Important also is, to realize that part of the deal within CCI is, that after your turn, the other person has the same amount of time – as is negotiated before you started – to do their own (her or his) work, being in charge themselves while you are witnessing. So they are equal in their responsibilities and swob turns.

< Prev		Next >