I used to subscribe to a blog called Keitharsis. It was by a writer named Keith Jennings. I was drawn to it because of his general philosophy on creativity. It was a great approach to not only art and writing, but just a great philosophy of life, too.
The part that attracted me was on balance. You always hear “live a balanced life”, “everything in moderation”. As much as I’ve tried over the years to do that, it always seems something somewhere goes out of wack and upsets my balance. Also, I’ve always found it a lot of work to keep all those ducks afloat and in a row.
When I came across Keith’s philosophy I sort of embraced it and found it a much more natural and peaceful way to approach not only my writing, but life in general. He has since discontinued his blog, but he puts out a monthly newsletter called “Root Notes” instead. In this months letter he restated his philosophy for new readers and I thought it was a great chance to share it with all of you. This time I’m writing it down and hanging it up where I can refer to it often. Here it is:
1. You cannot sustain balance in your life. But you can sustain harmony.
Every chord, every song, has a root note. So does your life, whether you accept this or not. Rather than try to please everyone and do everything perfectly, you must choose a root note and arrange everything else in your life around it in a beautiful harmony.
This means the root note of your life probably isn’t you. It’s something bigger. Something you serve. Something around which you align your life.
2. Life is not a path. It’s a portfolio.
We’re trying to live linear lives in a nonlinear world. As poetic as “the path” sounds, it’s just not true. Our lives are a collection of paths. Of people. Of personas. Of projects.
Our life’s beauty lies not in a single “right” direction, but in its collection, complexities, textures and tones.
3. Being an artist is not an act of self-expression. It’s an act of connection.
Expression is the adolescent phase of a creative life. Connection is the adult phase.
As artists, we collect and connect things: ideas, images, materials, subjects, motifs, etc. Our creativity lies in how we arrange and connect these disparate pieces. And how each collection connects with others.
So there you go. Root note. Portfolio. Connection. A different way to approach our days.
And so, as another day goes by, I tend to think of my life as a collage, arranged around my “root note” – God, and…I have written.
OMG, Linda, synchronicity! I have been creating collage – my “fun” from The Artist’s Way workshops – and I just finished a collage plate I titled “Harmony” – (the Japanese kanji on the plate also means “Balance”). (If you go to my blog, you’ll see the plate).
Great inspirational post, as always!
Diane