“Dance is the loftiest, most moving, most beautiful of the arts, because it is not a mere translation or abstraction of life; it is life itself!”
And I couldn’t more than completely agree with this fabulous quote from Martha Graham (first by Havelock Ellis)
Speaking from my own sense of it ,I would say : It is from life do I learn how to dance; it is from dance do I learn how to live.
By being an artist myself; by being surrounded by artists or their works;by learning from some of the best artists;by working with younger artists,I guess it is easy to imagine how often the word “Inspiration” enters my being. I am positive that each of us at some point of life addressed these following dwelling questions to oneself : “What is it?” , “Where is it?” , ” When is it coming back?” ,etc..
Through many years, the nature of inspiration has interested me to enormous degree. In my University years, where apart from dancing I committed myself to Psychology and Philosophy Education, I have asked probably every Professor there were of describing to me their personal point of view about this magic thing.
Interestingly, it appeared to be quite an abstract thing that is hardly commonly definable as it is only available to us in experiential way- a feeling state of it,-which ,undoubtably, is a totally individual experience.
In my recent personal study of “Behavioural Kinesiology” I came across some interesting researches,tests,studies that I found quite insightful. Even though this particular science is not directed to define “Inspiration”; getting more knowledge in this area has taken me to an interesting place of insight ,and led me to a conscious enlightenment to defining my own experience in a more profound way.
I am urged to give my thoughts a shareable form in this writing ,which feels like truth to me personally.
Kinesiology is a well-established science that was developed in 1970s. It is based on testing of an all-or-none muscle response stimuli. A positive stimulus provokes a strong muscle response; a negative stimulus results in a demonstrable weakening of the test muscle.
Dr.George Goodheart’s original research on the subject was given wider application by Dr.John Diamond ,who determined that this positive or negative response occurs both physical and mental.
One of my particular interest lies in the study of various levels of consciousness.
Kinesiology categorically demonstrates the physical expression of awareness through instantaneous reaction of the body to events experienced within consciousness. Although consciousness itself maybe intangible,it is intrinsic to all human behaviour.
Simply put, each of level of consciousness has it’s own energy level ,which correlates with specific processes of consciousness -perceptions,emotions,attitudes,worldviews ,beliefs,values etc.
Coming back to “Inspiration”.
My personal general view point of ” Inspired State Of Mind” is that basically there is no such a thing as ” Non Inspired State Of Mind”.
To state simply ,I look at it with a totally personal belief that one is ALWAYS INSPIRED in one way or another.
In such a case where switching the activity ,which one is busy with is not an option , switching the tools of achieving or trying out a new tool may lead to a desired magical outcome happening.By asking yourself the question and noticing the feeling that will arise ,awareness of a different feeling leads to a higher level of consciousness – from which numerous choices of actions are available. Non judgemental attitude to this experience and acceptance may just be the best tools to have at this point.
Sometimes, the answer may be :”I don’t know what I feel inspired for right now”. At this point many may find themselves feeling lost/disempowered /fearful. The fear of not knowing (often as a habit of choice) takes us to a more comfortable place which is very often a place that we know well. It is, therefore, a secure one to be in since it doesn’t require bypassing anxiety caused by fear of change. Being aware of the fear,accepting it with non judgmental attitude ,feeling it , but still taking action towards the desired change is the key to the source of power vs biggest challenge of all human race.If only one could look at not knowing with just as welcoming attitude as to knowing ,over time a magic shift would indeed happen.
What is “better”- to know or not to?
As for me ,there is no better or worse place to hang out. Each of them brings something in and takes something out. One simply cannot exist without another. It is only after excepting the experience of not knowing,the enlightenment can be experienced – if there is a desire to face the staircase to knowing.
And so often it does not appear to look this way; and so often it does.
In fact ,we can easily and undoubtedly learn that inspiration doesn’t always look dressed in bright colours by acknowledging multiple examples of genius-like works of many world wide famous mediums.
Multiple dancers,singers,poets,writers,painters,musicians,artists, etc, left us with some unbelievable masterpieces.Though,we can learn that they were fully emerged in creating ,while being in the states that Kinesiology would describe as ” being under negative stimuli in some part of their consciousness”.
A lot of them were weak,sick,poor, grieving,hurting,fearing, etc, though, creating. This means that while creating some absolutely genius works and experiencing the divine feeling of enlightenment/power/inspiration in one conscious experience of self ,these mediums were often found to be in a low muscular response – low energy level in other conscious bodily experience.
Awareness=Action=Inspiration=Action=AwarenessTo state quite a generally known fact ,growth can take place slowly or suddenly. Growth is always available and always possible. It is in the growth that one finds oneself in a more empowered place which seems to be quite often interpreted as inspiration. There are incalculable choices/options open to everyone all the time. Most of them are relatively rarely chosen, because people want/look for/expect/a context that would make such options attractive.Therefore one’s range of choice is primarily limited only by one’s vision.Free choice.