Freedom to Listen, What I Forgot

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.

Ernest Hemingway

Among the three freedoms is freedom to listen. I felt something was missing when I finished it and now I finally figured it out. It’s learning to listen. There’s listening to the lessons that other’s have to offer and then there’s listening to the things that are never said. Both are equally important. There’s so many possibilities that we can only realize when we’re listening to what’s not being said. It’s not just listening with our ears, it’s listening with our eyes, guts, and intelligence.

I feel better now that I’ve finally written it out.

It’s Not About Creative Freedom

Where do I want my work to lead me? This is what I’ve been asking myself tonight. If I’m going to leave my future self a bread crumb trail, where do I want to lead myself?

Is the point of this only to reach creative freedom?

It’s not only to reach creative freedom. Most of us Conscious writers have felt creative freedom in some way even if only on a small scale. The purpose of all this is to inspire Conscious writers and to keep us all writing to stay conscious or to stay Conscious enough to write.

Isn’t it so easy to slip into apathy, into a state of internal slumber. The sleep that only allows external factors to take the reigns of our life. There’s no spontaneity, no creative problem solving. What is left but a husk barely aware of their own gifts.

So all this isn’t about creative freedom, no, it’s about staying awake and alive and aware of all the unlimited possibilities that await us.

That is where I want my work to lead.

Writing, Magic, Obsessions

The unexplained happenings in the writing world.

If you write enough, you tend to notice certain patterns. It’s usually a series of coincidences, but then again you may just become a hyper observant creative. You need the minute details for your story, so to find them you may become borderline obsessed with finding the answers.

As a writer, I like to call our obsessions inspirations. The long drawn out search can be the entire purpose of writing the story ( sometimes). The magic isn’t spitting out a story over night, the magic is the becoming of the writer. The development of the skillset. The unfolding of the story through listening, editing, and rewriting.

Ah, artists, writers, and all things becoming, it all melts my heart the same way happily ever after does.

Legal frameworks to protect and promote artistic freedom

While doing some research I learned about UNESCO, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which “is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.”

It all sounds real nice. I about UNESCO from an article written by Charles A. Thomson titled  “Creative Freedom and the World Crisis.” Here’s a quote I liked

An international order which will satisfy our hopes of peace is posited not only on political and economic cooperation, but also upon steps toward a greater cultural unity of mankind which may underlie the infinite variety of free individual expressions.

Thomson, Charles A. “Creative Freedom and the World Crisis.” Music Educators Journal, vol. 28, no. 6, 1942, pp. 11–13. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3385929.

If you notice in the citation, the journal was from 1942! They are still a thing today. I had to look them up. They even have a Facebook page.

What I’m learning to appreciate is that it’s ok to demand creative freedom. It’s so ok that there are laws put in place to protect our creative freedom. I took this from Wiki. Check it out below.

1980 UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of the Artist

Artistic freedom first appeared as a distinct right in UNESCO’s 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist underlining “the essential role of art in the life and development of the individual and of society’ and the duty of States to protect and defend artistic freedom.”[19] Although not a binding instrument, the Recommendation is an important reference in defining artists’ rights across the spectrum worldwide. The 1980 Recommendation serves as a reference for policy development and as a basis for new formulations of cultural policies.

“Member States, recognizing the essential role of art in the life and development of the individual and of society, accordingly have a duty to protect, defend and assist artists and their freedom of creation. For this purpose, they should take all necessary steps to stimulate artistic creativity and the flowering of talent, in particular by adopting measures to secure greater freedom for artists, without which they cannot fulfill their mission, and to improve their status by acknowledging their right to enjoy the fruits of their work.”[19]

and also this one

2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions acknowledges that “the diversity of cultural expressions can only be promoted if human rights and fundamental freedoms are guaranteed.

So when we are encouraged as writers to protect our writing time, I will remember that my writing time is so valuable there are governmental laws and organization put in place that literally protect my writing time. SO if you’re looking for more permission to prioritize your writing time, here it is.

Sources

https://www.facebook.com/unesco

Thomson, Charles A. “Creative Freedom and the World Crisis.” Music Educators Journal, vol. 28, no. 6, 1942, pp. 11–13. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3385929. Accessed 27 May 2022.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artistic_freedom#cite_note-:0-19

Is there a thing called creative freedom?

We’ve been talking a lot about the three freedoms and how we should leverage them to get the most out of our creative freedom. You can read about it here

According to Art Radar Journal,
“In order to achieve creative freedom, one has to think free and adopt an approach that is unconventional. Fertilization of mind involves allowing a human being to experience that which cannot be seen, heard or felt.”

I’m trying to think about what an unconventional approach would look like as a writer?

And how are we as writers taking time to experience that which cannot be seen, heard, or felt?

I like this article so far so I had to share it.

Source
https://artradarjournal.com/art-education/what-is-the-meaning-to-artistic-freedom/

Ready?

You’re ready. There’s a huge chance that you’ve been ready for a very long time. There may be some limitations holding you back. There may be physical reasons or financial reasons or reason that feel completely out of your control. But whether you’re ready or not, are you getting ready for the opportunities that await you?

I’ve spent years getting ready. I’ve been reading and studying. I’ve been thinking and planning. I’ve been dreaming and envisioning. As we go along here, I get even better at dreaming and envisioning. There’s been times when I didn’t think I’d ever have the energy again. There’s been times I’ve been hopeless and tired. But here I am with all my dreams growing before my eyes. Don’t let the tough times keep you from preparing for the future you’ve always dreamed of. Keep dreaming. Keep planning. Keep getting ready for those opportunities you’ve been waiting for.

And don’t forget to share your journey along the way.

Complacency vs Patience

Sunday Rest Day

Complacency vs Patience are two words I’ve been thinking about lately. There are times when I am working my booty off and nothing happens and there’s times when I nap and all my dreams come true by the time I wake up. Well not all but big things often happen after a good nap. I’m learning to fall back and make daily steps toward my goal for my own sustainability. Especially because I enjoy doing so many of the things going on in my life right now. Since I enjoy them, I can quickly burn myself out without realizing it. So I’m working to find a sustainable work load while being patient for all the good things to come.

One of Those Days

Toady was one of those days I wanted to go back to sleep and try again tomorrow. Today was also one of those days where everything went the way it was supposed to. No traffic, gas in the tank, food in my belly, under my calorie goal, hydrated. I mean everything went nice and smooth. I’d call that balance.

There was a long period of time where the sadness wouldn’t shift. Most of the sadness had to do with miscarriages, healing from past traumas, and life not going the way I wanted it to. But these days are so different. I’m energized. I’m excited about my tomorrows. And I’m happy with my todays. So the feeling I had this morning was like an old friend that I know very well. So I’ll take today with open arms and love the same way I would any other old friend. I’ll also be happy to see my today move forward so into my present happiness.