Thanksgiving and Getting to 'must'
Posted on Nov 23rd, 2007
by 
Sandra
Sandra
I have no tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving in my life or family, but as I just wrote to a dear zaadz friend, I truly have felt an enormous amount of gratitude lately. It seems to waft over me before I go to sleep at night, a feeling of gratitude for all that is.
There are specific things I feel grateful for, of course: my deepening connections here on zaadz, the new challenges I've taken on within the community (helping set up a group which could encourage "collective intelligence" in any areas of disupute, conflict or concern amoungst individuals and groups here on zaadz, including the zTeam); the fact that the Diving Deeper pod is so flourishing; the fact that I've recently heard a third short story of mine has been accepted for publication; and the fact that I am in the middle of a new story I find engaging.. the fact that my body is relatively 'well'... etc etc,
And yet this gratitude seems to be more than the sum of these individual things.
And, truth be told, I'm putting quite a lot of pressure on myself regarding all of the above, too. I subscribe to the wonderful Robert Genn Twice Weekly Letter.
Yesterday's edition was called "Getting to Must". I copy it here (with Robert's agreement) as it felt such a good reminder for me and all that I'm 'doing' and feeling I 'must' do these days, especially regarding my creative writing:
Psychologist Abraham Maslow has written, "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write--if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be." The question for many would-be creators is simply how to get to "must."
Maslow spent a lifetime researching mental health and human potential. He emphasized the study of healthy minds and successful systems rather than the abnormal and the ill. He was particularly interested in the hierarchy of needs, meta-needs, self-actualizing persons, purposeful play, and peak experiences. Leader of the humanistic school of psychology, he referred to his ideas as a "third force"--beyond Freudian theory and behaviourism.
Maslow saw human beings' needs arranged like a ladder. The most basic needs, at the bottom, were physical--air, water, food, etc. Then came safety needs--security, stability, comfort. Then psychological or social needs--belonging, love, acceptance. At the top were the self-actualizing needs--the need to fulfill oneself, to become all that one is capable of becoming. Maslow felt that unfulfilled needs lower on the ladder inhibited a person from climbing to the next step. For example, someone dying of thirst is not likely to write or paint. People who managed the higher needs are what he called self-actualizing people. These folks, he found, are able to focus on problems outside themselves, have a clear sense of what is true and what is phony, and are spontaneous, creative, and not bound too strictly by social conventions.
Here are a few of Maslow's ideas for artists wishing to further evolve:
Systematically study, understand and neutralize the effects of lower needs. Accept the world in all of its complexity, mystery and ambiguity. Take cues from the winners in this world, not the losers. Keep the company of the doers, not the talkers. Play your personal game on as many levels as you're able. Fall in love with your processes, innovations, dreams and higher ideals. Be sensitive to and welcome the arrival of peak experiences. Have no guilt when you see yourself becoming compulsive and proactive. Allow yourself to be swept up in your personal "must."
I must, I must.. not get distracted by that twitching tail....
Access: PublicTagged with: Abraham Maslow, art, creativity, must, heirarchy of needs, mental health, human potential
abraham maslow
August 2008 
I don't know, Sandra, but there's something very, very Sandra-esque about the face (and stance?) in that last cat picture. And I just love the first one, with the rose. You never cease to amaze me with your cat-works.
And great blog – I checked out the Robert Genn and have now subscribed to it as well. Thanks for posting the link.
So happy to hear about your writers success! Concratulations! It sure is starting now - your career. In right time and all, when you will have home where you can feel the safety to create. That last cat looks like our Lucky did.
Hugs OOOOOOOOOOOOO
hah hah rudyan! yes, now that I come think of it that cat does have a sort of um, teacherly and overserious note to her! (well that's how I see myself sometimes).
and thanks dear Nono.. yes I can't wait to be 'home'. Not long now. We drive to Berlin on Monday ( 3 December) and then have to go buy some furniture!!!
Sandra,
Sitting here feeling that sweep to “must” beginning to move me in the current. I really liked the shot of the writer cat totally fixed on its tail. If that doesn't say it all about the “agonies” of writing, well then I don't know what does.
yer pal,
Michael
Must. Welp yesterday I fully stopped resisting the idea that I've been in depression for five years. Depression is a funny thing. I FEEL upbeat, but “nothing matters.” When I said that to a doctor the other day, he said, “That's depression.” So yeah, I always thought that depresssion was being bummed out. But now I figure the bummed-out-edness is ABOUT being depressed. See, I don't mind so much being depressed, I FEEL content lots of time. As often as I wish, actually. So this idea of how to find your MUST, well, that should be just up my alley. I'll look into it. Yesterday I finally figured out how to do a blog thing michaelwalsh.wordpress.com for my book. See, I had realized that I MUST post some extracts! I MUST!
Love you darling. Michael
Michael, Michael..
(why do I have such a plethora of lovely Michael's in my life?)
agonies of writing. What I'm feeling right now is 'projected into the future' agony. I can't write now, and by 'write' I mean creative writing, because of various practical issues that have to be dealt with ( house move etc) & from past experience, the longer I do not write creativily, the harder it is to get back into it.. but, I'm going to not place my attention on that mental thoughtform and just appreciate all that I have managed to do this year in the creative writing arena, which is a mamoth leap for me. Truly, it was only this year that I 'up-jacked' to use your fab word, Michael S. into actually 'being a writer' and as opposed to mostly thinking about writing and doing a bit here and there.
Michael W. Depression. Well That's worth a whole blog by itself. The description of depression that most resonated with me was 'anger I had which didn't feel I had the right to have' (and therefore suppressed it). So I'm not sure about your doc's diagnosis on the basis of “I feel upbeat but 'nothing matters”. He'd probably say I was depressed too given that. But… tuning into what I 'know' of you, or what I think I know or what well, you get the gist, I'd say there is a core of unexpressed 'something' on a purely human, man, boy level. You got the “nothing matters” Big Picture, but…. what about the parts of you that just wanna be heard? And, it sounds like there's some listening going on…. yay!!
Love both,
Sandra
Sandra, congratulations on having your third short story accepted for publication. And thanks for sharing Robert Genn's piece on Maslow.
I love to point out that Maslow gained much of his insight from his in-depth study of non-human primates at the University of Wisconsin early in his career. As a vegetarian, I might detest the types of experimentation performed in those years, but the insights are valuable. If one combines Abraham Maslow's insights on human needs with Lawrence Kohlberg's insight into moral development, one has the tools to understand human nature and culture on a profound level. And, in my experience, this deep familiarity with our species liberates us from self-doubt and enables our creativity.
Once we understand human nature, we see no real distinction between fiction and non-fiction. All is true. All is fantasy. And we enable our passion for communicating, for telling stories. This is who we are - a race of actors and storytellers - like our ancestors who first acted out their experiences around a fire - or painted symbols in a cave - or carved images in wood or bone. I honor your imagination, my friend, and bless your creativity and compassion.
As for depression, I like the following: “Depression is a house you built long ago, so you could live with your rage. ”
Peace,
Earon
Thanks for the congrats Earon :-)
Very interesting fact about Maslow, I had no idea. I don't know Kohlberg's work, off to find out.
Once we understand human nature, we see no real distinction between fiction and non-fiction.
Good Lord, have you been doing some mind-reading? I don't know if you know that this is something I constantly talk about on the Diving Deeper writing pod – YES :-) I'm going to quote you in the Quotes board there, I hope that is ok.
And another Yes to the depression quote. Is it yours? Just fabulous, thank you for gracing this comment thread with such jewels.
Love,
Sandra
Sandra, I very much enjoy your touch with the english language, and we obviously share some subtle interests therein. I hadn't visited your Diving Deeper pod, because I'm already stuck, and thrashing about , in the thickets - trying to market my nonfiction story about saving our planet. My only challenge is how to support myself financially while I'm writing/marketing/writing.
As for the quotes, I'd be honored if you use them. I think that I already posted the depression quote on Zaadz. Another quote of mine that I posted on Zaadz was recently picked up by a gift catalog (Signals) supporting public television “Life is a strange school.”
As for the mind-reading, I plead guilty to that. One of my hopes for Zaadz is that I will encounter kindred spirits already working on the same issues as I - perhaps from very different angles - and that we can create synergies and even partnerships. Malcolm Hollick is one person I've already connected with here who has amazing depth of experience related to environmental issues, science and spirituality - and intentional communities. My own writing is less academic and I am approaching it more as narrative nonfiction so that I can use images more readily and footnotes more sparingly.
And you are one of the bright stars in the midnight sky of Zaadz. I am grateful for the illumination you shower upon us.
Earon
Earon :-) only just read this. I've connected with Michael Hollick - we have some 'real life' friends in common from the Findhorn Community. Yes he is amazing.
As for supporting ourselves while writing… well, if you find the answer to that one please let me know ;-) I'm writing a collection of short stories, probably one of the lowest potential money-makers in the writing market!
Love and thanks for your presence here and everywhere.
Sandra