Creativity and Spirituality

I got two emails yesterday. On suggestion from a friend who knows the woman who runs it, I’d submitted my resume to a tutoring company in SF. She said that she just hired an English mentor, but would love to keep me on file. And that she loved seeing the "mixture of spirituality and creativity that seems to be the hallmark of your professional life." (She also asked if perhaps that also echoed in my poetry, to which my answer is, not yet. But reminds me I want to read more David Whyte.)

I was surprised by her summation of my resume, which to me reads as: secretary, secretary, secretary. – And not in the sexy Maggie Gyllenhaal way. But, as I look at it from the outside, she’s not far off, and that makes me happy to see that despite my self-identified squabbling for a place in this professional world, I’ve been apparently creating a space for myself at the cross-road of topics that not only interest me, but which continue to be places where I do more seeking and reading and learning. Perhaps what I like to do does intersect with my professional life.

The second email I received was a reply to my resume submission for a job with Kitka, the non-profit organization of vocalists who travel world-wide. This was the job earlier this week I’d received from my friend out of the blue, and which I’d immediately dismissed as underpaying, overworking, and non-profit = non-stable/sustainable financial flow.

But, I applied anyway, despite my protests and whining. And I got a call back.

So, we’ll see. I would like to continue to apply to jobs, as it felt like an exercise in willingness and letting go of my ideas of where I’m supposed to be or what I’m supposed to do in this world. Besides, as I’ve heard quite recently, which I love to death is: “Sometimes you shake a tree looking for apples, and oranges fall out.” Aka – who knows? The Universe is pretty creative and wise, and likely has my best interest in mind.

Plus, it was actually nice to update my resume and take a look at what I’ve done since arriving on this here coast. The second half of my resume is “extracurricular work” and lists the volunteer or creative work I’ve done over the past few years. This includes my position as facilitator of the creativity and spirituality workshop I did last year… and will do again this year.

So, want to hear some cool shit? So, this Dr. Palm Reader/chiropractor I’m going to now (as a result of woo-woo coincidence), well he has a space in the basement of his office building (it’s an old Victorian house) that I’ve noticed gets used for yoga classes and the like. It occurred to me as I consider marketing this workshop to a wider audience than my college (where it’s been held) to ask what the deal was with that space – is it available for rent, etc?

Guess what? It is. And for relatively cheap, and the space is gorgeous, and perfect for my needs, and I’d get a key, and a lease for 6 months on the space. WHAT?? You want to trust me with a key to this wonderful place? Well, yes, they do.

I haven’t pulled the trigger yet – but it’s totally looking like a viable option for me – and I really wanted an accessible place in SF for people to come to. It’s in Hayes Valley; super public tranport accessible; and just super cute space with hot water and tea provided by them!

I’m humbled just thinking about how amazing and grateful I am for the a) idea; b) opportunity.

Lastly in this vein. I met with my professor who has been helping me to organize the version of the workshop that will be held at school next month. A workshop which I’ve been planning with and through her for several months. And it looks like it’s coming to fruition. I love the idea of having the opportunity to do the workshop for free as a “test run” and to help me get a clearer idea of what works and what doesn’t. Surely, there’s a lot I’ll learn as I go along.

But here’s the thing: this is a workshop I’d want to take. These are topics I’m passionate about. I’ve realized that sort of without my knowing or planning it, I’ve been preparing to do something like this for a few years. And my professor reflected back to me that people want this. Many people are looking for ways to tap into their creativity, for a way to get still, or for a roadmap to try. Ways to access what their intuition is trying to tell them, to access their internal nudges.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any period of time, you will know that’s precisely what I do and have been doing - however haltingly. Trying to get closer and more attuned to what I want in my life, who I want to be, and how to do that.

Here’s my last story: I have a friend who was a very well paid CPA (Accountant). She was financially rich, but felt spiritually bankrupt. She hated her feelings of single-minded material acquisition. So, she gave it all up. She threw her hands up, sold most of her everything, and went to India for 6 months to live as an ascetic Buddhist. There, she found herself to be spiritually abundant, but materially bankrupt.

And then she returned to the U.S. This is not the land where materially bankrupt works. So, she knew she had to find a balance. How to be able to hold financial and spiritual health. She began to do a lot of work, research, reading, healing. Finally, she realized that the work that she was doing, the research she was doing for herself, and the knowledge she was finding would be of value to others as well. Her own life’s path could be of service to someone else.

So, she started her own business, and now coaches others on finding their balance in holding the material and spiritual. She loves it; she is fed emotionally and financially by it; and others find help through her.

This is a model of what I’m realizing is happening for me. I know I can discount it and say, Oh I’m just rehashing what I’ve learned from xyz books and workshops myself, but as my professor said yesterday – people will pay for that summarization. They may not have the time – so I can offer to them what I am and have taken the time to find out.

So, we’ll see. I’m feeling more optimistic and confident in what’s happening and what’s next. And that feels pretty good.