Workshop 7: Soul Practices Part of Spirit in Practice In This Section Introduction From Spirit in Practice Our creative souls need nurturing and understanding. How do we remain creatively open? Where does our inspiration come from? How can we embrace our negative selves? What can we say to our internal judges and critics? How can we best share our creativity? I believe that we are each highly creative... Workshop-at-a-Glance From Spirit in Practice Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering 0 Opening 5 Activity 1: Sharing Names 5 Activity 2: The Story of a Painter's Creative Process 10 Activity 3: In What Ways Are You Creative?... Spiritual Preparation From Spirit in Practice Leaders are encouraged to prepare for the workshop not only by gathering supplies and reviewing the workshop's activities, but also by engaging in a soul practice—something that engages your creativity. You may wish to consult one of the resources listed in Find Out More. Welcoming and Entering From Spirit in Practice Materials for Activity Sign-in sheet (see Preparation) Pen or pencil Name tags Bold markers Copies of Spirit in Practice Series Schedule (see Preparation) Group guidelines listed on newsprint or a digital slide (see Preparation) Workshop agenda listed on newsprint or a digital slide (see... Opening From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Altar or centering table Cloth for covering altar or centering table Chalice and candle Matches or lighter Copies of Singing the Living Tradition, the UUA hymnbook (one per person) Optional: A piano, guitar, or other form of accompaniment Optional:... Activity 1: Sharing Names From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Microphone (preferably cordless) Preparation for Activity Be sure that participants have made name tags. If they have not, you may pass around name tag materials while participants introduce themselves. Description of Activity Introduce... Activity 2: The Story Of A Painter's Creative Process From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Story 1: A Painter's Creative Process (one copy for leader, plus several copies for participants who may wish to read along) Optional: Microphone Optional: Pulpit or lectern Optional: Bell Preparation for Activity Review the story in adva... Activity 3: In What Ways Are You Creative? From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Clock, watch, or timer Bell Newsprint Markers Easel Optional: Microphone (preferably cordless) Description of Activity Invite the group to divide into pairs and take turns answering the question, "In what way-or ways-are you creative in your life?"... Activity 4: The Way Of The Artist From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1: Guided Meditation on Art "Art box"-a large cardboard box containing many different kinds of art supplies (see Preparation) Tables (see Preparation) Newspaper, plastic tablecloths, or other means of covering the tables Optional:... Closing From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Altar or centering table Cloth for covering altar or centering table Chalice and candle Chalice extinguisher Copies of the customized Taking It Home handout (see Preparation) Optional: Microphone Preparation for Activity Review the Taking It Home... Leader Reflection and Planning From Spirit in Practice After the workshop, co-leaders should make a time to get together to evaluate this workshop and plan future workshops. Use these questions to guide your shared reflection and planning: What were some of our favorite moments of the workshop? What were some of our most challenging moments?... Alternate Activity 1: Creativity Stations From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Several different sets of art supplies for "creativity stations" (see Preparation) Tables (see Preparation) Newspaper, plastic tablecloths, or other means of covering the tables Optional: Microphone (preferably cordless) Preparation for Activity... Alternate Activity 2: Art Show From Spirit in Practice Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Easels, tables, or other ways to display artwork (see Preparation) Clock, watch, or timer Optional: Microphone (preferably cordless) Preparation for Activity In advance, invite participants to bring their favorite artwork to share-either the artwor... Taking It Home From Spirit in Practice As a way of continuing to explore the themes from this workshop, follow these tips for using your creativity as part of your spiritual regimen: Take time to look at the art already around you. Often we begin to take for granted the art in our lives—in our homes, in our places of work, in public... A Painter's Creative Process From Spirit in Practice A contemporary painter named Debora Jones-Buck has what many consider an unusual approach to her work. She prepares a canvas and then paints a picture on it. Then, when the paint has dried, she paints an entirely different image on top of it. And then another, and another. Eventually she puts the... Leader Resource 1: Guided Meditation on Art From Spirit in Practice Let yourself relax. Take in a nice, slow, deep breath. And then let it out. Breathe in. And out. Deep. Slow. Breathing in. And breathing out. (Pause) And let your bodies relax. Let your muscles relax. Let your face relax. Let your mind relax. Whatever you’ve been carrying around with you all day... Find Out More From Spirit in Practice Cameron, Julia. The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1992. Sark. Sark's New Creative Companion: Ways To Free Your Creative Spirit. Celestial Arts, 2005. JacksonPollock.org... PREVIOUS: Find Out More UP: Spirit in Practice NEXT: Introduction Download all of Spirit in Practice (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.