Creative Intuition: The Power of Listening and Praying.

Creative Intuition: The Power of Listening and Praying.

“The great book, always open and which we should make an effort to read, is that of Nature; the other books are taken from it, and in them there are the mistakes and misinterpretations of men.” Antoni Gaudi

La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain by Montrealais ~ spectacular and unfinished

Intuition: The ability to acquire direct knowledge/conviction without inference or the use of reason. Origins from the Latin intueri ~ to contemplate
Creative: To display imaginative originality and reject/shirk the conventional
Prayer: Praarthanaa (in Sanskrit) derived from ‘pra’ and ‘artha’ meaning pleading fervently. A reverent, faith based plea for divine intervention; for God’s grace.

Casa Batllo by T. Grasso

I was taking a contemplative walk with a friend this morning at a local park that has a beautiful lake set right in the middle of it. Typically on sunnier days, at a set time, a fountain in the lake spouts water sky high and creates a kaleidoscope of color capturing the gift of a rainbow reflecting off the lake.
Not today. It was a foggy morning with drizzling rain showers that started and stopped as if in response to a distant drum beat.

“Only when we find the quietness in our own minds can we begin to hear our inner teacher, so that we may receive some intuition. Only when we are ready to recognize and value the wisdom that we carry at the core of our being will we turn our attention inwards and ‘listen in’.” Innerspace

Casa Mila in Barcelona by Chongming 76

We were early so there were few people around. A croaking bullfrog and chirping birds sang their morning praises to the creator. We listened, commented on how beautiful our surroundings were; a perfect canvas painted by divine hands.

“Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way.”
Florence Scovel Shinn

Staircase in Casa Batllo in Barcelona by Chongming 76

We often speak about nature’s beauty but many of us hardly pause to listen to the sounds and songs she shares. We don’t listen for the whispered secrets that feed the creative impulses of those we call extraordinary artists; men and women of creative genius ~ who listen to their intuitive impulses, pray, and create magical works.

“The creative path leads directly to a sacred realm.” K. Bradford Brown

Cripta de la Colonia Guell in Barcelona by Tillf Teenck

As we paced ourselves; one white-sneakered shoe in front of the other, the grotesquely twisted limbs of some nearby trees caught my eye; birds perched digging for worms, richly hued green leaves glistened with rain droplets. The thought, nature is not always beautiful but she is perfect especially when juxtaposed…. crossed my mind. How nature’s beauty shows her face; a two-sided coin with beauty on one side and the beast on the other.

“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.” Henry David Thoreau

Parc Guell in Barcelona by WikiScript

I needed to contemplate this some more. Ah, sure! Creativity has the same quality and we are sometimes forced to consider these juxtapositions when we are struck by stark examples of beauty and the beast in nature or in creative endeavors. All are divinely inspired.

“Men may be divided into two types: men of words and men of action. The first speak; the latter act. I am of the second group. I lack the means to express myself adequately…” Gaudi

Antoni Gaudí’s {Antoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí i Cornet (25 June 1852–10 June 1926)} original, powerful architectural wonders in Barcelona, Spain came to mind as I kept up a steady pace with my friend.

“I believe creativity is like electricity. We don’t understand how it works… we just use it.” Maya Angelou

Casa Batllo in Barcelona by Vincent Abbey

Recently, at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, I had watched a documentary on Gaudi by Hiroshi Teshigahara … and the haunting images of his immensely imaginative architecture; gothic, surreal, hypnotic and more swirled around my head like a psychedelic dream.

“Listen to your intuition. It will tell you everything you need to know. ” Anthony D Angelo

Casa Mila in Barcelona by Diliff

Gaudi was a prayerful, intuitive architect who captured nature’s irregular shapes and unusual proportions in his building designs. He was not afraid to explore new ways in construction, design and the use of color and materials.

“I would not be able to explain to anyone my artistic concepts. I have not yet concretized them. I never had time to reflect on them. My hours have been spent in my work.”
Gaudi

He was acutely aware of nature and his surroundings and injected portions of those elements into his work. For the monumental La Sagrada Familia, it is said he fasted and prayed for guidance on this project and though it was never completed (still under construction) in his lifetime, it is this project that led many to call Gaudí “God’s Architect.”

“When your creativity comes to a climax, when your whole life becomes creative, you live in God. So he must be the creator because people who have been creative have been closest to him…” Osho

Finca Guell in Barcelona by 555 Nase

Where does the creative impulse come from? Do you listen to the still, small voice urging you to try painting your life story on an innovative canvas? Do you pray for creative guidance and then think that sudden thought on what to do is stupid? When do we know that what we know is divinely inspired and original? What do we learn about fearlessness from artists of remarkable genius?
For those of you who wish to explore more on this extraordinary architect, you may read Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect by Juan Bassegoda Nonell, Melba Levick. If you have other books to recommend do share them here. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences of Gaudi’s work. What do you think?

Photos from a selection on Wikipedia – credits/attributions below
Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera (Catalan for ‘The Quarry’) built 1906-1910 Photo credit Casa Mila by Diliff
Casa Batlló also known as Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), built 1877 remodeled 1905-1097 ; Casa Batllo by ChongMing76, T Grasso and Vincent Abbey
The Church of Colònia Güell built as a place of worship for people in a suburb of Barcelona. Photo credit by Till F. Teenck and Canaan
La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell Photo credit by Montrealais and WikiScript
Finca Guell Photo credit by 555 Nase

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank