There hass been enough conversation about Creativity Practice x6 to notice some recurring questions. So behold! An FAQ list!

Q: Is this a course? If it’s not a class, what is it?

A: It’s a learning and practice group. That means we’ll be a small group of peers who want to somehow kindle / deepen / explore / develop our creativity, whatever that might mean for each person. Not “learn about creativity,” but “find ourselves doing it more, or differently, or better.”

Being in this quest together is way better than trying this on your own. And because we’ll be trying a lot of different things, the answers to “What should we learn about” and “What should we try next” can show up through the life of the group. Probably with different answers for different people.

Q: Wait. Does that mean no lessons or lectures? Then what am I getting for my money?

A: If you mean, “Will there be lessons, and will Marc be teaching us about creativity,” the answer is no. In this group I’m not showing up as a teacher. We’ll all be peers in practice, including me. But/and, there are a lot of inspiring voices for us to hear from. And it’s helpful to have a little structure. So I’m the curator and host, gathering the best stuff I can find for us to take as input, responding to group requests and suggestions, and providing a little structure so we all get a) something valuable and b) room to follow our wild.

This means, right, no lectures. Each session has a mix of audio and video to take in before we gather, curated to stretch, surprise, reframe, invite, provoke, and do a bunch of other verbs.

In sessions, we talk about what we’ve heard, wrestle with difficulties, use playful and/or reflective activities to try on different ways of operating, and get ready for a new set of practices to try over the following two weeks.

What do you get for your money? Concretely, a library of audio and video provocations and inspirations, and a set of scaffolding documents for practices to try. Less concretely, a period of belonging to a group of people who are practicing together, each wanting to stretch in the direction that matters to them, and meeting in mutual support along the way.

Q: Is this an art thing? Is it writing or learning to draw or something?

A: No, it’s not an art thing, unless that’s what you want to make it for yourself. It’s not about any specific medium of expression. It’s about the way we let our individual expression out into the world, regardless of the form that might take. Voice, creative power of expression, liberation from inner critics, creative conversation with the world, wildness of being. Sorta thing.

Some in the group have a specific medium in mind. They want to refresh their relationship with a medium they’ve loved and practiced in the past. The activities and practices will be various. Some invite you to write, or sketch, or walk around with a camera. Not to get better at writing or drawing or photography, but to pursue the chosen practice of the session. Seeing the world in a way that stirs your creative juices, for example. Or finding flow of expression without bothersome interrupting critics, editors, or moms. It’s creativity practice, not drawing practice.

Q: (Variations) I’m hungry for / afraid of a soulful experience. I seek to be stretched / I avoid discomfort. What can you say about that?

A: There’s no developing creativity without having a rummage in our giblets. But we’re each coming from a different history, we’re each bringing our own particular bucket of caca and set of defenses into the experience. This is why I keep using language like “provocation and inspiration” for the material and voices we’ll be engaging with. There will be a lot of invitation. There will be no “must” or “should.” Come as you are, and practice according to your own level of comfort.

That said, I’ll let you know that poetry has been a powerful catalyst for my own creative practice. I’m someone who’s sitting on a long-term-little-done writing project I call “ensouling design.” In recent years I’ve become a student of the life and creative fire that lies inside loss and grief. So yeah… that’s who’s curating the experience. <smile>

Q: Geez it feels kind of like a lot of money. That’s not a question. Just sayin’.

A: Yeah I get that. On the one hand, Baby’s gotta eat. On the other hand, if you feel attracted to this I don’t want money to be the only reason you don’t join. Talk to me.

Details and sign-up

• See the original announcement for more details about this series, including schedule and prices.
• For more about the content, see the post on “Themes and Practices.”
• Sessions will start the week of January 8, 2024. We’re thinking to meet every other week, and will poll the group to find a workable time for all. We’ll set the schedule before December’s end.
• All sessions will be on Zoom (but if folks in the same city want to meet, that’s cool!)
• Yah? Yah!