It has surprised me to learn how many of my creative and performing artist clients are burdened by physical problems. Almost every client has a persistent, chronic ailment of some sort, many of the mysterious variety that can’t seem to get diagnosed properly. What is going on? Well, sometimes it must be the following. Sometimes the cause of the pain must be not creating. No one doubts that there is a mind/body connection. That being the case, if you are manufacturing stress by avoiding creating you will likely end up with some physical complaint.
Artists regularly fail to suspect that avoiding creating might be the cause of their chronic ailment. But mustn’t it be hard on the body to refuse to create when you know that you really must? When we ask ourselves a question like, “Wouldn’t I feel better if I got to my art more often?” we usually mean, “Wouldn’t I feel emotionally better?” or “Wouldn’t I feel existentially better?” But we should also frame the question as “Wouldn’t I feel physically better if I got to my art more often?” The answer is quite likely yes.
No medical doctor can make this connection for you. Few therapists or life coaches will bring up this possibility, either. Nor is the matter at all simple! It is stressful not to create and that stress can produce physical problems. But it is ALSO stressful to create, as you struggle to realize your vision, accomplish work that satisfies you, sell that work in the difficult art marketplace, and so on. Both creating and not creating can produce stress. Each can lead to headaches, stomachaches, and all sorts of ailments. What then to do, if both can lead to physical malaise?
Next week we’ll look at some answers. This week, I’d like you to think about the following question: “Is there a connection between my relationship to creating and my physical health?” If you’d like to share your answer with me, I’d love to hear. Drop me an email to ericmaisel@hotmail.com and let me know your thoughts (or comment on this post). I may share some reader responses – I’m sure we’re all eager to hear what folks have to say about this issue! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
There’s a clear-cut relationship between residual anger and back pain, for one thing, and I imagine most of us get angry with ourselves (and various impediments) when we’re not tending to our delicately balanced mix of creating and related business matters. Dr. John Sarno has written extensively on this, including his remedy (action to take) for the situation; his view doesn’t focus on creativity, but seems applicable. He also points out if you don’t deal with the issue(s) thoroughly, when one pain vanishes another will pop up to replace it . . . Louise Hay addressed physical pain and its psychological sources; her affirmations have helped many people, as I understand it, but never did much for me (hard to truly believe something when evidence is obviously to the contrary!).
Absolutely it can cause harm if I do not create, especially mentally. And we all know that depression can cause physical problems. I agree it is stress relieving and causing, but it’s a good push-pull!
I can definitely agree with this opinion. If I do not draw i am not doing what I do as a natural daily part of me. It IS what I do and not to do is to give up on me.
Pearl Buck once said “Acreative person must create,create,create or they will die”.
I do not wish to die. This is what I do, so imust do.