Co-Creativity

Lesson 12: Being and Becoming Simultaneously

Introduction

Co-Creativity is a joyful blending of our possibilities with the possibilities of others. It is where we experience the teamwork that comes from aligning to a common goal and making progress towards it. While it is an expansive transpersonal experience it also helps us to deepen into our own nature. The Motive of Conscious Participation and the non-dualistic Attraction of Awareness enhance Co-Creativity. The more we expand our partnership, the more trust and alignment we experience that can be used in service to a larger mission. The more we experience our mutual contribution, the larger it becomes in our world. In this way, we are encouraged to unify ourselves in service of a larger possibility.

Starting with a creative project where both partners may have little or no experience leads to Co-Creativity. By having a commitment to a shared outcome in this moment we learn how to interact that is mutually supportive. We are able to explore ourselves in relation to our partner and see how well we shape the outcome to meet our mutual objectives. The more we are aligned, in terms of Compatibility Factors, Authentic Life Expression and common interests, the easier it is to fulfill our outcome. Any disconnections can be noted and addressed, further clarifying how we work best together. We can also determine how much natural Passion we have, not only for the outcome, but how much we enjoy working with each other. Sometimes it is difficult to initiate this process because of opposing Defenses or others differences that irritate us. The more we can recognize these issues, the easier it is to neutralize their impact on us.

The lesson in Co-Creativity is how much we can be present to ourselves and yet be evolving in our Creative Nature. We summarize this by talking about it as being and becoming simultaneously. This reflects the integration of our masculine and feminine sides, which enhances and expands our Creative Nature. This is why we talk about having an interconnected vision, not just within ourselves, but with our partners. It is amazing to be able to know where we are using our partners to reflect our state of being. The opposite of Co-Creativity is imitation, where we try to be like others because we do not know who we are creatively. Instead of falling back, hoping that others will see and accept an aspect of us, we need to spring forward and express ourselves uniquely. Trust that your natural experience will guide you, even if you do not initially know what to do.

Conscious Participation is the Commitment to show up, however we are, accepting who we are in that moment.It is a passionate and exuberant Commitment to engage both Life and Light opportunities. We can ground this Experience by describing this in terms of body Experiences (Life) and the domain of the mind (Light). It requires taking responsibility and ownership for what is working and not working in any situation with others. Conscious Participation reflects a full resourcing of us, not just on a personality level, but as a Creative Being. We see ourselves as an ongoing Growth opportunity in every interaction we have. This is because we have created several feedback systems, both internal and external that we use to calibrate and optimize our choices.

Awareness is the capacity to be reflective about what is going on both internally and externally so we can choose moment-to-moment how we wish to participate. We Experience creative flow when we do Conscious Participation with Awareness. Awareness is further amplified and expanded when we engage others who have the same ability. The more they are resourced and understand who they are, the more effectively we can operate with them. The interesting that facilitates our work together is we are pre-emptively aware of what things may compromise any person we are working with, and therefore we know how to present better choices to engage. We also learn from what works and this encourages us to develop greater capacity to customize what we are doing with others. Because we are no longer fixated on our point of view, we cannot compromise our personality perspectives anymore. Therefore, any customization and adaptation we do from the creative level is not a burden to us or for us. It is our awareness of these options and the ongoing exploration of what works that expands our ability to manifest ourselves in the world.

When we show up others want to show up. If they possess the ability, things can take off. Wherever they do not possess the ability, relationship becomes entangled. Any form of Entanglement is an incomplete lesson on the personality level. It means that we temporarily at least, go back and address that issue. When we have to many of these with a Partner and we are being co-creative we end up getting repulsed by them. This is because our spirit and creative nature wants to be expressed. To the degree we are frustrated in expressing ourselves, is the same degree we deny Joy in our life. Our choices in Partners ultimately define our opportunities and hindrances. Each relationship is actually a combination of areas where we are met, and areas where we are not. The goal is to maximize the areas where we are met, and minimize those where we are not. It is also possible to construct a life with certain people that meet us in combination in a fulfilling way, where it would not be so affirming if we had individual relationships with them.

We see examples of this in teams that are bonded but who personally don’t like some of the members on the team. What we need to affirm is that the people who are around us need to be supported in finding the common opportunities for Growth or else we need to move on. This also becomes a Co-Creative Experience when we recognize how our engagement affects others and vice versa. They are also going to be optimizing in ways that diverge from our own optimizations. This feedback loop helps us see what is working or not for them so we can improve upon our own interactions. Ultimately, we learn how to create a Common Neutral Ground, recognizing that everyone who shows up has a particular meaning or purpose that we identify to serve them.

Conscious Participation

Conscious Participation is a state of being where we create our own Safety and Security by engaging and clearing Fears that prevent effective Connections with others. When we operate in Conscious Participation, we reflect the reality that “showing up” is 80% of what we accomplish. Our mutual Presence and the creative understanding of ourselves allows us to meet others in ways that produce natural synergy. The ability to love ourselves allows us to love those with whom we co-create. This allows us to bring about the Alignment necessary so that every Experience becomes one that transcends self-perceived limitations. As a result of naturally releasing all attachments to possessions and ideas, we can create in an open community framework, which greatly expands our power to envision and manifest any reality we desire. It is this ability to be tuned in with the greater needs around us that provides a capacity to mobilize resources in new ways. This requires that we are able to create our own internal Safety and Security and increasingly are able to follow a path that is defined by our creative nature effectively manifested by our personality nature. In Conscious Participation, we not only unify the Masculine and Feminine, but we unify bottom personality expressions with the top creative expressions, so that our being is potent, inviting and expressive.

Everyone is invited to love the Creative Self, rather than Personality Self more completely. When we are able to be present with our Experience and are not trying to control, manage or manipulate it, we create the framework for Conscious Participation. Our Commitment to show up and engage the process, whatever it may be, is what makes Conscious Participation a transformative Experience. Instead of hiding out or operating in a disconnected manner with others, let us learn how to be present with our creative nature in a way that invites others to create with us. This invitation is reflected in our ability to Trust others and operate in a state of Unity with our Self. Can we use this inner Trust, Unity and love to engage other Consciously? What would we need to honor within our self to make this possible? How would we need to love our Self so that loving others was natural and unconditional? In what way would we need to honor, Respect and Esteem our Self so it is possible to mutually honor, Respect and Esteem others? In short, we would need to recognize the power and grace of our contribution to naturally uplift others. We also would require ways to uniquely connect to others based on which Motives were natural resting places for them.

To start with, we need to meet others where they are which means imagine honoring their Fears. Any attempt to change their Fears or Motives without their explicit agreement will likely create Resistance. Let us recognize the value of our vulnerability to meet their vulnerability. Instead of seeing our vulnerability as a weakness, we can imagine it as a strength that connects us to others in their Fears, so we can honor and Experience their reality fully. Until we know their perspective from the inside out, we will have limited success in any mutual creative process. Our secret is our inherent compassion that supports us in being with them exactly as they are. This compassion reflects our ability to connect to every life as it is. This can lead others to want to expand their understanding their current Motives, so it is possible to invite them into a deeper more Conscious Connection. Our natural desire to be present with them will eventually awaken them to larger opportunities. The best we can do is to operate in higher Motives so by example, they will recognize what they may be missing. Their inquiry about why we seem happy, clear and non-reactive open up a discussion about how we could be more effective supporting each other by being Conscious of our Fears.

By discussing our Fears in a way that do not limit or impact our behavior, Thoughts or speech, can awaken them to ways of being present that would be freeing. Just the fact that we can laugh at the predicaments our Motives create will create an expansion of our Connection. When we share that it is possible to shift our ides of our self from predefined Safety and Security issues to transpersonal discussions about why our Fears do not need to limit our Experience, it could be a jolt. While this shock could expand our creative Connection it could also introduce greater Fears if they are not prepared for it. When they are ready to engage a relationship Consciously by being aware of the 12 Motives, 12 Skills and 14 Compatibility Factor differences, they will be able and willing to talk about their Experience in a detached observer mode, without being reactive. This detachment is critical in order to be uplifting or support them in being more conscious with us. Even if others are not ready, it is a great practice to see how much we can pay Attention to the issues of others and be present to their pain. This develops compassion and a desire to serve others despite our own discomfort.

The three belief structures of Romance, Motives, and Love lose their power over us whenever we are present and able to operate from our creative nature. See the diagram Conscious ParticipationBeliefs. Beliefs only support and reinforce personality concerns. Beliefs are primarily used to offset Safety Fears and, in this way, provide a form of artificial reassurance. Conscious Participation is both a Commitment to show up and to engage others where they are. It requires that we be complete and understand ourselves enough so that we do not project our issues and Fears on others. Instead, we need to be able to recognize that any fear is our fear, which requires us to take ownership of it in our communications with others. No longer do we need to distinguish our Fears from their Fears to make ourselves feel better. Rather, we engage each fear as if it were our own because, if it is in our Experience, it is our fear in some way. This practice is also a unifying one because it does not emphasize our need for separateness to protect ourselves. Instead, we can be Conscious of whatever Fears come up and use them as opportunities to deepen our Connection with others.

It is both effective and powerful to acknowledge Fears as part of our unfolding process because Fears create “precessional effects,” meaning to precede something else. These precessional effects happen because our Fears modify and distort what we see, Experience, and value. Acknowledging Fears is critical to keep them from distorting what we see and how we engage each other. Otherwise, we will react to our Partner in ways that are not accurate reflections of what our Partner is doing. At the core of our conditioning is the desire to anticipate the behavior of others so we can effectively influence it. These expectations are driven by Fears that may or may not exist. Either way, these Fears effect our perceptions and keep us from taking appropriate risks in our Growth. Instead we play it small and limit our expression when, in fact, what the Universe is requesting is just the opposite.

Of course, we justify acting in conditioned ways by believing we are protecting ourselves, when we are merely reinforcing the repression of our past. As long as we identify with our conditioning, we believe our personality perspective is who we are. This identification with our outer presentation or appearance prevents us from examining the full range of options and opportunities we have. To break out of these limited self-perceptions, we need learn how to question our path, particularly when it reinforces past perceptions of Beliefs about who we have been. This means demonstrating that we can make uncomfortable or even repugnant choices because we can. Freeing ourselves from pre-established Habitual patterns of activity is worthwhile. Awakening our Aliveness in this way gets our energy moving and directly engages us in the world.

When we engage our Aliveness, it reflects our Creative Self identity, where we are no longer lost in protecting ourselves from the unpleasant behavior of others. Being Alive awakens us to the deeper reality that we have no right to determine how others behave. We do have the choice to participate or not based on whether we appreciate their behavior or not. We also have the right to speak our Truth about what we would prefer or not. Hopefully, we can communicate this in a way that does not compel others to act in ways that would not be authentic for them. When we are in our Aliveness, operating as a Creative Being, we prefer others to be authentic with us. Any compromise they make in order to be with us limits their ability to participate with us. If is easy for us to be bored when others operate in conditioned ways and we feel unable to bring enough Aliveness to the interaction to awaken new possibilities for it.

With Universal Dominion, we learn to recognize our potential and the potential of others and simultaneously embrace both to create mutual Autonomy. One precessional effect of Universal Dominion is the ability to speak our Truth harmlessly without reactions being created in either party.

It is our creative Presence with our “self” that neutralizes our Fears so they are not projected on our Partner. This enables us to come into a space of stillness where, in effect, we operate in the eye of a larger vortex that enables us to see the many options we have and choose a course of action that reflects our highest being. In the space of inner reflection we realize we can Trust our self to be who we are beyond our outer presentation or form. We see all our ways of being as reflections of different aspects of who we are that demonstrate our true humanity. As a result, we are no longer willing or able to judge ourselves or others negatively.

It is Paradoxical that the embodiment of our Feminine transforms our potential into unexpected Mastery in action. This is because healing the Feminine requires an aspect of the Masculine. For example, people who Respect themselves and are able to embody the Feminine naturally seek to build the Respect of others with whom they interact by honoring how the potential of other is becoming actualized as they way of being. Mutual Respect evokes self-Esteem in them that can be returned to us when they honor and acknowledge our self-Esteem. In this way, the Feminine is completed by an element of the Masculine that brings it into Balance within itself. We can see this graphically in the classic image of the Taoist philosophy where the opposite point of view is contained within the circle of the other (the white dot in the center of the arc of black). In this case, the spaciousness of the Feminine finds its focus in the central Appreciation of its knowing.

We embody our Masculine by using our Creative Awareness, Co-Measurement, and Commitment to unify our ideas with those of others so a greater Wisdom can emerge. In this case, the structure and Content of the Masculine finds a deeper Presence or self-Acceptance that permits us to recognize the greater source of our knowing. Self-Esteem evolves into Mutual Esteem as we start to build the Esteem of others. When we do this with people who reflect the Feminine, it will (as we previously discussed) create a response where mutual Respect will be reflected back to us. What we are seeking in the Feminine is to be effective in our interactions so we can see progress being made. This reflects the time orientation of the Masculine that is only transcended when we are also able to embrace the Feminine. Without the balancing of the Masculine and Feminine, full Conscious Participation cannot blossom. George Gurdjieff was a pioneer in spiritual methodology that reflected a greater Masculine embodiment than a Feminine one. This means it was more difficult for him to create equal, Conscious Participation with others in his moment-to-moment process.

Another more Balanced spiritual leader was Gandhi. Though he initially embodied a greater Feminine embodiment than the Masculine, he awakened in others a greater response to the degree that he Balanced the Masculine and Feminine within himself. This embodiment of the Masculine and Feminine must be done in simultaneously to maximize Conscious Participation. We need to be able to recognize our contribution and the contribution of others (honoring the Masculine) and also to be able to be present with our potential and honor the potential of others (honoring the Feminine) so all options and opportunities can be available to the process. Wherever we are withholding something from the process becomes the problem focus that consumes all our energy. In other words, the degree to which we are operating in a state of creative denial becomes the degree to which we create Fears that we project into our situation, immensely complicating what is needed to produce creative results. When we operate within the comfort zone of our conditioning, the denial of the Masculine (not honoring contribution) and Feminine (not honoring potential) makes it much more difficult to be creative and fulfilled in our expression.

We need to bring these two sides of ourselves together in our hearts, which in historical spiritual terminology was called the “chalice”. The chalice, in different religious traditions, reflected the incomplete patterns, lessons, or karma that led us to take actions to complete and neutralize their energetic effects. This self-healing process metaphorically represents reconnecting to the Universe in a Whole way. We usually Experience it as a creative passion that is met and experienced by others and us as creative flow with each other. In Conscious Relationships, this is experienced as connecting in Common Neutral Ground as a separate space outside of our personal environment. In Common Neutral Ground terminology, the energy of the heart is used to create a relationship space of imagination, visualization, and will. This is similar to the Christian tradition of the story of the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail, which was believed to be the chalice Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper, represented the sharing of his Life, Light, and Love Energy with others as part of a Conscious, creative renewal process. This has been rearticulated to mean the chalice that provided eternal life because the Experience transcended our common understanding of space, time, and energy. We call this Experience Conscious Participation because it allows us to go beyond our expectations and discover the Mystery and Mastery inherent in our Inner Creative Being.

Conscious Participation is usually associated with being of service to others and our self simultaneously. Many people believe service needs to be impersonal because making things personal brings Fears and Personality Desires into the situation and thwarts our higher creative expression. While these concerns are valid, there is no way we can completely eliminate the personal from our interactions with others. Our language itself is dualistic in nature and personalizes everything. Therefore, we need to find a way to honor the personal so it does not interfere with the service we are trying to perform. We can do this by acknowledging our Fears and Personality Desires and then focusing on how to best contribute to others while allowing the Universe to serve us in best way it knows. Ultimately, we need to learn to Trust that our contributions will be acknowledged and valued in some way. This does not mean we will be paid or compensated in a way we think is commensurate with our contribution. Instead, it is more likely that some of the contributions we make will not bring material remuneration, but some of the others things we do may create inordinate support and remuneration. Conscious Participation requires us to try not to control how the Universe serves us, just as the Universe does not try to control how we serve it. This is a major benefit of Conscious Participation and reflects how everything needs to operate in a state of free will.

Conscious Participation is the simultaneous honoring of our embodied Masculine and Feminine permitting us to operate as a Co-Creator with Universal Intent. It is Paradoxical that it requires us, on a personality level, to recognize and honor our own Truth before we can see how it relates to other more inclusive Truths. This is because we build our Consciousness from the inside out and we limit our ability to be true to ourselves when we accept the Beliefs of others over our own knowing or Experience. Honoring our Truth on a personal level clarifies for us that it is important for others to honor their Truths and not compromise themselves. If they compromise themselves, it greatly limits the degree to which we can consciously interact with them. This is a major criterion in choosing friends, Partners, and associates. The degree to which others can see themselves is directly proportional to the degree to which they meet us and see us where we are, provided we are as Conscious as they.

The bottom line is that no one can operate outside their comfort zone when they are not aware of how their own Fears and Personality Desires are interfering with their ability to be present with others. Fears and Personality Desires distract us from connecting openly and Consciously with another person. When we are tired, frustrated, or irritated, our ability to participate Consciously with others is greatly curtailed. The more overwhelmed we are, the more we contract and operate in ways that make us feel safe and secure. When this happens, our focus cannot be on others, but rather is caught up in trying to make our own situation bearable.

It is time now to recognize that we are only as present as our energy and circumstances allow. While we can learn to regenerate ourselves when we are stressed out, it is not a quick or easy process to shift from our conditioning to a self-affirming, free way of interacting with others.

It is a cyclic and evolutionary process where we need to accept that sometimes the possibility of Conscious Participation will emerge and allow for progress, while at other times things will naturally be more constrained. This is the nature of the Growth of our Consciousness – that by learning how to be present with ourselves we can learn how to channel our energy in uplifting ways. Every investment in ourselves allows us to make investments in participating with others. The reverse is not true – that is, when we seek to constantly participate without honoring our own energy and process, we ultimately collapse from sheer exhaustion. This reflects that Consciousness “begins at home”. While some people may believe this is selfish, it is important for us to make ourselves a priority in our development process so that our service to others can be sustained. Another way of looking at this is that we need a little selfishness to be of the highest service to others.

When we are engaging others, it is also important to recognize when they need time to regenerate. Trying to match our Cycles is the best way to facilitate Conscious Participation with others. In all intimate relationships, we need the natural ebb and flow of deepening ourselves in our own Experience and then sharing it with our Partner. This ebb and flow is the way of the world, as all things operate in cyclic patterns. Our Growth can also be facilitated by cyclically shifting our Attention and focus to people on different levels of Conscious development. While we will find the best results with people who match our own degree of Consciousness, having friends and associates for whom we must hold greater space because they are not as Conscious is a great service which supports us in attracting others who are more Conscious than we are.  Both of these augment and greatly enhance our Growth process.

A mutual transmutation where everyone involved is awakened to a greater self-understanding, as a part of the process is the ultimate Communion Experience of Conscious Participation. This advanced state of Connection only occurs when there is a mutual honoring of the Masculine and Feminine within us. In other words, every participant in the process needs to be fully engaged in a Pioneering manner that fluidly and powerfully generates new ways of interacting in each moment. This requires complete Trust and a Commitment to Unity for every participant. It is the hope and aspiration of humanity that we be able to use our Consciousness as a technology for the Transformation of the world. In the coming years, more and more people will awaken to the power of their Intent and be able to operate outside the comfort zone of their conditioning which will make this Transformation a reality. Right now we are focusing on creating Spiritual Partnerships that will operate on this level.

Awareness

Awareness is the Acceptance of our own Aliveness and Wisdom. It permits us to reflect upon our Thoughts, Feelings, Emotions or behaviors without becoming attached or identified with them. Shared self-reflection with others awakens mutual opportunities for Growth. Self Presence with internal awareness allows us to direct and develop our Consciousness in any area of endeavor. Instead of externalizing our Fears and Desires, we engage and neutralize these issues in our own framework of perception, which empowers us to externally manifest what we wish. Some consider this to be an energetic process, where Love Energy supports the participants and various elements (things, practices, procedures) to come into synergistic Alignment with each other. The key development process is balance. This occurs through interchange and rhythm. This requires complete Personality Detachment (Sensations, Feelings. Emotions and Thoughts) and releasing our self imposed ideals of Acceptance and rejection, so we no longer project our reality on others. The terms Co-Creativity, Transfiguration and Vibratory Expansion capture the Growth and goodness required for right speaking, which creates within us the Experience of Awareness.

Wisdom, Aliveness and Awareness permit us to bring Consciousness to our Unconscious attractions. Any time we discuss our attractions with another, we either operate from a denial of the larger attractive possibilities (by being attached to our attractions), or we use higher attractions to neutralize the Judgments we make by sharing our perspective. Bringing Wisdom, Aliveness or Awareness to our choices is what transforms Judgments into opportunities for Growth. Until we release the Judgments of physical objectification, Intellectual subjectification and idealistic Projections all of our assessments are more about us than them. Physical objectification is where we believe in superficial appearances (Maya). Intellectual subjectification is where we need to reinforce our own truth by denying the truth of others (Illusion). Idealistic Projection is where we seek associations with others that have possessions or a lifestyle that we desire (Glamour). This is due to the fact that when we are not embodied in Wisdom, Aliveness and Awareness, our perceptions about attractions are distorted by what we wish them to be (to neutralize SafetyFears or enhance our SecurityDesires). For most of us, it is our self-imposed personality limitations that actually define our perceptions about others. These kinds of Judgments will be discussed more fully in succeeding sections of the document. We now begin to recognize that our assessment of attractions speaks more about our personal process than the reality we perceive about others.

The more Conscious we are about our attractions, the more we are able to grow internally so we are no longer defined by them.Unconscious individuals Experience no choice about attractions, which reflects their lack of understanding that attractions can and do guide and support our Growth. When we are Conscious, we share our attractions so they evolve and change with us. As we become more committed to Conscious attractions, it supports our Acceptance of our authentic creative nature. The most evolved attractions are Wisdom (reflecting creative Feminine embodiment), Aliveness (reflecting creative Masculine embodiment), and Awareness (reflecting the Communion of Masculine and Feminine). Wisdom reflects the integration of Sensations, Feelings, Emotions, and concrete and abstract Thoughts in a Context where our Presence with Self supports us in sharing this inclusive understanding with others. Aliveness is expressed, not only in our ability to tell our Truth and take congruent action, but also in our ability to engage life fully without reservation. When Aliveness and Wisdom are brought together, it gives birth to a higher Awareness that reflects the unification of active and receptive ways of being. We can envision our Selves as constantly being and becoming simultaneously.

Co-Creativity

Co-Creativity is the ability to recognize and amplify the energetic potential that a relationship represents through concrete ways of meeting them. This requires knowing who we are, and how we best work, while simultaneously being able to identify that what they need we can respond to without compromising ourselves. It also requires that we are able to share our Experience both personal and transpersonal without any withholds, distortions, or denials. Intimacy is the best way to learn how to optimize our inner Connections by minimizing the dissonances and addressing the underlying Fears and frustrated Desires that may be operating on personality levels. At the minimum, we want to be able to redirect these energies and transmute, transform or transfigure them to make the relationships flow easier. Now, let us use our Autonomy and Intimacy skills to engage new opportunities to view the process of Co-Creativity. In its highest form, Creativity reflects the implementation of our soul’s purpose. Co-Creativity occurs when our purposes align. The result is an interconnected Vision, which we Experience as Communion. Communion with others reinforces Communion with our Self. This is the type of Alignment with others that is not based on Safety and Security, but on our true creative Connection. To accomplish this, we need to use our communication and Commitment skills to support a Common Neutral Ground where Communion can occur.

This means we have to go beyond protecting ourselves or directing others to embrace the possibility that we all can work together equally. Communion is established by creating an independent Context for the relationship, which we call a Common Neutral Ground. In this way, we don’t have to be concerned about taking personal credit or being attached to the ideas that we are jointly investigating. The focus, instead, is how we do things together and keep each other appraised about our inner Commitment to the process. When our Creativity is reflected in others, and their Creativity is reflected in us, then we see and accept our larger divine nature. The power of connectedness reinforces joint action creating new ways of addressing the problems around us. Let us break out of our conditioning and our previous Experiences about Creativity to embrace the Paradox that Creativity resides both in our Self and in the world at large.

Essential Questions:

How Does the Experience of Communion Reflect My Creativity and
Awareness?
How and Where Do I Typically Accept My Creativity?
How Do I Protect the Creativity I Have?
What Is the Cost of Not Being Creative?
How Do I Accept My Creative Nature and Support Others at the Same Time?

Embodying our ability to be Co-Creative with others means we have accepted and demonstrated our Mutual Learning and Physical Discernment skills. Co-Creativity requires us to be unattached to our image or positions about how we will be creative, but committed to the adventure of Co-Creative activity in each moment. The more we do not know what is going to happen next, the greater the opportunity we have to be Co-Creative with our Partner. We protect ourselves by taking positions about having the agreement of others for what we are going to do in a creative situation. Thus, Interactive Creativity occurs through brainstorming and other consensus means of deciding the direction in which to go. Co-Creativity is more than a short-term process because it requires personal ownership and the will to continually implement it in our lives.

The other way we protect ourselves is by focusing on Personal Creativity and avoiding people who could prevent us from doing what we think is best. When we use Personal Creativity, we are careful not to incur hidden obligations, instead, seeking to maintain our Independence at all times. With Personal Creativity we also try to demonstrate our power to solve the problem completely alone. When Interactive or Personal Creativity cannot be used to leverage the activities of our Partners, most of us fall into the pattern of Imitation.

Here we do what others expect in order to keep from drawing their Attention in ways that make us feel incapable. The primary way Unconscious individuals resist co-creative expression is to not participate in activities that threaten their self-perceptions or self-image. The more demanding others become, the more likely they retreat to past justifications or expertise that prevents them in their mind from engaging the process with others. It takes a willingness to Trust the Universe and the capacity to evolve with the Universe for us to be at ease with our authentic expression.

While no one is able to force anyone to grow and contribute, we want to learn how to make invitations in a way that encourages an autonomous response. We grow in our creative expression by realizing that it is up to each individual to engage the opportunities that will bring out the best in us and best in others around us. When our invitations are not taken, it is important to make them to others until we find others willing to grow and take risks with us. It is only by surrendering to your highest creative expression that we truly get our creative magnificence. When others respond to our authentic transpersonal expressions it brings our their own gifts, which reflects how we are Transfigured by Co-Creative activity.

Since this kind of Growth scares a majority of people in our society, we can see how our culture has created a limited number of sanctioned environments where Creativity is actually accepted. For example, in dance companies or corporate think tanks, messy Co-Creativity is expected. In the franchise based world of creative imitation, spontaneous Creativity is not easily absorbed. The self-imposed guardians of our future are those Unconscious (Personality Based) Safety and Security individuals who collaborate in minimizing the Transfiguring effects of Creativity through overt and convert control. They believe this Fahrenheit 451 framework is for the good of all. Unfortunately, it is likely responsible the collapse of our moral values.

The quality of Co-Creativity is best described as the Experience of Communion. From the outside, Co-Creativity can best be seen as a cooperative synchronization of activities between two or more people. All other relationships skills are needed to optimize the expression of our Co-Creative powers. Co-Creativity is the fulfillment of our destiny as Creative Beings and only occurs when we have cleared away all the Imprinting, Pretenses, and defenses revealing the diamond core of our Creative Knowing. When two or more such individuals come together, the combined synergy produces many times the result any single individual could achieve alone. The more people create this Experience, the greater the possible synergy. The more we manifest Co-Creativity, the easier it will be for others to follow this path.

Co-Creativity is the ability to engage another in a way that encourages the best from each Partner, enabling us to exceed previous self-imposed limitations. Co-Creativity generates synergy when individuals are able to operate in Alignment with each other. It requires that our Autonomy and Intimacy be in Balance, enabling our inner Creativity to emerge. Some of us can see this in a Balance between speaking and listening, where our deepest truth are heard and reflected. Most of us have personal examples of Creativity surges, which are the result of balanced personal and interpersonal expression. When our inner and outer expression is authentic, we can interact Creativity with others to balance their creative expression with ours. To accomplish this we have to realize how we create and interpret our own Experience and then learn how to share this with others. Co-Creativity is the process of two or more Conscious individuals who are committed to sharing their natural love of life contributing to others.

The benefit of Co-Creativity skills is that we develop an inner knowing about what will best work in any situation through an Interconnected Vision. This vision becomes clearer when our aspirations, Feelings/Emotions, Thoughts and actions come into manifestation when another meets us fully and creatively. We develop Trust when outer circumstances and elements of the creative process synchronize. This begins with Conscious Growth, Sovereign Autonomy, and Transformational Intimacy, and completes with Transpersonal Co-Creativity. The Masculine Engagement skills of Aliveness, Playfulness, Paradox and Mutual Learning support these integration skills with the Feminine Embodiment skills of Wisdom, Personality Detachment, Intuitive Discrimination and Physical Discernment. Co-Creativity is the culmination of our capabilities in all twelve skills. Conscious Relationships and defensive healing are the natural result of skill development.

Interconnected Vision is a virtue that comes from Co-Creative activities. Mutual Interconnected Vision is always more powerful than an individual’s Vision because of the larger Commitment of resources that is possible. The most effective possibility for a person with Vision is to share it as soon as possible so that our Mutual Vision can develop the critical mass necessary to become a commonly held possibility. The ability to share a Vision means we need to let go of our personal attachments to it. Instead, it is not our Vision, but one another can co-own with us. Co-Creativity is the capacity to envision together. The Higher Alignment program is no longer the Vision of one individual, but is held by a much larger group of participants and facilitators who have benefited from the process.

The How Section

Creativity exists both in ourselves and in the world around us, when we discover that we can tap into the Creativity around us it frees us from the belief that we have to do everything. Our reality reflects many other creative contributions that we can choose to ignore, deny or embrace. Mutual Creativity occurs when we can honor our Boundaries, possess the desire to resolve our differences, and take a top-down, inside-out approach to healing our perceived separation from others. The top-down process refers to honoring our Intuition and then bringing it down into our personal reality to embrace our physical being. The inside-out approach refers to how we start with our own truth and then work to create that truth and have it be seen by others outside of us. When it is seen, it creates the opportunity for Co-Creative synergistic interactions.

In a way, working together can help us align to the larger Universal Intent if we are willing to use each other to get feedback when we are personally out of Balance. In other words, when we become personally fixated and positional, it indicates that we are implementing our personal will at the cost of our Partners and Universal Intent. The more we can anchor a mutual flow and Experience with our Partner, the easier it is to be aligned with Divine Intent and mutually see the possibilities that are in front of us. Let us empower our creative expression by recognizing that we are responsive co-creators expressing Divine Intent. Co-Creativity requires an openness and Playfulness where we can let go of our attachments, as well as the capability of embracing Paradox where we can let go of our defensive Beliefs. May we find and reflect our intuitive knowing that empowers us to make our destiny a reality.

When we know who we are as a Creative Being, it provides us the confidence to operate openly and without concern for the reactions of others. The more we naturally affirm who we are as a Creative Being, the easier it is to see that the reactions of others are their business, not ours. It becomes easier to hold our own Boundaries and to be flexible in our way of connecting to others. This arises because we know our contribution will be accepted and no one can pre-empt us in making our contribution. The more we are able to honor ourselves, the easier it is to honor the Creativity of others. This allows us to get out of any form of competition, because we actually want others to be themselves and to contribute in the way that they best can.

The major problem we face in our own Growth process is to separate who we are authentically from our Imprinting. Others will react to us when we do our Imprinting by discounting, ignoring or attempting to assert their Self over our way of being. If we do have reactions to us in our contribution, it is usually because we have mixed some of our Imprinting with our authentic expression. It helps us to notice where we went Unconscious so we can keep it from happening again. It is important that we do not loose ourselves in pleasing others, but, instead, take a stand for just being ourselves. In this way, we attract people who are like us that want to work with us; we repel those who do not appreciate who we are.

The more we know who we are, the less we seek the assurance and agreement of others around us. As our Creativity is transpersonal in nature, meaning that it is interactive with others, there is no way to identify where our Creativity leaves off and where another’s Creativity begins. This requires us to see the bigger picture when we are creatively interacting with others. The more we attempt to personalize our Creativity, or to keep it to ourselves, the more we are effectively sabotaging ourselves. Our personality would like to be identified with what we produce, out of its own Safety and Security frameworks. Our true creative nature just wants to contribute and be part of Universal expression. Stepping into the possibility that our contribution is a part of Universal expression allows us to see how our individuality is never lost in the whole. It takes time to come into a full Appreciation and understanding of how our individuality actually supports Universal expression, and vice versa.

The Main Problem With Being Co-Creative

Most of us Experience either difficulties with being too powerful, or Feeling we are not acknowledged as individual creators if we are co-creating with others. In other words, it is the perception that we may be coasting on our Partner’s laurels, or the belief that we have to prove ourselves better than our Partner in order to be seen at all, that causes most of the confusion we have in this process. It is important to recognize that it is our Experience of the situation that makes it powerful for us, not what others thinks about us. The more we are operating in a co-creative way, the more effective we can be in manifesting what we wish to manifest. In this process, it is true that we have to become bigger than we were in order to become Co-Creative. Co-Creativity is the result of loving our Partners, accepting our Creative Self as we are, so we can learn from each other what is appropriate. An inter-connected vision naturally occurs when we passionately co-create with each other. Most individuals Experience this as Communion. The reason that we do not have a lot of Co-Creative options is that the more defensive we are, the more scared we are in the Communion Experience. 

Some people feel they need to pace themselves so that each Cycle of becoming is followed by a Cycle of embodiment. This keeps us from being overwhelmed by the Growth we are doing. It still does not protect us from the Thoughts that it is uncomfortable to be on the leading edge. As pioneers, we will usually have the arrows in our back to prove that we are on the leading (or bleeding) edge. The fact that they are in our back, and not in our front, should tell us that we are going in the right direction. I think it is appropriate for us to recognize that being on the leading edge of a situation means that we are redefining the norm, and that after our expression, things won’t be the same anymore. This is likely to upset certain people who have invested in the way it was. It should also be noted that this Pioneering effort is what moves our society and culture forward.

Three Types of Creativity

Creativity comes from embracing what is unknown. This requires that we let go of what is known so we can Experience new ways of viewing ourselves.It also means viewing the process without attachments and understanding the purpose that animates our contribution. The Three Types of Creativityreflects how we are able to let go of our Defenses, engage others in Mutual ways and discover ways to express ourselves that are in Alignment with Universal Intent. All Creativity involves an expansion of perspective, a release of the previous way of viewing the situation and an Acceptance of a new possibility. Individuals who are familiar with the Higher Alignment work will recognize that creative expansion occurs by embracing new Content, redirecting our Intent and acknowledging or constructing a common Context.

There are three ways to enhance our Creativity. The first is to transcend our defensive positions regarding the Content. We call this process Transformation because though Paradox, we eventually unify our Thinking in a way that allows new possibilities to arise.  The second is to expand the Context by engaging others in a larger common way by loving both differences and similarities in others. We call this process Transfiguration because it supports us in redefining our Self in terms new creative terms. Finally, the third is to select people based on a unified Intent, which reveals our conditioning and attachments through the process of Transmutation. It all comes down to embracing the unknown to create new self-knowing. The key path is to find the central neutral way to operate so that we maximize our flexibility and preserve our ability to choose in each moment what is appropriate.

We minimize our Creativity by reacting to the unknown taking positions to preserve a false sense of Safety and Security and remaining fractured in our self-identity as a Creative Being. The more we embrace our true creative nature, the greater power we Experience in being able to engage the world in a way where we are not the victims. The more we are identified with the problems, the less capable we are of mastering our own space, time and energy. The process of Creativity assists us in identifying what is true and authentic for us from what is separative and false for us. In a way, Creativity permits us to transmute our Defensive reality and to transform our interactions with others so that we can fulfill the unique contribution we have come here to make. Without Creativity there would be no love, Growth or self-discovery.

What Are The Three Types of Creativity That Keep Us Stuck?

Personal Imitation: While imitation is an Instinctive reaction to taking in new possibilities, it still focuses on the superficial or outer appearances rather then changing anything on a deep level. How we were compromised in the past is our focus when we are imitating others. In other words, we first want to make sure that others are not going to judge or attack us for doing something different and not proven. This emphasis on appearances represents the Distant Defense Style position, where it is more important to look like you know what you are doing than to actually commit yourself to know what the options are. When we imitate others, inherently it is because we want to be recognized for being able to accomplish something that is seen as a valuable contribution.

This is why we tend to make heroes of individuals that can implement and produce results, especially if they are beyond the expectations of others. Unfortunately, Fears of Safety and Security tend to minimize the ability to break out of pre-established roles about how things should be, reducing the chance of breakthrough results. Underlying the Personal Imitation is our negative belief that we are not likely to persevere in any creative expression. We believe this because we feel we lack the ability to concentrate and visualize a solution that could make an impact. If we were able to engage a creative process with any form of personal Commitment it means we are moving into Personal Creativity or Interpersonal Creativity

Personal Creativity: When we focus on Personal Creativity, we Unconsciously minimize the ability of others to affect our Creativity. This is because we seek to be more in control and not have others upset our plans or results. By focusing on our own personal insights and inspiration, and using our own resources to make things happen, we develop internal tools to get the job done quickly and effectively. Unfortunately, this does not build our skills at interacting with other people, and can lead to situations where we are afraid to give our resources to others, leaving us with little to work with. The result of this lack of Trust is not allowing in support that could improve our processes and increase our effectiveness and productivity. People attached to personal Creativity avoid giving, because they are afraid that if they give away their resources they won’t be able to influence others to do things their way.

We justify this process by taking the position that we are independent and strong by ourselves, not realizing that sometimes this compromises the effectiveness of the group we are working within. In other words, demanding that things be done a certain way can actually disempower others in the group to make their contribution. This is why people that are committed to personal Creativity end up telling others, “It’s my way or the highway.” Basically we are typically afraid of the imagination of others interfering with our implementation process.

Interactive Creativity: When we focus on Interactive Creativity, we can end up minimizing our own Personal Creativity. In other words, by waiting for others to stimulate us to come up with new ideas, we can be passive and not take care of things ourselves when they should be taken care of. Interactive Creativity focuses on external insights and inspiration that comes form others rather than honoring that we are capable of generating ideas and capable of doing it ourselves. In this way, we become conditioned to believe that the problems of others are more important than our own. To recover our own Balance, we need o see that we can affect things and determine how and where we want to create on our own without external input.

One of the tell tale indicators of an over-attachment to interactive Creativity when we avoid receiving form others because of the conditions and attachments that come with it. Other indicators are waiting for others to define what they want rather than moving forward and speaking our truth up front. The Unconscious assumption of Interactive Creativity is that a single individual is not enough and that others need to be consulted before you move forward. This reflects that we inhibit our Personal Will. We are typically afraid to take action on our own even if we believe it is appropriate. What typically holds us back is our doubt.

What Is The Type of Creativity That Frees Us To Be Ourselves?

Transpersonal Creativity: When we release ourselves from the limitations of Personal and Interactive Creativity or imitation, we do so by connecting with others in a Common Neutral Ground. A Common Neutral Ground is placed where mutual Creativity can occur without personal attachments or positions limiting its expression. We call this space Transpersonal Creativity because no individual person can take credit for it. Instead it is a place of Communion or Bonding that uplifts or enables all those that participate in the process. It requires that we can acknowledge and hold a separate space of our own Personal Space and operates from the premise that where two or more can gather in a space where free will is honored, synergy will result.

The more an individual learns how to anchor themselves in relationships in a Common Neutral Ground, the greater the this natural self Acceptance can be transmitted into the Common Neutral Ground, encouraging full participation, Trust, and Unity. The operating premise is that where there is Alignment with each other in a common space, we are free to explore all the options and move in a way that transcends our personal limitations. The result of this empowered Mutual Learning process is greater love of yourself and greater Appreciation of others being who they are.

Transpersonal Creativity is the name of the co-creative process that allows true equality to be manifest in the world. For this reason, it is beyond competition or compromise. Key indicators of this space are the Playfulness of participants and the ability for individuals to engage in creative problem solving and Paradoxical ways. Mutual Learning will occur naturally in this co-creative space and is an accelerated way in which to grow and deepen your own inner knowing. In a Common Neutral Ground, Alignment is the highest compliment while agreement usually indicates ways to neutralize differences, leaving Appreciation as the lowest form of co-creative endeavor.

Every individual has a particular strength in how they engage their Creativity. This strength is not only effective in their own lives, but also with the people with whom they interact. While we will first present the Creativity that comes from Internal Conflicts or differences, which is related to Content, some individuals may find it more powerful to focus on the External differences or Context or on the Internal-External Similarities which arise from engaging Creativity on the Intent level. Overall, every human being masters their creative power by being able to Consciously see and engage all three.

When we are able to manifest an energetic Connection with others it indicates the degree to which we have embodied our Masculine and Feminine energy. The more we can see our energy as separate from our physical form, the more we realize we are not defined by our current Content. This reflects the Law of Synthesis where we identify with our larger Creative Being and our ability to be both Masculine and Feminine. When we are able to see and accept our complete Context by being able to be spatially present with ourselves, it indicates that we have embodied our Feminine side and we know how to attract what we need in our life. When we are able to see and accept the power of our Intent to create our reality, we can then see ourselves in time and know that we are not at the effect of time. By being able to see ourselves moving through time, we are able to express our Intent and motivations because we embody our Masculine energy. This reflects the Law of Economy where we do the minimum necessary to produce the maximum results. Creativity is engendered the more we embody these three dimensions.

Making The Twelve Doorways Operational

To be actualized in our being permits us to respond rather than react to changes or challenges. To be is to acknowledge our ability to choose a course of action where our personal will is aligned with divine intent. To even recognize divine expression requires an acceptance of the laws of nature, the consciousness to see the patterns beneath outer appearances, and primarily the capacity to operate in alignment with our own divine design.

To attain a clear state of being requires that we discover our own operating manual for creative behavior. Creative behavior is that which is in alignment with divine intent.  It is motivations, thoughts, and actions that not only uplift and actualize our creative nature but also serve the universe to the best of our abilities.  Since the inner and outer can be used to illuminate patterns and embrace paradox, we can grow by using insights in the world to heal inner conflicts and vice-versa.  What is important to recognize is that our true power is a reflection of our ability to balance and bring into equilibrium our inner and outer realities?

We can identify Creative behavior by its ability to provoke responses rather then reactions, by its capacity to reveal the greater good, by its healing and integrative effects and by its top-down, inside-out perspective. When we express ourselves in a creative way that affirms life, light, and love, consciousness precedes relationship or action. When a context of wholeness is matched with a spiritually healing intent, then the content can be delivered without a position that will provoke a reaction.  This process occurs only when we have consciously integrated the tools necessary for co-creation with others.

We call these tools skills because they constantly improve with practice. These can also be considered qualities of being, because they provide an integrated framework of tools that operate together synergistically. The twelve qualities are Aliveness, Wisdom, Growth, Playfulness, Personality Detachment, Autonomy, Paradox, Intuitive Discrimination, Intimacy, Mutual Learning, Physical Discernment, and Creativity. The conscious presence that occurs when they are brought together and practiced with others we call a Common Neutral Ground.

The power that arises when individuals know and honor these qualities within themselves and provide a support system for others to be with them consciously using these connections can be directed into many avenues. We call the full manifestation of these skills Relationship Synthesis where we know ourselves well enough to transcend compatibility differences or life expression not-congruence. Simply stated, with these skills, we are never at the effect of others because we know how to accept and utilize what is.

These skills integrate for levels of interaction with others: Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, and Intuitive. While the focus is on the intuitive because of its ability to simultaneously perceive the inner and outer realities, many individuals ground themselves by starting with their strengths on the physical, emotional, or intellectual level. For example, physically oriented individuals may learn to express their Aliveness and Growth through physical action that is guided by Physical Discernment, which is to trust their body wisdom. Emotionally oriented individuals may focus on Playfulness, Paradox, and Intimacy so that they can create their own safety by distracting or taking care of others. Intellectual individuals may find it easier to focus on Aliveness and Growth on the mental level, seeking to manifest their Autonomy.

Ultimately, it is our intuitive knowing, compassionate relating, and exuberant creative expression, which guide us to discover our authentic nature in being with others.  Each of these skills has three different beliefs or positions about how we should be that covers up our natural moment to moment expression. When we find and are willing to express our power by being fully ourselves, it invokes higher possibilities in others, showing us solutions that empower our relationships. Instead of the rigidity that comes with taking positions with others, we discover that honoring ourselves and our inner power eliminates our need for control over others.

The joy that naturally arises when we find out that we don’t have to conform to or support the positions of others but instead can shift these dead ways of connecting into flexible, alive creative interactions. It is only our expectations that we need to compromise to be accepted that keeps us from exploring how we could be with others.  It is only our past experiences and beliefs about how others will hurt us that keeps us locked into defensive behavior. What we need is to learn how to be present in the moment, with a wholehearted appreciation for others around us.

Regaining our childhood innocence by looking at everything freshly, consciously, is the most powerful way to engage these skills. Let us start by playfully exploring how these skills could expand our reality.  Let us begin by taking an inventory of which skills we feel expand us or contract us.  If we are contracted, it is because we seek to protect ourselves by taking positions, not realizing that this process automatically attracts the attacks of others.  If we feel expanded, does this skill allow us to connect more powerfully to others, and support and stabilize their ability to mirror or magnify our sills?

The more we accept our Creative nature, the more likely we will recognize and support spirit moving through us. This spirit can be best felt when we experience our wholeness with each of these twelve skills. Each one that we internalize and embody makes it easier for the next to be actualized. As each that is not actualized indicates a blindness or place where our reality can be distorted, it makes sense to invest in our eventual enlightenment by first identifying where we are compromising ourselves. Investigating how we are denying our Aliveness, Playfulness, Paradox or Mutual Learning can reveal how we have accepted the limitations of others to be accepted.  Investigating how we are ignoring our Wisdom, Personality Detachment, Intuitive Discrimination, or Physical Discernment can indicate how we were not expected to build our own inner tools to clarify where we are. Investigating how we are not owning our power to determine our own choices about Growth, Autonomy, Intimacy, and Creativity can indicate how we have been over protected, unchallenged, and not honored.  Developing these twelve skills requires a systematic step-by-step investigation of how we have compromised motivation, knowing, and actions.