If You Build It, They Will Come
Sound familiar? A great tagline that I never would have imagined I would still be hearing in my mind nearly twenty years after the movie; Field of Dreams (1989). Why? Maybe because it is a theme focused on the building of a baseball field. Baseball is fun, but in the scheme of things to do, baseball would not be rated among my top five favorite pastimes. (Aside from "Go Mets" or "Go Phillies"- I go both ways)
And yet, W.P. Kinsella's "Field of Dreams" storyline left me with an inescapable message of inspiration; if we want to evoke change in the world, we cannot be afraid of constructing and carrying out our visions. And whose dreams could have been more extraordinary than the vision of Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella? How many farmers hear voices in their corn fields, instructing them to create the impossible? According to music therapy pioneer Carolyn Kenny, both patients and music therapists have the potential to continuously create a vital space for the evolution of beauty in a 'field of play.' Kenny studied, and still examines the unique and indigenous processes involved in active music-making, and few have contested her preliminary theory. Like many great models, her 'Field of Play' has elements of simplicity and profundity, not unlike other works of visionaries of our time. How can we create an open field of creativity in the workplace? What is your vision and is there opportunity to create and build? What would the construction of your field of dreaming consist of, if you had your druthers? "All his life, Ray Kinsella was searching for his dreams. Then one day, his dreams came looking for him..." Our plans to build come from creative ideas. What comes to mind about your setting or patient-care aspects of treating when you hear: "If You Build it, They Will Come...?"
I heard from my wife on Sunday that our table tennis table was taken into the backyard by my teen aged twins. I immediately responded, "they can't do that, they'll ruin it!"
Two hours later it was returned to it's indoor location after several great games in the wonderful outdoors. Then i remembered that my older brothers often did this where we grew up and I enjoyed these games as a kid. My son now wants to develop an "all terrain" ping pong table. The "first alert" response that prevents a new vision from seeing the light of day, I've found, is usually the by product of fear of change, of order collapsing, of losing what was thought to be stable. But by trying to reduce the fear (always hightened beyond reality), we open up possibilities.
So, when you are trying to increase creativity start by reducing the negative attitudes, or think "less is more." Construction begins by destruction of the old. Rollo May's "The Courage to Create" is a good place to start to see the disabiling impact of fear of change.
I spent a lot of time over the years thinking about my surprise and have come up with the followings thoughts about creativity.
While my colleagues were concerned about methodology and technique, my main modus operandi was to expose the students to new and different things and really encourage them to do some work. Along with the above, I can’t overestimate what I feel it critically the single most important thing in having the students find their own creative niche: having enough TIME to just goof around and test out their ideas and try to incorporate them in a working whole. Lastly, my students have told me many times that what they most remember about their success in these classes was based around an aura I set up (I have no idea how) where the freedom to be critical by both myself and their peers was a valued occupation.
I am sure the three basic ideas could and should be transferred to workplaces that seemingly value creativity in its employees. I presume the most difficult one to come by would be the second: TIME.
For the last year, I've really focused on plants and gardening. I'm even trying to grow plants from seedlings. How do we make creativity in the workplace? To use my gardening image: by setting up the environment, keeping one's awareness (to water, fertilize and transfer as needed) on the new life (creativity/music), time and transference.
1. The space and environment: for caregivers, staff, clients/patients and therapists in which the music/relationships can grow. For me this is getting rid of extra desks, tables and chairs, light change and whatever else seems to be overstimulating...as I work with autism.
2. Attention and awareness: to compensate for the ever changing environment of music, personal needs and relationships. The music therapist should be open to change and compensate for it. Some of the best learning experiences I've had as a therapist to date have been when I have fallen flat on my face or made big mistakes. Sometimes what we may consider to be fertilizer can be something that helps that plant grow.
3. Time to allow the roots to grow: therapeutic, teaching and personal relationships take time. The music needs time to begin, develop strength and then come to transition. Each plant will vary.
4. Transference: So the creation is absorbed, held and then released to take root again in another/next cycle.
So, that's my two cents.
The key on this occasion was finding the bridging experience - that experience which introduced the potential of the full creative experience we were pursuing, at the point which was accessible to those who might advocate for it (thank-you Paul, I learnt about bridges from you long ago!).