The above quote is by Seamus Heaney from a 1974 lecture entitled ‘Feeling into words’, available online. I first came across it in Elizabeth Gilbert’s book about creativity, ‘Big Magic’ in the summer holidays.
I was drawn to the idea that the poet or the artist digs or delves, tries to get below the surface in order to reach something in the interior: the treasure within. If you know some of my previous work* you might think that I would be using a teaspoon to do the job. Well, its early days yet, so maybe I shall.
But over the summer I’d already been thinking of using a divining rod as a symbol for my art research project: the idea of two hands together seeking out water; searching out our inner pool, the source of creativity.
I’ve been musing on this for a while now, ever since I heard David Lynch speak about transcendental meditation (TM) and its effect on his work several years ago. It ties in with the Jungian idea of the collective unconscious; albeit a more watery realm, that maybe I’ve dreamed up; being that way inclined.
other selves 