Saturn Returns with Caggie - *The Courage to Create* Embracing Creativity: Ancient Wisdom, Caggie's Journey and Spiritual Growth

Episode Date: October 4, 2024

In the first episode of this new mini-series, The Courage To Create, Caggie delves into the captivating concept of creativity—how it’s been perceived through history and what it means on a personal level. Origins of Creativity: Caggie explores the ancient Greek view of creativity as a universal force we access, rather than something that belongs to us individually. Creative Journey: Caggie reflects on her evolving relationship with creativity, how it is tied to her identity, and how joy, the inner child, and perfectionism play key roles. Astrological Insights: A clip from Caggie’s astrology reading reveals how her birth chart highlights the significance of creativity in her life. Evolving Perceptions: From ancient beliefs to modern ideas, Caggie examines how society’s view of creativity has shifted—and why we often abandon it as we age. Fear and Judgment: Caggie questions why many of us let go of our creative passions due to societal pressures, work misalignment, or fear of judgment. Reclaiming Creativity: With insights from Madeleine (@astrologyforartists), Caggie explores how to rediscover and nurture our creative selves in today's world. Join Caggie as she explores the importance of embracing our creativity—not just for success, but for personal and spiritual growth. Stay tuned every Friday for new episodes of The Courage To Create. Follow or subscribe to Saturn Returns to get notified when each episode drops!  For those inspired to dive deeper, you can join Caggie’s Substack, You Are Not Alone—a creative hub and community where you can follow her reflections and be held accountable on your own creative path. Sign up for your free month here.  If you’d like to learn more about Chiron, the wounded healer, join Caggie for her online workshop with Madeleine from Astrology for Artists. Limited spaces available— secure your spot here.  At the end of this five-part series, Caggie will release her music project—sign up here to be the first to hear it. The Courage To Create was inspired by Caggie’s episode with Amy McNee (@inspiredtowrite). Listen here!

Hello everyone and welcome to a very exciting project that I am bringing to you guys. I am launching a mini series called The Courage to Create and the reason that I'm doing that is because creativity has been my word for the year. I have had many conversations and episodes on this show around creativity from Julia Cameron with Miralee Patel, Amy McNeay, many many many conversations around this theme and it's always resonated quite deeply with you and I have been brewing this concept for a couple of years now which is quite shocking but I mean I'm sure you guys will relate that you can have an idea and something that you want to bring to life

But to find the courage to actually put it out into the world is a different story So that is what this show is all about And I have a hunch at the moment. I believe that our creativity is going to become so Increasingly important as we move further and further into this digital AI driven world. Humans are going to need to rely on their creativity. I think it's going to be absolutely paramount. And I know a lot of people, especially in the creative industries are feeling a bit anxious and a bit unsettled by what AI is doing. But actually I feel that these two expressions, the masculine which is very represented by the logic, the structure

and technology of what we see manifesting, but also balancing that out with the blend of the feminine, the embodiment of intuition, being emotional and creative. This harmony is going to be so beautiful I think for our collective evolution so actually I feel very very excited about what we're moving into. I just think we need to lean into these practices more than ever. So this podcast series, the reason that I'm doing it is because I feel it's important to share collectively, but I've always been a big believer in what I'm experiencing personally

is going to be reflected back and I think the more honest and vulnerable I've been on this show the more I've connected with you guys and obviously the show is primarily about authenticity right it's about paving your own way and having the courage to create the life that you desire and going against the status quo and going against what society is telling you to do and Do something that you know is true for you So this project is very personal to me because I'm going to be putting out something at the end of it Even saying that makes me feel a little bit nervous

But I realized that this podcast has been so, so incredible for me in allowing me to create a community, to connect with people, to really, and to connect on a very deep and meaningful level. But I realized I was slightly hiding behind it. And I feel that in order to evolve and grow, we need to reach beyond our comfort zone.

We need to kind of just know where that line is and step across the other side and then it will expand. And for me, creativity is like the essence of who I am. But I struggle sometimes with putting things out into the world. So this podcast is not only to help serve you guys, but it's also to help hold myself accountable for my own personal expression.

For now, I wanted us to kind of go back in time because what's really interesting is to know where creativity comes from. So I've been thinking about that, like where do these ideas come from? These things that I write or think about, like where are they coming from? And of course being a spiritual astrological podcast, I'm really interested in the interconnection between those things, between the sort of cosmos and what we can't really fully comprehend and creativity. And what's really fascinating is if you go back thousands of years to ancient Greece and the role of creativity and music in

their society was so so significant. I would say it's probably it was more significant than it is for us today because whilst we all listen to music and there's a lot of creativity happening we've slightly started taking it for granted and I don't think we are conscious of the music or the creativity that we're consuming or putting out into the world. In ancient Greece they had a very interesting philosophy on this. It was an integral part of their daily lives and cultural expression and in Greek mythology human creativity was believed to be the result of divine inspiration

from a group of goddesses known as the Muses. As we journey the rich landscape of Greek mythology, we encounter the divine Muses, born of Zeus and Nemusini. These nine goddesses, each governing a domain of artistic expression, continue to inspire our deepest creativity. Each muse presided over a specific area of artistic expression, from song to dance to history and astronomy. Now, this might seem unusual for us today, as we often sort of categorise disciplines like history and astronomy

separately from the arts but for the Greeks these were hallmarks of a civilised society. And there was a particular focus on music. Music was the medium through which these disciplines were taught, studied and disseminated. The term music itself is derived from the muses, indicating the deep connection between artistic creation and divine inspiration. Now on researching this subject what I found really beautiful was that in ancient Greece the interconnectedness of all things in the universe was a fundamental concept known as Harmonia, from which we derive

the word harmony. They believed that the planets and stars created their own unique melodies as they travelled through the cosmos. This belief extended to their understanding of education and medicine, where music was used as a form of therapy to treat illnesses and physical pain Illustrating its vital role in their society The Greek philosopher Plato one of the most famous and influential thinkers of our time believed that music had a profound impact on a person's character and behavior and

Argued that music promoting intelligence self-discipline and courage was beneficial and should be embraced. The muses were believed to inspire artists, poets, musicians and scholars, guiding them in their creative endeavours and providing them with the necessary inspiration to produce work of great beauty and profound insight. This divine inspiration was thought to flow through the individual, positioning the artist as a conduit for the muse's creative power, rather than the sole originator of the work. So what I love about this belief in the Muses, as a true source of

inspiration, effectively takes creativity away from the ego. By attributing the origins of creative work to these divine entities the Greeks emphasized that artistic brilliance was not solely the result of personal talent or effort. Instead it was a gift bestowed upon the artist by the Muses. This perspective encourages humility as the artist acknowledges that their work is part of a larger divine scheme and not merely a product of their own intellect or skill. From a very young age I have always written poetry. It has been a source of comfort for me from probably about 10 was when I first

started writing and I have many many diaries and journals from my entire childhood and my teenage years and they're my most prized possessions because when I look back a lot of what I wrote about at the time I didn't understand or comprehend and it sort of, it pierces through time because some things are more relevant to me today than they were when I was 18, yet that's when I wrote them. My struggle has often been just sharing these things. I always intuitively kept poetry quite hidden

but I feel like today people are people are needing these sources of inspiration and also it allows them to put words to what they're feeling that perhaps they cannot express themselves. Now bringing it to today and more modern thinkers I have been obsessed with Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act for those that have not read it, it is phenomenal and what's so beautiful about it is you can just pick it up and put it down whenever you like and there's just it's super easy to read but there's so many nuggets of wisdom. Now Rick Rubin is a very successful music producer but this book is very very spiritual and it's also

got a lot of personal development in it and there are so many parallels to what he speaks about and how the Greeks viewed creativity and he discusses the idea of artists tapping into a universal source of inspiration, viewing themselves as vessels rather than creators. And if we embrace this mindset, artists can transcend their egos and connect with a deeper and more profound level of creativity. Now this approach fosters a sense of gratitude and reverence for the creative process, reminding us that true artistic inspiration often comes

from beyond ourselves and connects us to something greater and more universal. So we have great modern thinkers like Rick Rubin putting his work out into the world which really echo these ancient beliefs. This notion that the Muses were intermediaries between the mortal and the divine realms, bestowing artistic and intellectual gifts upon those who were open to their influence, it echoes this notion of creativity as a divine communication, reflecting a broader historical and spiritual understanding, where artistic expression is seen as a channel through which higher truths and cosmic wisdom are conveyed. This perspective reinforces

this timeless idea that creativity is a sacred practice which I truly believe that it is and I believe it's a spiritual practice and it bridges the gap between the human and the divine, and reminds us of the interconnectedness of all creative endeavors throughout history. I have an expression, the play of ideas. Play, and you will have ideas. Another great thought leader in this space is a legend that is Julia Cameron,

who bridges the gap between creativity and spirituality. She has made such a valuable contribution to artists and helping them work through their limiting beliefs, their blocks, through very practical tools like artist dates and morning pages. And if you guys didn't listen I had the privilege of sitting down with her for season 9 episode 5 of Saturn Returns and there were so many pearls of wisdom that she shared. You take three pages of blank A4 paper and you start and you say, this is what I believe, this is what I hope, this is what I dream, this is what I fantasize. And you just move your hand across the page

and it's as if you're poking into a corner of your life. And it's as if you have a little teeny broom and you're brushing all the debris toward the center of the room where you can begin to look at it. Usually people find themselves becoming what I would call positively addicted to morning pages. Now another brilliant modern thinker who has dedicated her life towards creativity is Elizabeth Gilbert. For those who aren't familiar, she wrote Eat Pray Love and she also wrote a wonderful wonderful book that I'm going to read a little extract of and that is a big magic. There's a

particular notion in this book that I felt incredibly drawn to, this idea that ideas and creative concepts choose us and it's our responsibility to bring them into the world but I'm not gonna butcher it, I'm actually just gonna repeat something that I found gave me full-body shivers and I wanted to share it with you guys so this is from Elizabeth Gilbert. I've spent my entire life in devotion to creativity and along the way I've developed a set of beliefs about how it works and how to work with it. This is entirely and unapologetically based upon magical thinking. And when I refer to magic here I mean it literally, like in the Hogwarts sense. I am referring to the supernatural, the mystical, the inexplicable,

the surreal, the divine, the transcendent, the otherworldly. Because the truth is, I believe that creativity is a force of enchantment, not entirely human in its origins. I am aware this is not an especially modern or rational way of saying things, it is decidedly unscientific. Because here is what I choose to believe about how creativity functions. I believe that our planet is inhabited not only by animals and plants and bacteria and viruses, but also by ideas. Ideas are a disembodied, energetic life form. They are completely separate from us, but capable of interacting with us, albeit strangely. Ideas have no material body but they do have consciousness and they most

certainly have will. Ideas are driven by a single impulse to be made manifest. And the only way an idea can be made manifest in our world is through collaboration with a human partner. It is only through a human's efforts that an idea can be escorted out of the ether and into the realm of the actual. Therefore, ideas spend eternity swirling around us, searching for available and willing human partners. And I'm talking all ideas here. Artistic, scientific, industrial, commercial, ethical, religious, political. When an idea thinks it has found somebody, say you, who might be able to bring it into

the world. The idea will pay you a visit. It will try to get your attention, mostly you will not notice. This is likely because you're so consumed by your own dramas, anxieties, distractions, insecurities and duties that you aren't receptive to inspiration. You might miss the signal because you're watching TV, shopping or brooding over how angry you are at somebody or pondering your failures and mistakes or just generally really busy. The idea will try to wave you down perhaps for a few moments

perhaps for a few months perhaps even for a few years and when it finally realizes that you're oblivious to its message it will move on to someone else. But sometimes, rarely but magnificently, there comes a day when you're open and relaxed enough to actually receive something. Your defenses might slacken and your anxieties might ease and then magic can slip through. The idea, sensing your openness, will start to do its work on you. It will send the universal physical and emotional signals of inspiration, the chills up the arms, the hair standing on the back of your neck, your nervous stomach, the busy thoughts,

that feeling of falling into love or obsession. The idea will organize coincidences and portents to tumble across your path to keep your interest keen. You will start to notice all sorts of signs pointing you towards the idea. Everything you see and touch and do will remind you of the idea. The idea will wake you up in the middle of the night and distract you from your everyday routine. The idea will not leave you until it has your fullest attention. And then, in a quiet moment, it will ask,

Do you want to work with me? So if this concept resonates with you, I want you to stay in this space of suspended disbelief and engage in your own magical thinking. And let your mind wander through the realms of possibility, allowing yourself to deep dive into the wells of your own imagination, unearthing your ideas that sparkle with potential. I hope this podcast series serves as a catalyst for your own concepts and dreams and helps bring them to reality. And I would like us to hold each other accountable in this process. reality. I would like us to hold each other accountable in this process.

And as I mentioned at the beginning of this episode, I have my own creative project that I would like to share at the end of it with all of you. For those that have followed me for many many years, you may know or have an idea what it might be about. Some of you will have absolutely no clue but I will leave that for another episode. What I wanted to touch on as we kind of round things up today is we're gonna take a closer look at what creativity means to me on a personal level. Now as this is in essence an astrology podcast I had an astrology session with an incredible astrologer called Madeleine who goes by astrology for artists and there was a particular

moment in the conversation and it was quite early on where she said a lot of stuff about my chart and it felt very revealing and that's why I find you know astrology, spirituality, creativity are so beautifully interwoven and interlinked with one another and when she said all of this stuff with me it really struck a chord because it was everything that I've been thinking and feeling particularly over the last year and this deep desire to share aspects of myself that's wrapped up in so much fear and she saw it all in my chart so I'm going to share that little clip with you

just so you guys get an understanding of how much we can get from a chart and also to share a little bit more about me. The draconic chart is a lesser known aspect of astrology that provides insight into the soul's purpose and deeper spiritual motivations. It is often referred to as the soul chart or soul map. Unlike the natal chart which represents the personality and life path in this incarnation, the draconic chart is believed to reflect the underlying spiritual or karmic lessons that one is meant to learn in this lifetime. Of course your chart is super creative but there was something that that about

creativity that it feels that you resist a lot. It's not the creativity in itself, it's like kind of your more your talent that is resisted in a way and I see that in many different ways that I want to kind of look at and like I mean already on your draconic chart your Chiron is in Leo so that is like that is like so like wow you know and your 10th house of career is in Leo. So it's like, and in your chart, in your natal chart, your 10th house is in cancer and you have Leo intercepted, you know, so you have Leo trapped in your 10th house. It's like you can't access, it's like it's difficult to access, but in your draconic chart, the 10th house is in Leo and you have Chiron in Leo. So, you know, we have a wound there, an open wound, you know, but we have a gift.

We have a talent there. So Chiron in Leo, as Madeleine is explaining for my chart. For those that do not know, Chiron is known as the wounded healer in astrology. It represents our deepest wounds, but also the areas where we have the potential to heal others once we have addressed our own pain. So Chiron in Leo, the wound is often related to the individual sense of self-worth, creativity,

and ability to express themselves fully, as Leo is the sign of self-expression, creativity, and leadership. And those with Chiron in Leo might struggle with feelings of inadequacy, they may feel that their creative efforts are not valued, that they are not special enough or that they are unable to fully shine in the way that they wish. People with this placement might have experienced early life situations where their creative talents or desire for attention were stifled or criticised or ignored.

And this can lead to a deep-seated fear that they are noticed or unimportant. The healing journey for Chiron in Leo involves reclaiming one's right to shine and express oneself creatively. It's about learning to appreciate one's uniqueness and to find the courage to share that with others despite past wounds. And you have Lilith in Libra in the 12th house, no? But when we have Lilith, we have a blind spot, you know, we have it's the more we focus, yeah, Lilith and Libra in the 10th house, the less we see. So here you're showing me that, because of a technique that I use,

is that the resisted aspect that you might feel is the fifth house, which is a house of self-expression, the house of children, of creation. And the more you work this house, the more you align yourself with your Lilith, the more you connect with your witch within as well. The path to healing with Lilith in Libra involves finding a balance between independence and connection. It's about embracing both the desire for partnership and the need for self-expression. This placement invites

individuals to explore relationships that are based on equality, mutual respect and authenticity rather than societal expectations or fear of conflict. And so this is my work but if this is resonating with you, you might want to go and look at your chart and see where Lilith is. And also Chiron, for that will be your work. So when I look at someone's chart, it's like looking at a potential. It shows me the energies that are available to you. What are you doing with them? It's your choice.

You know, you're born with this chart, which is a photograph of the sky in the second moment of your first independent birth. But you're born in a country, you speak a specific language, you go to a certain school, you come from a particularly family background and all of those things shape you. So since very young you're like, I like this about myself, I don't like that, I project, I'm gay, I'm best friend. So my main question when I do a reading is how creative are you in combining these energies to fully express who you are? It's like what are you doing with what you have? How are you relating? So there will be things, I'm not going through

your channel, there will be things that you will be like yeah yeah yeah you know and there will be things that you'll be like oh I'm not sure about that or I'm you know I don't like that Or that makes me feel uncomfortable. I feel that that's where we need to go, you know? It's like we need to go to the places that it might be some sort of feeling of uncomfortable. So as you can probably hear from everything she shared, I have a wound around sharing who I am,

or sharing my gifts, should I say. around sharing who I am or sharing my gifts should I say and therefore I have held myself back in many ways and this podcast is an opportunity for me to bring you guys on that journey because I know that there'll be a lot of you who feel a similar way that have something that they want to do but they're holding themselves back. Perhaps it's 90% ready and they just are finding all the reasons why they can't do that final 10% or perhaps they just tell themselves that they're not good enough yet or that they need to change something about themselves or it won't be accepted or it will be criticized and

fear is just getting in the way. And this is an opportunity for us to all come together and create a safe space that allows and encourages all of these ideas that we have. Because I've always been very inspired by all of you that listen to this show and have come up to me when I've met you at an event or even just in the street and have told me your courageous story of starting something, of going against the status quo and making a brave and bold decision and I realized that I need to allow you guys to encourage me to do the same. So on that note I'll say goodbye and I hope that you have enjoyed this slightly different episode and we are going to be diving into all sorts of wonderful things next week particularly taking you

back through my personal story and so it will be a very vulnerable one and we'll also be looking at the things that hold us back and why we let them. So for anyone that resonated with this episode please send me a message or share it on social media or share it with a friend who you think you'd like to have as your accountability buddy because we're all going to help each other along our own paths together in this. And thank you very much for listening. As always remember, you are not alone.