Cultural Creatives on Creativity

Hi Justin, can you tell us a bit about yourself, your business, and/or your passions?

My name is Justin St. Vincent, and sometimes I like listening to music. Those that know me will testify to the fact that the last sentence was the under-statement of the century as music is the soundtrack to my life. I have two primary passions: music and spirituality. I love to learn about people’s framework for faith and values, and I love to listen to weird and wonderful music. Xtreme Music is where music meets spirituality. After several years of research, I decided to share my extensive portfolio of exclusive interviews online. This publication project is simply known as “The Spiritual Significance of Music”, freely available via Xtreme Music: www.xtrememusic.org

Please share three interesting/crazy things about yourself.

During my younger years I had the privilege of traveling to over 100 countries. I still have the travel bug and would love to travel more, and I just recently had vision-correction laser surgery on both my eyes, now my eye-sight is crystal-clear, it feels like a whole new world.

What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

Cliff jumping several times off the southern most tip of the Big Island of Hawaii into the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. The scariest thing was climbing back up the cliff with the aid of a rusty ladder that felt like it would snap at any moment. Just as well it wasn’t shark season.

Name your top five books, movies, songs, musical groups, and/or websites. Are there any books or movies (genres) that you avoid?

Top 5 Books: “The Bible” by God, “The Spirituality Of Music” by Selina Thielemann, “The Secret Power Of Music: The Transformation Of Self And Society Through Musical Energy” by David Tame, “Sacred Sound: Experiencing Music In World Religions” by Guy L. Beck, and “The 7 Secrets Of Sound Healing” by Jonathan Goldman.
Top 5 Movies: 1492: Conquest Of Paradise, The Mission, Sneakers, West Side Story, and When Harry Met Sally.
Top 5 Songs: “Ashes To Ashes” by Faith No More, “Ambugaton” by Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, “From Rusholme With Love” by Mint Royale, “Circumambulation” by Secret Chiefs 3, and “Rosewater” by Bottle
Top 5 Musical Groups: Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere, and SPEkTR.
Top 5 Websites: www.xtrememusic.org, www.facebook.com, www.myspace.com, www.bbc.co.uk, and www.wikipedia.org
I avoid horror books and movies like the plague. Why fill your mind with nightmares? Embrace the beauty and miracle of life.

Based upon the description of a cultural creative, do you feel you are one? If so, why?

I am probably a closet “Cultural Creative” as I didn’t know this personality type existed until the read the description. I personally resonate with the phrase: “people who are deeply spiritual without being dogmatically religious”.

What made you first want to become an artist, writer, a creator?

I have always enjoyed collecting things, organizing information, and writing books. Creating is part of being, and this seemed like a natural vocation. I also believe in serving others with excellence.

Does spirituality play an important role in the creative process for you? If so, how?

Spirituality is the central part of my being. It informs what I say, what I do, and who I am. Spirituality is the source of my creative process, it is what influences and inspires me to create for others.

What is your first memory of creating something you were proud of?

My first memory of creating for others was writing a series of books with characters based on my friends at primary school. Each of the five books were self-produced and written with the desire of sharing these experiences with others. We used to share reading these books among classmates; writing for others is truly a wonderful way for any child to develop and explore their imagination.

What three words best describe the feeling you get when your creativity is flowing?

Focused, Inspired, and Passionate

What sparks your creativity?

Art and film, life and music.

What was/is the biggest obstacle you’ve faced? How did you overcome it, and what did you learn from the experience?

We create our own obstacles. Two personal obstacles are greed and pride. To overcome this I decided to freely release “The Spiritual Significance of Music” as a blessing to the world. This experience allowed me to feel a new sense of personal freedom, and I learned that the cures for greed and pride are generosity and humility.

Putting your vision into the world can be scary. Many of us wonder if we’re good enough. How do you respond to negative self-talk? What tools do you use to help work beyond your self-doubt?

Positive affirmations are a powerful way to break negative self-talk. It takes discipline and patience, but this is by far the best way to work beyond any self-doubt. A few tools for breaking self-doubt, and to step outside of your comfortable zone, and you will be rewarded with the new experiences that come from embracing the present moment and enjoying everyday life.

Are there any archetypes (hero, warrior, goddess, messenger, trickster, fool, savior, wanderer, magician etc.) that you resonate with which you feel have helped guide you on your creative journey? Does someone or something sometimes act as your muse?

I enjoy reading The Bible for sourcing spirituality, a compass for faith, hope, and love. Jesus Christ is the archetype, and becoming the archetype can be the most challenging and rewarding experience for anyone’s creative journey. God is the ultimate Creator, and my ability and desire to create is birthed in Him.

Are there any recurring motifs in your sleeping dreams, and if so, what do you think they symbolize? Is there a bigger message for you? Do your nighttime dreams ever spark your creativity?

I no longer remember my dreams or nightmares. I’m sure this is both a blessing and curse. I feel that my creativity is sparked by experiences in reality, and realized in the musical moments of life.

In what ways do you promote your work?

Promoting “The Spiritual Significance of Music” is oddly enough not a priority for me. I allow others to freely share their thoughts on this project, and always welcome their feedback. It is a self-perpetuating portfolio that continues to grow exponentially. Promoting it seems to be superfluous as many musicians and readers are happy to share their discovery of the project through individual blogs, mailing lists, and personal websites. I enjoy the grassroots promotion of this project, and feel little desire to declare this work to the world.

If you use social networking sites, have any been particularly helpful in helping you spread the word about your work? If so, which one(s) and how?

I use two main social networking sites: Facebook and MySpace. However, I don’t actively promote my work widely on these networks, as I prefer people to randomly explore, search, and discover “The Spiritual Significance of Music”.

What’s your favorite Internet tool either for promotion or enhancing your creativity?

My favorite Internet tool for creative enhancement and development is searching for new information on Google or Wikipedia. I find these fantastic resources for continued inspiration.

Cultural Creatives tend to want their work to impact society in a positive way. Is changing/improving society with your work part of your goal? If yes, please elaborate a bit on your vision.

“The Spiritual Significance of Music” was designed to be a soul-stirring and thought-provoking project that explores music and spirituality. It brings a blessing by introducing people to spirituality.

Have you been able to earn a living while pursuing your creative passions? Is there anything from a business perspective that stands out as a key or catalyst to your success that you’d like to share?

Yes, I have a full-time career, together with this project that has quickly become a full-time passion. Involving over 500+ musicians in this project has been the catalyst to bring music-makers and music-lovers closer to exploring “The Spiritual Significance of Music”. I greatly admire and appreciate all of the authors and musicians who have freely contributed their thoughts towards this project. One key to success is to serve others with excellence.

Justin,is there a question you’d like to ask anyone reading this?

Yes. “What do you believe is the spiritual significance of music?” Feel free to read my answer by exploring “The Spiritual Significance of Music”, freely available via Xtreme Music: www.xtrememusic.org Thanks for all in advance, it’s greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much Justin for taking the time to share your thoughts on creativity with us today.