Series overview
Universal themes is the overview page of the Universal themes series. It is part of the Big ideas category. It is one of the Elements of Creativity.
A universal theme is an idea or group of ideas that apply broadly across all categories. Universal themes can help direct you to areas where you want to learn and grow, based on major categories. They apply to creative endeavors, spiritual pursuits, relationships, academic studies, hobbies, social movements, and every other aspect of life.
Contents
Traits of universal themes
- common. True and relatable for most people and situations, regardless of culture, age, gender, ethnicity. Can be applied to any subject matter, discipline or lifestyle.
- interdisciplinary. Crosses disciplines to contain truths and components in many different aspects of life and study. communicative arts, academics, performing arts, visual arts, business, psychology, spirituality, religion, economics, etc.
- scalable. Each theme can be looked at as one big abstract concept or as one of the component ideas. Themes have multiple views and interpretations. In fact, each theme is so broad that a definitive, succinct definition is impossible.
- global. Draws upon both common, shared cultural knowledge and more unique individual experiences.
- connecting. We grow primarily by making connections with existing knowledge and memories. By compiling accumulated ideas, traditions and associations built up over time, we can be inspired and increase our knowledge.
Using the universal themes
There are many ways you can use themes:
self-assessment
Identify your own areas of interest, your strengths and weaknesses in your path to spiritual growth.
inspiration
Explore a theme that relates to a current creative project to find inspiration. Get inspired for a creative project.
self-improvement
Each theme has several topics that lend themselves to self-improvement projects. In addition, you can organize your reading around themes.
spiritual growth
Each theme offers a path into spiritual study or self-improvement. Think about the archetypes presented and how they relate to you and the people you know. The key concepts can direct further exploration.
For the truly committed, I have devised an order of study for in-depth spiritual immersion.
| 1. faith 2. nature 3. awareness 4. purpose 5. vision 6. life paths | 7. connections 8. family 9. community 10. patterns 11. beauty 12. mystery | 13. poetry 14.sense of place 15. uniqueness 16. initiative 17. truth 18. abundance | 19. balance 20.power 21. ambition 22. challenge 23.courage 24.injustice | 25.perseverance 26.service 27.authority 28.loyalty 29.kindness 30.obligation | 31.transformation 32.healing 33.peace 34.presence 35.future 36.freedom |
family projects
Families can choose a theme each month and find books, songs, films and activities to do. Discussions can be had over concepts and questions that arise.
education
Teachers of all kinds can find inspiration for developing units of study in all subject areas and levels. Families doing home schooling can use these themes or others to add interest to their studies and to help build connections among the subject areas.
finding content
- There is a tag for each theme on the site. Click on that tag from any post to see a list of all current site content for that theme.
- The site index page lists all topics (tags) for the site, including each universal theme.
- The search box in the upper right-hand corner of the site allows you to search for any topic.
- Each theme has a home page outlining the theme’s topics and linking to more content.
Apply themes in areas of creativity
element of creativity
For the purpose of the Brian Beholds project, the 36 themes are grouped into six categories that correspond to aspects of creative work. This is the thematic point of view of the site.
| Big Ideas | Cycles | Justice | Process | Spirituality | Style |
| abundance | balance | authority | ambition | awareness | loyalty |
| beauty | connections | courage | challenge | faith | patterns |
| community | family | freedom | healing | kindness | poetry |
| mystery | future | injustice | initiative | peace | presence |
| service | life paths | obligation | perseverance | purpose | sense of place |
| truth | nature | power | transformation | vision | uniqueness |
Universal themes across creative disciplines
| dance | design | digital | literature | music | theatre | visual arts |
| usually drives emotion of piece | theme is the big idea | theme serves to simplify design elements | abstract concept that is the essence | concept translated into corresponding sound | idea that unifies content with visual elements | central element that allows for depth of detail |
| unifies | inspires | communicates | questions | anchors | connects | organizes |
| anchors work in tradition | unifies design | helps work stand out in crowd | shares the author’s message | leaves an impression on listener | fosters collaboration | focuses work so intention stands out |
| content that inspires form | recurring elements in design | visual representation of message | meaning to the details of story | foundational building block of a piece of music | nonverbal detail expands storytelling | framework for the artist’s message |
36 universal themes
Abundance is enough and more than enough. Needs are met, ideas and opportunities are available for everyone. There is no limit on creative expression.
Ambition is a strong desire or eagerness to direct our own experience in a certain direction. We wish to acquire specific things, to have people think of us in certain ways. We wish to control the outcome.
Authority is the power to control, determine and judge. It is granted based on expertise, maturity or self-confidence. Authority taken by intimidation is not true.
Awareness is being conscious of what is going on around you and within yourself. You know your strengths, and weaknesses. You don’t hide from the truth.
Balance is a process of trying to reach a stable equilibrium. All is in a proportional arrangement. All parts have matched energy, weight or attention.
Beauty is anything that creates harmony of form, color, craftsmanship, truthfulness, originality or delight. All that is visually or inherently pleasing.
Challenge is an opposing force requiring the full use of one’s abilities, talents, energy and resources to overcome. The force required for real growth.
A community is a group of like-minded individuals, things or ideas. A common trait unites the members, even though they may be diverse in many other ways.
Courage is facing difficulties or danger with resolve, using reserves of inner strength. You do what must be done despite fear, danger or likely failure.
Faith is a confident belief in the truth of someone or something. It does not rely on logical evidence, but in putting hope and optimism first.
A family is a group of people or things who share a common source or share similar features and goals. The most fundamental social group.
Freedom means little or no restraints. Lack of restrictions on thought or movement. Choices can be made, but with obligations or consequences.
Future is the time that has yet to be, that is still to come. Since it hasn’t happened yet, it is of an unknown quality.
Healing is to restore to normal health or condition. The process of returning to wholeness or completeness. A regeneration to desirable function.
Initiative is the energy to begin and follow through with a plan. Action comes from within, not from an external source. It is knowing when to act or not.
Injustice is an unfair act, decision, or pattern of behavior that causes someone, or a group, to suffer hardship or to suffer an undeserved loss.
Kindness is showing another a friendly nature, help, or understanding the current situation. Entering another’s spiritual space to enlarge or brighten it.
Life paths are the journeys our lives take based on the specific choices made moment to moment. Role models will help, but your path will be unique.
Loyalty is a strong belief in and attachment to a person, ideal or custom. A bond that holds up to scrutiny or faults that would weaken other attachments.
Mystery is anything unexplained, secret or unknown. Whether intentionally hidden or simply undiscovered, the lack of knowledge builds curiosity.
Nature is the basic qualities of a anyone or thing. It is the world of all things, and the process of things interacting with one another.
An obligation is a requirement that binds you to someone or something. It impacts your behavior and choices. Whatever you choose, you get the consequences.
Patterns are archetypal models that show common occurring or repeating qualities. We can use these models to explore or create ideas, and works of art.
Peace is stillness, tranquility and calm. Generally untroubled with a healthy level of stress. Living without regret of the past or anxiety of the future.
Perseverance is staying on course despite obstacles. You stick to it knowing that the outcome is worthwhile. Strength and patience grow when tested.
Poetry is an expression of beauty and intense emotion using language. Difficult, abstract concepts expressed in a concrete way others can identify with.
Power is the ability to perform effectively, with enough physical, mental and spiritual energy. The influence that your ideas and actions have on others.
Presence is having others know something is there. It is created by physical and spiritual actions and elements which build a reputation.
Purpose is the reason something exists. The key to who or what the thing is and was meant to be. Every choice or action gets you closer to that reason.
Sense of place is the particular atmosphere and personality of a physical ,imaginary or spiritual location concept. The things that make a location unique.
Service is support work done for another individual, group, cause or organization. The help is given to show respect or contribute to a greater cause.
Transformation is a significant change in form, appearance or function. A profound and long-lasting move from one state of being to another.
Truth is knowledge that is factually or logically accurate. The idea conforms to an objective reality and exists outside of emotional or personal states.
Uniqueness suggests an original, one of a kind, with no equivalence. It is the goal of style and tone and is the child of genius and the imagination.
Vision is anything that is or can be seen, either literally or figuratively. Perception of what is to be, especially in a creative or spiritual sense.
Beholds universal themes components
These are the features that I am working to create for each theme. I work alone so this will be a long-term project. In this list, the bold words are the site categories.
big ideas: big ideas lists (theme overview, roles/occupations)checklists, balance sheets, creative skills related to theme
cycles: altars, rituals, photo essays
process: creative boundaries, inspirations, obstacles, disciplines, techniques
spirituality: affirmations, key concepts (post overview of key concepts for each theme, individual posts for each, positivity, meditations, spirit tools, spirit films
style: archetypes (theme overview, individual), settings, music by theme, films by theme, quotes, reading lists, visual glossaries
special projects
Each theme has one or more special projects that focus on aspects of the theme. For the purpose theme the Creativity alphabet. A few projects to come will include: abundant joy (naming all the main sources of joy throughout your life), implementing a bucket list, creative benchmarks for various pursuits, connections journal gives a new approach to journaling, beholds seasonal calendar brings together all the ways to celebrate everyday.
How you can help improve themes
I’d love to hear how you are using universal themes in your own life and your own work. I’d also love to hear what additional themes you think are important. A contact form to email me is below.
- Offer a correction if you see a mistake.
- Suggest an idea or a topic for one theme or a new feature for all the themes
- Submit a quote from a book, magazine, website, movie or tv program (source must be fully cited for verification, that is, tell exactly where the quote came from and who wrote it).
- Submit a web link that relates to a topic on one of the themes.
- Leave comments on a theme’s page and on individual stories discussing aspects of the theme and its connections to other areas.
- Mention @brianbeholds on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share your posts related to a specific theme area. Be sure to tag the theme, such as #abundance, #future, #healing, #purpose, #uniqueness
- Follow @brianbeholds on Pinterest where there is a Pinterest board for each theme.
volunteer
Volunteer to help create content. I create this site alone as a passion project so there is a limit to how much I can do. I welcome submissions of original work that relate the themes or the broader topic of creativity. As this is a small-scale personal project, I am unfortunately not able to pay for submissions. If you are wanting to help spread the joy of creativity I invite you to be a part of the community. Any submissions used will be attributed fully.
- I especially would like to receive personal essays discussing how you connect with a theme or topic.
- I would like to provide lists of content by theme aimed at children of different age groups. Lists of music, books, films, etc.
- Information on the themes being applied to different areas of creativity (genre, time period, industry, location.
contact form
History: The Universal themes for Brian Beholds were created in 2014 to help organize the information being gathered for my website. As the focus of the site shifted over time to Creativity, the list of themes was revised in 2018. They were first published on the site on December 15, 2018. The page was updated with new graphics on February 28, 2020. The page was extensively expanded and redesigned in September 2022. The themes were realigned in February 2023, with some moving into new categories.