CreativeMornings - 🕊 April's theme is...

April 2022

Illustration of a figure sitting on the back of a pigeon, which holds a sign reading KISMET in its beak, surrounded by lottery balls and machines

April’s Theme is Kismet

When the stars align and good fortune visits, it must be kismet. An unexpected windfall, a chance encounter with another that blossoms, a doorway opening to impossible dreams. Kismet is a little pocket of time just for you. We marvel at the sheer, unlikely wonder of these moments.

Kısmet is a Turkish word that evolved from the Arabic qisma, meaning one’s portion or lot in life. When kismet was borrowed into English in the early 1800s, its meaning shifted into fate and fortune. But be wary of awaiting your destiny with passivity, philosopher Barrett Holmes Pitner warns, lest you resign yourself to a fate where nothing grows. Attend to the synchronicities in your life. When kismet alights upon you, the cosmos is letting you in on something, and you can choose to meet it.

What do you take as signs of good fortune? What moments of kismet have appeared before you? How did you answer?

CreativeMornings/Istanbul chose April’s exploration of Kismet and Selin Çınar created the illustration.

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The hashtags of the month are #CMKismet | #CreativeMornings

💡 Inspiration for Creating Kismet in Your Life

Animated photo illustration of a fortune cookie breaking apart to reveal "We should be together"

This submission comes from reader Veronique Pittman. Read our blog for more crowdsourced stories of kismet!

“Kismet Cookie is a participatory activity wherein visitors come to my ‘booth’ and I make a fortune cookie while they wait and the visitor writes a ‘fortune’ which just may change the fortune of the next visitor that receives the cookie. The visitor leaves with a ‘Kismet cookie’ made by the prior person.

The notes they write could be a conventional ‘fortune,’ but I encourage visitors to choose a call to action that could lead to an encounter. More adventurous visitors have the option of leaving a time and coordinates in their cookie, recall what they wrote, and see who shows up!

The idea for this came about because I was cleaning out my basement and found a fortune cookie maker I had purchased for my daughter’s 9th birthday, and which had been stored after only using it once. I see the very discovery of this wonderful device as its own kismet because ever since, it’s brought about much joy, interactions and even new friendships at the festivals I have attended. I invite anyone who likes to copy my idea. The more opportunities for Kismet, the better!”

Read more stories of kismet from our community

Photo illustration of tarot cards with overlaid text "CreativeMornings Playlist | Kismet"

DJ Jim Q's Playlist: Kismet
This is no chance encounter — you, here, now, listening to this playlist is all part of the greater plan. These predetermined plots are the soundtrack for this month’s theme of Kismet. So consult your "Stargazer" with Siouxsie and the Banshees, fulfill your "Fate" with H.E.R., and find yourself in the "Right Place Wrong Time" with Dr. John. Enjoy these songs of providence.

Meet Our Illustrator: Selin Çınar
"When it comes to kısmet in Turkey, two things come to mind: the bird and the lottery games. When a bird poops on someone’s head, that person is immediately told to go and buy a lottery ticket, as it is believed that their chances of winning increase. At the same time, when people experience sudden and beautiful news, they rejoice by saying ‘The bird of fortune has landed on our heads!’” Explore more works by Selin Çınar.

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