Art meets spirit: Why it matters
The practice of making art should never be exclusive to those who are deemed “technically good”. The value of art extends far beyond what we see with our naked eye…
When we allow ourselves to freely express ourselves through art, we cast ourselves on a wavelength where we’re more inspired to make choices that resonate with our inner truth. Freeing ourselves creatively acts as a microcosm for the freedom we inevitably manifest in our broader reality.
This is because art enacts a channel for which spirit can come closer and speak to us. When we’re receptive to spirit, which really just refers to the energy inherent in all living things, we flow into our calling more easily and have less of a need to force ourselves there.
Mystery will always be
I know I’m not alone when I say I don’t always understand the spiritual significance of what I’m meant to be doing at a given moment – especially during periods where I’m anxious to make some kind of change.
Mystery is an intrinsic element of life. As human beings on earth, I don’t think we’ll ever fully understand everything and nor should we need to. There’s a freedom that comes when we stop fixating on trying to quantify everything and instead allow what needs to be communicated to unfold in its own time and way.
I think this calls us to regard mystery with reverence rather than staying within a peeved state of “What am I doing here?”
This was a lesson I learned a few months ago when I experienced the first-world problem of having no internet for a day. It felt like a huge inconvenience at the time as I’d planned to do extensive research for a personal project. In the moment, I had a bit of a kick and a scream until a thought emerged…
“I wonder what the opportunity in having no internet is?”
As I pondered this, I felt liberated. Much of our life today is heavily dictated by an internet connection. A pocket of time without it almost feels like we’re being released from the grind of everyday responsibility. It’s just us. Without distractions.
I pulled out my visual art journal and drew without thinking. I immersed myself in all the colours. I allowed myself to express what needed releasing. This turned out to be a far more enriching day than the one I’d planned.
So, in terms of inviting a reverence towards mystery, this is where the marriage between art and spirituality comes in. Creativity flows when we bring our guard down and welcome spirit into the process. A lot of creative work is about having things being spoken through us.
When we believe the illusion that it’s just us working in isolation and that we need to know everything immediately on our own, experience is grossly limited. Embrace mystery. Allow for things to be revealed in their own time.
Inviting a collaboration with spirit
Creative work isn’t solitary. So, how can we welcome divine source?
• Listen to dreams. Set intentions to remember them and record them in a journal every morning. Our dreams can reveal a lot about the narratives that play out in our subconscious as well as being a portal for which the unseen can use to communicate with us.
• Don’t be afraid to ask. During periods where we feel blocked creatively, I’ve learned there’s no harm in blatantly asking – is there anything you would like to add? I like to gather the answers to this question through stream of consciousness writing, where I write every word as it passes through me without stopping. It helps us get past our egos, the busy chatter that narrates our day-to-day, and into a state of receptiveness.
• Let curiosity be the director. That heart-stopping, spine-tingling feeling that keeps us up at night says a lot about where we want to be. Listen to it and ride the wave it urges us to take.
• Breathe emotion into colour. Emotions are our guides. When we have the courage to listen to them, they can show us what we’re being called to do, change, or walk away from. Art therapy, where we freely channel our emotions into a visual form, can help dispel the mind’s pleas to “stop crying” and to “get a grip.” Here, we can sit with our emotions. We can let them guide us in the right direction, as far as our heart is concerned.
• Welcome playfulness. One afternoon, I made paper cranes out of some old notes I used for work. It wasn't planned. It just unfolded (pardon the pun). As I wove the cranes together, I reflected on all the conversations I've had with people who say they feel intimidated by creative endeavours because they don't see the point. I don't believe there always needs to be one. Sometimes, the spontaneous fun in weaving together the unexpected is enough. Don’t be afraid to have fun!
• Dance intuitively. The clique “dance like no one is watching” is actually quite useful in terms of bringing us into an embodied state. There have been many times, including instances where I’ve received a kundalini activation, where I’ve been able to get out of my head and receive guidance through dance. Let’s put on our favourite songs and move in whatever way we’re called. It really is that simple!
The meeting between art and spirit enables us to experience far beyond what our mechanised, 3D reality allows. Nurture this wonderful collaboration to invite the more beautiful world we all know is possible.
