For me, creating art is an act of prayer. It is as if I am chatting with my Creator and Creator responds with art. Art is then a reflection of my relationship with Creator. My first experience with this was when I was writing my book. I used art as a means of exploring my understanding of “soul.”
CATHY RAYMOND
Art + Spirituality
When I tell others that this retreat will be an art-based experience in spirituality I get one of two reactions:
- YIKES! They make a thousand excuses for why they don’t or can’t do art; or
- WOW! They can hardly wait to get started.
We are all spiritual beings, whether we admit it or not. I believe in the deepest part of us we know there is someone/something bigger or more than our physical world would suggest. We spend a lifetime in a dance with our spiritual selves. I view art as a spiritual practice - a way to commune with the Great Creator. Consider art as a form of prayer – a conversation with God where you listen to Spirit and Spirit responds with art. Art is a way to make tangible the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Art is simply a tool for expressing a feeling or emotion or acknowledgement of something God-created. I find that most people are afraid of art. Mostly, they think they can’t do it and they certainly don’t want to create a tangible something that others will judge. And yet, engaging in art opens your heart so you can receive Spirit. While there may be trepidation in the beginning, it does not take long for you to lose yourself in the work.
Why art? Here are my top five reasons.
- Art is very tactile. Your senses are the means by which you experience life. Engaging your senses: sight, sound, feel, taste and smell through art is a way of experiencing God’s creation and the spirituality within in memorable ways.
- There is no right or wrong way to do art. The only thing that matters is that you create to please your Creator. No experience is necessary.
- Art forms are very diverse – the only limit is your own imagination. Visual arts, music arts, performing arts, culinary arts, fabric arts, design arts, film arts, photographic arts, gardening arts and on and on. Not having space or time or tools or materials or talent is no excuse. You, too, can find some meaningful way of expression.
- Art is an expression of soul. It comes from the heart and not the head. As soon as you engage the head, you start judging and comparing and all of your self- doubts take control. When you surrender control, art flows freely.
- Art is a gift! In Julia Cameron’s book The Artist Way, she states that “creativity is God’s will for us, and we can practice creativity like any other spiritual practice.” She further says: “Rather than regard myself as the self-conscious author of my work, I began to think of myself more as a conduit, a channel through which the Great Creator’s creativity could enter the world.”
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Reclaiming the Soul of Human Resources
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