The Artist in You--Yes! There IS One!

Issue #2

I have a friend in Mississippi who says he can't even draw a decent stick figure. But he takes incredible photos of snakes and other things he sees in nature as he goes about doing his job as a forester. He says he is not, nor could he ever be an artist. He also has a certain amount of artistry and skill when it comes to making others feel good about themselves. He is also a singer and song-writer and expresses things with words like few can. I say he IS an artist. His intellectual vision is clear and concise, and he is not fooled by political rhetoric. I say there is an artist in him that cannot be denied. And he proves it every day. He is just ONE of many, many people I know of, from painters to day-laborers, to artisans, to gardeners, to parents, to elders, to bakers and candlestick makers (and more) who are living out from the artist in them to make this world a better reality for us all. 

It is my mission, with this blog, not only to convince you that "YES! There IS an artist in you," but to encourage you to--and to offer some tips as to how you might summon up YOUR inner Michelangelo, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollack, Da Vinci, Julia Child/Jamie Oliver, Hemingway-Shakespeare-Steinbeck, Anne Sullivan of "Miracle Worker" fame, Aristotle, Jesus, Buddha, Salvador Dali, Jessie Owens, Michael Jordan, and yes, even Giacomo Casanova (the artful lover!).

You see, all these people above and many more I did not mention have or still do live out the artist that is or was in them, be they painters, sculptors, writers, chefs, athletes, business owners, entrepreneurs, teachers, philosophers, spiritual leaders, or famous lovers. Each of those I mentioned above, along with countless others, has gotten in touch with the energy of the true inner self that has flowed within them and has brought that inner self powerfully forth to enrich, improve, transform, even transcend the world. 

Some call this true inner self and its silent voice "the muse." Whatever you call it, it is within you, and making contact with it, calling it forth, is the means by which you can/will fulfill your function and purpose in life! It is the means by which you find true peace and happiness apart from the mundane and humdrum droning on of the human condition, i.e.,, the pre-programmed role you have hitherto played in the proverbial rat race. 

Many of you reading this will pooh-pooh the notion that there is an artist living in you who is a genius at fulfilling a certain function necessary to your own success and to the betterment of this world. At the least, many of you have despaired at ever finding that muse within, making contact and summoning it forth. So, I will offer some suggestions here that have seemed to make this happen for me:

1) Take a dispassionate, objective, and honest look at the lessons your suffering has brought. Consider gratefully what you have experienced and learned, letting go of bitterness toward the situations and persons involved. In those lessons is the key to your inner motivation and function in this world. No, I am not suggesting that you go out and experience suffering and revel in it. But we all do suffer on many levels in this world, whether it is apparent on the surface or whether we can get down into the trenches of our souls and admit, that yes, we are human after all, and we have suffered. Some have suffered more, some less. But we all have suffered. The areas in which we have suffered and the lessons we have learned from our suffering point right to the inner artist that has been there in us all the time, gestating, yearning to be birthed toward the end of helping to alleviate ALL such suffering! 

For example, my suffering various forms and abuse and neglect as a child (and sometimes as an adult), then realizing that it does not HAVE to be that way is what motivates my art as well as the writings that I share on social media and in a few books I have authored. It is not that I have become a flawless human by any means. But I have learned some lessons about gaining some inner peace, have garnered some insights about what goes on in the human psyche, and have been given clues and an understanding of symbolism that helps me to transmit peace, beauty, inner knowing, onto canvas and the written page. The canvas, for me, has proven to be the best route, as I believe its subtleties can reach past words and opinions to get to the heart of things. All of life is a canvas. And the artists within us all can paint a better world!

2) Learn to be still and make a daily practice of it. If anything will help to birth your inner artist / muse, this will. I do not suggest trying to stop your thoughts or to engage in any rigorous discipline such as yoga or any other such "spiritual" practices. I only suggest getting as still as you can and listening for that still, small wordless voice that the genius in you uses to point you toward YOUR light within and to help you bring that out. A walk in nature; sitting still petting your cat; gardening; doing NOTHING!; listening to peaceful, calming music; getting enough sleep to allow dreaming--these are all activities that foster the emergence of the artist in us.

Again, no efforts are needed to "stop your thoughts," but rather a daily effort to listen to the inner voice (the gut, intuition) and to dispassionately observe the maelstrom of busy-thoughts that try to capture our attention. This sort of observational attitude reveals SO much to us. Is this meditation? Contemplation? I guess you could call it either or neither. But yes, stillness, quietness, getting away from the rat race for a period every day is a great and easy means to get in touch with your muse. Sooner or later, if it hasn't already, your muse, your inner artist will begin to lead you to the means and activities that are the niche and function of your inner artist.

3) Once your muse has lit the way to YOUR artful expression in this life, follow the instructions your intuitive voice, your gut, gives you. This applies whether you are to be an expert in the art of loving unconditionally, in the visual arts, in the written word, in business, in social service, in helping others (this one is HUGE!), whether in helping others feel good about themselves or learn about themselves, whether in helping others to be healthy, or just to get more enjoyment from life---or more freedom---then follow that light to the activities and means of expressing your art. And once you have found those activities and means, make time and room in your life for them, and practice, practice, practice. Let the passion of your inner artist, your inner lover of your fellow human siblings grab you by the heart and lead you to your destiny. 

Understand that it is never about just the money or the living that can be made from your passion, from your art, though we all need to make a living in this material dimension. It is about fulfilling our place, destiny, function in making this world a far better place. When we follow our passion, the universe (God/Higher Self by whatever name) WILL honor that intent. And ideas and means to bring the resources needed to keep on living and pursuing our given art WILL come. Have faith. Persist. And practice, practice, practice. Let nothing get in the way. There are many siren songs in this world that would lead us away from following our inner voice. We must remember that the inner voice is still and small and we can ignore the loud, chattery, cacophony of the call of the Siren. It's not hard to tell the difference. It's a matter of changing our focus. 

Haha! Methinks I have rather waxed TOO eloquent here and enough has been said. I hope I have given hope. And I hope you have plenty of food for thought that will help you to summon forth your inner artist! Enough words for now...till next blog. Warm, positive, happy thoughts go out to you all. 

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Below are some links to different content that I produce, including FB writings, my FB paintings page, my Twitter page, and my Redbubble pages... You will also find me on Instagam as "revdirain".

My Twitter page: https://twitter.com/LovingUnity
Facebook profile page: https://www.facebook.com/lovingunity
Facebook paintings/product page: https://www.facebook.com/spiritwindartandsundries
My Redbubble Shop (for even more variety in products decorated with my art images): https://www.redbubble.com/people/spiritwindart?ref=account-nav-dropdown&asc=u