Art impacts every area of our lives. From Television to popular magazines to billboards. We never forget anything we see. It files away in the Rolodex of our brain, but the impact is made from the moment we see it. For good or bad we are affected. The impact may be small and thought to be forgotten—not so, it’s just filed away in some unused portion of our gray matter. Most of this happens without our awareness.
How could we pay attention to the hundreds of thousands of images coming at is each day? We can’t. We spend most of our time in autopilot. But consider for a moment if we spend a portion of our day creating or viewing positive images in the form of fine art or inspirational art? What kind of an impact might that make? How might our lives change simply by contemplating beautiful art?
Could our lives really improve just by opening to Spirit and allowing the creativity to flow? Art therapy takes many forms: Art in the classroom; therapy for special needs children and adults; creative expression for autistic and the mentally ill; a means of communication for physically, mentally and sexually abused; the list can go on. But as an artist how are you impacted by your own creative process? Are you creating by a formula you learned?
Or do you allow Spirit to move through you to create the piece while you get to take credit for the Divine’s work? Take for instance energy healing, also known as Reiki (and a thousand other names) and art. There are a few fellow artists who allow healing to flow directly from Spirit, the Universe, God, Goddess, what have you, directly into their work. What is produced is an incredible array of media, usually paintings, that brings deep emotions and feelings to the surface, clearing the way for the viewer to begin the healing process. Have you not ever look at a painting or sculpture that make a lasting impression or brought tears to your eyes?
Viewed a dreamy landscape and wished you could live there? Have you ever looked at a painting and were disgusted or became angry? From what deep place within did that feeling emerge? With conscious thought, we can take the emotions and feelings that great art allows us to feel and work to eliminate or enhance what comes up for us. As the artist, I can tell you that allowing these healing paintings to be channeled through me is not only humbling but brings healing to me as well. The act of creation is always healing and I stand back in awe at what Spirit can do if I just let it.
About the author: Edith Mary Stanley is a visionary artist, writer & poet living in San Antonio, TX
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