What I've Learned from Art...

 "Just know the Earth is just a rock without the voices of Art..." -Kendrick Lamar

As I continue to grow and evolve, especially on the spiritual path, I start to truly realize the power and impact of creativity and art.  At this point in life, however, I look back and reflect on life and the opportunities in front of me and realize how important art really is to not only myself but to all of humanity. 

Art has been a catalyst for human evolution since the first day man has walked Earth. It has been a medium in which we influence each other, exchange ideas and stimulate growth within ourselves and all throughout humanity. I realized that it is our true nature to create and generate new ideas through various forms and activities. We are creators by design! We aren't mere animals that just survive and consume. With every action, we send out a shockwave of energy that shifts reality. Our actions are what creates the world around us, the Word of God lies within each tongue on the planet. 

I spoke about art back in my earlier post called The Art of Storytelling and how storytelling is a constant element we see throughout human history and how we control our own element of storytelling as we live life day by day. My focus on this post is to speak about the art we create through paintings, music, film, etc. and how it can inspire us to tell our story through different mediums. So, think of The Art of Storytelling post as the 'what' and 'why' behind the importance of storytelling and this post as the 'how' and the importance of the mediums to create and express ourselves through art. Most of this, however, will be through my own lens and experiences. 

Learning How to Become an Artist

As a child, I gravitated towards the world of sports. While sports in their own right are forms of artistic expression, I didn't view them as such then. They were simply activities to pass the time and be competitive at. I was young and full of energy, so it only felt right to be outside and move around. Besides, I grew up in a household that influenced me to be an athlete. Baseball and basketball were my favorite mediums to exercise and express my athleticism and competitive nature. I wanted to be the best at what I do, I was obsessed with winning, let alone having a good time and connecting with new friends. 

Years went by and my drive to continue playing, even on professional level in which I dreamt of, soon faded out of boredom and a lack of discipline. By my 4th year of college, I was burnt out with Baseball (the only sport I was playing competitively at time) and started to have greater desires to express myself. During this shift, I was going through my spiritual awakening (not a coincidence) and I started to open myself up to different forms of self-expression, especially artistically. 

At first, it was writing that took my attention. I began learning about the concept of journaling and how important it was for learning all the new information I was processing and what was happening internally. It's funny to look back on because reading and writing were weaknesses of mine growing up. I was always behind most of my classmates in those skills and with practice on my own time, I was able to get back to where I needed to be in due time. Practice and the determination to be better at those skills is what lead me to enjoy the process of reading and writing page by page. This soon became a blueprint to inspire me to want to expand into storytelling through writing and other art forms. 

The next was painting. At the time, I haven't expressed myself in the form of painting for years spanning back to my early high school days. With a stroke of a brush, I felt the therapeutic feeling coming from my heart area telling me to keep going. With practice, I started to dive deeper into different ideas and concepts I could show through my work. (Image below) 

The Roadblocks

With newfound inspiration to create art came new challenges that stems from two main issues: validation and discipline. Growing up, I've always been one to look elsewhere for validation rather than internally. It was one of the reasons that stopped me from playing baseball professionally, I allowed other peoples' perspective of me to derail my confidence in myself. This need of validation soon created a fear of falling short of expectations and not feeling good enough towards my peers and the audience.

These insecurities aren't new. This is something I've battled with ever since I was a kid. Growing up as an empath, I've always been sensitive to the energy of others around me, so I've adopted the trait of a people pleaser. Having these traits made it much more difficult for me to create what I wanted since I've always catered towards others. While I was excited towards what I envisioned, the challenge of breaking patterns that act against my creativity approached me. 

Often times I'd run away from the challenge since new ideas provided a blueprint to break old habits in which I was attached to. Before I finish a piece of work, I'd often think if others would enjoy my work and the very though of possibly being spot down my others' opinions of me and my work stopped me from creating all together. I was afraid to leave my shell of conformity. How could I allow myself to create through the pain these patterns brought?

Being a Terminal

In need of understanding how to ignite my creativity, I decided to research those who have inspired me to create in the first place. Often times I would hear, "Be a terminal or medium for the ideas" or "People don't have ideas, ideas have people". These quotes made me think about my drive to create and where this drive actually came from. Why did these ideas dawn upon me? What value do they hold for me and others?

I soon realized that art in of itself is a medium to conquer the challenges and heal. It provides the test for me to release the need to find validation in others and find it in my work while improving with each piece I make. Creativity itself is a discipline of its own. It became a huge part of my sadhana since it helped me grow as a person and come closer to God. I had the realization that the ideas were gifts from God and that I became the suitable vessel for these ideas to come to life. These ideas were never mine; they are God's, I'm just the middleman for them to materialize. 

Knowing this, my determination and drive to create was replenished. I felt as if I wasn't alone on this journey to create and that creating held a greater intention rather than trying to gain validation, fame or wealth. It's about sending a message of inspiration and positivity to those that consume my art. It was never about me; it was about being a better servant for God's will to work through me. Gratitude and grace fill my heart each time I remind myself of this truth and though I'm still working through the challenges of breaking old patterns, creativity has become a vehicle in doing so. 

The thought of what others think of me and my work doesn't concern me. It only blinds me to the true reason why these ideas fall upon me. With everything I create, I have the intent to spread positivity, love and inspire others to do the same. Creativity also helps with the worldbuilding of the Earth and its vibration. Each piece of art we create echoes throughout the planet and influences generations to do the same. That's what I try to do with this blog, to inform and inspire others to create what the heart yearns for. I seek to grow as a writer and pay it forward for others to do the same. Words are powerful, I know mine are and I hope this post reminds you that your words and creativity are powerful as well. Perhaps more powerful than you think.

My Challenge for You

Many of you out there may feel that you are in touch with your creativity, others feel the opposite. The truth is... WE ARE ALL CREATIVE BEINGS. Though we live in God's creation, the creator is present within us and all other creations that make up this world. I challenge the reader to try something new. Art stretches a long way; anything can be perceived as art. Whether you have the desire to paint, write, make music, film, moving your body in dance or sports etc., don't allow the voices of the external world or the negative voices within to stop you. Create for YOU, allow yourself to find a flow state and I guarantee that God will speak through you. But you have to make space and time for yourself to be a medium in the first place. You might find a new hobby, skill or even a newfound purpose through your creative powers. 

One thing that helps me get into a flow state is to find a quiet space whether if it's at home, in nature or the library. Take some deep breathes and visualize what you want to create or what inspired you to create then put it on paper or some sort of material. GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD! To bring this idea into the material world lets the universe know where to put energy towards. Ideas are like seeds, they need to be tended to so they can grow properly, and this can only start by actions in which you initiate. Don't worry about making mistakes, they happen, just focus on getting the ideas out of your head and the process will continue forward. 

You are the creator and it's a divine purpose of ours to co-create this world with God. Don't get in the way of creativity, give it a passage to flow and you will bear fruits you never imagined in the time in which the idea graced upon you!