The wisdom and artistry of the soul

The wisdom and artistry of the soul

When you awaken to the art that you are in life’s everyday moments, you connect most deeply with the essence of your ancient creative soul.

by Havi Mandell —

Many people desire to learn the arts as a way of expressing and sharing their inner essences. And each of the arts — music, painting, dance, poetry, sculpture — is a magnificent process through which we connect with our creative self and with Spirit, the prime creator. Yet, equally important is acknowledging and embracing the work of art that you are. You are music. You are dance. You are visual art. You are poetry.

When you awaken to the art that you are in life’s everyday moments, you connect most deeply with the essence of your ancient creative soul. You live and create beauty, not just on a canvas or stage, but in every part of your life and your being. You are called to be open to the artistry of your soul at its core, for the soul is certainly best understood through artistry.

When you are ready to “be” art, the process of your expression, in any form, will flow with new grace and ease. During that process, if you allow it to happen, you will come to a new appreciation of your value, your beauty and the unique gift you are to this world. When you hear the song of your soul, see its beauty and bend in its grace, you move to that place within, unfettered by old judgments, negative monologues or limiting beliefs. This state is the foundation of at-homeness with yourself, allowing your soul’s artistry to help heal your wounds in amazing ways.

Music

All of life is made up of sound, or vibration. When you consider being a musician, recognize that your very being is a song. Begin to notice the music you are. Listen to your heartbeat, and let it carry you to new awarenesses. Hear your breath offering its own slower rhythm. Notice how these two rhythms work together. Then, gently and slowly, begin toning one note at a time as you move up and down the scales, allowing yourself to hear each note, feeling its vibration in your body. Where do you feel the sound? Which tone seems to resonant most fully with you?

Tone the note with different vowel sounds, and find the most pleasing one. Spend some time toning this note. Then add another note in the same way, one that seems to partner wonderfully with the first note. Spend some time toning the two notes, feeling them resonate within. Notice how you feel after a few minutes. Notice your new awareness.

Now think of an issue you are trying to resolve. Start by toning your first two notes several times over. Then begin letting sounds move through you into a spontaneous song. Continue this toning for at least two minutes. Then get some paper and a pen or a tape recorder. Begin writing or talking into the tape recorder, giving your soul a vehicle to offer insight into your specific issue.

Painting

Spend some time looking at and taking in colors, one at a time. Notice which part of your body lights up with each color. What color do you enjoy looking at most? What new awarenesses does it bring? Visualize that color as a waterfall of light, and see it flow over and into you, bathing every cell with that beautiful light. See yourself radiating with that color. What is that experience like? What do you become aware of?

Now return to the issue you are trying to resolve. Get paper and a crayon or marker in the color you love. If you do not have a writing implement in that color, take out a pen and visualize the paper bathed in that color. Begin spontaneously drawing, letting the crayon or marker create whatever lines, shapes or symbols choose to flow onto the paper. Then take out another piece of paper or tape recorder, and again let your soul offer more insight.

Dancing

Begin by shaking out your body to help release any tension or rigidity and to get your heart pumping. Then experiment by moving different parts of your body this way and that. Play with stretching, jumping, lyrical movements, staccato movements, moving quickly and slowly. Notice how each movement feels and which particular parts of your body want to move and what kind of movement they desire. Let your body move into whatever dance feels right. How is that experience? What do you notice?

Return again to your old, unresolved issue. Let your body dance and move as it chooses for as long as you like. Then, pull out that paper or tape recorder, and again let your soul offer wisdom.

Take some time to be with each of the three soul responses separately, and then as parts of a whole. If this is a big or longstanding issue, you may want to repeat this process for several days. Notice what shifts for you and how.

Congratulations. You have now taken the first steps toward welcoming the artistry of your soul.

Havi Mandell, Ph.D., has her doctorate in clinical psychology and is a certified spiritual healer, graduate of and mentor for the Lynn Andrews Center for Sacred Arts and Training, licensed facilitator of “How Much Joy Can You Stand?” workshops, Reiki master, teacher, shaman, and polarity and cranial sacral therapy practitioner. 248-225-0509 or sbcglobal.net.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 23, Number 1, February/March 2005.