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Reverently tending the spaces between the
worldly activities of our lives opens the door
for the possibility of something unique and
creative to enter the world. In the whirl of
more obvious pursuits this seeming
“non-activity” is overlooked or worse, not
valued. With worldly life moving along at the
speed of light, who has time to slow the pace
long enough to realize the potential of
emptiness?
A tale of Wander-
I was feeling the creative stir that often comes
just before beginning a new art project. I had
no idea what I would do so I wandered the
recycle center here on Whidbey Island, WA,
searching for something that might inspire a new
art piece. I use mostly found material in my
work and finding an inspiring object can launch
a creation in a completely unexpected direction.
In my search I happened upon a large 8 x 4 ft.
cedar sign with the words "ANIMAL CLINIC" carved
deeply into the face. Seasoned old cedar is
excellent for carving and a one-piece slab this
size was unusual to find. Trusting my initial
impulse, I decided to bring the sign back to my
studio.
The sign sat for quite some time as I courted
its possibilities. Finally, laying it face down
I decided to cut three, six-foot figures out of
the slab. I drew them in the most efficient way
possible to get the most use out of the large
slab without ever considering the positioning of
the words carved on the back. I had cut out two
of the figures and was just finishing the third
when the phone rang. To my amazement, it was my
first love from 30 years prior! She had read my
book and saw the Parabola film made about my art
and life and decided to look me up. After a
lovely conversation I returned to the task of
cutting out the last figure. I was deep in
thought as I made the last cut, thinking about
how impossible it is when we are young, not to
lose ourselves in the overwhelming power of
first love. I finished the cut, turned it over
and situated perfectly, the full length of the
figure was the word "ANIMA." Anima, is a Jungian
term. It represents a man’s inner feminine,
which he unconsciously projects onto a woman
when he loses himself in love -- I had just
spoken on the phone with my first anima
projection!
I created an entire multi-leveled art piece out
of this small poetic event by incorporating the
ANIMA figure and another of the 3 cedar figures
I cut out that day. The piece has three layers:
Anima (a man’s inner feminine,) Animus (a
woman’s inner masculine) and Union (the union of
opposites.) I called the piece The Sacred
Marriage.
The Sacred Marriage
 (Layer
1) Anima
 (Layer
2) Animus
 (Layer
3) Union
 (Detail)
Union
It is in the spaces
between things where mystery resides, and tiny
seeds of creative possibility can be discovered.
Wandering through the day, noticing the small
things, making resonant connections and
gathering the shimmering gifts that come
naturally, creates the basic substance of
original creation. In relation to this formless
activity, the strategic and reasonable attempt
to control matter is a far grosser activity. By
the time original creation takes form some part
of it already existed in the DNA stirring in the
space of creative possibility. One is naturally
awed and humbled by the mystery of this process.
The ego, with all of its efforts and strategies
can never lay claim to the illuminating
substance of original creation. What is inspired
comes to us as an epiphany. It comes into form
as if called into being by our collective hopes
and dreams. Perhaps phrases like “An idea whose
time has come” poetically alludes to the
preexistence and inevitability of inspired
creation.
Those tending the fluid open spaces are able to
reach in and pluck the seeds of possibility for
the world at large. Although few of us would
admit it, most of us follow the lead of inspired
forms that came into existence through someone
else’s discovery. We follow for many reasons --
for material advantage or for the safety of
being held by “tried and true,” preexisting
forms. Many of us, especially when young, intuit
the vibrancy of inspired form and follow simply
to be a part of something more alive. Those who
want to succeed will further develop the ideas
of the innovative wanderer.
Some follow sooner than others, which has some
small advantage. Many follow unknowingly. To
quote Lao Tsu, “When the work of the sage is
done the people think they have done it
themselves.” The commitment of the proverbial
sage is to the subtle promptings of formless
space rather than to the form coveted by the
world. Lao Tsu also says, “The spirit of the
fountain is eternal.” Having accessed the source
one sees no scarcity, has no need to compete,
and allows the changeable nature of water to
flow on. For the creative wanderer, creating an
intimacy with the source is the only real goal.
They do not lay claim to the fruit. From this
detached perspective, the great and timely idea
– the one the world has been waiting for,
already exists in the fluid imagination of the
fountainhead.
All cultural breakthroughs, movements, trends,
fashions, products, or ideas that take hold,
culturally, and move into the mainstream, come
to us through the emptiness of space. They come
through an individual’s unique relationship with
inner space. So the question becomes, how do we
dialogue with inner space while existing in an
external environment screaming with distraction?
How do we hold this paradox? Perhaps by
extracting our attention from the external shape
of things and reverently holding the space, for
formless possibility to manifest. This is not a
passive activity.
One’s holy wandering must be able to withstand
the external onslaught, even in difficult or
dangerous situations or there would be no
sustainable reality to the practice. And it is a
Practice -- a spiritual practice that benefits,
protects and furthers our humanity at al levels.
Without the protection inherent in an inspired
moment, there would be no heroes or redemptive
myths. At such a moment in our universal
mythology even death is not a defeat! If it
were, unbridled aggression, bigger bombs and a
kill-or-be-killed attitude would be the only
game in town. Yet, this is not how the
mythological story goes.
Early in my life I read all of the personal
stories I could find on life and death of those
who suffered in the German concentration camps.
I could not imagine a more extreme or difficult
reality to have to endure, as a human being. I
sought to find some deeper meaning in the
stories – some seed of redemption. To my
surprise, I found stories coming out of the
darkest moments imaginable that were so
beautiful, liberating and quietly victorious
that they made the experience seem almost
enviable! I found hope and a personal sense of
liberation in the fact that a single, timely act
had the potential to bring something into play
that can only be described as miraculous. The
grace in such moments seemed to create an
unshakable experiential refuge. In many of the
stories, the magic of the moment would liberate
a person, physically, and in others it did not.
In the deeper mythos of some of the stories I
found, it seemed not to matter-- free was free,
even in death. The inspired moment delivered a
meaningful resolve and some final expression of
innocent beauty over-rode the brutality and
physical suffering. Such moments inspired others
beyond a sense of defeat. One cannot tap this
greater resolve focusing on the appearance of
things – not in joy or in suffering. A moment of
Grace will be delivered, only when we inhabit
the paradox and allow the deeper truth to be
revealed in unexpected ways.
Grace and suffering existing simultaneously is a
most unreasonable paradox. It is the stuff of
fairy tales. Yet, in our very DNA the paradox of
hope in hopeless situations remains true. In
spite of ourselves, we expect the reality of
“happily ever after” to be the case and if it is
not, we never quite believe the end of the
story! The fact that there are people able to
manifest this happy ending makes their legacy a
gift and a responsibility we must make our own.
Through the myths and stories that inspire hope,
and most importantly through our own living
example, this legacy may be the only real gift
we have to leave future generations.
© Copyright 2010 Jerry Wennstrom. All rights
reserved. |
