Getting Our "Planets" Aligned : Spiritual

I almost called this post "Getting Our 'Planets' Aligned : Beliefs".

But then I realized that, beliefs are not what this "planet" is about.

It's really about who you are, it's about your very being - in a very real sense.

For example, a high school cheer leader, may be said to have "School Spirit".

In a sense, whether the cheer leader looks at it this way or not, they are being spiritual about their school.

They're participating, getting involved, they're contributing, investing time, energy and effort, sacrificing other opportunities, etc. - you get the picture.

Well, I'd go as far as to say that ART can also be used as a spiritual practice!

If you go to Dictionary.com, and look up the word "Art", you will see that there are at least 16 definitions of the word.

If you look at the definitions listed, you will notice that they list off the most popular or conventional definitions first.

I'm going to key in on the definition that I'm thinking of, so I can connect the dots here in a second...

Let's look at the very last one - at this time, definition No. 16 reads:

"Archaic. science, learning, or scholarship."

What this suggests, is that the TRADITIONAL sense of the word - not the most common, but the most traditional - is that art is about life and learning.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what spirituality is all about?

Being human is about living and learning, no matter who you are.

So is science, art  - and spirtuality.

Another destinction that I often make, is that spiritual does not mean religious.

However, I bear no judgement on you, or anyone else for that matter, if you ARE religious.

In fact, I practice and promote religious tolerance, so I'm totally in support of whatever people want to believe in, including you.

So what I'm saying is that, whether you're religious, atheist, or anywhere in between, you can still be spiritual.

And let me tell you what, art is something that can fulfill you in ways that very few things can, if you let it.

The beauty of this, is that you don't have to be a painter, or a dancer, or write poetry, etc.

You can boil any science down to an artform, and you can break any artform down to a science.

"Principles for the Development of a Complete Mind:  Study the science of art.  Study the art of science.  Develop your senses - especially learn how to see.  Realise that everything connects to everything else." - Leonardo Da Vinci

You can make an artform out of making cars, business strategies, making food, cutting hair, making jokes... whatever you want!

What's YOUR artform?

And how can you start practicing your art as a way of living and learning?

In my post about creating creative spaces, I mentioned that when I make art at the studio I go to, it's an opportunity to step out of my world for a few hours.

I suggest that you practice your artform as a way of disconnecting from the rest of your life, so you become energized by the activities you indulge in when you're being creative.

It's kind of like breathing - you breathe in, then you breathe out.

You go to work, then you go relax.

You go to school, then you go home and spend time with family.

You work out, then you go to your creative space and make some art.

However your life is structured, cool, but make sure that when you're working, you're only focused on working.  When you're with your friends and family, you're focused on them, just them.  When you're working out, only focus on exercising.  And when you're making art, only focus on being creative :)

This is the way I aspire to function in my life, but it takes practice, so try it out and give it time.

I hope this was useful to you, because it is to me and I know how valuable and powerful this concept of art as a spiritual practice can be.  In fact, it's the reason why I started this blog in the first place.

Explains a lot, doesn't it?

On my next post, I will be bringing this theme of "Planet" Alignment, full circle - so stay tuned.

Take care, I'll talk to you soon.

Eddie