By Matthew Fox, Aug 23, 2030
A useful education today must instruct us in our creativity so that we do not turn it over to others and so that we use it for purposes that are life-giving and life-affirming (biophilia) rather than destructive or death-affirming (necrophilia)
When Hildegard of Bingen was very sick, she had an overwhelming experience of a great light that came upon her, she turned to art as meditation.
Beaten down by many kinds of illness at the same time, I decided to put my hand to writing. Once I did this, a deep and profound exposition of books came over me. I received the strength to rise up from my sick bed, and under that power I continued to carry out the work to the end using all of ten years to do it.
Creativity heals. And it empower.
Says the great psychologist, Otto Rank: “The artist is one who wants to leave behind a gift.”
This is how Meister Eckhart understands art as meditation:
Whatever I want to express in its truest meaning must emerge from within me and pass through an inner form. It cannot come from outside to the inside but must emerge from within.
Notice how he stresses that truth comes primarily from within—it may be triggered by others, but it is essentially our intuition at work. Through art, we share it with others. And there is great joy in that along with healthy critical feedback.
