Sacred Path of the Artist

Most people have no idea of the importance of the arts, or the artist’s role in society. The anthropology of ancient culture can tell us how essential the "vision" of our future was, driven by the creative visualization the artist-shaman seemed to make come alive on rock walls, fireside story and song, decorative and sacred symbolism and the colors of our spirits moods and visions.

It was magical for early the human to see the vision of the successful hunt put to the animal skin, or cave wall with colors of Ochre’s, Lapis Lazuli, Cinnabar, Manganese, Hematite, Malachite and Gypsum bound in fish and animal blood. We take such images and pictures everywhere for granted today, not remembering a time where an image was rare and so powerful it embodied the meanings and spirit of the envisioned.

These images helped peoples “intend” the outcomes, whether in bountiful hunt, the success of a crop, or the sacred daily reminders and assurances of the helping spirits in their visions and dreams.
The artist was able to visualize an outcome and put it to the medium for others to see. Early human lives depended on their own abilities and understanding. Their creative, and the vision of the goals they danced, haunted their believing into being. If they could believe, they could make it real. The artist supplemented this in their arts.

For this, the artists role was a sacred and respected one. Essential to the success of the tribe as the skilled hunter, healer, defender or builder, and the artist was many times many of these things to their society, and played many such roles in their communities.

Understanding the latest physics of reality, from Quantum to String theory and knowing the personal responsibility we must take for the holographic projections onto the walls of our reality we are experiencing, show us the real implications. With the importance of our own awareness and vision in transcending limitations from old paradigms, we can see how the visual, audio and intellectual visions of the arts are the essential skill set in actually “creating” our world.

Our heart desires beauty, balance and strength, and its inherent potentials to meet the challenges of the world. For more than ourselves we envision making things like world hunger dissolve, hate evaporate, ignorance be forgotten, or for more pro actively, planetary healing to begin, our forgotten societies be remembered, or our successful future on this and countless worlds and once again the power and wonder of the explorer our organism was meant to be reengaged. All parts of our collective vision.

The images in the news only remind us of where we are at, and in some cases, where we wish we were not. The images from the collective creative, in most cases are where our hearts are and where we want to be. The artist is the organism’s expressive node, meant to realize this (real-eyes). As artists we give vision. We make maps to a success, for ourselves and others. We should then know for ourselves that what we do is a sacred thing. Regardless of the ignorance of a current pre-intelligent society.

The artist might be more than can be understood at this stage of our societal evolution. So, our work is yet to be complete. Take heart in the knowledge of your creative heritage. Know that you are part of the path to knowledge and our positive visions for the smallest child, to the most exalted self important person. The vision of your own creative spirit is to be honored first in yourself. Don’t diminish the gift you are to the world, and never give up. You are an artist, a creative visionary. You make a path with your heart so others can follow through the darkness of uncertainty. You cannot be stopped by any but yourself. That is why art must be free to express through all walls and barriers. The artist is guided by the highest ideals, the deepest meanings and the brightest sources of understanding.
Against the practical limits and the expected trajectories we artists run headlong. We challenge all things, testing validity, opening the doors and uncovering the hidden things no one else is brave enough or selfless enough to explore. We also go ahead of the explorer to see the new lands, and show the real hearts of any who would call themselves our superiors. The powers that hold our civilization fast are afraid of such exposure, and make it a challenge to survive such a “path of the witness” the artist is. But the artist can navigate such challenge with creative awareness. The lie of poverty is toothless for creative vision. The illusion of a lower social cast is transparent to those whose works are seen and coveted in the highest places of society. Creative awareness is our sacred tool. It is a radio receiver of infinite band. A source of all answers and better questions both. Everyone has this, but the artist is one who has mastered it’s use. It can only be stopped by ignorance or death, and then even goes on after it is said. Maybe we were born in God’s image. Born creators.

My father of 79 who has always supported his sons artistic gifts, sent me a birthday note for last weeks anniversary of 55 orbits of our star. It was a quote from my childhood-to-adult hero and guiding artistic teacher. This one quote embodied his love and support for me, and I pass it on to all other artists challenged by our times. To never stop is not a credo. It is a spiritual nature.

“He turns not back who is bound to a star.”
Leonardo DaVinci

Garret Moore
June 2009