When we use our imagination we travel within ourselves to explore what is possible and often what is impossible. We see creations in the heavenly worlds, where we as Soul are based. Here we can create anything we wish. We are Soul, a part of God. We have that creative power of God, in the heavens. Is there a way of bringing that creative power into our physical worlds?
It is easy to create in our inner heavens but being able to manifest that creation here in our physical world takes a bit of practice. When asked, what is the purpose of the creative arts? Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eckankar, said, it was for the artist to learn structure. I didn’t understand this until I was chatting with Tunde, of the Lighthouse Family. Here’s a YouTube link to one of their hits, Lifted.
Create a Structure
Tunde explained that as a creative person, which we all are, it is our job to create a structure for whatever we wish to create. It could be a song, a picture, a meal, a business, an event, a job, a project, etc. We create the basic shape in our imagination, our inner worlds, and let the Life Force, Holy Spirit or Higher Power flow into it. Then ideas, happy accidents, fresh thoughts and coincidences come together to fill this structure we have created.
For example a musician will use composition, a story, musical notes, scales, tones, a variety of instruments to bring the music he hears, in his inner world, out into our world so we can hear it. An artist when creating a picture will use colour, shadow, perspective, shapes, composition, to create the structure for the picture he sees within himself. As these elements are put together, the happy accidents and coincidences occur to help create the final piece.
What happens here is the musician or artist has the basic outline or structure, then the Holy Spirit fills in the blanks with its inspiration and our efforts. This is where the structure mentioned by Harold Klemp is necessary. This is how a musician brings heavenly music into our worlds so we can hear and enjoy it. It’s how an artist makes the invisible visible.
The Perfect Meal
The same creative process happens when we set out to create a nice meal. We gather the ingredients; meat, vegetables, seasoning, etc. We now have the basic structure. Next we begin cooking and get creative. We can :
fry, grill, bake, boil, stew.
add seasoning,
mix cooking methods like boiling first and baking later,
create sauces,
meat can be cooked rare or well done,
serve aperitifs, starters, salads, desserts, etc.
As we go about the work of creating the meal, different things happen. We discover a sauce or extra flavours that blends well with the dish we are creating. We add seasoning. We may think we’ve added too much or too little, but when we are finished cooking, the meal will be perfect for that time.
The methods we can use are endless but we end up with a meal for our friends and family. It is a unique creation. We’ve used our imagination, created a structure, got some inspiration, some physical food and effort to manifest the meal we imagined within ourselves. If we’ve made mistakes, we’ve learned and can correct them the next time we cook that dish but for now we have the perfect meal.
Become the instrument of Spirit
Just to get a different view on this subject, Rodney Jones, the inspirational musician and guitarist recently wrote the following:
“Knowledge of self is that which shapes expression of Self. Being the Self, is the point where the artist begins to mirror in a full way, the attributes and qualities of the divine. At this point, all that he plays becomes a channel for Divine Spirit to utilize for ITs purposes.
“He no longer just plays an instrument, he has become the instrument of Spirit.”
(See the end of this post for more about Rodney Jones and his music).
As Rodney says, if we become aware of our selves as Soul (Self), we realise we are part of the Divine. If we can connect regularly with the Divine we become a channel for it. Spirit flows through us. As the flow of Spirit grows, we grow, Spirit grows around us, we become an instrument of Spirit. How do we do this? Do everything with Love. Let Love be the reason we do everything. God is Love, Spirit is Love, Soul’s home is in Spirit, in heaven, in Love. Let Love guide our lives and we’ll create a heaven around us. We “become the instrument of Spirit”.
Our Unique Melody
Let’s take our instruments out. (Let’s become aware of ourselves as Soul).
Let’s dust It off and get It back in tune. (Let’s reconnect with Soul).
Let’s practice our instrument. (Let’s do a regular spiritual exercise, contemplation or meditation).
Let’s play for ourselves, our friends and our world. (Let’s live life with Love, enjoy it, savour it and discover it.)
Let’s play the unique melody that is our life.
*Ed Parkinson
P.S. - Rodney Jones is a guitarist who’s most recent CD, A THOUSAND SMALL THINGS, has been placed in the first round of GRAMMY© Nominations.
It is easy to create in our inner heavens but being able to manifest that creation here in our physical world takes a bit of practice. When asked, what is the purpose of the creative arts? Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eckankar, said, it was for the artist to learn structure. I didn’t understand this until I was chatting with Tunde, of the Lighthouse Family. Here’s a YouTube link to one of their hits, Lifted.
Create a Structure
Tunde explained that as a creative person, which we all are, it is our job to create a structure for whatever we wish to create. It could be a song, a picture, a meal, a business, an event, a job, a project, etc. We create the basic shape in our imagination, our inner worlds, and let the Life Force, Holy Spirit or Higher Power flow into it. Then ideas, happy accidents, fresh thoughts and coincidences come together to fill this structure we have created.
For example a musician will use composition, a story, musical notes, scales, tones, a variety of instruments to bring the music he hears, in his inner world, out into our world so we can hear it. An artist when creating a picture will use colour, shadow, perspective, shapes, composition, to create the structure for the picture he sees within himself. As these elements are put together, the happy accidents and coincidences occur to help create the final piece.
What happens here is the musician or artist has the basic outline or structure, then the Holy Spirit fills in the blanks with its inspiration and our efforts. This is where the structure mentioned by Harold Klemp is necessary. This is how a musician brings heavenly music into our worlds so we can hear and enjoy it. It’s how an artist makes the invisible visible.
The Perfect Meal
The same creative process happens when we set out to create a nice meal. We gather the ingredients; meat, vegetables, seasoning, etc. We now have the basic structure. Next we begin cooking and get creative. We can :
fry, grill, bake, boil, stew.
add seasoning,
mix cooking methods like boiling first and baking later,
create sauces,
meat can be cooked rare or well done,
serve aperitifs, starters, salads, desserts, etc.
As we go about the work of creating the meal, different things happen. We discover a sauce or extra flavours that blends well with the dish we are creating. We add seasoning. We may think we’ve added too much or too little, but when we are finished cooking, the meal will be perfect for that time.
The methods we can use are endless but we end up with a meal for our friends and family. It is a unique creation. We’ve used our imagination, created a structure, got some inspiration, some physical food and effort to manifest the meal we imagined within ourselves. If we’ve made mistakes, we’ve learned and can correct them the next time we cook that dish but for now we have the perfect meal.
Become the instrument of Spirit
Just to get a different view on this subject, Rodney Jones, the inspirational musician and guitarist recently wrote the following:
“Knowledge of self is that which shapes expression of Self. Being the Self, is the point where the artist begins to mirror in a full way, the attributes and qualities of the divine. At this point, all that he plays becomes a channel for Divine Spirit to utilize for ITs purposes.
“He no longer just plays an instrument, he has become the instrument of Spirit.”
(See the end of this post for more about Rodney Jones and his music).
As Rodney says, if we become aware of our selves as Soul (Self), we realise we are part of the Divine. If we can connect regularly with the Divine we become a channel for it. Spirit flows through us. As the flow of Spirit grows, we grow, Spirit grows around us, we become an instrument of Spirit. How do we do this? Do everything with Love. Let Love be the reason we do everything. God is Love, Spirit is Love, Soul’s home is in Spirit, in heaven, in Love. Let Love guide our lives and we’ll create a heaven around us. We “become the instrument of Spirit”.
Our Unique Melody
Let’s take our instruments out. (Let’s become aware of ourselves as Soul).
Let’s dust It off and get It back in tune. (Let’s reconnect with Soul).
Let’s practice our instrument. (Let’s do a regular spiritual exercise, contemplation or meditation).
Let’s play for ourselves, our friends and our world. (Let’s live life with Love, enjoy it, savour it and discover it.)
Let’s play the unique melody that is our life.
*Ed Parkinson
P.S. - Rodney Jones is a guitarist who’s most recent CD, A THOUSAND SMALL THINGS, has been placed in the first round of GRAMMY© Nominations.
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