| Last week went so quickly with so much to do, mostly dealing with promotion and the daily tasks of running a business. There's a lot of work that has nothing to do intrinsically with art or an art ministry, per se. Things like bookkeeping, keeping the database of prints (inventory), the mailing list, shipping packages (OK, there are prints within, but shipping prints is not all that much different from shipping anything slightly fragile and special) and so on.
Detail work is not something that comes naturally to me. I understand what needs to be done, but I lose track and struggle through. When I am struggling I am not in The Flow.
We all have special talents. These are areas in life where we experience what athletes call, The Flow. Usually those peak experiences happen when expertise developed with practice combines with the blessing of natural talent. I've experienced The Flow. I experience it often when I am painting, drawing, writing or speaking about this work. No pun intended, it just flows and my experience of the moment is heightened. I feel more awake, aware and alive.
I feel that I know what I am doing, even somewhat intuitively or maybe even inspired, but there is no ego involved. It seems impossible to get to the flow by working at it. Instead it happens naturally when I am purposefully and intentionally focused on what I am doing without ego or though of any reward or end result. It's when I am in the now of the moment. Of course, we can only ever be in the now, but sometimes I can be more focused on the past or the future than the now. And then I am definitely not going to experience The Flow.
When I am in The Flow, I also feel closer to the Lord. Maybe that's what being in The Flow is all about. If we are doing something we are made to do, whatever it is. I have also experienced The Flow as a parent, at times feeling absolutely “guided” or inspired. Those were almost always times that were the happiest or the most problematical, such as when my son was injured or sick.
The Flow is in the moment to moment, although it can feel a bit timeless. When I am painting it is stroke by stroke. I don't plan it out as much as I “know” what to do. I know about the very stroke that I am making in the Now. It just comes to me. Of course, I am also reaching out for guidance and it probably doesn't hurt things that I have a Bible or photocopies of the texts I am using in one hand while I paint with the other!
We all witness others be in The Flow in many ways. Shows of many kinds, through many venues allow us to watch others who are in the flow while cooking, playing sports, teaching, performing as actors, musicians, dancers, etc. We not only enjoy being in The Flow ourselves, we enjoy watching others who are in it!
Great art seems to capture a time and convey -- a reality -- when the artist was in The Flow. The communication of that is different for each artist. This may be partly why great artists are immediately identifiable and unique, whereas others seem to be sort of knock-offs. I have begun to suspect that the reason why some artist are great and some equally skilled ones are not has to do with being in The Flow, the ability to bring the “Fire down from Heaven,” the ability to inspire and even awe. Now, probably you're thinking about great painters because I am a painter. Yes, that's true and this idea can certainly be applied to the works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Da Vinci, of course Van Gogh and others.
However, it was listening to the work of singers and composers that I first understood this idea. I have heard singers who have absolutely fabulous and well trained voices, and yet something was lacking that others, who might have less perfect voices managed to create. It's not just the ability to communicate, it is somehow about how the artist communicates. The truly great seem to transcend any limitation, so great is their need to do – to be- what they must, what they were made for. Think of Beethoven who composed after he was deaf! Even so, he was quite obviously in The Flow as a composer.
Unfortunately, or maybe quite fortunately in a deeper sense, being in The Flow in all ways just doesn't seem possible for anyone. At least no one to date, not even Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, Moses, (whoever!) is known for being able to do everything perfectly and in The Flow. Before, anyone argues the theology that anyone, such as Christ was perfect, please remember that no one mentioned was known as a great dancer, singers, mathematician, ship builder, Olympic type athlete, etc.
It can be argued that Christ was perfect in everything he did, possibly because as “I do nothing but what the Father does through me.” But the Father did not choose to do absolutely everything like singing, dancing, mathematics, athletics, etc. Or, at least records of all this talent have not yet been unearthed. Nor have I ever heard any Christian preacher speak of his achievements beyond what is mentioned in the Christian Testament. The same can be said for rabbis speaking about Moses, David, Abraham, etc. In a similar way, although the Buddha was originally a prince and well learned, his achievements in all fields of human endeavor are not recounted by monks or the Dalai Lama.
It seems what's most important seems to be doing what one is meant to do – and leaving the rest to others who are meant for that. Real perfection may be nothing other than being in The Flow always .
We all need each other and each other's gifts. What are your gifts? Whatever please nurture your gifts as ways to grow closer to the Lord and help others. We need you. The proof of that is that you're here, so you must have something you are meant to do!
May the blessing of The Flow be with you.
January 9, 2006 |
