Mixing it Up - Newsletter - October, 2005

A box of books--12-step, psychology, birth order, sexual abuse....I pull out a hardback with no dust jacket and ruffle the pages. THE CHALLENGE OF ART TO PSYCHOLOGY by Seymour B. Sarason. This looks really boring. I place it on the this-looks-really-boring stack. The desk is covered with stacks: prayer, healing, 12-step, family, steals, boring. Later as the desk thins out--books shuffled onto shelves--I remember that the mixing of Art and Psychology is an important part of my writing classes. I look at the book again and decide to take it home.

It was, in fact, a pretty boring book--a long rant on the way schools and society kill creativity. (I'd rather write that kind of rant than read it.) However, there was a wonderful chapter, "The Unfolding of Artistic Activity" about the work of someone named Schaefer-Simmern who taught art in a reformatory and in a resident-home for the mentally retarded. I ended up flagging a half-dozen quotes in the first third of the book--quotes around the idea of creative activity forming the artist, even as the artist works to form the materials. Here are a couple quotes, mushed together:

"The satisfaction that comes from making something, and being made and formed by it, is missing in the lives of most people...form is created and recreated in the tug-of-war among internal imagery, the medium and the 'out there'....this process and development alters people's conception of themselves and how they look at their world."

Spiritual Formation is an old-school word that speaks of the process of being formed by scripture, prayer, study, community, service. In pre-industrial times, hands-on creativity was an intrinsic and obvious part of that formation. Now we no longer automatically make our own houses, music, bread...instead we must intentionally add *making* into our lives.

Making a Mess is a good place to start.

THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini was highly recommended by Mary Ellen. Before I had a chance to order it, Susan brought in a copy. She said that her husband really enjoyed this best-selling novel that takes place in modern Afghanistan. While I was reading it at Carpos restaurant, a total stranger came up to tell me how great it was. (OK, already...I'm reading it!) They were all correct. Riveting. Powerful. Unexpectedly moving. Michael liked it, too. $14.00 new, and there's also a few more reads in this well passed around, $4 paperback copy.

ALL THINGS FOR GOOD by the Puritan Pastor, Thomas Watson, impressed Kathy so much that she ordered 10 copies to give away. We could use a few dozen more customers like her. Here's a quote from the little $6.99 book, which is an exposition on Romans 8:28. "One Christian conversing with another is a means to confirm him. As the stones in an arch help to strengthen one another, one Christian by imparting his experience, heats and quickens another. 'Let us provoke one another to love and good works' (Heb10:24), How does grace flourish by holy conference! A Christian by good discourse drops that oil upon another, which makes the lamp of his faith burn brighter."

I suppose that's why I like creating in company, Toastmasters, continual conversations at The Word Shop, books, spiritual direction, writing and art classes, prayer and study groups. Mix spiritual and artistic disciplines, add a few friendly folk. Stir. Heat in the light of the Lord. You never know what kind of feast will emerge.

"I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering." -Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963)

If you want to discover with a few people Tuesdays at noon, let me know. The writing, and/or illustrating study that sparks from the Gospel of John is still gathering participants.

NOVEMBER SPEAKING SCHEDULE: 12:30 Sunday, November 6 for Good Shepherd Fellowship Service at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Aptos: CHRIST THE KING; a story of expectation.
12:00, November 15 for the Tuesday Lunch Bunch at Felton Presbyterian Church: THE MIND OF THE MAKER; a journey with writer Dorothy Sayers into the heart of God.
November 18 & 19 --Co-chair for Toastmasters District 4 Conference in Monterey. Thursday, November 24: Let's talk Turkey

Poetry is the clear expression of mixed feelings. -W.H. Auden, poet (1907-1973)

Blessings, Alliee +