Last week, I was part of the team leading a pastor’s retreat at Kanuga Conference Center, just outside Asheville NC. It was a week full of delight and surprise. One surprise happened while I worked on my Rule (or Rhythm) of Life*. In all my life, I’ve never known how to see my artwork – is it play? Is it work? If I see it as play, I can’t find permission to indulge myself in art. If it’s work, it’s pathetic and doesn’t lead to any income. Round and round it has gone. As I was trying to fit Art into the Rule and Rhythm of Life, it suddenly became clear to me that it is neither work nor play – it is prayer. This is the place in my life that I see my response to God. I don’t set out to paint pictures of life-with-God, I just paint. My hands paint the truth about what is going on inside me and when I look at my work, I often discover God’s impact on my life. I haven’t finished thinking about this new view and I can’t predict what difference this will make in my life. It will make a difference, though. So far, it feels like freedom is emerging.

*Rule of Life was developed by St. Benedict, during the monastic period to help the monasteries keep some sort of balance. Some monasteries were wealthy and indulgent and others were cruelly impoverished. The Rule of Life helped the various orders (and individuals) see how their total activities included a balance of rest/play, work/study, prayer, community involvement. This is still a valuable exercise. My friends and I think it is more accurate to call it the Rhythm of Life.

This entry was posted Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 at 6:14 pm and is filed under Creativity, Spiritual life. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.