A lovely friend of mine recently said that ‘music was her religion’. I totally get that. Except with me it is not just music but all the arts in all their various forms.
There is nothing more stirring than your favourite song playing on your iPod shuffle whilst sitting on the beach; inspiring than a breathtaking performance of a play by truly wonderful actors; comforting and /or disturbing than a truth telling film watched at an independent picturehouse; uplifting than a visit to a surprising exhibition at an art gallery; or spine-tinglingly emotional than hearing the music that stirred you on your ipod played live.
It is these moments that I love.
It is in these moments that I feel truly alive,
It is in these moments that my spirit is awakened and my senses are heightened.
It is in these moments that, (excuse me while I get all psychological/philosophical for a moment) I believe I am transported out of myself into what Carl Jung calls the ‘collective unconscious’, that liminal space where I am connecting to the artist or performer and the rest of the audience in a remarkable and intimate way.
Or, perhaps I just really like it because it makes me happy and gives me such joy?
In this grumpy and cynical age, where everyone seems too cool for anything, it’s ok isn’t it to really like something? To like it so much that you want to do and see as much of it as often as you can? To be passionate about it. To tell everyone about it on social media or in person. To invest time energy and money into it?
The vicar preach this Sunday from the book of Philippians chapter 4:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
Yup- that’s what I’m doing…the creative arts for me are exactly all these things; my gateway to joy and, even more importantly, a signpost to the one who created first; my true religion.
This Little Light of Mine 