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Ten
Top Links about Art and Leadership
Is there a potent
mission to being an artist at the time of the 9/11 and of a depressed
economy? Could it be that troubled times are indicative of the tremendous
societal need for visionaries to show up as leaders, and offer ecologically
sound creative solutions to the current challenges humanity is facing?
And if there is truth to the contemporary artist mindset appearing to
be enslaved by its own conditioned beliefs and subsequent identities,
how then can it be freed? This presentation will progress through ten
ideas revealing a pathway for the artist in all of us to travel. It will
reveal how the creative power to be shifting reality can promote the success
and acceptance for which artists have longed. It will stress how coming
back to serving the community will "multidimensionalize" the
process of art making and give it meaning. In this journey, the ten following
principles build upon each other to illuminate what artists and leaders
have in common: the fierceness of their vision.
1. Purpose
If communication is the main purpose of art disciplines, in what ways
can one make it proficient?
And if it is the artist's passion and raison d'être to express,
how can he/she convey his/her message so that it will be perceived as
accurately as possible and received as fully as may be? It has been said
before that communication is not what is being said, but the result of
what is being said. Mastering a skill, be it drawing, writing, sculpting,
painting, dancing, acting, etc, is a beginning in optimizing the receptivity
of what is being said. Although crucial, such mastery is not enough; it
has to be fueled by the heart, which is the real transmitter of the message,
enabled by its devotion to a higher cause. In effect, the heart (heART)
knows that "This is not about me!" 2. Order
It appears that artists are repelled by the thought of order, and fascinated
enough by chaos they have elected it as their domain. Yet in scientific
terms, isn't chaos part of order? Why therefore settling for just a tiny
part of the vastness? Maybe another reason why order is so unacceptable
to the current artist mind is that it is traditionally associated to male
and linear behavior. Interesting interpretation, as order was in ancient
time revolving around the keeper of the hearth, a feminine role honored
as the most beautiful role of all. Returning to it was more than a goal
to every hunter, it was a true inspiration and the replenishing of his
strength. Could it be that artists, by denying themselves order, also
reject the nurturing, and the vitalizing properties of order? The practicality
of order (finding stuff, gaining in productivity) joins to a spirituality
of order (going from freeing physical space to mental space, and from
experiencing shame and isolation to having a greater social impact.) 3. Absence of self
The question here is who is speaking? Is it the mature leader whose creative
ability brings a solution, or is it the wounded child who monopolizes
attention? How important is it to dress differently, or obey an atypical
social code? One can easily confuse freedom with the rebellion of independence,
which actually aims at dissociating and refusing to be dependent on anyone.
In the end, this is not freedom, only a guise for freedom. Such response
is contrary to the purpose of art, to communicate and therefore build
bridges. Being different cannot be the issue, being authentic is! When
connectedness is created, it won't trigger fear or rejection of those
who follow their own drummer. Just like it makes sense to start with a
blank canvas, it makes sense to relate to another after one has emptied
the heart from any childhood pain. And although not being absorbed by
societal sleep and indoctrination is essential to art, successfully delivering
naturally follows simplicity (absence of self) and clarity (order)!
top of page 4. Innovation
What does it take to be innovative? Innovation requires that an individual
move beyond his or her comfort zone, and be willing to fail. Thus it starts
in an act of faith, and in a relaxation. Mind power is creativity: I create
more of "that" by placing my attention on it. Therefore knowing
how I can better control my attention becomes very important. Much has
been said on the power of positive thinking, and little on its connection
to relaxation and trust. If I trust my next play will be the most inspired,
and choose to place my attention on that thought, it will be. Where there
is trust, there is confidence, because something else, greater than me,
is allowed to come in. Very possibly worrying about an outcome, and trying
too hard prevents the solution to spontaneously occur. Just like a womb
needs to be receptive to be fertilized, the mind has to be free of the
possession of negative thinking (anxiety, blame, shame, depression, obsession)
to be able to in-novate.
The absence of the conditioned self, the doubter, the skeptic, the worrier,
the hard worker, will then "close the deal," which explains
how great geniuses always have their best ideas in the most unexpected
situations, e.g. brushing their teeth, buying groceries. That is precisely
the time when they are trying so little they allow another way of looking
at it… 5. Commitment
Great leaders are highly competent, because they are dedicated to a high
level of performance, learning, growth, and improvement. How can an artist
espouse such curiosity and steadfastness? Picasso mentioned how he had
to forget all the roses, before he could paint one. How then can one give
up the thought that one knows something, and truly keep an explorer mind,
a child mind? And if I think I know, what is the motivation behind my
actions? Commitment, and courage go hand in hand, as they both require
full engagement, no less. What is keeping me from deciding to do the next
right thing, from marrying my own mission and vowing "I do?"
People do not follow leaders who are not committed. Commitment and responsibility
can be measured by the hours you spend and how you spend them, the money
you spend and how you spend it, and by what you do for others. Spend a
few minutes each day analyzing your time, your checkbook, and your volunteer
work. Look closely at where your time goes, how you spend your money,
and how you give back to community. You may be very surprised at what
you find. 6. Integration
Integration is the process by which to harmonize the disparate elements
that emerged from the previous exploration. Thus awareness is a necessary
ingredient to integration, and leads to active transformation. Concurrently,
Art and leadership are akin to alchemy, to the mysterious merging of forces
that ends in oneness. From this initiation, both the leader and the artist
come to know that it is simultaneously all about me, all about you, and
all about we. The "we" viewpoint allows for integration of all
parts, you and me, creator and audience, leader and team. No separation.
Think of your body, your emotions, your mind, and your soul as one team
that can function amicably. See how much time you are giving to building
your body (your buddy?) physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Use every "challenge," every stain on the canvas, every slip
of the tongue, every error or mishap as a body/buddy building opportunity,
and please, do not forget to rest your muscles, be they physical or emotional,
thus bringing more integration to the workout life is giving you.
top of page 7. Integrity
From integration comes integrity… That is one way to look at it!
It is the time when buttons all line up, when such wholeness, such candor,
such impeccable honesty is attained, that authenticity becomes the spokesperson
of one's promotion. This speaking is not efforting in any manner. As a
matter of fact, it lives beyond words. It is an art and a science, generated
by the natural responsiveness and response-ability of someone who has
a vision, and no personal agenda. This quality of response and presence,
this "purity" (no other word) makes that being irresistible
and a magnet. There is where to account for the charisma of great leaders.
Ask yourself: am I willing to take the responsibility for my present situation,
and for all the decisions to come? The bad news is: you did it all! The
good news is: you do it all! What do you choose to create? 8. Financial empowerment
A common understanding is that money is energy exchanged. You offer that
service, which is valuable to me enough that I will pay for it… It
is puzzling that artists would be in such financial survival, as they
are so gifted, and so "rich" inside. It has been said that creating
art is a constant act of generosity. So where is the hook? The image of
a receiver comes to mind, where some channels are noisier than others.
If turning a dial will make for a better reception, what dial can I turn
to receive money more directly, i.e. more abundantly? That is a worthwhile
question. Financial empowerment is directly related to integrity, as integrity
is the filter, which wipes out any possible noise. It is the real energy
behind the exchange, as it insures the buyer that the seller's heart is
in the right place, and that his/her intents in all actions are for the
good of all. 9. Community
That is really the foremost point: the good of all, the good of the community,
the good of humanity. As a healing principle, it means that, in the moment
you are experiencing a block, there is someone around you who needs you,
just as you are. When caught up in self-attack, look for someone around
you who is in even more in dire need of assistance. Think of people as
the colors that populates your palette, or the notes that delineates your
melody… Furthermore, if it weren't for people, why create art at
all? Follows a question for the very courageous, a tough question…
Are you ready? Here it is: do you really like people? Yes, is it true
that you really, really like people? Even Aunt Martha? Even the sad looking
cashier? And if you should come to recognize that, possibly, there are
times when you do not like people, then how can
you ask them to love you, and support your art? Com-passion is the key
to com-munity. Try this a remedy: Repeat to yourself: just like me, this
person has felt loneliness, sadness and despair. Just like me, this person
is wanting happiness for his or her life… Just like me… 10. Vision
Because art, science, or anything that is created for the benefit of community
is born of inspiration from the abstract and imaginative realms, contemporary
artists may come to recognize their task as a grounding and redirecting
of those primeval patterns of apparent chaos through discipline into expressive
simplicity. They may understand the joy and pure pleasure of committing
to joining order and responsibility to those more etheric and ecstatic
realms. Thus can the artist, the voice of art, earn trust and a hearing,
as he and she will have come forth as a servant leader, and bear gifts
as the steward of those gifts, rather than the owner. By doing so, a vision
of love and beauty will be fulfilled, which is the ultimate and great
work that unites artists and leaders, the passionate co-creation that
dares thinking possible the emergence of an enlightened civilization.
top
of page Mahalene Louis is an Inspiration Anchor, a Futurist, an Artist, an Author and the President of Soulvision Axis, Inc., a company assisting the Leader, Officer, Visionary and Engineer in Self (or L.O.V.E. as the four primordial archetypes) to unleash their creativity and awaken their spirit by collaborating as one. She recently authored “CraQKing the QKabbalah QKode: How Healing the Jewish Agenda Connects (Your) Life!”
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