Conforming Patterns

Posted by parkejladd on Apr 15, 2010 in Featured {Article}, Slider | 4 comments

Criteria for creating life altering art requires mentally stepping out of and away from the pattern of the typically acceptable and falsely satisfying status quo. To create, one must see beyond the pattern of normality’s pending twists and turns, but, even more importantly, see the pattern for what it intrinsically is, mentally moving away to view it from a distance with fresh vantage and unfamiliar angle.

This creativity, effected by transformation of the mind away from the pattern of the world, is deeply dependent upon our ability to step back from the pattern without actually leaving the pattern. This is a struggle for many. We want to be transformed, different, artistically set apart, and, at the same time, we selfishly desire separation from those not agreeing with our creativity or willingly surrendered to our own values and world view. This is not characteristic of real transformation. The challenge rests in mentally stepping back and accurately establishing the tendencies of existing conditions and standings while ultimately remaining authentically engaged with the pattern itself. Transformation is crucial to the understanding of our path, and transformation is rooted in the mind, accomplished not through rigorous self-depreciation or discipline but through something more than words could ever explain.

On the path of transformation, the tendency can be to completely remove one’s self from the pattern, no longer threaded in with everyone else, no longer intricately woven into the abused, multi-colored, dirty, hurting rug. We choose instead to be pulled out–a single thread, blown and tossed about–alone and slinky without relationship to other threads, unraveled from the chaotic beauty and entrancing messiness of sharing life together. Transformation is not a call to separate from the rug. It’s not an allowance to congregate solely with like threads of same color and cleanliness. It’s not permission to disassociate from the fray. Instead, transformation allows us to see the rug and ourselves for what they truly are. We no longer live of, yet we are still very in.

Genuine discovery and transformation will not move us to creative separation. Instead, it will guide us to creative, relational architecture–seeing the pattern for what it actually is, loving creatively, and compassionately caring for those threaded parallel and perpendicular to us every moment of every day.