It may seem that only special individuals are able to draw or paint, but that is not so, according to Adriana Diaz. The author, who teaches painting and pottery at the Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality in Oakland, California, believes that anyone can harvest these skills.
"Art is a place where daring and caring come together," writes Diaz. In this handy art-as-spirituality guide, she has assembled drawing, painting, collage, meditation, and ritual exercises to spark creativity. The activities are designed to tap inner feelings and playful energy in relationship to ancestral history, personal pride, social identity, and the universal self.
Diaz makes a good case for the importance of seeing with a reverential eye. It is the essence of communion with the universe. Freeing the Creative Spirit is a wonderful book that gives imagination, reverence, play hospitality, and joy equal places in the pantheon of spiritual virtues.