Balance

Dear Friends and Colleagues in Arts Education,

  This season of Christmas coincides with the beginning of winter – following the bursting fruitfulness and abundances of the autumn – a time for spiritual renewal, mindfulness, and reflection.

         A close friend introduced an extremely thought provoking question which we, and many artist-teachers, must constantly probe.  How do we find a balance between teaching and our creating?  Especially when we teach in an environment, which is not necessarily supportive or nurturing of our artistry?  This question seems to surface at the end of semesters – following our giving of so much to our students and when we feel so exhausted and torn.

         I believe a core mission we have as arts educators is to provide an opportunity for our young children and youth to become fully aware of the nature and the wonder of the arts and the artists within themselves – whether this artist becomes a sensitive beholder, bread maker, composer, musician, painter, or private creative explorer – we all need the arts as central sources of spiritual and relational communion and envisionment. In the words of Sosaku Kobayashi:

                  To have eyes but not to see beauty,

                  To have ears but not to hear music,

                  To have minds but not to perceive truth,

                   To have hearts that are never set on fire,

                  These are things to fear.

         So renewal and balance is essential. Caring for ourselves a well as our families and students. My balance comes from the world of nature and from love; from mindful awareness, and slowing down for contemplation.  So too my innermost inspirations.  Sometimes I am like a dormant plant but I am filling up with the wonder and beauty of the world surrounding me when I take the time to be mindful and fully present. I also fill myself with the wisdom, sensitivity,and ovingkindness of others and of other artists – especially the great spiritual and artistic masters from the past. I also receive great hope and inspiration from my students and from my former students. We become tired and over stretched because we are the kind of teachers who care deeply about our students and our art and just can’t stop. We could not be any other kind of teacher nor artist. But we can slow down.

         I trust to the deeper archetypal cycles and rhythms within us and surrounding us. Balance will find its way as long as we keep our hearts and minds open with awareness and give ourselves the gift of  time to breathe deeply, slow down, be truly loving, and be aware  of each moment in its fullest breath, beauty, and wonder.