The Artist

as an Immaculate Vessel

The bitterness we encounter when faced with the fruitlessness of our endeavors in the search for truth and the meaning of life, betrays to us a deeply embedded conviction that such jewels belong to us as birthright, existing for the sole purpose of our discovery – for as long as we will to discover it, we claim rightful ownership of it. Thus, we are unhappy to chance upon another discovery: that unbeknownst to us, our morsel of truth that we had pocketed for safekeeping has suddenly slipped away of its own accord. In our anguish, we grieve for our loss and at the injustice of the world. At the heart of our sorrow lies the false hope that willed our truth be ours. We are humbled by the arrival of understanding that truth, alas, is neither privilege nor property. It is an event felt as:

the culmination of disintegrative processes (or, integration) resignation to IS a piercing return to wholeness

We are received in this moment as unwitting guests, by the grace of the divine host – from whom truth finds its source, and to whom it ultimately belongs.

That we are nevertheless presented with these glimpsing brushes of truth, we are therefore sufficiently equipped to enter into the most ornate and sacred of mysteries – that is, of the One, our great benefactor. And it is precisely in these truths, which contain knowledge of the One, that we find the light that illuminates the path drawing us closer to its source. We may find comfort in knowing that it is by no mere accident or happenstance that we have inherited the very means by which to come by this route – our capacity to intuit Godliness, Truth, Beauty – for it is the One that seeks us, in hopes that we too, may seek It. Thus, in uniting our will with the One Will, we arrive at the hearth of consummate consolation to our sorrows, and by its virtue our hearts are extinguished of all anxieties. No longer are we compelled to strive in isolation for that which we cannot achieve without, at the same time, seeking the One. For as long as we abide by this, all that had been concealed from us now seeks us too. With unwavering patience, we ready ourselves to accept the invitation to truth, whereupon its arrival entreats us to facilitate its expression in the world.

Such is the instruction that one worthy of truth’s visitation gladly takes as the ultimate responsibility. In the forthcoming call to the act of creation the primary impulse beckons mind and soul to make visible a hidden vision – whereupon we invoke the powers that alone can harmonize us to the principle of bringing forth its embodiment. Here lies the crux of the appointed mission: a battle against the self that threatens to corrupt the purity of mind and heart, which secures the integrity of truth. For where the wanton self is concerned, the will to create is always aimed at something else for its own gain: praise, reward, acceptance, gratification. When the act of creation is exploited by this will, which impedes the natural course of truth in its quest for expression, the original sanctity of the primary impulse is defiled and its measure of truth is thereby diminished. Why is this? For truth exists complete unto itself without motives toward some other end, that by distorting it, the imaged vision no longer quite resembles the virgin form of its initial conception. The fruit of this contention is but a carcass, an imitation, a phantom of truth.

How does one traverse the perilous frontiers of self and truth? And how does one preserve the unrefined seed of truth in the process? As a cup filled to the brim with water cannot any better receive the wine that is to be poured out, neither can the self receive the contents of truth if it is occupied with itself. The container must certainly be emptied of its contents. Nor can it be emptied partially or halfway – for the drink will still be diluted, and so the truth, derivative and impure. Likewise, when one is completely void of self the vessel is made suitable to receive the contents of truth’s stream. Such a task insists upon a penetrating vigilance poised to intercept any permeation of self that seeks to encroach upon virtuous foundations, which it attempts by tactics of seduction. It will divert the eyes to visions of worldly triumphs, gain power through the exploitation of one’s worldly fears, and beguile reason to scheme on its behalf. To give in to these is to allow self to win over. We must therefore heed these fraudulent gestures and hold fast to the true goodness that remains unmoved at the core. Again, for the one who seeks it, the goodness of the One will be poured out aplenty and give ample strength. This goodness, which is Love, will be the guiding hand that brings forth victory over the self.

At last, it is Love which activates the knowledge of truth, by which its contents spill over into the world, touching upon all that is near, and finally binding all in the love and truth of the One. And it is this Love which rescues us from the immobilizing terror we suffer in the face of truth itself. Thus, our impulse to create stands as witness to the nature of truth and of love. We may no longer feel compelled to chase after it for our own gain, rather, we may engage our highest understanding to the acknowledgment of our encounters with truth as benevolent acts of the divine One. It is then by adhering to a perfect obedience to it – by surrendering our own convictions and motivations – that we transform ourselves into vessels worthy of the sacred act of its coming into the world.