Art Is a Way of Knowing: A Guide to Self-Knowledge and Spiritual Fulfillment Through Creativity

With practical exercises, inspirational guidance and the author's own experiences as an artist and art therapist, this book shows how creativity can be a path to self dicovery. Allen includes information on materials and methods, plus ideas for projects using art to help express emotions. nMaking art--giving form to the images that arise in our mind's eye, our dreams, and our everyday lives--is a form of spiritual practice through which knowledge of ourselves can ripen into wisdom. This book offers encouragement for everyone to explore art making in this spirit of self-discovery--plus practical instructions on material, methods, and activities such as ways to: n - Discover a personal myth or story n - Recognize patterns and themes in one's life n - Identify and release painful memories n - Combine journaling and image making n - Practice the ancient skill of active imagination n - Connect with others through sharing one's art works n nInterwoven with this guidance is the intimate story of the author's own journey as a student, art therapist, teacher, wife, mother, and artist--and, most of all, as a woman who discovered a profound and healing connection with her soul through making art.n