Dear Friends,
Art plays an important part in human expression and upliftment. Swami Kriyananda expressed beauty and spirituality through music, photography, writing, plays and movies. He appreciated beauty and worked to create it at the Crystal Hermitage and elsewhere.
Art is not limited to the Arts! Whatever you do, one way to lift and spiritualize it is to approach it artfully. Motion can be clumsy or elegant. Speech can be crude or elevated. (It's sad how so many people “out there” denigrate themselves and others through their choice of words.) Raking can be experienced as drudgery - or as a joyful act improving the environment and making things more beautiful.
If your first reaction is “what I do couldn't be artful,” this may be an opportunity to explore your approach to what you are doing. Perhaps your workspace could use some attention, which would lift the energy. How can you bring creativity to what you do? Can you find the higher purpose? Make your output more clear and appealing? Can you beautify your service to others by expressing more joy and by being more caring?
A genuine smile is always beautiful.
Joy to you.
Nityananda
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