Article January 12, 1974 Issue

SPIRITUALIZING THOUGHT

by forsaking egotistical "artistic temperament"

GEORGE WARD

When motion pictures were at their zenith, I was employed by a leading actors' agency in Hollywood. My first assignment after joining this agency was to read the files. They had kept records of all the artists and their development. These records pretty much followed a similar pattern. An artist would seek our professional help in guiding his or her career, but as soon as his talent was recognized and glamorized, inevitably the old demon, egotistical temperament—often falsely called "artistic"—would present itself. In some cases, where the individual did not control his emotions, he was deprived of a fruitful career.

Artistic ability evidences spiritual qualities—the intelligence of Mind and the beauty of Soul. It derives its strength and power from the source of all creativity—God. The human mind has no initiative of its own but counterfeits a spiritual concept and calls the counterfeit an original idea. The human mind believes it can design and develop ideas, always using matter as a way of expressing them. Personal consciousness believes itself to be a creator and, when challenged, will often express itself in a negative, egotistical, "artistic temperament."

It is easier for us to express artistic qualities as we understand that they are derived from the one infinite Mind. In this way we behold the beauty of holiness. A true artist is a transparency for the divine ability. His artistic sensibility derives not from egotism but from Soul.

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