The glory of the world in sunshine is wonderful and I love this time of year- I'm a real Summer Babe !!
The Stendhal Syndrome is what happens when you are overwhelmed by exposure to great beauty, either in art or nature. The author of The Red and the Black nearly fainted from the beauty of Florence. Stendhal allowed himself to be open enough to fully engage in understanding the significance of where he was so that he could completely appreciate what he saw. Sometimes such experiences cause sensory and psychological overload, or stop short of going overboard, and instead go to a place of heightened awareness, that pushes aside distractions to awaken the soul.
The Stendhal Syndrome is what happens when you are overwhelmed by exposure to great beauty, either in art or nature. The author of The Red and the Black nearly fainted from the beauty of Florence. Stendhal allowed himself to be open enough to fully engage in understanding the significance of where he was so that he could completely appreciate what he saw. Sometimes such experiences cause sensory and psychological overload, or stop short of going overboard, and instead go to a place of heightened awareness, that pushes aside distractions to awaken the soul.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I find that sculpture and art open up my mind and gives space to reflect.There are strong resonances between sculpture and the biblical image of God as creator , potter and many offer invitations to prayer.
His figurative work is almost always biblically based and is richly expressive and inspirational to look at.
His cycle of paintings called the Sarum Cycle are wonderful too.Enjoy !!
Here are a few of my favourites; Simon of Cyrene, the Good Shepherd and Guardian
The Spanish mystic, St John of the Cross (1542 – 1591) passed part of his youth in a sculptor’s workshop and wrote of the necessity of sculpture to inspire reverence, stir the soul and spark the desire for prayer.
He wrote this beautiful poem The Fountain which describes the fertile stream of Divine Creativity.
May we all be blessed with deep connection to this stream, may our lives and work abound with creativity, growth and love.
This fountain forms the entrance to the headquarters in Wattens, Austria of Swarovski Crystal.
The Fountain
How well I know that flowing spring
in black of night.
The eternal fountain is unseen.
How well I know where she has been
in black of night.I do not know her origin.
None. Yet in her all things begin
in black of night.I know that nothing is so fair
and earth and firmament drink there
in black of night.I know that none can wade inside
to find her bright bottomless tide
in black of night.Her shining never has a blur;
I know that all light comes from her
in black of night.I know her streams converge and swell
and nourish people, skies and hell
in black of night.
The stream whose birth is in this source
I know has a gigantic force
in black of night.The stream from but these two proceeds
yet neither one, I know, precedes
in black of night.The eternal fountain is unseen
in living bread that gives us being
in black of night.She calls on all mankind to start
to drink her water, though in dark,
for black is night.O living fountain that I crave,
in bread of life I see her flame
in black of night.
-St. John of the Cross
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