art vs engagement - darkwork vs lightwork?

[Andrei]

I am searching for work as an actor/dancer. I feel I have a lot of talent and possibilities to develop that talent. Yet I feel that in order to contribute to the world, this is not the best I could do. I have inscribed for a course in getting a clearer view on third-world aid. I feel the best I could do for the moment is helping communication on a global scale. I have a skill for seeing mistakes in communication and for not judging people, two of my strongest points are empathy and openness. Yet when I listen to where my fascination goes, I would prefer to get engulfed in my research through art. And in the art-world itself once again a lot could be improved in communication matters as well, as it is often a world where it is everyone for themselves.

Then - when I go into art I could choose for going into the extraordinary. I can make very special trips. I get people scared, really scared when I get into the dark part of my art. This is a strong effect and can be very interesting for an audience. Yet I feel this not what I want, I want to be working on light. This takes much more time, it is much less direct and gives a lot more insecurity when it comes to where to go and in the end how to get the money I need. The light part works through getting to know the body in total. I've chosen this path already, but I notice I don't get past this conflict -

Shouldn't I be working on world-development as I can truly help people - very direct. Or is my art really worthwhile?

[Steve Pavlina]

Art is a form of communication, is it not? Why not communicate your primary message through your art? Would it be a suitable medium for that?

[Angela]

I am very inspired by both of your intentions! Why can't you do both? You can make a difference in the world through your acting and dancing, can't you? Won't you? You can do extraordinary things by moving and inspiring people with your art.

[Andrei]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

Art is a form of communication, is it not? Why not communicate your primary message through your art? Would it be a suitable medium for that?

and as well to:
"I am very inspired by both of your intentions! Why can't you do both? You can make a difference in the world through your acting and dancing, can't you? Won't you? You can do extraordinary things by moving and inspiring people with your art."

Well, that is my question partly. I feel it takes a lot before art really changes something within and then it's hard to know what it really changes. I feel that if I'd go into communication directly to people I'd communicate faster and more effectively. Yet I feel sometimes that "a way of being" communicates itself very fast as well. It's hard to make out, hard to predict, as it communicates on different layers at the same time. And people in this way could change only after a few months, when the unconscience has processed what was shown. I myself for instance can all of a sudden "incorporate" a way of moving I saw months ago, without having practiced it.

And I have a fear, a restlessness, which would maybe calm down when I'd go into third-world aid, as I'd know right then I'm really on the right track. Art is so complicated it is very hard to measure it's effects and by the effect its usefullness.

I'm also restless, because I don't have a fixed income. Maybe I should practice the laws of attraction

And then there is the social fear, the fear of rejection, my ability of being totally disorganized, but there I feel very happy to have encountered your site.

Partly through reading Carlos Castaneda I got to know "magic" which sometimes frightens me as well. Using this through art could make powerfull things happen, but sometimes I'm afraid I'd do damage to the world. I'll make a post later to clarify this. Let's say I'm wondering about, searching for the limits of this special application in art. Between wonder and worry.

It is a stressful search for me. I feel bit by bit I can get closer. Sometimes I completely loose faith in ever finding, but more and more something starts to show...

[Angela]

Wow! I got a little stressed out just reading that!

You have a lot of beliefs and fears and habitual thought patterns running you right now. What if you were to give yourself a short vacation from that sort of thinking, and focus for a bit on what you really are committed to, what inspires you, what your heart desires?

What if you were to just give yourself some safe time and space to think about a way of being that would light you on fire, and practice letting go of all the reasons why you can't have it? You can have all your beliefs and fears back when you're done, don't worry.

But how about giving yourself the gift of an afternoon or an evening of strict focus on inspiration, intention, and possibility?

[jaamkie]

hey- I feel exactly the same way... though my "talent" is in the much less interesting (to most people) but financially secure field of computer programming. No advice here, just sympathy.

[Brutha]

And I have a fear, a restlessness, which would maybe calm down when I'd go into third-world aid, as I'd know right then I'm really on the right track. Art is so complicated it is very hard to measure it's effects and by the effect its usefullness.

Actually making a difference through art is hard.

On the other hand making a significant difference is hard with any method.
Sure you can lend a hand to some thrid world aid program.
On the other hand that might not have much leverage.

hey- I feel exactly the same way... though my "talent" is in the much less interesting (to most people) but financially secure field of computer programming.

Computer programming is a skill that is needed in many fields. I don't think that any of the big problems in the world doesn't need computer programming.

Be it mashups of data that make political statements, better organisation or even direct solutions like smart homes that require less energy.

[missing]

Originally Posted by Brutha

Actually making a difference through art is hard.

my experience is that art which makes an obvious difference socially usually isn't really "art", or at least not the potent force one generally thinks of as art. In this day and age I think art is more or less relegated to making differences within the individuals who encounter it. And even then, it's only those who allow themselves to be affected by the art. Most people don't want to engage with great art cause it's too difficult and takes work. In a society that values instant gratification above all else, you can see the problems in trying to make a big difference with art. In most cases the best you can hope for is to change a few people and that's if your lucky.

of course I think there is a chain working in which you can make a difference within one person through you art, who in turn makes a difference through whatever medium they chose to channel themselves, and so on down the line. This is a difficult, likely impossible thing to quantify. As an artist you can never truly measure your "success", which is really a pain. If one is the kind of person that needs material results to measure making a difference, (aka, you helped a hungry person get food, so that's a bit less suffering in the world on your part), I think art is a bad field to enter into. There is a very high chance you will fail to make any difference, but if you succeed than the changes you do make can be pretty incredible. Don't expect much in the way of financial rewards or praise however.

In the end I think that art is a calling, and some have no choice.