Harv Bishop is a professor of Political Science at University of Colorado Denver. As curator of his blog www.harvbishop.com, Harv posts sharp, thoughtful essays on the New Thought Movement, both essays of his own and those of other contributors. He is also the editor of New Thought (R)evolution, a significant collection of essays, and is a major Beatles fan. In this, the inaugural Mystics, Cats, & Places Interview, Harv discusses topics including the spirituality of Denver, Colorado; a first memory; the communion cup of St. Francis; spiritual bypass; predictive dreams; the power of provocative titles; and the White Album.

Where do you live? How do you think your geographical surroundings influence your spiritual path?

In the Denver area near Colorado’s foothills and mountains. Clearly our mountains, as in many places in the world, inspire awe and wonder and spiritual reflection. The Denver Boulder area also has a strong Alternative Spirituality, New Age and Buddhist influenced subculture, and hosts one of the largest New Thought churches in the world. It has been a rich environment both in terms of nature and spiritual culture throughout my life.

What is your first memory (from this or another lifetime)?

That’s a rich question. My first memory from this lifetime is mundane. I was a toddler and stepped barefoot on some very dry grass and drew blood. The second part would take a book. I have had what I perceive as far/past life memories, and the mystery of that, and those memories that were traumatic, made my spiritual search a primary focus of my life now.

You've said that you were brought up in an atmosphere of New Thought spirituality. Do you remember the first New Thought book you ever read?

The first New Thought book I read was Ernest Holmes’ The Science of Mind when I started attending a New Thought church as a teen. I also enjoyed Trine’s classic In Tune with the Infinite. Our family was very much into Alternative Spirituality. My dad read Edgar Cayce and my mom read books by Ralph Waldo Trine, Joel Goldsmith and Mary Baker Eddy. So my mom had the strongest passion for New Thought. She read parts of those books to me when I was younger.

I’ve recently been reading A Course in Miracles for the first time. What do you think of this text? Is there a spiritual classic you haven't read yet but are anticipating reading?

I haven't read the full original text, so am not qualified to comment. I have read books inspired by the course and especially remember Jerry Jampolsky’s work as inspiring. The classic I’m finally tackling, and excited about, is Valentin Tomberg’s Meditations on the Tarot.

Many people have reported strange, vivid dreams during the pandemic. Is there a dream or nightmare you've had that you'd like to relate? Do you find inspiration or guidance in dreams?

I do find inspiration and guidance in dreams, but it tends to go in waves, with long periods of mundane dreams punctuated by so-called Big Dreams. I did discuss one apparent precognitive example in a blog post. The night before Diane and I planned to go to a matinee at a new theater we had never been to, I dreamt I was in a store in an eastern Denver suburb far from the theater and encountered a smart-ass female clerk. The next day we got lost, never made it to the theater, and made multiple random wrong turns. I saw a health food grocery and decided to grab some salsa. While checking out I encountered the smart-ass clerk and we were indeed in an eastern suburb. There aren't words for how many random turns we made that day (before we had GPS) and we were miles from the theater. How could a part of me have known of that future encounter given all the apparent randomness to get there?

You've explored the shadow side of New Thought. Given how problematic the New Thought belief system can be, what keeps you from rejecting it outright?

Good question. I have rejected much of its organized form outright due to the inevitable hypocrisy, but I still believe there is value in the core teachings of Oneness and recognizing the divine in others and all creation. Mitch Horowitz has been a wonderful guide in this respect. Reject inflexibility and honor nuance, mystery and questions. There’s too much mystery in life to have a one-size fits all approach to matters spiritual. The more I study, the less I know for sure.

We hear the term "spiritual bypass" a lot. How would you define it? Is it prevalent in the spirituality realm?

I understand it to mean that spirituality can’t fix everything and provide an escape hatch from the ups and downs of life and suffering and loss. Can it help? Yes, it does provide a wider, deeper context for suffering, but it doesn’t yield a get out of jail free card. Spiritual bypassing is in all forms of spirituality to some extent. I used to think I could meditate away suffering and float above it all just blessing people. How did that work for me? Not so much. There’s a place for therapy and there’s a place for meditation.

Is there a place you've traveled to that immediately gave you a feeling of spiritual connection?

Two places. First, the outdoor garden space at Mount Washington where Yogananda taught. It’s called The Temple of Leaves. There was a very strong energy field there. Second, seeing St. Francis’s communion cup in Assisi, Italy. Huge third eye energetic impact.

Which period in history do you most enjoy reading/learning about?

Enjoy may not be the right word, but I find Berlin in the 1920s prior to the rise of Nazism, a fascinating time period, especially in terms of art and German expressionism in the cinema.

I've always thought the titles of your blog posts were so striking. What is the secret to creating a great title? What are some things do you think people can keep in mind when writing about the spiritual?

That’s due to my wife Diane’s creativity. She’s my editor and my muse. She’s able to distill the message in a catchy way. Titles need a hook to draw people in. Funny story. One of my blogs was entitled when Ernest Holmes was Wrong. It highlighted how Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, was time and culture bound in some of his ideas about race and gender as we all have been and can still be. Some people were pissed. It was clear they were reacting to the title and not the nuance in the story. SImilarly with the New Thought’s Darth Vader Move post that was part of the inspiration for Gary Lachman’s great book Dark Star Rising: Magic and Power in the Age of Trump. People were angered by the blog title. Sometimes I am so tempted to say read the full post before hot-reacting! In terms of writing about the spiritual, I’ll go back to what I learned from Mitch. Strive to keep it understandable and respect mystery and questions rather than certainty. Be honest about what you don’t know about your spiritual search. Don’t pretend to be flawless and have it all handled. That’s a perspective that is also core in my studies of Jewish mysticism with my rabbi. We can simultaneously be fully human with all the mistakes and stumbles that entails and fully divine at the level of the soul. Problems result when we ignore one or the other. It’s both/and.

I gather that you love the Beatles, as do I. Some of your favorite songs from the White Album?

Amen, brother! While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Birthday, Dear Prudence, and when I’m in the right mood, Helter Skelter. This list could (and does) change every so often. All-time favorite Beatles song (from the same time period) is Hey Jude. I wore out two copies of the 45 rpm single at the time. Must have driven my parents over the moon. My dad did teach me how to noodle out the chorus of Hey Jude with my thumb and forefinger on the piano. He did it by ear. I miss him.

Mr. Cash was kind enough to give me his autograph!

This was one of the first Johnny Cash albums that I ever owned. A few years after being given this record, I met the man himself.

The first albums by Johnny Cash that I ever owned were vinyl copies of Johnny Cash the Legend and Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, both given to me by a relative (on the same day that I saw Proctor & Bergman on a public-TV special, my first encounter with performances by any members of the Firesign Theatre). I loved these albums and played them over and over. Of course, I had no idea that a few years later I would be meeting the man (in black) himself.

Meeting the Man in White

Johnny Cash’s birth chart. Was meeting him Destiny?

Although he was dressed in black when I met him, Johnny Cash was doing a book-signing for his novel “The Man in White.” This event was held at the independent bookstore where I was working at the time. There was a huge turn-out, and I remember that one guy brought his guitar for Mr. Cash to autograph by scratching his name into the surface (with a screwdriver the fan had provided, if memory serves). I myself had remained a huge fan, having recently seen Johnny Cash perform live at the beautiful local concert hall. After the event was over, I and the other members of the bookstore staff had the opportunity to meet the legendary artist.

The Second-Best Question That I Asked Johnny Cash

Mr.Cash was fighting off a cold and looked exhausted, but he was unfailingly patient and attentive to each person of the many who wanted to speak with him. When my time came, I had two questions for Johnny Cash. My second question first: I looked up at the imposing yet kindly figure of the musical legend and asked him, “Do you think you’ll ever cover a song by Elvis Costello?” Mr. Cash answered, “As it happens, I’m singing ‘The Big Light’ on my upcoming album.” (I was obsessed with EC’s album “King of America” at this time.) I mentioned something about members of Elvis Presley’s T.C.B. band playing on “King of America,“ and while walking away I was thrilled to overhear Mr. Cash’s road manager say, “That guy knows what he’s talking about.” And while my second question (about his covering EC) was pretty good, it was the first question that turned out to be…

The Best Question That I Asked Johnny Cash.

“I won’t release the album until I am satisfied that it’s an absolute killer. And I don’t care how long that takes.”—Nick Lowe.

When I met Johnny Cash, his stepdaughter Carlene Carter was married to iconic musician and producer Nick Lowe. Knowing this, and knowing him as the producer of EC’s first five LP’s, and having been fascinated with Mr. Lowe’s album “Pure Pop for Now People” (which I had first heard by checking it out from a local public library), I asked Johnny Cash: “What is Nick Lowe really like?”

In the Studio

Nick Lowe’s brilliant version of a song by Jim Ford.

And it was Johnny Cash’s reply that made this the best question I asked him. What is Nick Lowe really like?

“He’s an incredibly hard worker. He spends hours and hours in the studio.”

And that answer has stuck with me through the years. Whenever I think of how to proceed as an artist, I recall Johnny Cash telling me what most stood out for him about the brilliant Nick Lowe: that he was “an incredibly hard worker” who spent “hours and hours in the studio.”

A glimpse of my drawing board. Some tools of the trade.

I’m not going to be a dilettante…or someone who waits around for a visitation by some mythical Muse…I intend to be an artist who works “incredibly hard” and spends “hours and hours in the studio.” And that was the best answer that I got from Johnny Cash.

I was inspired by a list from Death Valley Girls of some of their influences to compile my own list of artistic inspirations.

R. CRUMB

Self-portrait by Robert Crumb. I like autobiographical art when it has a sense of humor.

Many of Crumb's drawings are problematic to put it mildly, but I've been fascinated with his artwork since seeing some examples in Maurice Horn's “World Encyclopedia of Comics" when I was twelve. A painter friend of mine calls Crumb “a National Treasure.”

JEFFREY CATHERINE JONES

One of Jeffrey Catherine Jones’ incredible ink drawings.

Looking at Jeffrey Catherine Jones’ artwork always inspires me. It creates in me the aspiration to draw as beautifully.

Warren Publications

Creepy cover painting by artist Atilla Hejja.

I discovered Warren mags Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella when I was eleven years old, finding them to be exciting and grown up. Warren in the 1970's featured great artists like Esteban Maroto and Jose Gonzalez, artists who inspire me today.

JONATHAN RICHMAN

This album has been a huge influence on me ever since hearing it in 1985.

Jonathan Richman's intense appreciation of the ordinary, combined with a soothing and visionary vibe, has greatly influenced my artwork.

ANTHONY WAICHULIS

“The Art of Illusion" by Anthony Waichulis.

Not only is Anthony Waichulis a phenomenal painter, but he is a generous teacher who challenges artists to push themselves toward greatness. What I have learned from Anthony has improved my drawing immeasurably.

Neville Goddard

My portrait of Neville as a Victorian magician.

Neville's philosophy has not only inspired me to draw numerous portraits of him, but his teachings about how to “Live from the End" showed me how to see past the limitations of my early drawings and concentrate on a vision of what my artwork could be. Mitch Horowitz’s curation and commentary are your best introduction to the man and his philosophy.

“Live in the End,” my all-time favorite lecture of Neville's.

ALAN E. COBER

Cober's portrait of a member of “The Forgotten Society.”

A fantastic illustrator whose style had a big impact on me. Check out Cober's book about people warehoused in institutions, “The Forgotten Society.”

ELIZABETH LAYTON

A self-portrait by Elizabeth Layton.

Elizabeth Layton began to draw when she was in her late sixties. She’s an inspirational figure whose spirit comes through her artwork.

B. KLIBAN

One of Kliban's brilliant cartoons.

I first encountered B. Kliban's work in his book “Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head,” which I discovered at the local public library when I was around twelve. I love his style and individual outlook. And, of course, his drawings of kitties.

,BEN SHAHN

A work by Shahn that shows the social dimension of his art.

I love both the style of his artwork, and also how his drawings almost always have a social dimension. Looking at his images always makes me want to draw.

INSPIRATIONS

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some of what inspires me to create my artwork. And I hope you will check out some of these artists and that they will inspire you. Thanks to Death Valley Girls. I’ll leave you with this inspiring video:

I have always had a visceral reaction to certain works of art. Most dramatically, when I was a child, a picture by Picasso made me vomit. Everyone's a critic, huh?

Picasso's “The Old Guitarist,” the painting that made me throw up.

Back in the day, we had someone called The Picture Lady who would visit class with some reproductions of paintings and lay a little Art Appreciation on us. I always enjoyed these visits, I assume, since I enjoyed looking at pictures.

I think this was in the first or second grade. Anyway, one of the pictures she showed us on this particular day was Picasso's “The Old Guitarist.”

Along with the painting, the Picture Lady should have brought an air-sickness bag.

I remember looking in horrified fascination at the corpse-like subject of this painting. I recall staring at the sickly colors of his face. I was caught in a nauseating trance. And I kept staring and staring at the Old Man's face till nausea hit me and I barfed.

I’m sure the teacher went and got a plastic container of that industrial-strength Tang with which they used to cover our classroom mishaps. Maybe I was embarrassed, but all that I really remember is gazing at the picture until I barfed.

Now, did my reaction to this image by Picasdo make me a budding aesthetic conservative, a precocious enemy of Modernism? I don't think that’s the case. It's more that I was horrified by the cadaverous imagery and colors.

I haven’t thrown up because of a painting since then. But certain works of art, especially those that are overloaded with color, can make me queasy. I know i’m not the only one who has this kind of reaction to certain art. Marshall Vandruff told a story on the Draftsmen podcast about a student of his who had to leave the classroom whenever Mr. Vandruff showed drawings by Burne Hogarth because of the physical reaction she had to Hogarth's dynamic figures. Outside the realm of visual art, I once overheard someone say that he once threw up after hearing Gordon Lightfoot's “Sundown.”

And though I want people to respond to my artwork, that is not the kind of response that I hope to get. If my drawings made someone vomit, I would think that I had failed, somehow.

I’m really curious…has a work of art ever made you barf? If so, I’d be interested in hearing your story.

Second chakra view of my drawing, this time reversed.

In this series of blog posts, I am doing an intuitive reading of one of my stream drawings. This is post four--please read parts one, two, and three first.

The process I am working with is from Elaine Clayton's book Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing. In this step of the process, I turn my stream drawing once more, and for a second time interpret the drawing as it relates to the chakra system.

I see two birds flying in opposite directions.

The Crown Chakra is associated with Cosmic Consciousness and the Superconscious Mind. At the top of my stream drawing, in the Crown Chakra portion, I see two birds flying in opposite directions. The bird on the left, flying in that direction, is a black bird like a crow or a raven. Flying in the opposite direction, on the right is a colorful tropical bird. These two contrasting birds suggest a person whose Superconscious Mind embraces paradox.

For the Third Eye Chakra, I see an image that reminds me of a seedling.

For the Third Eye Chakra, which is concerned with intuition, I see an image that makes me think of a seedling. Maybe the person's intuition is just starting to develop. Or their intuition may make the person able to see into events or conditions in their earliest stages.

For the Throat Chakra, I see a satellite dish receiving a huge colorful plume of sound.

For the Throat Chakra, I see a satellite dish receiving sound in a huge, colorful plume. The plume itself looks to me like a musical instrument like a saxophone. The satellite dish that the person's communications are universal, like those received on a global scale. They are not trying to communicate with a small group of like-minded people, but want to speak to everyone.

For the Heart Chakra, these concrete stairs.

This image of slightly tilted concrete stairs represents the Heart Chakra. The stairs connect the conscious mind to the emotions and the subconscious . The steps feel to me like they’re leading downward into a basement. The person is conscious of their heart as having different levels they can access.

A pair of glasses for the chakra of personal power.

The Solar Chakra is concerned with personal power. Empowerment for this person may come through their intellect, represented in this drawing by the pair of eyeglasses. They may derive self-confidence from their intelligence or from presenting themselves to others as an intellectual.

In my stream drawing, the Sacral Chakra is represented by a strawberry. Makes sense.

The Sacral Chakra is concerned with sexuality, creativity, and related matters. This shape looks like a strawberry to me, and a strawberry is emblematic of sexuality, reproduction, and other aspects of the Sacral Chakra.

Near the strawberry is a downward-pointing arrow.

The Root Chakra is concerned with groundedness and basic needs, like the base of Maslow's pyramid of needs, so this shape that I see as an arrow pointing to the ground is appropriate to this chakra. It reminds me of this song by Joy of Cooking:

Applying this four-step intuitive reading to a stream drawing is fascinating. It's a multi-layered approach that gives many dimensions to an interpretation. If you’re looking for intuitive insights into yourself, or another person, give this rewarding process a try!

Everything seems upside-down, lately, so why not this drawing?

In this four-part series, I am doing an intuitive reading of one of my stream drawings. The four-step process I am working with is from Elaine Clayton's book Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing.

To see how I worked with the previous steps, please see the first and second posts in this series.

In this step in my intuitive interpretation of my stream drawing, I read the drawing once more as a time line, but this time the drawing is upside down. What was tomorrow is now yesterday and what was yesterday is now tomorrow. The present is in the same, central position, but the view of today is now upside down.

So now let's take a look at how the images in my drawing suggest to me the present, past, and possible future of the person that I had in mind while making this drawing.

TODAY

At the top of the central portion of the drawing, I see a figure with green eyes floating with what looks to me to be a feeling of surrender with hands lifted palms upward. The figure seems to be floating on the cloud of dark lines below. There is a nervous line above and some lines cross the face. I see what look like orange plant leaves, which makes me think this floating feeling of surrender is in a tranquil natural setting. Seeing this figure, I am reminded of someone telling me that after praying for a long time about something he was worried about, he finally gave up and let himself be carried by God as though he were resting on a big fish.

YESTERDAY

The left side of the drawing represents childhood. With the reversal of the time line, I now see in childhood a world of joy. This rounded shape suggests the entire world, the way in childhood what children know seems to be the whole world. The setting seems to be farmland. It makes me think of the Dylan Thomas poem “Fern Hill.”

The heart shape at the top now looks like lips, maybe speaking or singing. I see a blue figure running happily with a heart shape along the bottom portion of the world. I also see an animal, as well as an apple and a peach. It's a happy world.

TOMORROW

A tropical bird seems to be tearing at the head of a red flower in what looks like a triumphant gesture. The overlay of lines suggests to me agitation or confusion. The lines begin to form into faces, like ghosts from the past. I also see some bananas, which also suggest a tropical setting.

This alternate perspective of the person's time line makes the reading an increasingly multi-layered experience. Join me in my next post as a do a second reading of how the chakras relate to the images in my drawing as I give my intuitive stream drawing one more turn!

Images in the stream drawing can correspond to the seven chakras.

Stream drawing is an exciting process of intuitive drawing discovered and taught by Elaine Clayton. In this four-part series, I am doing an intuitive interpretation of one of my stream drawings. (If you haven’t yet read it, please read the preceding blog post first.) The process used in this series comes from Elaine Clayton's book “Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing. “

The second step in this four-step process of doing an intuitive reading of a stream drawing is to turn the drawing (as seen above) and interpret the drawing in light of the system of chakras.

I interpret this heart-shaped rose image near the top of my drawing as emblematic of the Crown Chakra.

The Crown Chakra may be associated with cosmic consciousness or the superconscious mind. The image in my drawing that corresponds to this chakra is this heart-shaped rose. The rose makes me think of beauty, passion, and a loving gift. These qualities may be part of the expanded consciousness of the person I was thinking of when I created this intuitive stream drawing.

I’m associating this gem-like image with the Third Eye Chakra.

This image reminds me of a piece of jewelry or a precious gem. One way to judge a precious stone is by its clarity, which seems related to the themes of this chakra. Maybe the person I am thinking of has especially clear inner vision, or they have clairvoyant gifts which are precious or rare.

This shape makes me think of a dolphin leaping from the ocean.

The Throat Chakra, which deals with personal. communication, is represented here by this image which reminds me of a dolphin suddenly leaping from the ocean. Perhaps the communication style of the subject of my interpretation has a way of communicating that is a happy surprise like seeing a dolphin. This person may speak in flashes of insight.

This image looks like a rocket ship to me!

In the area of the Heart Chakra, I see what suggests to me a futuristic rocket ship. This person may be driven, and have a strong desire to go places, and with great velocity. They may have powerful emotions and great transcendent aspirations.

This looks to me like a person wearing a mask. Not a COVID mask--just an eye mask.

For the Solar Chakra, which deals with personal power, I see the image of a person wearing an eye mask. Maybe this person derives self-confidence and a sense of empowerment from creating a mask or persona. Others may grant this person respect because of this persona. They may have cultivated a mystique which gives them an aura of power.

Do you see the tightrope walker?

For the Sacral Chakra, I see a tightrope walker. Balancing on the high wire, they may be a sensation seeker who isn’t afraid to take chances, and a skilled and daring artist or performer, as in the poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

In a human being, the “reptile brain” is for self-preservation.

In the Root Chakra, with its self-preservation concerns, the image of a serpent suggests shrewdness and even wisdom. Some people seem to have a talent for survival.

Another turn, and another view of the time line.

It's fascinating to apply the Chakra System to an intuitive stream drawing and to see how the images correspond to the themes of the chakras. In my next blog post, I will give my drawing another turn, for a new perspective on the past, present, and future.

Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow

My previous blog post, Stay Home and Stream Draw!, was about stream drawing as a pastime during the current pandemic. In the next four posts, I will be taking one of my stream drawings and doing an intuitive reading of it, using a four-step process from Elaine Clayton's book Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing.

The first way of looking at a stream drawing is based on the way that I originally oriented my drawing. (See the top of this blog post.) This is a time line view, and the imagery is interpreted in terms of past, present, and future. I created this drawing with a particular person in mind, and my interpretation is meant to illuminate their life experience.

The middle portion of the drawing deals with the present. The subject of the reading is currently either spending time in a rural, pastoral setting, or is wishing to, suggested at the top of the section by a yellow bird and patterned farmland. They are seeking to acquire wisdom not in books or philosophy but by reflecting on the patterns found in nature. An influential figure in this person's life, suggested by the face with green eyes in the center of this portion, is someone who appears contentious but who also suggests to me someone knowledgeable in folklore with a strong connection to the natural world. The subject of the reading is dwelling in an emotional atmosphere approaching at times hopelessness, with an undercurrent of anxiety and agitation. See the lower part of this middle portion, with the shadowy network of dark lines and the sleeping figure with the nervous line below. To escape these emotions, they are devoting as much time as they can to sleeping.

During youth, often they stayed up late reading. They enjoyed fables, parables, proverbs, and any other form of literature that imparted wisdom. There was a fascination with any animal in myth that was depicted as symbolic of wisdom or shrewdness. In this portion of the drawing, I see an owl, fox, raven or crow, and serpent. I see two images of the moon in this section of the drawing. For the person in this reading, the moon and its light were comforting.

To a degree, in the future (as seen in the imagery of the blue figure running on green grass with a heart sprouting green leaves at the top of the right-hand portion of the drawing) this person may find some peace, and at times some freedom and light-heartedness, in learning from nature and living at least in imagination in a natural setting, though the undercurrent of anxiety may continue. They perhaps will become interested in a previously unexplored or abandoned religious tradition, as seen in the praying figure and stained glass on the right, and may even begin to explore cooking and foodways. (The red and yellow triangle suggests to me a table or altar with a plate on it, or may itself be a slice of food). Anxiety may lessen temporarily as they begin to have beautiful and pleasurable dreams and visions, an outcome that I see in the rose or heart shape behind the praying figure.

Chakra view. The second way of looking at a stream drawing.

It is fascinating to see how the images in this stream drawing begin to form a past, present, and future as I interpret and relate them to each other. In my next blog post, I will turn the drawing (as seen above) and read it in a way that relates what I see in the drawing to the chakra system--the second way of looking at a stream drawing.

Won't you join me?

If you have a lot of time on your hands while you're staying home, and you're looking for something to do, here is an absorbing and rewarding activity for you. Stream drawing!

One of my stream drawings from the current season of stay-at-home orders and social distancing.

Stream drawing is an intuitive process of drawing which was discovered and is taught by Elaine Clayton. She recently suggested stream drawing as a pastime for people in self-quarantine. I started doing stream drawings, and I highly recommend this process!

Stream drawing during the pandemic. I wasn't trying to be morbid with the skulls.

So, you may be wondering, how do I do a stream drawing? Like many wonderful things in life, it begins with closing your eyes. Next, using your non-dominant hand, let a pen or pencil glide across a sheet of paper. I am reminded of Leonard Cohen's description of a state of grace being like an escaped ski moving across the snow. When you’re done drawing, open your eyes and look at the shapes on the page till they suggest images. Develop those images further on the paper and reflect on the impressions you receive. For me, it's been like making a personal story from the pictures on Tarot cards. This activity would be great for experienced artists but also for those who have a desire to draw but don't have a lot of confidence. Not only is it a process-oriented activity, but it's hard to be a harsh critic of your drawing while your eyes are shut.

I've been surprised at how hopeful and light-filled these drawings are, considering the moment.

A variation suggested by Elaine Clayton is to ask yourself a question as you draw and contemplate the imagery. I did that with the drawing at the top of this blog post. And I got an answer! Again, for me it's been a lot like using my intuition to read Tarot.

Elaine Clayton is one who discovered and teaches stream drawing. Go to the source!

A friend who has been supporting and encouraging my artwork for years just recently told me that in these drawings I have found my medium. When I think of how natural and fluid this process is for me, and how the drawings seem to express my spirit--I think that it's true, I have found my medium. Who knows what you’ll discover on your adventures in stream drawing!

Elvis’ ring means Taking Care of Business.

Inspired by Mitch Horowitz’s recent pilgrimage to Graceland, I have started a year-long project to read as many spiritual books as I can that were part of Elvis Presley’s cherished personal library. (You can learn more about Elvis’ reading in his spiritual mentor Larry Geller’s book “Leaves of Elvis’ Garden.”)

The first book I chose to read was Levi Dowling’s “The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ.”

Levi Dowling said that his gospel was transcribed from the Akashic records.

Like Elvis, I was brought up in the Assemblies of God denomination of the Pentecostal faith. Because of my background, I found this book a little off-putting—a version of the gospels giving off an occult vibe felt a little scary to me. Flipping through the book, I was struck by odd anachronisms—like a reference to a harpsichord . But as I read it through, I began to like it more and more, finding it sweet and likeable, almost like outsider art. I especially liked how Levi’s version of Jesus is generally so concerned with animal welfare.

Levi Dowling’s Jesus cares about animal rights.

This passage is an obvious re-envisioning of the story of the Gadarene Swine. Instead of a herd of pigs, there’s a dog. And instead of allowing the spirit to enter the animal, as Legion (“We are many”) was allowed to enter the herd of swine which destroyed themselves, Jesus refuses. “It is not yours to throw the burden of your sin on any living thing” (This also relates to objections to animal sacrifice throughout Dowling’s gospel). Another retelling of the Gadarene Swine story appears in the Aquarian Gospel, and oddly, that time Jesus allows the spirit to enter into some animals and be destroyed. If I remember correctly, the animals are described as vermin carrying the Plague, so maybe that is how Dowling rationalized telling this version of the story.

A portrait I drew of Levi Dowling. I read the Aquarian Gospel story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas Eve.

Levi Dowling was an interesting figure, and I’m looking forward to reading more about him. In 1904 he planned (and apparently at least partially constructed) an intentional/mixed-use community (complete with a high school called The Temple of Resplendent Light) in California called Mount-Carmel-by-the-Sea. (You can read a newspaper article about it from the time here. The article, which refers to Levi and his followers as Gnostics, is an example of early 20th century snark).

Much of the Aquarian Gospel is concerned with Jesus’ missing years. Jesus travels the world and talks with spiritual masters from every religion. Like so much of the Aquarian Gospel, not something that I was taught in the Assembly of God church that I attended.

After I’ve read more books from Elvis’ spiritual library, I will be interested in revisiting this fascinating revision of the gospels, Levi Dowling’s “The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ.”

Some of Elvis Presley’s favorite spiritual books. In the background is one of his gospel LP’s, given to me by my grandmother.

Inspired by Mitch Horowitz’s recent pilgrimage to Graceland, as my reading project for 2020 I am going to dive into the spiritual books known to have been read by Elvis Presley. Like Elvis, I was brought up in the Assemblies of God denomination of Pentecostalism and went on to develop a passion for metaphysics, as well as for other forms of spirituality very different from the paths of my childhood. Elvis was mentored on his spiritual journey by Larry Geller, who introduced Elvis to metaphysical classics like this one:

A very different gospel from the one taught in Elvis’s (and my own) Pentecostal youth.

I will be sharing my impressions here as I embark on my own journey. The vast majority of these books are ones I have never read or had even heard of before starting this project. I’ll write something about each one, with in-depth essays on the titles I find most moving or significant.

I’m starting out with the book pictured above, Levi Dowling’s “The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ,” in large part an account of Jesus’s “missing years.”

Join me, won’t you?

For now, I leave you with one of Elvis’s most cosmic songs…”Life.”

Elvis Presley - " Life " (words & music by Milete) Somewhere out in empty space, long before the human race, Something stirred, A vast and timeless source began, Intelligence was born and then, there was the world, Powers filled the universe, matter formed and broke the curse, Of nothingness,

P.S. The significance of this blog post’s title will be made clear later on in this adventure.

Neville Goddard, the “Mad Mystic of 48th Street”

"But those who heard and thought, ‘Now, he really is insane,’ and would challenge me from the audience, they became good students.”—Neville Goddard

Can you realize your objectives in life by taking a nap? That’s what Neville Goddard teaches, and yes, it does sound insane.

A spiritual belief that’s based on napping? Sign me up!

“Then relax in a comfortable arm chair, induce a state of consciousness akin to sleep and experience in imagination what you would experience in reality were you already that which you desire to be.”—Neville Goddard

Neville imagining that he’s back home in Barbados.

According to Neville, this is the secret to “changing the future.” And this is the simplest part of Neville’s theory to test. So let’s try it. Climb into your favorite chair, get sleepy, and capture the feeling of being the person you want to be. Neville says the process of creating reality isn’t complete until the world acknowledges you as being who you want to be. So it’s helpful to imagine that someone else seeing you as being successful and to hear that person congratulating you.

Martin Crane’s armchair from “Frasier.” Was Marty a student of Neville’s?

Are you back?

Now that you’ve taken your “Neville nap,” it’s important to spend the rest of the day acting like what you’ve imagined is already true. Neville promises that “if you will remain faithful to that state of consciousness, what is seen only in your imagination will objectify itself in your world.”

“After you have assumed the feeling of the wish fulfilled, do not close the experience as you would a book, but carry it around like a fragrant odor.”—Neville Goddard

Neville says that the whole process will fail if you don’t change your consciousness. In a chapter called “Failure” in his book “The Power of Awareness,” Neville maintains, “You must realize that changes are not caused by caprice, but by a change of consciousness. You may fail to achieve or sustain the particular state of consciousness necessary to produce the effect you desire.”

And so to disprove Neville, I am concentrating on the state of consciousness I would have if I were the person that I want to be. One of Neville’s influences, William Blake, once said, “A fool sees not the same tree that the wise man sees.”

How would the person that I want to be see the world?

A good question to keep asking yourself as you attempt to change your consciousness.

Throughout the day today, I will act like I’m already the one that I want to be.

I want Neville’s philosophy to be true. I want his techniques to work. As Mitch Horowitz writes in “One Simple Idea,” his classic history of the positive-thinking movement: “Any defender or detractor of positive thinking must weigh his perspective against one simple, ultimate question: Does it work?”

But if Neville Goddard’s theory isn’t true, and if his process doesn’t work, I’m going to disprove it. And, as Neville says, “completely discard it.”

But I hope his philosophy works. And if it does ( or doesn’t) I’ll let you know…in my next post, “Disproving Neville, Part III.”

If I follow Neville’s teachings, will I become an aristocrat of the spirit?

Neville Goddard in a Promethean mood.

Neville wants you…to put his philosophy to the test.

“If it is not true, you must completely discard it.” —Neville

Neville Goddard and the Time Machine

Lately, I’ve been trying to disprove the philosophy of Neville Goddard. In a nutshell, his philosophy is that you can imagine yourself into becoming the person that you want to be. But is that really true?

In his lecture, “Thinking Fourth-Dimensionally,” Neville says: “Take my challenge and put this philosophy to the test. If it does not work, you should not use it as a comforter. If it is not true, you must completely discard it. I know it is true. You will not know it is true until you try either to prove or disprove it.”

Neville Goddard and the Screen of Space

“Prove or disprove this law. I know that if you attempt to disprove it, you will prove it, and I will be the richer for your proving it, not in dollars, not in things, but because you become the living fruit of what I believe I am teaching in this world.” —Neville

Neville would not compromise his teachings.

I have been reading (and listening to) Neville’s books and lectures for years. I have drawn numerous portraits of Neville and other artworks inspired by him.

But have I proven (or disproved) his philosophy?

And so, once and for all, I am “putting it to the test” as Neville would say.

This philosophy has helped me through difficult times in my life—but has this philosophy been just a “comforter,” making me feel better until circumstances improved? In that case, this belief has just been a bowl of spiritual ice cream (a bowl? who am I kidding—I’ve been eating it straight from the carton) to console myself with. Not a philosophy that makes any concrete improvements in my life.

“If I would now assume I am what I want to be, and if I am faithful to it and walk as though I were, the very longest stretch given for its realization is three days.”—Neville

One of Neville’s inspiring quotations, with a butterfly, a symbol of Resurrection.

Starting today, I will be testing Neville’s philosophy. I’m going to give it three days.

“Too many of us have joined ‘isms’ and we are afraid to put them to the test because we feel we might fail; and, then, where are we?”—Neville

The four mystical steps to using your wonderful human imagination to become the person you want to be.

I know that if I disprove Neville’s philosophy, I will be left wondering, “Where am I ?”

But that is the chance I have to take. I will be keeping you updated on my attempt to disprove Neville’s theories.

“Neville’s Garden.” Neville says that “You are in your garden of Gethsemane or prepared mind if you can, while you are in a state akin to sleep, control your imagination and not let it wander away from its purpose. If you can do that you are definitely in the garden.”

“I hope you will be bold enough to challenge this instruction and either prove or disprove it.” —Neville

Two daredevils—Neville and Knievel.

Does the magic work?

Stay tuned and find out…

Dr. Ernest Holmes is one of my favorite writers in the positive-thinking movement. His inspiring books include his classic text “Science of Mind” as well as works like “Creative Mind” and “This Thing Called You.”

In his classic history of the New Thought movement, “One Simple Idea,” historian Mitch Horowitz writes: “Ernest Holmes was a Maine Yankee who remade himself as a California mystic—and became one of New Thought’s greatest shapers and popularizers. While never widely known, Holmes stood at the center of Hollywood’s mystical scene in the first half of the twentieth century, attracting admirers from Cecil B. DeMille to Elvis Presley.”

I completed a portrait of Dr. Holmes today. I wanted to concentrate on using fairly large areas of black so the drawing wouldn’t look washed out but instead show some bold contrast.

I hope that I was able to capture the wisdom and kindness (and humor!) of Dr. Ernest Holmes in this ink portrait.

Starting out with Graphite

Starting out with a preliminary drawing, as accurate as possible, made with a Staedtler HB graphite pencil.

“To overcome fear is the greatest adventure of the mind.” —Dr. Ernest Holmes

Inking with a Fountain Pen

Enhancing the drawing of Dr. Holmes with a fountain pen.

Adding ink with a fountain pen to my portrait of positive-thinking pioneer Dr. Ernest Holmes.

“Prepare your mind to receive the best that life has to offer.” —Dr. Ernest Holmes

The Completed Portrait

Portrait of Dr. Holmes, ink on paper.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into how I create a drawing and what inspires me. And if the work of Dr. Holmes intrigues you, I hope you will check it out—I think you will find it very rewarding!

“There is a power, and it does work, and it’s working right now.” —Dr. Ernest Holmes

In October, 2012, I traveled to Puerto Rico. I'll always remember the beauty of the island, and the fantastic people that live there. I took my camera, but I'm also glad that I took my sketchbook. In a cool coincidence, one of the places I stayed at was owned by a descendant of a famous Puerto Rican artist. Coincidence...or was it? I also created some paintings of Puerto Rico when I returned from my travels, using photos I took as references. But mostly I drew from life in this sketchbook:

A palm tree in Isabela, Puerto Rico. I'm glad I remembered to take my sketchbook!

So here's a look into the sketchbook I kept when I was traveling in Puerto Rico.

SKETCHES OF OLD SAN JUAN

A lamp post in Old San Juan.

Community cats in Old San Juan.

Every morning, a man would carry a bag of kitty food on his shoulder to feed community cats.

Speaking of community cats, please support the great Old San Juan organization Save a Gato !

The maritime museum in Old San Juan.

Not a sketch, but a painting I did on my return from Puerto Rico. The Jose V. Toledo Federal Building in Old San Juan.

SHACKS BEACH

Surfers at Shacks Beach, Isabela, Puerto Rico. I was drawing with markers a lot back then.

A bird in a palm tree.

Another one that isn't a sketch--a painting of Isabela that I did when I got back.

The next you go on an adventure, consider taking a sketchbook with you. You can take your camera, too--I did. Sketching isn't necessarily better, just different--I took a lot of photos too and I'm glad that I have them! I've used a number of these photos that I took as references for paintings and drawings. But there's nothing like drawing from life in a sketchbook, like I did for example with the sketches of the surfers. It really brings you into the moment to concentrate on a life drawing, especially when as with people who are surfing the subjects are almost constantly moving. I hope you've enjoyed this look into my sketches of Puerto Rico.

One of my favorite quotes is by positive-thinking pioneer and author of "Think and Grow Rich" Napoleon Hill:

A digital drawing I made of Napoleon Hill with his words of wisdom.

I committed myself to being an artist during a difficult time in my life. You know those tests that assign points to stressful life events? A number of those events occurred in a short period of time so my score was pretty high. One thing that helped get me through this time was the New Thought or Positive Thinking movement, especially books by mind-power pioneers like Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy.

Dr. Joseph Murphy taught the power of the subconscious mind.

During this time, my friend Mitch Horowitz challenged me to create a body of work featuring portraits of New Thought heroes like Neville and Dr. Murphy. And so for the past four years or so I have been creating portraits of positive-mind philosophers.

My friend Mitch Horowitz challenged me to portray the giants of positive thinking.

Emma Curtis Hopkins, the "teacher of teachers"

"The Power of Positive Thinking" author Norman Vincent Peale.

The truly heroic Helen Wilmans.

This was Neville's reply when someone urged him to compromise his message.

The legendary Dr. Holmes

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As you can see I like combining pictures and words

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"Every day in every way, I am getting better and better." Émile Coué inspired the Beatles.

Marcus Garvey was inspired by mind metaphysics.

Positive thinking goes Steampunk.

And so it was during a time of adversity that I committed myself to being an artist, and embraced the philosophy of positive, transformative thought. Once I committed myself to this project of portraying New Thought Heroes, I gained confidence and a sense of purpose. I no longer was just sketching without a sense of meaning. And I now had a Definite Chief Aim-- to become a professional artist. My sense of purpose changed all of my artwork. My drawings of cats now had the purpose not just of capturing their beauty and personality but also to help promote animal welfare and animal rescue. "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit..." I hope that this quotation will inspire you as it has inspired me through some difficult hours. I also hope that my artwork will be a reminder (to myself as well!) that this quotation is true. It was during a season of "adversity...failure...heartache" that the seed was planted and I was taught by life to learn--the Art of Positive Thinking.

The ink stains on my fingers from my constant drawing prompted my mother for a while to give me the nickname "Inky." Here are some early ink drawings by me. This drawing of a bird looks very early (the early bird?) and looks like it was done with a felt-tip pen.

I was drawing animals from an early age.

This is obviously a later drawing. It looks like it was done with a ballpoint pen, and seems like a combination of the Jetsons intro and the 1972 Fisher-Price Airport Playset. I like that I included a Go-Go bar!

Years later, in middle school, I bought India ink and pens with nibs at the local art-supply store. I liked Robert Crumb's cartoons, which I had mostly seen in reference books about the history of comics. Here's one of my drawings from that time--it's of SNL's "Coneheads."

This was around the time I first found out about another favorite artist who works in ink, B. Kliban. I loved his book "Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head & Other Drawings." Nowadays, I especially love his cat drawings. Here's one of my many favorites:

One of many great drawings by a favorite artist of mine.

Speaking of fountain pens, I've been drawing with them lately, and really enjoying it. This is a recent drawing I did with a fountain pen:

I drew this image of a beautiful tabby with a fountain pen.

The question remains, What do I like about ink? I like ink because it's never hesitant, it's never indecisive. There's no eraser (not really) or Backspace. It can be painted over or scraped off, but in general it's there to stay. To most people, ink is connected to the quality of being indelible. I also like that ink is bold and definite. You generally don't have to strain your eyes to see it or understand what it means. I'm currently reading and working with Arthur L. Guptill's book "Rendering in Pen and Ink," hoping to sharpen my skills. In future posts on this blog, I will post the inky exercises I've been trying out, as well as some explorations of the artists I love who create their unforgettable works with ink!

A portrait of Bailey, sometimes known as Mr. Whiskers or Tigerpants.

Beautiful and endlessly fascinating, cats are a gift to the artist. The intricately crisscrossing whiskers that beg to be drawn with an Art Nouveau approach. The striking stripes and spots that evoke the majesty of cats in the wild. The soulful eyes occasionally back lit with a flash of jade. All these are great reasons to create pictures of cats, and they are among the reasons that I do. In this post, however, I am going to concentrate on a few other things that inspire me to create pictures of cats.

Calypso is a beautiful rescue cat who enjoys the sunshine.

"RESCUED IS MY FAVORITE BREED"

I create pictures of cats because I care about animal welfare and animal rescue. In doing so, I choose to concentrate on the positive. Among my heroes are those luminaries who use their celebrity platforms to bring to light horrific abuses against animals. Other heroes of mine work endlessly to reform our animal shelters, so that one day the word "shelter" will no longer be a cruel joke. Bringing the suffering of animals to people's awareness is vital and must never stop. However, in my artwork, I choose to depict animals not as victims but in a way that will convince people that animals are greatly to be valued, infinitely conscious, and deeply soulful. This aligns with the New Thought principle of not resisting the negative but instead directing the mind toward what you want. As Wallace D. Wattles said, and which to a limited degree I believe, "Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites. Health is never to be attained by studying disease and thinking about disease; righteousness is not to be promoted by studying sin and thinking about sin; and no one ever got rich by studying poverty and thinking about poverty." Again, I am emphatically NOT saying that people should "think positive" and ignore the suffering of animals. I am only referring to how I choose to depict animals in my artwork. Through the artwork that I create, I want to bring into people's consciousness the truth that every animal has dignity and a soul. (To learn more about my feelings and thoughts about animal welfare in connection with the teachings of the Positive Thinking Movement please see my essays "Are Animals a Part of 'Everyone'?" and "5 Steps to Honor our Oneness with the Animal Kingdom" at Harv Bishop's great blog "Re-envisioning Spirituality.") I live with rescue cats, and I work with and support the wonderful Independent Animal Rescue in Durham, N.C. (And I have donated artwork to their awesome Painted Chair auctions.) I know that TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) absolutely works, I know from experience that community cats can be rescued and adopted and be wonderful companions and have wonderful lives, and I stand up for community cats everywhere and for all time.

LIFE WITH KITTIES

On a lighter note, I also find cats to be fun and entertaining, a side of them I explore in my cartoon series "Life with Kitties." Anyone who lives with cats will attest to their lovable personalities and endlessly surprising and charming quirkiness. In a multiple-cat household, they have a society of their own.

BEAUTIFUL AND FASCINATING

I began this post by talking about how beautiful and fascinating cats are. Along with the other reasons I have outlined in this post, I attempt to capture these qualities as well, combined with expressing the emotional bonds with we share with our kitty companions. Conveying my wonder at their beauty and fascination, inspiring others to see their value and deep souls, and expressing my emotional bond with them as well my appreciation of their lively, individual personalities--these are among the reasons "I Create Pictures of Cats."

Here is a mini-gallery of three recent images I've created.

"Looking up"

"Sleeping Tabby"

"Holding Hands"

I can almost guarantee that your hometown has a historic district with overlooked gems in the form of historic buildings. I like to draw these gems.

I've always had an interest in architecture, and not just because there's a really, really famous architect who shares my last name.

Famous architect Mario Botta. Maybe we're related?

By looking at historic buildings in your town, you can learn not just about architecture, but about your town's history. Learning one bit of information makes you want to learn more. There's a Mason St. in Pittsboro, N.C. and a Masonic temple that was built in 1838. It makes you curious about how the Masons contributed to Pittsboro's history. Visit your local library: The reference section is sure to be full of fascinating facts about your hometown's story as told in its historic buildings.

Masonic Temple, Pittsboro, N.C., built in 1838.

But it isn't just historic places that I like to draw. I also draw places that are historic to me. I'm grateful that I drew pictures of a local coffee shop where I loved to sketch, meet people from widely different backgrounds, and feel a real sense of community. All that changed when it was transformed into a swanky restaurant. But I still can visit the coffee shop through my drawings!

I brought my sketchbook here every morning.

All the furniture was removed when the coffee shop was turned into an upscale eatery.

The great thing about the coffee shop was that it felt like a real community. I met people from all walks of life there, people I would never have otherwise crossed paths with.

A sketch of one of my friends at the coffee shop reading the New York Times.

Drawing pictures of historic and "historic to me" places helps me express the connection to the past which I have always felt. (Speaking of the past, here is a drawing of a house that I did in the eighth grade. )

I drew this house in 8th grade art class. I think that's a lawn mower.

I hope what I've written about why I draw historic places will inspire you to look more closely at the historic buildings in your hometown, and encourage you to have a greater appreciation for those places which, though not technically historic, still have a personal meaning that makes them historic...to you.

Neville Goddard as Prometheus bringing the gift of imagination to humanity.

I first learned of Neville Goddard while browsing in a mind/body/spirit bookstore in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was intrigued by the drawing on the cover of an open eye within a heart shaped tree, as well as by what I read of his background--a former dancer and actor from Barbados? And the fact that he used only his first name

A portrait of Neville with one of his favorite phrases.

A few years later, during a difficult time in my life which coincided with my decision to devote myself to my artwork, I started reading Neville again. Neville's message boils down to using your imagination not for wish-fulfillment fantasies, but to actively become the person you want to be. You do this by "assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled." And don't try to imagine HOW it's going to happen, but instead imagine that everything has already been accomplished. He called it "living in the end" or "living from the end."

Neville says "Live from the End"

Neville said that the best time to imagine yourself as the person you want to be is in that state of feeling sleepy but not quite falling asleep. (For more information on Neville's techniques, life, and philosophy, see "The Miracle Club" by Mitch Horowitz.)

"Neville & the Magical Real-life Cat-nap."

Neville tells us to "deny the evidence of the senses" and concentrate on what we want. When I decided that I was going to commit myself to becoming an artist, I didn't concentrate on whatever weaknesses I saw in my artwork at the time. Instead, I kept before me constantly a vision of myself as creating the kind of art that I wanted to create. I also used active imagination to put myself in the emotional state of being a creative, productive artist. I continue to use these techniques as I work to improve my artwork. I also continue to "assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled" to help me achieve my Definite Chief Aim of being a professional artist.

Neville Goddard used his imagination to get to Barbados.

As "The Magician of Beautiful," Neville taught the magic of using "your wonderful human imagination" to conjure up what you most desire in life. I create pictures of Neville Goddard to remind myself how powerful my imagination can be, and also to pay tribute to Neville as an inspiration. I hope my images of Neville will help inspire you to believe that with your imagination you can become the person that you want to be!

Neville Goddard as "The Magician of the Beautiful."