Inner Work:
Awakening to the Essential Artistic Self
We're so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget that
the inner value - the rapture that is associated with being alive - is what it's all about.
–JOSEPH CAMPBELL
“Each moment of the creative process engages the senses more fully, with richer and more focused awareness.
In art practice we can become transcendence, one with all beings and our world.”
—DIANNE BERSEA
You say you want a Revelation…
The Meaning of Within
–JOHN LENNON
Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream
It is not dying, It is not dying
Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
It is shining, It is shining
That you may see the meaning of within
It is being, It is being
That love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing, It is knowing
The music is within your heart, your soul, your spirit. It's not really in some intellectual realm in your brain.
And this is all I do when I sit at the piano, I just go within.
– ALICE COLTRANE
From Object to Subject
From Outer to Inner
These movements represent a profound journey of transcendence — a process of expansion and refinement, moving from the gross to the subtle, from form to essence, from boundaries to the boundless.
In the realm of creativity, this inner movement mirrors the evolution of consciousness itself. As awareness turns from the outer world of objects and appearances toward the inner world of subjectivity and stillness, a deeper source of inspiration becomes available. The artist’s work then arises not merely from observation or imitation of the external world, but from direct contact with the infinite field of creativity within.
The creative process, at its highest level, is the embodiment of this unbounded source — the infinite wellspring of pure potential. When an artist creates from this state, their expressions become limitless, diverse, and deeply authentic, revealing the unity of all life through infinite forms of artistic expression.
Transformation & Change Begins Within
What is Transformation? Steady movement toward our source - who we truly are,
our essential nature, our essential Self
–JOHN RAATZ
Life
Relationships
Dynamics
Structure
Content
Providence
Providence, in the lives of creative artists, represents the mysterious guiding force that shapes the unfolding of their creative journeys. It is the sense that life itself participates in the process of creation—that inspiration, opportunity, and timing are not random, but part of a deeper intelligence working through the artist.
For many creatives, providence reveals itself through synchronicity: the right encounter, the unexpected opening, or a challenge that becomes a catalyst for growth. It reminds artists that their work is not created in isolation but in relationship with something larger—call it destiny, the flow of life, or the creative intelligence of the universe.
This awareness can bring both humility and confidence. Humility, because the artist recognizes that not everything can be controlled or planned; confidence, because they sense that their path is meaningful and supported. When an artist aligns with providence, creativity becomes less about personal ambition and more about serving what wants to be expressed through them.
In this way, providence becomes both a companion and a compass—guiding the artist toward authenticity, timing their evolution, and deepening their faith in the creative process itself.
The Importance and Value of Inner Work
by John Raatz
In my estimation, there is one fundamental idea that rises far above all else, especially given today’s dire circumstances confronting humanity. That idea is the neglect of our inner lives.
The great power necessary to dispel the erroneous conditions which surround us, must be sought within ourselves.
We are seeking, as never before, that which will free us from the fears, anxieties and dangers of material living. We know, and the great wisdom guides of yesterday and today tell us, that whatever it is that will give us mental rest and spiritual peace does not lie in the realm of human thought.
We live under the illusion that material forces and human will are great powers until we learn, and experience, that within our own being there is a spiritual power which dispels this illusion.
There is a peace – a stillness within our consciousness.
John Raatz, GATE founder, is a Certified Teacher of Transcendental Meditation for 50 years, and a spiritual guide and coach for creatives.
Discovering Inner Practices
Finding inner practices—such as meditation—that truly work for you is part of a lifelong journey of self-discovery.
Friends, teachers, books, and research can point the way, offering recommendations and guidance. Yet ultimately, the decision rests with you and your lived experience.
When considering a practice, what matters most is:
• Resonance: Does the practice feel aligned with you—your temperament, values, and aspirations?
• Experience during the practice: How do you actually feel while engaging in it, beyond theory or expectation?
• Benefits afterward: What changes, insights, or well-being arise as a result of your practice?
In other words, is your experience strong, meaningful, and beneficial enough to inspire you to keep going? Regularity is essential, because only through steady practice do the real fruits appear. A practice is like planting a seed—without care and continuity, it remains a seedling. With consistent attention, it grows, matures, and bears fruit.
The Best Way To Make Your Dreams Come True Is To Wake Up!
–KABIR
Be Present
Pay Attention
Listen Deeply
Speak Truthfully
Act Creatively
–ROBERT RABBIN
Creative Work Is an Inside Job
Creativity is often seen as something that happens “out there”—through tools, techniques, collaboration, or inspiration from the external world. Yet, at its core, creative work begins within. It is rooted in the inner life of the creator: their perceptions, emotional experiences, beliefs, imagination, intuition, values, and depth of awareness. The outward expression—whether film, music, art, design, storytelling, innovation, or invention—is simply the visible surface of an inner process.
Creative work is not just something you “do”—it’s something you “grow from within.” Your art is a reflection of your inner life. When the inner world is nurtured, the outer expression becomes powerful, authentic, and alive.
When we tend to the inner life, creativity blossoms naturally—because true creative power begins within.
—John Raatz
Transformation Questions To Ponder
1. What is “Transformation?
2. Where does transformation
come from?
3. How does it happen?
4. What is its purpose? Its value?
Norman Lear on Inner Development
JR: In the nineties, Norman shared with me a paper he wrote that inspired me and contributed to my growing understanding of the power of our inner life / inner work to our roles and activities in entertainment, arts and media.
Here is an excerpt from Norman’s paper:
I have a deep concern about what I consider to be an unhealthy reticence – in our culture generally, and in education in particular, -- to discuss what may be the most distinctive trait of this remarkable creature (human beings).
I’m talking about her mysterious inner life, the fertile invisible realm that is the wellspring for our species’ creativity and morality. It is that portion of ourselves that impels us to create art and literature, and study ethics, philosophy and history. It is that portion of our being that gives rise to our sense of awe and wonder and longing for truth, beauty and a higher order of meaning. For want of a better term, one could call it the spiritual life of our species.
Whatever we call it, we have long recognized its presence and accepted that it sets us apart.
And yet, as a student of the American psyche, at no time in my life can I remember our culture being so estranged from this essential part of itself. One can see it in the loss of faith in leaders and institutions – the cynicism, selfishness and erosion of civility – and the hunger for connectedness that stalks our nation today.
Whatever habits and inhibitions our culture has conditioned us to accept, I believe that, embedded in our genes is the belief that there is a greater force and mystery framing our lives, to which attention must be paid. We will not solve our problems as a society – or preserve the planet – simply by making more horizontal advances.
“Progress” as we have known it – such as a new source of energy, that bigger super-collider, the colonization of another planet, or a floor polish without waxy yellow buildup – none of this, no technological advance or discovery – can provide the cure for all of what ails this culture.
The progress of our species, I believe, requires a giant vertical leap – a leap in our inner development.
We have been embarked from the beginning of human history on a search for transcendent meaning, connection with a higher order – and that is where the next great improvement in our condition, where the next bit of progress must occur.
Daily Questions for Creatives…
Ask Yourself:
What’s the one thing I can do today that will move me closer to my goal?
How can I make a positive change in someone else’s day?
What can I do that will make tomorrow better or easier?
What did I learn today?
Who can I connect with?
On the Trail of Transformation
(Some Basic Principles for Creative Souls)
Everything begins in consciousness — the invisible source of all creativity and creation. Every idea, every image, every sound, every story arises from this field of awareness.
There is only one consciousness — one boundless field of creative intelligence — and every artist, every being, every element of nature is a unique expression of that same source.
We are all connected. Every brushstroke, every song, every performance ripples through the whole. Creation is never isolated; it’s a collaboration with life itself.
Everything we do (and even what we don’t do) makes a difference. We are all co-creating reality right now. You can’t *not* create — the only question is:
• Is what you’re creating uplifting the whole or diminishing it?
• Are your creative choices born of conscious inspiration, or are they habits of fear, ego, or repetition?
Now is all there is — the eternal present is the true canvas of creation.
Everyone and everything is in its perfect place in this grand unfolding. Each of us stands exactly where we need to be for our next creative evolution.
What we extend into the world — through our art, our words, our gestures — inevitably returns to us. Creativity is a loop of giving and receiving.
So, what shall we create together?
Indigenous wisdom traditions have always known this unity. Now, even science is beginning to affirm what the ancients understood: consciousness is the foundation of everything.
You are invited to see and know this truth for yourself —
…not as an abstract idea, but as a direct, full-being experience. When that happens, your creative expression, your purpose, your very way of living transforms.
There are as many ways to awaken to this knowing as there are creative beings on Earth.
This realization is inevitable — every artist, consciously or unconsciously, is on the path to it. The only question is: *why wait?*
At some point, in some *now*, you will see and know this truth. Why not this one? Or this one? Or this one?
Since we are all connected — since we are made of the same luminous creative substance — the good you bring into the world through your art, your kindness, your awareness, returns to you multiplied.
So, in the deepest sense of self-interest, let’s create a world that reflects the highest within us — more beauty, more compassion, more harmony, more joy.
That’s how we see it.
How do “you” see it?
Onward. Upward. Inward.
