The Light That Eminates


Art as Healing and Activism
My original artwork, The Light That Emanates, the slide showing, was originally inspired by a dream and then refined through the process of active imagination. Sanford states, “Our dreams serve a compensatory function, providing information beyond the limits of ego awareness. Listening to our dreams and respecting them bring insight into this split-off dimension of psychic wholeness. As an even more powerful tool, active imagination provides a bridge between our inner and outer worlds”. By using this dream and painting, I illustrate the concept of archetypes—specifically the Hero and the Shadow—as they manifest in both the external world of the storm and the internal world of the self. As captain, I am both the Hero facing the unknown and the Shadow within, tasked with confronting the turbulence of my own psyche. The painting invites the viewer to consider their own journey through the storm, and how, through art, we can find a shared understanding of navigating the complexities of life. The language of symbols and Depth Psychology terminology provides a means to articulate this experience of transformation, inviting others into the collective process of confronting chaos and discovering peace. Through art, we transcend the personal to connect with something universal, creating a shared experience of insight and depth.