A Strong Clear Vision

I have a new source of inspiration in Maya Lin. Watching her work and listening to her explain her creative process left me with an undeniable sense of her courageous dedication to intuition. Lin said: "Those intuitive gestures are the strongest ones." I was particularly inspired by her response to the resistance of the design of the Vietnam memorial. She clearly held a broad vision for the memorial, and she was not willing to make compromises in the design that would undermine that vision. Lin held firm in her belief that the monument was to be a space for people to bring their emotions, a space to have a relationship with life and death.
Her vision for the civil rights movement monument brought tears to my eyes. The black "fountain," like the Washington "wall," is aesthetically simple, allowing each visitor to have their own experience of the civil rights movement. Lin said that her monuments are honest: "You have to admit that this pain has occurred in order for it to be healed, in order for it to be cathartic." In this week's reading, Lederach reminds us of the importance of stillness in social justice work, and in healing. Lederach writes: "[Stillness] is the the platform that generates authenticity of engagement, for it is the stage that makes true listening and seeing possible" (104). Lin's architecture is an example of the power stillness has to create profound change. Lin's work has innate stillness, and it calls viewers to go within themselves to discover their interactions with the subject represented by the piece. When people gain greater insight into their own hearts in this way, they cultivate "true listening and seeing."

Gabrielle Roth is a huge inspiration in my life, and is a perfect example of an artist with a moral imagination. She is the creator of 5Rhythms, which is a structured format of ecstatic dance that facilitates personal discovery and transformation. Gabrielle believes that the dance is a "catalyst" for individual transformation, that when we dance with frequency, we become more embodied. The paradox is this: the more we dance and shake out old destructive patterns, the more stillness we can be present to. As we become more embodied, more peaceful within ourselves, we can engage more peacefully with our environment. This parallels perfectly with the quote from Lederach above! Her approach supports the unique, and it is anything but stagnant or linear. Gabrielle believes every human being has his or her own path inward. Gabrielle often says: "The way out is in." In other words, the way out of suffering (conflict, sickness, etc.) is found in greater self-discovery. I feel I could easily connect her work to every quality of moral imagination. I must add, before I conclude, that her work effectively facilitates the finding of vocation. When one is disconnected from the body, he or she will likely have trouble searching for life purpose. Lederach writes: "Vocation is knowing and staying true to the deep voice" (167). Cultivating an intimate relationship with the body allows the spirit's voice to be heard.