Drinking Lightning: Art, Creativity, and Transformation

By Philip Rubinov-Jacobson and Philip Rubinov-Jaconson

This is a fine book. Ripe with the wisdom of an artist in whom the creative fire is alive, touched by the Gods and the Goddess of the realm that the conventional mind often fails...

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 0975478001
• ISBN13: 9780975478004
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Marja Publications
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Feast

A Feast. A beautiful woven mosaic slowly emerges from the words imprinted in this book. Within this magic of written words the reader becomes faithful with Jacobson's life experiences, profound in depth knowledge and insights. As the words play in and out with these forms of life, pain, suffering, joy and ecstasy are also encountered. These qualities are celebrated in juxtaposition with the author's wit, playfulness and serious nesting of the book. The book is absorbing in its rich details, complications, puzzles, and insights that allows one's inner flow of life to connect with the author in an authentic dialogue. Great ideas and insights are revealed in what seems like a beautiful and easy manner, as there is an overflow or spontaneity that is exceptional. Jacobson, as a talented writer and creative, spiritual artist, in sharing his mosaic of words with others is rare indeed. It was his desire to unite these gifts in a book that is truly transformational. Certain aspects or attributes of the author's are evident in his description of Van Gogh. Extreme giving is also present in Van Gogh's emphasis on love and how it is connected to creativity. He had a passion for Universal love. He could find expression, for this intense love only in his painting, "Life at all Costs," rings out clearly. Although Philip has his own unique path, he also connects with the thought of "Life at all Costs." His relationships allow him to express this love, but he also must use the medium of writing and creative, spiritual art in order to give freely and passionately to others. It is a Feast, a real Feast, that fills the spirit with soul food and reflects the wonderful movie "Babette's Feast." Babette gave both food to the soul and to the physical body and was, therefore, also a real soul giving artist like Van Gogh and Jacobson. Professor Patricia Herron Patricia is an artist and writer who also teaches Philosophy and Religious Studies at Chemeketa C College, Salem, Oregon patriciaherron@juno.com

The healing power of art

In the first half of the book the author reports from his life as an artist and spiritual searcher, in the second half he developes the way of art as the royal road to awareness: In the process of painting it may happen, that one forgets the ego, dives deep into the creative flow: then it is not "me" who paints, but "it paints". There may be other ways to reach this state of mind but for the one who achieved control on the technique art may serve best, because it creates a picture: it materializes directly. The picture may contain more than the artist was conscious of during painting, and which may be seen by some viewers or by the artist himself later, thus providing insights and increasing consciousness for both of them. Creation and perception of art is described convincingly as a powerful way of healing in the basic meaning of becoming whole. For me, reading this book became a creative process by itself, where own ideas continually emerged like sprouts from the words I read. This was possible since the book is not dogmatic at all, the text is open for the reader's own thoughts and imaginations. All what is told is based on personal experiences, ranging from ecstatic states of mind during a year in an Indian ashram to a life threatening health crisis. Wisdom from spiritual traditions and other philosophers is integrated after critical selection and proof and in an application oriented way. Basically the book gives an introduction to (mainly Buddhist based) wisdom as perceived and adapted via art by a hard working Western white man with a strong will to get the maximum out of his life. That provides credibility and applicability of things he tells to the reader, even when they are beyond his/her personal level of experience. It is no escapist space-talk but it is centered "here and now" in the middle of all human struggle for light, between will and surrender, sceptics and naive openness, transpersonal mystic and everyday business. And all is connected with a good sense of humour. It also should be mentioned that this book is beautiful: large size (7"x10" or 18x26cm), 41 excellent quality color reproductions from contemporary visionary paintings and 53 b/w figures, some more paintings, some photos from the author. I am sure that many readers, at least those who already got in touch with the healing potential of art will greatly profit from reading this book.

DRINKING LIGHTNING:RUBINOV-JACOBSON'S BREAKTHROUGH BOOK!

"Drinking Lightning--Art, Creativity, and Transformation," by Philip Rubinov-Jacobson, published by Shambhala Publications in October, 2000 in the U.S. and Canada, is a powerful, partially autobiographical work, the mere reading of which has the power to transform the consciousness of the reader, if he or she be honest, alert, and thoughtful. Virtually every sentence in this unusual work springs from the domain of abstract mind, borne on metaphoric wings at high levels of intuition and inspired vision. In this seminal and much-needed work, Rubinov-Jacobson has demonstrated a sensitive and mature power to extract from his highly varied and rich life experience, an unusual depth of original, compelling, and fresh insight into the nature of human consciousness. Our author excites in the sensitive reader a greater sense of personal dignity, wisdom, and a larger desire to see creative greatness in all people, everywhere. The Light and Love from which these higher sentiments and ideals spring, fill the work to overflowing throughout. This new work is testament that the author is as accomplished as a writer and intellectual, as he is an artist and painter, for which he is already world-renowned. The reader is humbled by the obvious depth of Rubinov-Jacobson's deep, classical education covering so many fields of knowledge.Yet, there is no pedantry in his presentation of ideas. The reader never gets the feeling that the author is speaking "at" him or her. Rather, by and through the writer's loving spirit and genuine acceptance of the great goodness lying in the the heart of everyone, our author generously invites us aboard his often magical tour of great ideals, passionate sentiments, and the high spiritual potential of the soul in all of us. We are welcomed. We are accepted. By this, we open.We are often enlightened and spellbound by the sheer power of the author's observations on so many subjects. This is an intensely personal, highly spiritual book. Our author proposes as a precondition for all fields of art, education, and civilized living, that everyone open their hearts, minds, and souls to the living Eternal Reality of the spirit, in order to raise all of life beyond the shallow techno-materialism into which, all together, our planet has sunk. The author achieves this objective, I believe, only because of his own fierce self-honesty, his capacity for penetrating sincerity, and the fact that he has lived and practiced a devotional and contemplative lifestyle for several decades. A central theme of this work is the author's thesis that by sincere dedication to the practice of one's chosen art, plus steadily working through the creative cycles entailed, one can indeed become transformed in character and spiritual potential, leading to self-actualization. The sincere practice of any art can, thereby, greatly facilitate whole person-hood, deeper psychological health, and the genuine unfolding of one's spiritual potential. Our author states: "Creativi

Drinking Lightening: Art, Creativity, and Transformation

"Drinking Lightening" is an intriguing discussion on the relationship between Art and Spirituality as revealed through three disinict facets- 1)-the story of the artist/authors' artistic/spiritual path and development 2)-an overview of Visionary art as a distinct movement, its roots, historical context, as well as a discussion of selected contemporary artists and their work. 3)-and of course the relationship between God , creativity and the artist. Rubinov-Jacobson gives an insiders view on the creative process by weaving artistic experience, spiritual teachings from various traditions on the relationship between creativity and God, a discussion of the artist as mystic and visionary, and the relationship of the creative worker to society. This reflection resonated so clearly with my personal experience I found it not only inspiring but comforting as well. "Drinking Lightening" is a gift to the creative community and an incredibly informational book for anyone interested in the connection between art and spirituality.