Book Review
As some of you will already know, last year I began a journey of Sacred Art starting in March on a two day Introduction Workshop with Imelda Almqvist. This journey was the beginning of new and exciting things to come for me; little did I know that one of these exiting things would be to get my hands on a pre-copy of her latest book Sacred Art A Hollow Bone For Spirit Where Art Meets Shamanism to read and review.
Book Review of Sacred Art A Hollow Bone For Spirit Where Art Meets Shamanism by Imelda Almqvist
As a sacred art student of Imelda’s I was eager to get my hands on this book. Her teachings have had a profound impact upon me journeys within journeys unfolding and unfurling as the art is created.
This is a truly inspiring book taking you on a journey of the history of art from rock paintings through to “modern” day art. A journey which shows how art, region, science, alchemy and cosmology were all once interwoven and how unfortunately they became split in our need to break things apart. Your thoughts, ideas, perceptions of art are stretched – everything is art when you look around and within. And then another journey is embarked upon a journey of self-discovery as you are invited to drop down into a new place, to hollow yourself out, deeply immerse yourself in a place that has no room for ego. For me at the Introduction to Sacred Art Workshop the most important and powerful part was starting by burning my limiting beliefs and this book does the same. The first activity is burning your own limiting beliefs, all thoughts of I am not an artist, I can’t draw, paint, create, will fade away as you drop into a new place as you become a hollow bone and you begin to make your own Sacred Art; with opportunities to meet other beings, gods, goddesses along the way, work with them and let them speak through your art.
Imelda begins to weave all that we have split apart back together and encourages us to do the same and encourages and inspires you to see how they are all interlinked, all part of the one web of life. Imelda’s passion and thirst for the subject shines through, her excitement at continuing to learn herself, inviting you the reader to delve into the work of other authors and artists; new books to learn from and art videos to watch. The same can be said for your own work during her Sacred Art Retreats; journeys become deeper and a richer experience, the art created afterwards continues the journey, more is revealed within the words, the colours, the fabrics, all are part of the journey. The art is interwoven with all that happened within the journey and more, weaving back together the threads of all that has been broken. Her teachings will take you to another level coming away feeling that something magical and profound has happened to you and your life will never be the same again.
As you weave your way through the book and activities I feel sure that you will begin to look at art and the world around you in a whole new way. You may well find some of your beliefs of not only yourself but the landscape around you challenged and this in turn encourages an exploration and work with your own shadow.
No artistic skills or shamanic experience required. This book does exactly what it says; it teaches you how art and shamanism meet and how you can create with them. Best of all it’ll widen your perception of art and allow you to let your ego move aside and make your very own Sacred Art.
Sacred Art isn’t something to be just read about, it is something to do, something powerful and profound. I urge you to fully immerse yourself in this book, to become a hollow bone unleashing your inner artist from shy stumbling steps to liberation.
