The human impulse to create is evidence of the Divine spark within each of us. Far from being at odds, Art and Faith can be partners – look at John Steinbeck’s masterwork East of Eden or Leonard Cohen’s swan song You Want It Darker. Mythic spiritual traditions are repositories of artists’ struggle to find meaning, and as such, can be wellsprings for today’s emerging artists to draw from. Living a life of purpose, joy, and significance is a continually challenging spiritual endeavor, and courageous creativity can propel us through it. In turn, spirituality – contemplative and mindful practices – can inspire, unlock and unblock our creative processes.

How did Cain kill Abel? Who was the first person to enter the Red Sea? How do you get married? These questions aren’t answered in the Hebrew Bible, so millennia of rabbis made up their own explanations, in a process called midrash (literally, “inquiry”), like writing Fan-fiction. Starting from sacred texts, from Talmud to Shakespeare to e e cummings, and integrating ritual, recovery, self-care, mindfulness and meditation, find your creative voice renewed and refreshed, to make new art with deeper roots and broader branches.

architecture, couture, cuisine, design, documentary, essay, gaming, novel, orchestral composition, painting, performance, photography, poetry, popular song, sculpture, tattoo, theater, and so many more

of thought, age and stage of life, religious background (any or none), family of origin, physical capacity, neurological development, criminal history, sexual orientation, gender identity, financial wherewithal, political persuasion, and appearance

I have worked with public figures, and I never share more than a client’s artistic medium (e.g., “A filmmaker suggested…”; “A sculptor tried…”). I am aware of the inherent tensions between art and commerce, celebrity and authentic spiritual growth. Since our work is therapeutic but not therapy, I provide resources and referrals.

Judaism is a practice that transforms heart, mind and spirit, and a sacred journey of self-exploration and service.