Horizontal and Vertical Growth in an Artist's Journey

Artistic growth is a complex tapestry interwoven with skills, emotions, aspirations, and introspection. It’s a process that asks artists to explore both the world around them and their inner landscape. For clarity, let's differentiate this process into two distinct paths: 'horizontal' growth, associated with the ego and its desires, and 'vertical' growth, aligned with the heart and its quest for profound connection.

Horizontal Growth: The Ego's Playground

In the context of an artist's journey, horizontal growth refers to the attainment of external goals that satisfy the ego. These could range from acquiring new skills and techniques, to gaining recognition, winning accolades, or selling a certain amount of work.

While such achievements may provide temporary satisfaction and validation, they often don't quench the deeper thirst for fulfilment. The ego's hunger can be insatiable, constantly moving the goalpost as soon as one target is hit. This chase can be exhilarating but can also lead to stress, creative burnout, and a detachment from the heart's true longing.

Vertical Growth: The Heart's Yearning

Vertical growth, on the other hand, delves beneath the surface, focusing on deepening the artist's connection with their essence and the roots of their creativity. This is about listening to the heart and allowing it to guide the creative process. It is about exploring emotions, values, experiences, and the unseen dimensions of existence, and expressing these depths through art.

The heart's desire isn't about external validation but about resonance, authenticity, and the joy of creation itself. It is about softening one's being to commune with creativity, and through this process, to create art that is deeply fulfilling and profoundly moving.

Achieving this vertical growth, however, requires introspection, courage to face one's truths, and the vulnerability to express them. The rewards, though, are invaluable: inner peace, genuine satisfaction, and a body of work that reflects the artist's soul.

Finding the Balance: The Interplay of Horizontal and Vertical Growth

While they may seem dichotomous, horizontal and vertical growth are not mutually exclusive; instead, they can and should coexist in an artist's journey. Balancing the ego's aspirations with the heart's needs can lead to a harmonious and fulfilling artistic life.

By anchoring oneself in the heart's truth (vertical growth), artists can navigate the waves of ego-driven pursuits (horizontal growth) with greater ease and authenticity. Achievements no longer serve merely as ego boosters but become milestones that celebrate the heart's journey. They do not define the artist's worth, but instead amplify their authentic voice.

In conclusion, a balanced artistic journey is about using the heart as a compass and the ego as a vehicle. It's about grounding in vertical growth to soar in the horizontal realm. By doing so, artists can experience an expansive journey, one that satisfies both the heart's longing for deep connection and the ego's desire for recognition and accomplishment.