What is it about a picture, a song, a poem, or a movie that can move us to tears or fill us with joy? What is this power, and where does it come from? How does a man who is stone deaf and a little crazy manage to create the "Ode to Joy?" How does an artist so tortured that he cuts off his own ear manage to create such enduring paintings?

When we create, which we do every moment of every day, we are using our divinely given power. And when we imagine, write, paint, design, and build, we are channeling to some degree. But what are we channeling? Certainly, in cases such as Van Gogh's "Starry Night," the "Ode to Joy," or the works of someone like Charles Dickens, the artists are channeling the divine. Mozart wrote what he heard in his head:  a gift from the angels. The majority of what we create however, falls somewhere in between angelic and dark.

We tend to believe that we are individuals who are separate from one another and that our thoughts, feelings, and ideas are locked securely in our own heads, unheard and unseen by others. We also believe that the thoughts of others remain firmly locked in their heads, and never the twain shall meet. This is not true.

We are all part of a single being, a single field of energy, and there is no isolation or separation at all. Although we believe that every thought in our head is ours and ours alone, the truth is that ideas, thoughts, and even feelings may originate with you, with other people in your life or environment, with higher beings, or even with lower-vibration (darker) beings. We assume that all of this communication and information is ours, but with practice and discernment, we can learn what is "ours" and what isn't.

When we are creative, we are particularly open to information from other sources. Creativity is a form of meditation, and if we are open to it, we can connect quite easily to the divine and produce amazing things. Of course, not all artwork is angelic in origin, but that doesn't mean that it is without value. Channeling ourselves, or our inner child, can be very healing, both for us and for others. We often channel our ego—it can be hard not to—or we receive a divine message, and then our ego distorts it. This is very common, and it just means that we who view or listen to the art need to discern for ourselves what information to keep, and what to toss aside. Art is a personal thing.

In some cases, the artist channels dark entities. These beings will seek any opportunity to find an "in," and they are particularly attracted to people whose vibrations are lowered (temporarily or otherwise) due to anger or depression, addiction, or the inability to discern for themselves, such as the mentally ill. As with divinely inspired artwork, we can tell if something is dark by the way it makes us feel.

Of course, God doesn't wait for perfect messengers, and many of the "great" artists struggled with darkness, too. We all do. Van Gogh's missing ear, Beethoven's moody unhappiness, and the stone in Virginia Woolf's pocket when she drowned herself all attest to personal struggles and issues that needed healing. And yet, they created lasting, memorable things. We all create an enduring legacy, no matter how humble our life may be.

We may be inspired, moved, or provoked by art, but the artist is just the translator for the messages that they receive. We may judge the message and the messenger, but God makes no such distinctions. There are no tests to pass, no rules to obey, no standard to be held to. Great art is often born of our struggles and imperfections. This is what enables us to connect with it, and with each other.

We are all messengers, whether we're building a great cathedral, typing a letter, or raising our children. Divine inspiration isn't bestowed solely on artists; it is given freely to everyone. We may not define what we create as art, but that doesn't make it any less meaningful. A dinner made with love is just as beautiful as the Mona Lisa. An act of kindness is just as moving as a great symphony. And the joyful, loving heart is the greatest piece of artwork of all.

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