Meister Eckhart on Finding the ‘Within’ by Way of Art

Eckhart speaks to the deep meaning of art and art as meditation when he tells us:

Whatever can be truly expressed in its proper meaning must emerge from inside a person and pass through the inner form.  It cannot come from outside to inside of a person but must emerge from within.

“Street Musician in Old Montreal.” Photo by Albert on Flickr.

Thus, to get at truth and our truest selves, we need to explore our “within.”  Not only explore our within, but also find a “form,” an “inner form,” by which to express what we find there. 

This is what all creativity and art does—it finds an appropriate form by which to share the truth that is inside us.

Why can we trust that our truth is within us?  Eckhart says because it

“Sky People.” Painting by visionary shaman-artist David Paladin. From DavidPaladin.com, by permission.

lives truly in the most spiritual part of the soul.  There all things are present, living and seeking within the whole soul what is spiritual, where they are in their best and highest meaning.  

He invites us to access the “innermost part of the soul” where all things, thoughts, feelings, memories, dreams reside.  And all our values and deepest beliefs.  Tap into that and share it. 

God is in everything, but God is nowhere as much as he/she is in the soul.  There where time never enters, where no image shines in, in the innermost and deepest aspect of the soul, God creates the whole cosmos.  Everything which God created millions of years ago and everything which will be created by God after millions of years—if the world endures until then—God is creating all that in the innermost and deepest realms of the soul.  Everything of the past and everything of the present and everything of the future God creates in the innermost realms of the soul. 


Adapted from Matthew Fox, Passion For Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, p. 399. 

And Matthew Fox, Meditations with Meister Eckhart, pp. 24f.

Banner Image: “Drawing on the Beach, San Francisco, CA.” Photo by Paucal on Flickr.

For a transcript of today’s video teaching, click HERE.


Queries for Contemplation

What does it mean to you to hear that God is creating the entire cosmos within your soul?  What follows from that?


Recommended Reading

Meditations with Meister Eckhart: A Centering Book

A centering book by Matthew Fox. This book of simple but rich meditations exemplifies the deep yet playful creation-centered spirituality of Meister Eckhart, Meister Eckhart was a 13th-century Dominican preacher who was a mystic, prophet, feminist, activist, defender of the poor, and advocate of creation-centered spirituality, who was condemned shortly after he died.
“These quiet presentations of spirituality are remarkable for their immediacy and clarity.” –Publishers Weekly.  

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8 thoughts on “Meister Eckhart on Finding the ‘Within’ by Way of Art”

  1. Thank you Mathew. ” Body in Soul” maybe we are all part of same Soul, like an imprint which is duplicated in each of us but given will to cover. Seems like we just forgot who/what we are in Truth until we go inward to remember.😇🙏

    1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
      Richard Reich-Kuykendall

      Karen, Thank you for your comment. You ask, “maybe we are all part of the same Soul…” well, according to Jewish mysticism they say there are four levels of the soul and one of them is the “group soul!”

  2. David Brenner calls this timelessness of creativity, wisdom. Wisdom he says was there creating before the beginning of beginnings, delighting in the act of creativity itself. These words “delighting in the act of creativity itself “, offer me wisdom to live by, that being to awaken to the delight to be discovered as one learns to co-create with her essence and presence not only within myself, but that is also there within the all and the everything of creation. The ever unfolding expansiveness of who I am becoming in and through this journey of life, is the experience of delighting in the act of creativity itself… that is if I can surrender in trust to her wisdom ways offered me.

    1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
      Richard Reich-Kuykendall

      Jeanette, Thank you for your comment, and we are glad for the “ever unfolding expansiveness of who you are becoming in and through this journey of life.” Just continue to surrender in trust to Divine Wisdom and her path…

  3. Today in my pray time, using Psalms for Praying, An Invitation to Wholeness, by Nan Merrill, I whispered these words, that aligns with my earlier comment…
    You take delight, O Radiant One, in gracing me with new life.
    O Beloved, come and renew me.
    Let me face my weaknesses and all that confuses me, that keeps me from joy.
    I seek forgiveness for my wrongdoings, I desire only You.
    Let me begin anew, as a child at its Mother’s breast, who basks in love.
    May all who seek You, rejoice and be glad.
    May all who surrender to You, cry out “My joy is in the Beloved.”
    Yes, when I am lowly and fear-filled, You hasten to me, Beloved.
    You are my strength and my joy, O Love, come and renew me again and again.

  4. Thank you Matthew for sharing your passion for the beautiful mystic thoughts of Meister Eckhart. That passage is the most beautiful and profound description of God’s Loving-Creative Presence in our eternal souls….

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