The Inspired Heart
An Artist's Journey of Transformation
Audiobook (March 2009)
Written and narrated by Jerry Wennstrom
This is the extraordinary story of an artist's daring exploration into the source of his creativity. In the late 1970s, Jerry Wennstrom was a rising star in the New York art world when he decided that the ultimate creative leap was to destroy his large body of art, give away all of his possessions, and spend the next 10 years wandering, seeking, listening, and trusting God to take care of him. "It was a powerful, holy experience that left me shaken and empty, but exhilarated," says Jerry of the destruction of his art. Mindful that he was choosing a strange and dangerous way, he questioned his own sanity and the existence of any higher power. Ultimately, he came to the simple, yet radical understanding that every moment in life requires the artist's creative attention. And with that new perspective, he was able once again to create art without worshiping it as a false idol.
Says Wennstrom, "In the process of letting go, there was a slow build-up to that most importand leap. I experienced it as a leap into 'being,' rather than the 'doing' of creating art, or the expression of being through my art. I let go of everything I thought was most 'me.' I felt like I was making a leap into a new relationship with the most direct and creative expression I could give myself to."
The Inspired Heart tells of a life lived by the singular requirement of Grace—to remain fearlessly attuned to the heart. It is an upside-down perspective, where what is generally most sought after is relinquished, and conscious entry into uninhabitable terrain reveals a remarkable truth. Wennstrom sees no event as out of place in his world, where anything, from street-corner violence to the gentleness of a stranger, can become a blessing.
What others have said about The Inspired Heart:
"Few of us have emptied our cup as completely as Jerry Wennstrom did when he destroyed his art in 1979, and therefore few have experienced as deep a reawakening to the subtle stirrings of the divine in everyday life. It's hard for me to convey how deeply I respect what Jerry shares with us in his book, The Inspired Heart, in his art, and above all in his person. Here is a completely genuine voice of creative spirit."
—Chris Bache, author of Dark Night, Early Dawn
"I'm sure that many people will find comfort and inspiration in this book. Jerry is able to describe a spiritual journey outside of any ancient tradition or modern system, and I trust that originality. He avoids the many hollow words that sometimes enter contemporary spiritual thought and embodies the idea that you can be fully spiritual and fully secular at the same time. Jerry's experience shows that simply by being receptive to deep intuition and living intelligently from the heart, you can achieve a degree of holiness."—From the foreword by Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul
"Jerry Wennstrom is an artist who works both with materials and with relationships. This book is truly a story of 'pilgrim's progress' told by a man who risked everything to find his true path and the inevitable spiritual gifts that come from helping each other along the way."
—Christina Baldwin, author of The Seven Whispers: Listening to the Voice of Spirit
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