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SOULMAKING
Learning Objectives

In this lesson, you will:

Develop student’s artistic potentials through soul making.

INTRODUCTION

A s Dr. Norman Narciso, one of the leading Filipino thought leaders in the art world, deeply explains

soul-
making, "Soulmaking is an alternate place to know oneself and to look at the depths and meaning of what we
do
in our daily lives.” Soulmaking is a step towards a deeper comprehension of how the world is perceived and
how his or her own personality is seen.

Soul making plays a major role in art-production; it is a form of crafting stories, transforming brief
moments into images, symbols that connect with people, understanding culture and embodying tolerance, peace,
and imagination.

Knowing oneself

In soul making, "who are you" is the topic that throughout the process serves as a guidepost. Knowing
oneself begins with consciousness. In order to start the process, it is necessary to realize and embrace one's
truth, history and understanding of existence. With this new found insight, art, which is actually the very core
of soul-making, can now come into play. Therefore, it is not so much the production that is mostly taken into
account, but the method of perceiving anything.

Depths and essence

Soulmaking is more than the soul's religious perspective. Soul refers to a person's individuality
that resonates with his or her behavior. Since art is a human expression that is highly valued and symbolic, a
person typically uses different art forms to fulfill the need to communicate and express him or herself. The
human desire to actualize his or her very being is strongly assisted by soulmaking.

What we are doing

Art gives a person a sense of purpose about what he or she is doing. As any artwork is an expression
of one's perceptions, feelings, emotions, and realities, the key to personal cultural growth is the process of creating
such expression. Soulmaking utilizes every human experience to build the influence that can make the
artist himself and others improve.

Everyday life

Life includes a lot of adventure, understanding the challenges that come with each adventure, and
understanding how each person has a unique way of perceiving things as life happens to them. Soulmaking is a
method that can be gone through by anyone. As all are creative in their own right, it is not limited to the "obviously
artistic". It's just a matter of losing yourself in the art of viewing the world from a different perspective
and detaching yourself from yourself.

Categories of Soul Making

Crafting Images –Crafting images includes the production, by various forms and methods, of visual
representations of images. Any art form such as drawing, sketching, and sculpting can be used to perform
this process. Dancing, poetry (or black-out poetry), musical instrument playing, and even filmmaking may
also do this.

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Crafting Stories – He or she is already creating stories when an individual writes down his or her own
personal feedback, life values, deep feelings, ideas, ideals, and even high and low emotions. Similar to
crafting images, he or she may be portrayed by different means when one craft story is presented. Stories
can be relayed via vivid photos, calming music, and impactful sentences.

Crafting Instruments – Crafting instruments are treated as "a bridge to the unknown because the
instrument creates sounds that exceed our thoughts, emotions, and sensations. The soul is accompanied
by a vessel so that the soul will not disappear." Instruments help people explore the magic behind music
and its unique impact on a person. Such musical instruments can establish the soul's harmonious
sustenance and the mind's balance.

Crafting Movements – Life is movement, according to Dr. Narciso (2016). [One's] life is full of different
rhythms. "Our life is full of movements, it is full of different rhythms, life is full of flowing images
accompanied by narratives, and this melodic flow symbolizes how the universe gives every human being
the ability in their respective lives to experience the highs and lows." For artists who are more inclined to
crafting movement, the pattern that life serves a person provides a source of inspiration.

Crafting Techniques – Crafting techniques in soulmaking are the artist's reflection of his life and
experiences in any piece of art. The approach, preferably, should be methodological. A soulmaker,
though, when he executes his creative expression, is unbounded.

5 Phases of Soul Making

1. Seeking – The first step is seeking or finding. At this point, we recognize that each of us who are
interested in our own growth and the ways of our world is a 'seeker.' We are looking for a discipline or
method that can help us live in and make sense of the world and heal the wounds of 'self.'

The best thing about searching is that it is a vital stage in our growth as soul builders. It gives
us the tools to live our lives, and if we systematically look, we find that in some integral sense,
these tools and practices can be fitted together, allowing us to settle down, moving us on to a practice
or cluster of practices that satisfy our creativity and passion, and that we can then spend time
perfecting.

2. Settling – Soul making is about communicating as profoundly as possible with the soul, with other
human and non-human beings (and this means the future of humans and non-humans) and with the
world. If we are perpetually wondering, we cannot do this. We must find ourselves settled at some
point in our lives.

3. Surrender – If it is permitted to surrender, with all its pain and vulnerability, something magical will
happen. We tend to note in the midst of the crashing that our activities begin to be in the service
of the soul. The capacity to surrender, of course, is restricted by the amount of pain and uncertainty
that we can bear! True surrender takes us up and throws us down; calls for the wounds we bear to
be accepted; forces us to spend time living in the darkness.

4. Soulmaking – At some point in the variations between the Settling and Surrender dual polarities, we
begin to perceive our practice and life in the universe as Soul Making. We are beginning to become
an expert, an injured healer. We're starting to grow up enough to feed our girls, our children, our
children. We accept that there's no way to ever get it right.

Soul Making is the fourth stage, in which the individual transitions from a stage of improving
reflective practice to becoming a practitioner of soul making. However, this is still not to be completely
settled in, since it holds all the strengths and disadvantages of the previous levels. Both of us have to
keep looking. Throughout life, we all settle and re-settle. We would all be met with the psyche
's appeal for submission, over and over again. And it will constantly call upon our capacity to care
and nurture (others and the world).

5. Soaring – When we begin the journey, what we most wish is to soar. To conquer our worldly
experience's material realities-to travel. It will not happen, however, if we only want to fly, nor can the
psychological version of a spaceship or airplane be created by ourselves. What may be true is
that we could find ourselves soaring, together, engulfed in the air and sky, by enabling ourselves to
pass through the stages of Soul Making.
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Soulmaking: Making and Deriving Meaning from Art

Semantics and grammatical rules are essential elements to remember in order for human beings to make
sense of language and derive meanings from words. Apart from this, it is often known that meaning and
symbolisms view and evaluate either verbal or written works. In terms of art, it would involve understanding the
visual elements on which art was focused, particularly the concepts of design, in order for people to make sense
of the work. It is important to remember that the viewer must have a certain degree of understanding of the
work's style, shape, and material. It would be impossible to appreciate the visual arts in their fullness
and completeness without such understanding.

Improvisation

It is possible to describe improvisation as doing something without previous planning. There is a decision
to act upon something that might not be expected necessarily. Improvisation has become an important part of the
arts within the present context. Some would claim that during the twentieth century, it was a response to the
stiffness of the arts. There is a call for emancipation from monotony aimed at rekindling people's creative spirits
in the arts.
Infusing spontaneity and improvisation adds up to the totality of the work of art for certain artists. The
unpredictability of the changes brought on by improvisation enables the artwork to have a distinctive quality that
creates its identity and uniqueness. The principle of allowing opportunities in the process of making the work is
supported by some artists. Artists would like, for instance, to depict the darkness brought on at night by
an incoming storm or the beauty of a meteor shower. Since they do not inherently have total influence over natural
phenomena, their dependency on opportunities may not necessarily deliver their anticipated result. Artists who
encourage their subjects to improvise can often have entirely different outcomes.

Appropriation

Throughout history, appropriation of art has been a common occurrence. In the past, an apprentice
painter would be able to use his master 's work to copy if he wanted to hone his skills in his art. It is as if the
apprentice is attempting to explore what he is more familiar with through his personal application of techniques.
There are, however, several individuals who have reached the extreme by assuming that an artist 's exact artwork
is replicated and credited to himself. This could pose a problem with authorship in particular. The issue occurs
when the artist of appropriation gets bits and pieces from other works and incorporates these elements into
his own work. Furthermore, when appropriation artists escape responsibility for putting the specifics of other
works and incorporating them into their own, with that of the appropriation artist, their voices and perceptions of
the other artists are lost.

A very thin demarcation line seems to exist between the art of appropriation and forgery. Forgery can
historically be categorized into two forms: outright copies of existing works and pastiches, which are works that
incorporate elements of a work and infuse them into a new work. But forgery may be in the form of making an
interpretation of what an artist might do by prediction in contemporary times. This can be accomplished
by studying the techniques and style used by the artist and also the focal points highlighted in his past and present
works. Since problems of plagiarism or forgery often arise, the motives of the appropriation artists are sometimes
challenged. Some would say that the purpose behind the appropriation is that they want the audience to
remember the images they replicated. There is a desire on the artist's part that the audiences will see a new
take on the original work.

7 da Vincian Principles

What does it mean to be genius? Is genius born or made – or both? The idea of "genius thinking"
can sound rather overwhelming, but you'll be pleased to find that it's simpler and a lot more enjoyable than
you thought. The method of Leonardo will affirm many of your own strongest intuitions as to how you can access
your own ability. Here are the seven genius principles of Leonardo da Vinci that will open your imaginative aorta
and unleash your genius.

1. Curiosità – is an insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for continuous learning.

Da Vinci was not the only one to represent a nearly unlimited supply of curiosity. Some of the great
inventors and leaders of humanity have the ability to unlock life's mysteries. think about curiosity in
2 basic questions:
a. What if?
b. How come?

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What If: Ask your brain to project into the future. It encourages you to see options where you might have
overlooked them, it allows you to make connections and it is a sneaky way to get your brain more goal-
oriented. What if I started this person's conversation? What if I attempted a new activity like this? What if I
began the new schedule of workouts? Usually, what happens after 'what if...' is mystical.

How Come: How come brings you to 'Why'. Instead of watching the environment passively or going through
reflex replies, 'how come' makes you challenge both your actions and the intentions of others. Da Vinci didn't
waste his life for a second. He was making and guessing and tinkering all the time. 'How come' allows
you to use a mission every second of your life.

Here are some ways you can capture more Curiosita:

• A Hundred Questions: Write down 100 questions that are important to you. These could be
questions you wish to answer yourself such as, “What is my purpose?” or “What is the meaning of
life?” or questions you want to know about everyone you meet like, “What is your passion? or “What
makes you happy?” This is the ultimate ‘what if’ and ‘how come’ exercise.

• Ten Power Questions: After you have brainstormed a list of 100 questions, select the 10 that
have the most powerful impact when you read them. Which ones spark a feeling of motivation or
achievement? These are your catalyst questions. For example:
o When am I most naturally myself?
o What is my greatest talent?
o What is my heart’s deepest desire?

• Daily Themes: Da Vinci was an avid writer and note taker. He had a journal everywhere he went.
I have a journal at my desk AND at my bed to take notes when all kinds of ideas pop into my
head. Carry a journal with you everywhere and write down your ideas and observations. Each
day, choose a theme or word. You can do this at the beginning of the day to set the intention or at the
end of the day as a cool down or wrap-up.

2. Dimostrazione – is a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to

learn from mistakes. Dimostrazione is the embodiment of your own hands controlling your life. This
principle tells us:

a. Test every idea.

b. Don’t take anything for granted.
c. Experience life first hand.

For instance, If I take this personal growth lesson, then I expect to be healthier. Or as simple as if I were
reorganizing my wardrobe, then in the morning it would be easier to get dressed. The 'If ..., then ...'
exercise places you in the mood of chance-hunting, so you still look for and try alternatives.

Here are some ways you can capture more Dimostrazione:

• Find Your Greats: You have probably heard of all the most popular artists and authors, but who
are your favorites? Set out to find your greats. Don’t take anyone else’s word for it. Start your own
search for the artists, classical musicians or writers that inspire you. Go to a museum and look at the
paintings without glancing at the names.

• Be Devil’s Advocate: Try playing devil’s advocate against yourself. Try making the strongest
possible argument against one of your own beliefs just for the mental exercise. Write at least 3 points
against yourself.

3. Sensazione – is the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven
experience.

Fill in the blank:

is so beautiful.
I love the way smells.
What a lovely .

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I adore the feeling of on my skin.

The sound of is music to my ears.

We forget to savor and sensualize our experiences. We all heard, 'Stop and smell the roses,' but when did
you actually stop and smell the roses for the last time? Yes, literal roses, but metaphorical roses as well. When
did you stop for the last time to savor an experience? Da Vinci was unbelievably inspired by the world
around him and the more he honed his senses, the greater his genius became.

Here are some ways you can capture more Sensazione:

A Sense a Day: Plan out 5 experiences in the next few months where you practice honoring each of your
senses.

• For smell, go to the local botanical gardens, make your own perfume or cologne and learn to
recognize herbs by their scent at the local grocery store.

• For taste, (this one is easy!) eat a bunch of your favorite foods and try one new cuisine. Figure
out your favorite spice.

• For sight, go to your local museum, then hike to a vista or view point and learn some new
photography techniques.

• For touch, go to your local animal shelter and volunteer petting pups and kitties. Go through your
closet and organize it by fabric. Go shopping and try to buy one new fabric you have never owned
before.

• For hearing, go to a concert, stop by your local music store and try to play an instrument you
have never heard before. If you are really ambitious, try to learn bird mating calls or spend some time
trying to draw sound. For example, if you had to draw the sound of a trumpet, how would you do it?

4. Sfumato – is a willingness to embrace confusion, paradox, and confusion. Da Vinci had a very special capacity
to comprehend the extreme opposites of views and phenomena. He was also able to explore and revel
in the uncertainty of unknowns. Most of us are uncomfortable with questions not being known or
unanswerable, so we avoid anything beyond our control. We stick to what we know and do a Google
search right away the moment we don't know something.

Here are some ways you can capture more Sfumato:

• Stop Googling: For the next week, anytime you need to look up a word or trivia fact, try to guess
the answer instead. You can phone a friend for help as well, as long as they brainstorm with you too!

• Embrace Your Ambiguity: List some situations from your life where you are confused or feel
ambiguous about an outcome and explore the feelings that come up.

• Cultivate Confusion Endurance: Tap into your own paradoxes by asking questions like, “How are
my strengths and weaknesses related?” or “What is the relationship between my saddest
moments and the most joyful ones?”

5. Arte/Scienza – is the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination.

Although Da Vinci was not around for the right and left brain learning experiments, this notion speaks directly
to the whole brain thinking idea. Label the declarations that sound like you:

Right Brained:
I like details
I am almost always on time
I rely on logic
I am skilled at math
I am organized and disciplined
I like lists

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Left Brained:

I am highly imaginative
I am good at brainstorming
I love to doodle
I often say or do the unexpected
I rely on intuition
I often lose track of time

6. Corporalitá - The cultivation of beauty, inborn talent, fitness and poise is called Corporalita. In addition
to his intellectual ability, Da Vinci was unbelievably athletic. From early on, he knew that his body also had
to be in top shape if he wanted his mind to work at optimum levels.

Here are some ways you can capture more Corporalita:

• Learn the Science of Eating: I did a whole post on the science of eating on some really easy
ways to make your food intake more purposeful.

• Get on a Sleep Schedule: Everyone has different sleep needs and different sleep rhythms.
For the next week, track your sleep times and hours and see which days you have the most
energy. Are you a night worker? A morning person? Learn your cycles and then honor them by
building a sleep routine.

• Cultivate Ambidexterity: Da Vinci used both his right and left hands as he worked. You can do
this by trying to brush your teeth with your non dominant hand or get a really patient person to
play a game of pool, tennis or catch where you switch hands!

7. Connessione – is a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and
phenomena.

Here are some ways you can capture more Connessione:

• What’s Your Book Outline? If you had to create a table of contents for a book about your life,
what would it be if you couldn’t make it chronological?

• 3 Objects: Pick 3 random objects in your house. If you had to find connections between them,
what would they be? For example, I chose my blender, my garage clicker and a bottle of
nail polish. Can you think of three connections? I thought: With all three of these things, the
faster they work, the better. The faster the blender, the better the smoothie, the faster the garage
door opens, the faster I get home and the faster my polish dries, the less risk there is of my
mushing up my toe nails. This is a great one to play with kids!

References:

Thorp, S. (2017, April 29). Making soul – a developmental path to consider. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/385C7Si

Balt, A. (2014, April 4). 7 Steps to Think like Leonardo da Vinci: The Guide to Everyday Genius. Retrieved from

https://bit.ly/3lb8UJu

Mugadonna (2008, February 7). How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/36fJsw7

7 Steps to Genius. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3lbLzar

C-pamie (Producer). (2020, July 26). SOUL MAKING.pptx [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4f5Ey6g0kc

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Activity 1: Individual Reflective Essay (100 points)

Instruction: Choose 4 pictures (either of the following: picture of yourself, your family, friends, pet, or
things) and describe yourself based on the 4 pictures you chose in 100 words minimum. Put your
answer in a long size bond paper. Do not print, submit the soft copy only. Paste the pictures in the
said bond paper.

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