I heard mention the other day of the concept of “becoming a hollow bone.” I did a bit of internet research and found that Frank Fools Crow, a revered Lakota Holy Man, said in his work as a healer, he became like a hollow bone in order to be a source for all creation to flow through him and serve others. I’m not an expert on nor do I have lived experience with this practice or tradition, so I will say no more, but I will tell you why that image gave me hope.
We Americans are rugged individualists. We value our sense of autonomy and strive to maintain control over our own lives. We tell our kids to be good to others and to care for those in need, but always with a whispered caveat: “Remember, God helps those who help themselves.” We have a hard time asking for help when we need it and a hard time offering help without judgement (stated or otherwise). We were taught in school that America was a place of equal opportunity and as long as you worked hard, you would succeed. We now know that wasn’t always true for many of our citizens.
As artists we’re often called on to advance social justice even as we’re told to keep our opinions to ourselves. We’re expected to be eccentrics who “talk” to our invisible muses, but also to be able to move efficiently and diplomatically through polite society. Many artists know what it feels like to be hollow to the bone when inspiration strikes. It often…
