March 22

When someone who ignites our creative imag ination crosses our path, that person is a “fuse lighter.” Our creative engine kicks over. We suddenly have things to say and long for new ways to say them. We suddenly “come alive to the possibility.” We are galvanized. In a sense we are in love—and we are also in love with our own artist, who is suddenly mirrored back to us as exciting and adventurous, powerful, perhaps even dangerous. We experience more energy. We burn the candle at both ends, staying up late to work on a project. Getting up early to grab an hour at the easel, like a stolen bout of lovemaking on the way to work. Creative energy and sexual energy are both personal energy. Our use of them is private, and to pretend otherwise is debilitating and abusive. In point of fact, the two energies are so closely intertwined, they may be experienced as nearly identical. We conceive children and we conceive creative projects. Both energies are sacred.