Seth advice to an artist fellow

[Mark M]

Machine translation of
 
SESSION 517, FEBRUARY 25, 1970
 
...I [Rob] had previously worked with Carl at Artistic [greeting cards]....
 
Seth to Carl:

Now. It doesn't matter whether you end up as a pot-bellied, rich artist in a fancy studio or as a poor artist on the beach painting pastel pictures for tourists, because the direction of your life and your abilities must follow the direction of your gifts and your creativity. There is no reason why you have to end up an impoverished artist unless you choose that path and equate artistic ability with poverty, but you have no right to treat your talents as worthless knick-knacks or toys because they represent them -- represent the life force within you, and they are your path to creativity and fulfillment. You may not have financial success if you follow this path, and I don't promise you that, but you will never find peace or fulfillment if you deny it, and you will not have financial success either. If you pursue a direction that seeks to make you rich at the expense of your talent, then in the end you will have neither talent nor money, because you cannot deny the gifts of your individuality. They set you apart from all other people on earth.

How big? No matter how small your talent may be, it is your connection to the life force and source of your being, and if you pursue it, you will achieve both success and financial gain. If you deny your talent, you will gain neither....

Your gifts have been given to you to use in every way, both to support you in the physical world you know and to lift you spiritually....

You have the responsibility to use this gift, to develop it and to work on it, because what is not used withers away.

Your life has been given a purpose -- if you accept it, and there are many people who have no such purpose. Your work should be the core of your psychological life. This means that you take time to develop your art and that you do the best that you can....

Did you want to end up as an empty soul in an expensive suit?

If you follow your own path, you may end up a fat, fancy, rich, old artist if that's what you want, but that's the risk you have to take: your life is a challenge and an opportunity. Accept it: Trust in your talent....

Now. Within you is the power to solve these problems. You just needed an old man like me to help you along the way. I'll tell you something now: I've tried both paths in my past lives, and I strongly recommend the path I just suggested to you.