I’d like to share something that helps me practice Spiritual Humanism. You’re welcome to try it yourself, but only if it feels natural and meaningful to you.
I use art as part of my spiritual practice. Sometimes, I use art the way people use motivational posters: as visual reminders to stay true to one’s deeper values in everyday life. They help me live with intention. At other times, I use art as a symbol of the movement of love and the personal qualities needed to express love. It’s a bit like how the Statue of Liberty represents freedom and refuge as well as the qualities needed to welcome others with dignity and care.
There are two important points I’d like to make.
First, I am agnostic. I don’t hold any beliefs about the supernatural one way or the other. So, when I use spiritual art, I don’t think of what’s depicted as having any supernatural existence. But Spiritual Humanism regarding beliefs about the supernatural. If someone finds meaning in a supernatural interpretation of a work of art, and that interpretation helps them bring love into the world, then that is also a valid use of art in Spiritual Humanism.
Second, when I draw inspiration from a work of art from another culture, I try to do so with awareness and respect. Four principles guide my approach:
- Understand the Work’s Origins
I take time to learn about the artwork’s original meaning within the religious or cultural tradition that created it. - Share the Work Appropriately
When I share or speak about the art, I do my best to convey its original significance accurately and positively. - Engage Respectfully
I let its original meaning shape the way it motivates me. For example, if a work of art expresses certain virtues, I let it encourage me to cultivate those same, or similar, qualities in myself. - Uphold the Legal Rights of Artists
I purchase art from authorized sellers or ensure that I’m using it in a way that respects copyright. I do this to help protect the integrity of artistic expression.
I encourage others to use art from other cultures with this same kind of respect and awareness.
Now let me share two specific examples of how I use art in my spiritual practice.
Example: Butterfly Symbol
This is a butterfly symbol I created. I use it as the logo for my website and also on a pocket pendant made by my spouse that reminds me to live by the twelve ethical guidelines as I go about my day.
This symbol of butterflies dates all the way back to the stone age in Europe. It is documented in Marija Gimbutas’ book, The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe.1 See Figure 150 on page 187 of her book. Stone age people in Europe were using this symbol at least as far back as 5,000 to 4,000 BCE.
The fact that people depict butterflies with two triangular shapes and a central line is not surprising given the shape of a butterfly’s wings and body. It’s like drawing a circle when you see a ball. In the same way, people have long associated butterflies with transformation due to their observations of the metamorphosis of butterflies from caterpillar to winged insect.
When I see symbols and images of butterflies, I remember to continue my efforts at transforming myself into a more loving person. This includes developing personal qualities such as compassion, forgiveness, self-regulation, protectiveness, impartiality, and tolerance. Developing these personal qualities not only helps me bring love into the world but also transforms my mind to be more loving. This mental transformation benefits my own sense of well-being.
Example: Depictions of Guan Yin
Here is an image of Guan Yin that I created in collaboration with ChatGPT. I began by making a collage from free photographs on Pexels, then uploaded the collage and gave prompts to include specific symbols. The result is the image you see here.
Guan Yin has her roots in Buddhism. She first appeared around 150 BCE in a famous Buddhist text called The Lotus Sutra. In that text, she was introduced as a male bodhisattva named Avalokiteśvara. A bodhisattva is someone who chooses to help others find relief from suffering before seeking their own final enlightenment. They embody qualities like kindness, mercy, generosity, and protectiveness.
When Buddhism spread from India into China, Avalokiteśvara gradually took on a more feminine form. By the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), the image of this bodhisattva had begun to resemble the figure we know today as Guan Yin. By the 12th century, she was widely recognized in East Asia as a compassionate female figure.
Guan Yin belongs to no single religion or culture. She has been welcomed into the spiritual and cultural traditions of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Tibet, and beyond. Though most closely associated with Buddhism, she is also honored in Taoism and in local folk traditions.
Here is another image of Guan Yin that I created in collaboration with ChatGPT. Her eyes are closed, which might seem inconsistent with the idea of Guan Yin looking out across the world for those who are suffering. Still, I chose to use this version as the cover image for my essays. These essays simply share my personal thoughts and practices. They are not part of the core framework of Spiritual Humanism. The closed eyes signal that the ideas within may be helpful, but they are not required.
When I see depictions of Guan Yin, I’m reminded that I belong to something greater than myself—a movement of love that spans many millennia and locations across Earth. Participating in this movement gives my life meaning and a sense of belonging. I’m also reminded to do my part in the movement by showing love in daily life and by continuing to develop the inner qualities that make love possible.
References
- Marija Gimbutas (1982). The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe: 6500-3500 BC Myths and Cult Images. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. See the images of butterflies in Figure 149 and Figure 150 on page 187.
Appendix: Creating the Images of Guan Yin
I started by making a collage using photographs from the Pexels platform. According to the Pexels license: “All photos on Pexels are free to use. Attribution is not required. Giving credit to the photographer or Pexels is not necessary but always appreciated. You can modify the photos and videos from Pexels. Be creative and edit them as you like.”
The photographs that I used for the collage included:
Black and White Portrait of a Young Woman Holding a Twig with Leaves next to Her Face by duhews dfbas. Accessed 6/17/2025 at https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-portrait-of-a-young-woman-holding-a-twig-with-leaves-next-to-her-face-20811494/
Monarch Butterfly on Vibrant Flowers in Perúby Fernanda Gomez de la torre. Accessed 6/17/2025 at https://www.pexels.com/photo/monarch-butterfly-on-vibrant-flowers-in-peru-32406107/
Green Leafed Plants Under Foggy Morning by Karbi Anglong. Accessed 6/17/2025 at https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-leafed-plants-under-foggy-morning-974406/
Here is the collage that I made:
I then prompted ChatGPT to generate an image of Guan Yin using the collage as a reference. I asked for the image to have Guan Yin holding a bottle, a willow branch in the bottle, and a butterfly. Here is the first image that ChatGPT generated:
I next asked ChatGPT to modify the image to have open eyes, the butterfly resting on the bottle, and a transparent background.
Finally, I added the background image, adjusted the color slightly, and cropped it. Here is the final result.