The Chinese man responsible for tonight’s Olympic fireworks displays grew up hearing explosions and gunfire as the conflict between mainland China and Taiwan played itself out militarily. He lived on the mainland Chinese coast just across from Taiwan.

Being in such close proximity to violence, death, anger, fear, hatred and pain has a tremendous impact on all involved, especially children. It eats its way right into our psyches and changes us. How we choose to handle that is crucial.

Most people don’t get counseling when they are exposed to trauma, most people don’t have Reiki treatments, or acupuncture, or do EFT. Most people hang on to their pain and negative energy without ever realizing it.

Only a few, and this Chinese Olympic artist Cai Guo-qiang is one of them, transform this energy, transmute it into something really artistic with positive impact. The artist doing today’s Olympic fireworks makes art out of explosions, out of gun powder and flammable materials.  The following video shows his works at New York’s Guggenheim museum.  The elements are disturbing and provoking, and at the same remind us that we have choices, that we make choices constantly, and let’s choose good things.  And, see what you can do with your spirit’s voice – in whatever medium is great for you.

As he said, it is dangerous, and you won’t know until it’s over how things will turn out. This is exactly the feeling one gets in a war zone. You hold your breath, sense whether you are relatively safe where you are, and wait. When it all stops, you still wait an extra moment to be sure it’s really done. Then you go see what really happened.

Do what you can to heal yourself, and at the same time express yourself.  Look what one small, probably scared, Chinese boy has grown into and what a huge positive impact he is having on the world.  Keep trying, keep producing, and share your best with us!  If your intention is good, the world will work with you to make it happen.  Change the world.

What is your art form?  How do you express yourself?  Tell us here in the Peacock and Paisley Blog comments section.  Looking forward to hearing it!