Interplay: An Artist’s Approach to Spirituality

Makram Abu-Shakra’s Interplay: An Artist’s Approach to Spirituality is a dynamic and thought-provoking account of one man’s spiritual and artistic evolution. A mix of introspection and spiritual testimonies, this book explains the power of self-discovery and attempts to connect the artistic powers with the mystic powers.

Abu-Shakra’s account begins in his early twenties. He remarks that he began to conduct his own spiritual discovery at age 21 after some thought-provoking conversations with his peers. Shortly after, he recalls a nightmare followed by an astral projection that left him questioning his preconceived notions of reality. From this point on, Abu-Shakra embarks on a journey of artistic discovery mingled with mystic encounters. As he puts it, one of his goals is to “elevate art to the level of magic,” and the entire book is infused with parallels between his artistic evolution in writing, drawing, and music throughout his career, and his growing spiritual understanding.

He describes many of the stages he went through as an artist and each chapter contains anecdotes from his life. Sometimes they are events from daily life, other times they are accounts of dreams, nightmares, and mystic hallucinations. Throughout his account, he continuously connects phases of his artistic career to his journey. The book features a wide range of illustrations featuring his works of art such as his drawings, paintings, and even a hyperlink to a short movie he posted online. His journey feels tangible given the insight into his actual works of art that he created during his time of self-discovery.

This book acts as a challenge to skeptics and a heartfelt appeal to the open-minded. Although potentially narrow in audience, considering the genre, it serves as a powerful treatise on spiritual discovery and provokes thoughtful introspection in regards to one’s spirituality. For skeptics, spiritual agnostics, and true believers alike, this book is an insightful account of the author’s personal journey.