Hollywood Dramatization of Supernatural Phenomenon

Over the past few years, I've come to believe what we think of as supernatural is actually commonplace and we tap into it all the time. The processes of art, of creation, of problem solving involve a plunge into the well of imagination and allow us to see beyond the confines of the senses and contemplate what's not there. For me, that is also how we get in touch with the gods.

The show-biz depiction of the supernatural is extremely visual, by necessity. Gods take human forms and wear the tunics or robes of classical antiquity. In their comic-book forms they fly, shoot laser beams out of their eyes, or tear objects apart with their bare hands.

The show-biz depiction is an updated form of the statues and sculptures of classical antiquity. Those were larger-than-life perfect human forms in bronze or marble, sometimes decorated with gold, jewels and multi-colored paints. They were sometimes enhanced with primitive special effects trickery, which enabled them to speak or move like theme-park robots.

The bombastic representation of the gods crowds out the more subtle, omnipresent experience we have. If our imagination is a wilderness, then the commercial or official representation is like paved roads or litter in the primordial paradise we carry around with us.