Journaling Samsara

"Saṃsāra is a Sanskrit word that means "wandering" or "world", with the connotation of cyclic, circuitous change. It also refers to the concept of rebirth and "cyclicality of all life, matter, existence", a fundamental assumption of most Indian religions. In short, it is the cycle of death and rebirth." - Wikipedia

Fall is a good time to acknowledge, accept, and love Samsara that happens in life.  We are constantly letting something die off, or deal with losses, or changing and  discarding what is no longer needed and we fill that void with something new.

I may have a different sense of any death.  I have a belief that, when Creation happened, there was a certain amount of energy that it was created with.  When one thing dies, that energy is filled with more energy in some form, but the energy in the Universe stays the same.  When we die, the energy that was 'us', becomes many parts of many more things.  When our tired body is done, our organs tired, our blood not as rich and energy-giving as before, and we take our last breath from polluted lungs, and our soul/our energy, that we were born with, unchanging in amount, changes states of being.  Elders will tell you that that energy waits for the conception of one of their kin, and that child will carry that energy.  That is such a lovely way of thinking.  I have come to believe this.  Samsara!

Understanding this and living and believing it, right to my marrow, helps me deal with grief.  As Christians, we are supposed to be comforted by believing in a next life, a heaven, etc. But that heaven will not come until after a long sleep.  I prefer to think of exchange of energy.  If we believed this, how much would we love all children, any kind, color, identity because some of our beloved's energy could be part of them?  Samsara!



I chose to use a brown envelop I painted for sending off a homemade art journal I am making for a stranger for some Happy Mail.   I love this old lady...  I paint all my outgoing mail.  I have done many attempts at painting 'elderly sisters' and this is my new favorite.  I am trying to leave this world with a sense of grace and am working to make sure the energy that is left of me is loving and calm.  Can you paint Samsara?  Yes, you can!

©Carol Desjarlais 9.27, 2019