Satsang

“One thing: you have to walk, and create the way by your walking; you will not find a ready-made path. It is not so cheap, to reach to the ultimate realization of truth. You will have to create the path by walking yourself; the path is not ready-made, lying there and waiting for you. It is just like the sky: the birds fly, but they don't leave any footprints. You cannot follow them; there are no footprints left behind.” ― Osho

***Satsang,  gathering of spiritual seekers in the company of truth

Somewhere, deep inside us is the desire to be free to journey within the aura of the highest expression of soul.  It is, in this interest, that we find others walking our same path.  What delays or disrupts our walk is that the world would distract us, that life would distract us, that people, places and things would distract us. 

Somehow, I know that I need to conjoin my quest with others of like mind.  I need a tribe of people who understand that our comfort, our peace, our quiet, our spiritual clarity depends.  

Sometimes we need to put up Intentions all over our home where we can see it and be reminded of what we seek.  Some put a tattoo on their body in places it can be often seen to remind them of their intentions.  Some will listen to tapes that speak only to spiritual seeking.  Somehow, we need to stay focused and it is an 'every moment' reminder.  Sometimes we need to keep this all to ourselves so that no others lead us astray from what we must seek, we desire to seek, we crave the outcome of.  

If we get led astray by whatever inner thoughts, most typically, we must stop, drop what we are doing, and rise towards our purpose.  It takes a great deal of self-discipline.  And, I tend to be impulsive rather than contemplative.  I let other things, people, places, sway me.  I tend to have two week stints of purpose with everything I do.  Two weeks of following what I promise myself to do and then it fades (Including diets).  I have to really guard myself at those two-week crossroads.  I have done well with my stroll-around-the-block commitment and I know the two weeks are coming up so I have to guard myself that I do not let that fade.  It is the same with anything I commit to do.  

I have to remember, constantly, that I am Eagle Woman and all that that implies, in a Native American way of being.  If I do not follow the Eagle's Way, then I will falter.  Thus, I have done a painting in my art journal of that which sustains my quest.

I began with the colors of the Eagle, the East, the place of new beginnings and reverence as a background. (Of course, there is much more to it all, but the main idea of the background is the colors of the East.  Then I moved into that space with some gesso that gave me shape for the portrait I was, apparently, doing.

Once I committed to the portrait shapes, I moved in, slowly to begin to give the face color.  I was mindful of the shadows and lights of a face.

Once I committed to that, I darkened edges and places that needed darker definitions.  I continually added light to areas of light.

 

Sometimes, one gets stalled at this point.  So, often, I will put in eye color, and add detail to the eye areas, that begins to give life to the portrait.  A watercolor felt pen gives me liberty to define the mouth, the eyebrows, and the nose.  I use a watercolor felt pen because, if I wreck something, it is easily erasable.  

Layer by lawyer, I begin to work and rework the face, she lights and shadows with scrubbing movements of my brush.  The more I do circular scrubbing, the softer the toning of edges.  I continue until I feel at peace with the painting.  This is huge... to feel at peace with a painting means to leave it and come back, if you must, to find that settlement.

I added die-cut feathers as a shield, a reminder, a sense of purpose to what it is I seek here.

When doing art, one must constantly shift their perspective, and walking away is paramount to get a fresher view of what you have done.  Even taking a photo can show us places we need to rework , add or subtract.

What is your thought on spiritual awareness and spiritual living?  Is it possible?  How do you stay on the path of your purpose?  Does gathering with others who have like desires, beliefs and purpose help you?  I know it does me.

©Carol Desjarlais 2.7.20