Seeking Calmness

"It is only through mystery and madness that the soul is revealed”
― Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life

At some point, in today's world, that we enjoy this breather we are given.  We cannot see this virus, but we are hearing about it in friend's and family, and acquaintances.  It would be so easy to listen to the naysayers, but, wisdom tells us not to do so.  The risks are way too high. Use wisdom in considering what you can control and what you can not, should not, would not.  Consider how you can radiate peace in your own home and out into the ether.  Consider how you can control yourself without the need to control others.  It is a human trait that we wish to.  We cannot.  We are now personally responsible for ourselves, our loved ones, and all others that come in contact with us in any way.  Somehow, find that serenity within.

Things will not ever go exactly as we planned.  There is a great deal of acceptance needed.  Some, who have contrary personalities, oppositional personalities, will find their path a difficult one.  We do not like to be told what to do.  For some, rebellion is their way of dealing with fear, with life in general.  Allow them that, but make sure that we do not do it ourselves.  Even water birds, and even polar bears, know how to let water roll off their backs (think of the isolating down they have surrounding them).  Life is sovereign, more so now more than ever. 

We await answers and they can be long in coming.  We have to try very hard to focus on how our thoughts and actions are sent out into the world.  Self-control is huge and I am one to need to really work on that, for sure.  Our thoughts can lead us to catastrophizing, right now, more than ever, for some of us, as well.  We have to rein in so many things, it can be frustrating.  

Meditation is great, and each of us meditate in different ways.  Some choose yoga, etc., for me, it is losing myself in my creativity.  Some chant.  Some listen to classical music.  However you find that calm space within;  find it!

Now is the time, if you have not already, to get the 'sap-suckers' out of your life.  We all have had people in our lives that drain us. We have those who sense it their duty to criticize us.  Perhaps we have been carrying other people's baggage.  As we attempt to keep control of ourselves, it is best to let those sleeping dogs lie.  Focus on your own little dramas and sort them, learn from them, and let them go.  This is not the time for negative people.  We are in charge of any drama in our lives.

Balancing ourselves and our home life is imperative now with all these outside influences and imperatives. Accept that everything is not okay and that we can only keep ourselves as okay as we choose.  

For this portrait, I worked on one I began in Alberta when I had only children's art toolkit to work with.  She already had a story in my head.   The person who sees such paintings is pulled into the emotion that is expressed and any who see her can make up a story about her. So, I began with shapes of colors, now, with acrylic.

The more I played with this style, the more I liked what happened so quickly with her.  for her hair, I use a small brush over top of a color and simply swirl the end of the brush, with the tip loaded with whatever color one chooses.  I swirl and loosely let the brush make little scrolls.

 

To finish her off, I simply used a black acrylic pen to define each of the shapes of color.  

Be calm, sister-friends!  Be safe!

4.10.20