One Blink of an Eye from Brilliance, 48x36in
I finished this painting this morning, having started it some 8 months ago. It sat stalled in my studio until my fellow artist/friend, Lori Anne Boocks, set a fire under me last week to create an uplifting piece of work. The painting came pouring out as I explored a new color palette.
I set the piece aside this morning while I contemplated a title. And serendipitously, my husband shared some recent inspirations from Pema Chodron.
Pema always has a way of flipping your worldview to a loving place and making it clear the things you need, are in front & inside of you—for your taking. So today, he shared Pema’s wisdom to not get discouraged when things don’t go your way—that things fall apart AND things come together. That often they unfold like the ocean—a wave comes, you get knock around, you get up, you are surrounded by beauty and sure enough, another wave comes.
The key being, to notice—to notice the patterns in your life & how you deal with your setbacks. Do you get back up, do you have faith you can move forward? Or do you get mired, stuck in the fact that the wave once again smacked you around? Stuck in trying to change nature—to stop the waves, alter the universe?
Pema shares that when you choose to get back up, the waves never get smaller, but somehow as you notice these patterns and your own resiliency, you realize that maybe that being knocked around isn’t all that bad, or standing back up isn’t even that hard. That moving past these setbacks feels easier. In fact, those knock down moments soften your heart and make you more human, more present, more connected and approachable.
So those thoughts spoke right to me and this newly finished painting—both in the process of hanging in there and knowing that I couldn’t figure out where I was going with the painting, why it wasn’t flowing, but having faith that not holding on so tight would take me where I needed to go. And it spoke to what I was trying to say with my work.
So, I am so pleased where I landed today, and that the waves have carried me to a new place and I wish for you to float to some newfound places as your journey ebbs and flows today. Namaste’
And a bit more wisdom from Pema:
“We already have everything we need. There is no need for self improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves—the heavy duty fearing that we’re bad & hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy, the addictions of all kinds—never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun. But all the time our warmth & brilliance are right here. This is who we really are. We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake."
I set the piece aside this morning while I contemplated a title. And serendipitously, my husband shared some recent inspirations from Pema Chodron.
Pema always has a way of flipping your worldview to a loving place and making it clear the things you need, are in front & inside of you—for your taking. So today, he shared Pema’s wisdom to not get discouraged when things don’t go your way—that things fall apart AND things come together. That often they unfold like the ocean—a wave comes, you get knock around, you get up, you are surrounded by beauty and sure enough, another wave comes.
The key being, to notice—to notice the patterns in your life & how you deal with your setbacks. Do you get back up, do you have faith you can move forward? Or do you get mired, stuck in the fact that the wave once again smacked you around? Stuck in trying to change nature—to stop the waves, alter the universe?
Pema shares that when you choose to get back up, the waves never get smaller, but somehow as you notice these patterns and your own resiliency, you realize that maybe that being knocked around isn’t all that bad, or standing back up isn’t even that hard. That moving past these setbacks feels easier. In fact, those knock down moments soften your heart and make you more human, more present, more connected and approachable.
So those thoughts spoke right to me and this newly finished painting—both in the process of hanging in there and knowing that I couldn’t figure out where I was going with the painting, why it wasn’t flowing, but having faith that not holding on so tight would take me where I needed to go. And it spoke to what I was trying to say with my work.
So, I am so pleased where I landed today, and that the waves have carried me to a new place and I wish for you to float to some newfound places as your journey ebbs and flows today. Namaste’
And a bit more wisdom from Pema:
“We already have everything we need. There is no need for self improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves—the heavy duty fearing that we’re bad & hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy, the addictions of all kinds—never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun. But all the time our warmth & brilliance are right here. This is who we really are. We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake."
