Super Volute, Drozda, Acrylic/board, 12 x 12″ 1998

Last week I shared touchstones that I enlist to support my relationship with a natural and rhythmic flow of time.  It’s July 31 and we’re experiencing a phenomenon of ‘once in a Blue Moon’ which happens every couple of years. I invite us to celebrate by going a bit deeper into the time topic.

I’ve trained myself to stop trying to differentiate life from art. For years I kept tripping myself up by dividing myself into two different camps…the art camp and the rest of life camp. Then one day I woke up with a dream echo that left me boggled. The echo bounced off the walls of my brain resounding with this message: ‘the inertia of trying.’

The inertia of trying.

Did you ever get caught in the loop of ‘I think I’ll try.’ or ‘I might try that.’?

I was struck and stunned and a bit confused when I woke up with that ‘inertia of trying’ phrase stuck in my head. I sought counsel and dug deep and eventually I vowed to STOP trying. In fact I decided to throw the word try out of my vocabulary. I would either take on the idea, goal, relationship, project and go the distance or I wouldn’t start…no more dancing around the edges of things…and no more falling back on the muck and mire of, “I tried.” Remember that horse?

I felt my energy level rise. I got excited to engage in a more focused and committed way. In fact I am now a ‘recovering try-er’ and have become completely jazzed by creating my art/life every breath of the way…both in and out of the studio. Below is the re-post of one of my primary focus lists. I identify qualities that support my Growth and that are open to interpretation depending upon situations, circumstances, relationships and challenges…ever changing.

What words would you discover to fit for your walk round your yearly wheel? You might start the Growth process by asking:

What would be good here?

What do I stand for?

1. January – Clear

2. February – Renew

3. March – Purify

4. April – Clarity

5. May – Wisdom

6. June – Illuminate

7. July – Growth

8. August – Trust

9. September – Love

10. October – Experience

11. November – Introspect

12. December – Strength

Let’s Talk About Growth

Any of us who have a garden know well what can happen in a 30 day period if we’re not paying attention…especially when we aren’t home to weed and tend pathways. Having been in the garden for over forty years I have developed the habit of pulling a bucket of weeds each day, minimum, and as I toss each of the unwanted into the old red pail I simultaneously use the action to consider thoughts and emotions lurking in consciousness that may well be ready to be pulled out by their roots. I have fun with this practice…and since its daily…there’s a rhythm.

I also appreciate reminding myself of how much I can accomplish in one short hour. For this practice a digital timer is my best buddy. No matter what the time period…I respect that, for me, it’s my thoughts and emotions that create my evolutionary creativity.

Evolutionary creativity is a term I heard years ago that supports the evolution of the creative process…which is a different experience from ‘making stuff’.

I’m intrigued and enthused to engage time in this sort of way. For me it’s similar to being a good gardener and pounding a stake into the ground to support a sapling. Young trees need protection from strong winds that can easily snap them in half before they’ve gained enough root strength to sway with the air currents.

I find that I need structure and support so that my inspired parts have a strong connection to my inner soul/ground making it safe for me to stretch and Grow.

I freely admit that I don’t automatically relish a ‘next growth spurt/edge’ place. I’m not necessarily gun-ho and eager to see what the next piece of evolution will require of my creative engagement.

Sometimes I feel like I could snap!

I notice how instinctively parts of me pull back.

Fight or flight!! Run away!!!

Those scared parts constrict, contract, resist.  Those frightened parts kick and scream and attempt to tell me that “I DON”T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!” Those parts insist that it be very dramatic. Everything begins to feel quite icky, clammy and uncomfortable.

In due time I realize that I have to STOP IT! (Do click through and watch this riot of a Bob Newhart classic…a matter of minutes will bring sweet relief).

Eventually I realize that I’m moving in a direction that doesn’t serve me well. I grab my red pail…‘pull the weeds’ and readjust my thinking.

Remember Hair on Fire

Hair on fire motivation is like creative Miracle Grow for ideas and inspirations. This level of commitment and incentive reminds me that we, and our art/life, will not be tamed.

Hair on fire demands that ideas, inspirations, inclinations and motivations be brought into the world. Heard, seen, danced, pranced, poemed, played, acted, sang, puzzled into being.

The Growth that comes as a result of this level of commitment invigorates and dazzles…adding to the enrichment and up-liftment of Self, Others and Life itself. I am fortunate to know many evolutionary creatives…you reading this know who you are. I value highly that you populate this gorgeous earth demonstrating the present possibility, AND the limitless potential before us.

Meditate on the Growth that is currently pushing you to reach for the sky.

Estivation, Drozda, Mixed media on canvas, 72 x 54 ” 2012

Frame your quality of Growth in the way that you choose… and see if you can lean into hair on fire commitment.

In this week’s exploration imagine that you’re going to expand your ability to respond to your art/life in consistent and generative ways…I’ve set the scene:

Before Anything Can Happen You Have to Decide:

Prepare for Growth

Put everything to one side. Take a deep breath and allow the energy of midsummer to draw you into our metaphoric sweat lodge.

The sweat lodge creates a space for journeying and releasing. Let’s imagine that we’re journeying to a place of personal power by releasing weed-thought patterns. These are any thoughts that attempt to prevent us from being rooted in our true nature. We’ll use the concept of being true in nature to stand in and support the idea of authentic self-care: stake in the ground.

The Stage is Set

We make traditional prayer bundles…containing tobacco and special herbs symbolizing energy for focused healing of dis-ease…physical, emotional and/or spiritual…prayer bundles are strung among the surrounding trees and attached to the lodge ceiling.

 

WARNING

Protocol is scripted so that those taking part are given due warning…

This is what to expect: darkness, tight quarters, roiling moisture.  Enter and be seated. Stay put. The door will close after every one has found their place inside. Water will be poured onto the red hot stones. Steam will rise. The air will quickly feel used up. Don’t fight the environment. As conditions intensify they will drive you closer and closer to the earth, soon you will find yourself lying cheek to dirt…the inner waters running from your pores soaking the surrounding soil.

 

The Hermit:Tarot, Drozda, 6 x 4″ 1993

You will not be able to breathe in the same way as before. You will need to discover a new way.

Inhale

Exhale

You will gasp for air. You will be tempted to grope for the edge of the canvas that forms the walls separating you from the sweet freshness of the outside air.

 

Stay put 

Keep your hands off the side walls

Endure

You may hear a story being told. There may be chanting.

 You may leave your body

You may hallucinate

Stay put

The Person Who Pours will add water to the poker-hot stone well in the center of the tight, closed oven. Steam will explode bringing the next wave of opportunity.

STOP IT!

Drop the walls built up over time. You use them as some kind of protection that actually creates a barrier to your evolving creative rhythm.

Flatten out against the earth and listen to your heart drum.

Heart beat the rhythm:

I am here

I am here

I am still. Here

These are a semblance of the instructions you’ll receive before entry. NOW…

 

 Time to Grow in New and Different Ways

Bow as you move through the low rounded doorway entering into the closed space. Settle into the darkness. The others are inside. The door flap is pulled across the entrance. Two ‘door keepers’ stand outside. You may not leave. Red-hot stones are stacked in the dug out well in the center of the space. Quiet down. Feel the anticipation. Take a deep breath as the water is ladled onto the cobbles. Steam explodes with an electric sizzle. The billowing alchemical blend of fire and water ignites and rises… steam engulfing the cave. Heat erupts internally. Senses are altered; perspiration pops, toxins are released. Boldness emerges.

This cycle suggests that releasing poisons from thinking and feeling opens the door to triumphing over the obstacles that life throws onto your path. Now you and I can stop trying and realize that it’s…

Time to Open the Door to New Perspectives

 

The Temple Door, Drozda, Acrylic on board, 25 x 25″ 1998

This is a cycle for meditation practice. Each day sit quietly. Fifteen minutes will do. Your digital timer is your buddy. No thinking. Visualize a ‘meet-up’ with the True Nature of your evolutionary creative power. Ask your True Nature to show you how to Produce, Author, Direct and take Action on your life stage in the direction of your Destiny Path and Life Purpose.

Time to Grow

Regroup. Take ten steps back and open another door…

 

Conduplicate, Drozda, Acrylic/ board, 12 x 12″  1998

A different door…this is a door inward leading to ways in which you might triumph over obstacles by doing a new thing in a different way. It feels odd and we resist yet something prompts…taking a deep breath and pushing on.  Yes…It’s that time of year.

Here’s a power word to apply as we move out of July under the light of the Blue Moon 

sophrosyne / so-frO-sU-nA …Greek

(noun) a healthy state of mind, characterized by self-control, moderation, and a deep awareness of one’s true self, and resulting true happiness.

Imagine that you made a vow to yourself to cultivate evolutionary creativity…your sophrosyne state results in true happiness.

The Bodhisattva, Drozda, Acrylic/canvas, 48 x 54″ 2001

Consider putting a stake into that ground. Consider what is most meaningful in that regard. Consider your hair on fire. Consider this as a time to clear the weeds and grow.

We’re exploring Growth and we’re back in the blogging saddle…we’ve emerged from the sweat lodge…changed…making different decisions…we aren’t trying…we’re actively engaging time with a natural rhythm of our own design…we’re trail riding together…

I’m so glad that you are here, that I am here, that we are the Here-O’s creatively evolving the beauty and the goodness of the art/life one breath at a time.

Please do leave your comment about your relationship with Growth, your history of trying, how your feel about aligning with natural time and your evolving creativity.

I invite you to subscribe to our Thursday posts exploring the Art/Life…share with a friend…keep the conversation going…

Phases of the Moon, Drozda, ,Acrylic/board, detail, 2001

I am a working Heartist with more than thirty years of practice in supporting the creative best in each of us to come forth and shine.
I invite you to connect with the uplift of ‘Luna See’ and Lifecycle; time management tools for aligning with natural creative rhythms.
Travel with me into a realm of calm and renewed heart-centered emphasis.

Through our shared journey with my monthly newsletter‘Luna See’ and my creative consult ‘Lifecycle’ you will discover and expand your ability to experience,
express, create and contribute your deepest and wisest most authentic gifts to this unspeakably beautiful world.