What 40 paintings in 40 days teach me
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 12:04PM Its common to hear of multi-day challenges to get fitter, healthier and move toward more conscious living. yet, how often do we hear of 40 days of painting as a way to live more consciously and connect to the Earth? This is a spontaneous activity that engages my body-mind-spirit. Here are 7 powerful lessons this painting experience teaches me:
1. Life shifts based on our priorities
Priorities define our character and evolution. As we shift from thinking to feeling our way through life, our focus changes to be in greater harmony with true self. The strong desire to paint prompts me to rearrange life to fit it in. As a mum of two kids, juggling family and other responsibilities amidst Covid-19 related changes in lifestyle, the painting emerges as a tool to expand consciousness. We each have 24 hours in a day and use time based on what matters. Something mysterious calls me to paint more frequently as if I am decoding my life and the rhythm of my breath on a whole new level.
2. We get out of life what we put into it
The more we feel grateful for what is unfolding in our lives, the more reasons arise to feel grateful. Engaging the right brain more often not only helps bring left-brain dominant logic into balance, but also helps unlock secrets about ourselves we are taught to overlook. As I paint, I am feeling shifts and in my vibration because I am validating what is important to me. I feel uplifted, fulfilled, energized. Being true to myself facilitates revelations and electricity flows more freely through my body.
3. How we view our experiences is a choice
Not knowing the nature of each painting emerging through my sketches and brushes excites me. Its as if I am receiving transmissions from my higher self or the best version of being. Deeper, more restful sleep happens, vivid dreaming and life-related insights coming to me at an accelerated rate.
4. The film Julie & Julia (2009) has a lasting impact
The film Julie & Julia (2009/ Meryl Streep, Amy Adams), the modern day protagonist learns much about herself as she cooks 524 recipes in 365 days. Based on two true stories, the film intertwines the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both 'at the end of their rope.' (at a crossroads in their lives). They both discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible. I am painting my way to non-verbal and other revelations about creating and contributing to a new reality.
5. Setting time aside for personal care is essential
We often hear how important it is to regularly take time out for ourselves and personal care, yet do not always consistently stick to a plan. Although I engage in daily yoga and other practices, no activity positively impacts my life like the painting. Until engaging in this activity, I did not anticipate that it would renew me.
6. Energetic aspects of me are activating
As I consistently engage in intuitive painting, I am awakening dormant parts of energetic self, activating bio-circuitry and translating what I detect in multi-sensory perception. For as long as I can recall, I have sensed sacred geometry first and not known what to do with this information. It dawns that the paintings are a kind of communication, a code or language that remind me of authentic crop circles.
7. Love is the absence of fear
Breathwork and intuitive painting are both tools which shift our focus back to unity and interconnectedness. When focused on the external world, we forget who we are and grow susceptible to emotions and fear. We are taught to seek experiences, states of mind, and other things. breathwork and creative expression like painting remind us everything we seek is already within us. The mind cannot grasp this yet the heart feels it. Creating mandalas, sacred geometry and geometric paintings, induces trance-like states that enable me to feel in harmony with the oneness of universe.The rhythm of the breath naturally shifts to echo who I AM. Love is teh absence of fear.