After a restless night with many thoughts running through my head, I turned to the therapy and medicine to be found in art and nature. I didn’t really do so with that in mind, but that’s what happened, as often does for me. After watching the birds enjoying the food at the feeder, I headed to my basement studio. It was the first day I’d felt well enough and had the time and energy to get in the studio this year. I started with palo santa and a prayerful power of intention and blessing to cleanse the space, my body, and my spirit… to have my head, heart, hands, vision and voice be pure and healthy. I also stepped outside for my morning D.A.N.C.E. ritual in the invigorating cool air and winter sunshine. Though I have many paintings in progress, I chose to start the New Year with a blank canvas. I thought about doing the same with my beliefs to shed weight from any that are not healthy for me or my community and start fresh, which is easier said than done! After getting some color on the canvas, I let the thoughts flow through journaling with a pen on the canvas… which later turned into shades of gray and mist from the spray bottle. (The images aren’t the best quality since I had paint on my hands and just paused for quick documentation.)
Wading through the feelings that way often helps me process emotions and experiences and feel better. I’m sharing this intimately even though it’s about topics that we’re often advised to avoid: religion and politics. For the sake of our children, I feel we need to find ways to be able to discuss these respectfully in spite of such strong opinions, beliefs, differences, and feelings.
This year, I’m volunteering to teach a few classes at a local homeschool co-op where my twin 8th grade boys are taking classes. One of the classes is a teen game club. I’ve spent many hours researching and preparing for it and purchased several new games. For the most part, it’s been joyful and interesting and I hope it will be good for all of us. I also see how much art there is in game design and components! Yet, this week, there was an issue with one of the games I selected (called Mysterium which is similar to Clue). A few parents were uncomfortable with the theme and said their kids were not allowed to play it. I had included it on a list of potential games as part of the class description when they were choosing to sign up to hopefully avoid any such issues. I was caught unexpectedly at the beginning of class with no advance notice. I felt a bit under attack at first! I apologized and, thankfully, one of the parents was willing and able to stay to play the game from the prior week with some of the kids since my parent assistant was absent that week.
I kept thinking about it later that night even after reading a book that pulled me in and made me cry (Amal Unbound) about a completely different culture. While I really like the game, especially for the great use of deductive reasoning, cooperation, communication, and art in the game mechanics, I hadn’t given much thought to the theme, especially since many of the kids said they like Clue. I was a bit upset about the way it was handled, including by myself! I failed to notice or consider how it may make some people uncomfortable and spark some fears even though I might have once felt similarly. I’m a recovering people pleaser, but I still try to be considerate, open, and respectful to people with different beliefs, perspectives, and experiences. I see my own cultural influence/inheritance and experiences reflected in the symbols and words that flowed forth while painting and journaling. (You can click to enlarge any image and view more clearly)
Letting it out helped me to move through the issues and emotions to a healthier affirmation. After the initial journaling, I turned to Mother Nature. I had a vase of dried winter blooms on my table. I started making marks inspired by one of the weeds. I don’t remember where, but I recently read or heard something about being a bird of paradise among a field of daisies. At the time, I thought, “but I love wild daisies!” They have always been one of my favorite flowers. It might have been something by Wayne Dyer. Of course, the point wasn’t about the actual flowers. The marks I was making reminded me of that comment and the bird of paradise blooms we used to have in our yard in Florida.
The message and medicine for me was that “I am a bird of paradise.” It felt like a gift. It addressed many of the concerns I was thinking about from the power of cultural stories and beliefs and belonging (or not!). It helped me with self forgiveness, self acceptance and awareness. It filled me with appreciation for the paradise that we might thrive in if we can find ways to live in harmony with one another and nature. It encompassed my word/hope for this year to be HEALTHY in every way, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, communally. It reminds me of a quote I read recently:
“We have enough people who tell it like it is. Now we could use a few who tell it like it could be.” – Robert Orben
It also reminds me of topics in my book, The Girl Who Dances With Delight, about true nature, innocence, choosing our stories, setting our spirits free, and co-creating our wildest dreams.
Wow, all that from a bit of paint, free writing, and random shapes! Have you had any similar experiences? This is what I mean when I refer to the magic and medicine found in art.
Yes, I am a bird of paradise.
What about you?
PS. I have a new page where I’ll be sharing some of the games that we’ve found fun and worthwhile. Many of them are works of art as well! 😉
I am also giving one of my favorite online courses I’ve hosted to email VIPs this month if you’d like to start the year off that way. You can sign-up for email at ThriveTrue.com/MagicMail to get the details.
If you’d like to D.A.N.C.E. into the New Year with me, my book is available on Amazon with free shipping or signed copies are available here on my site.
Wonderful Well Wishes,
Jules
Julia Ostara
For Art Licensing inquiries, please contact me. I’m glad to work with awesome partners to enable my art and energy to be enjoyed by more people economically while providing a healthy income for us.
If you host a podcast or blog and would like to talk to me or feature one of my posts as a guest blog contribution, I’d love to connect! Please contact me to discuss how we might collaborate effectively.
© 2019 Julia Ostara ~ All rights reserved. Thank you.
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