On Spaciousness
I step into peace with a paintbrush in hand
When I started my spiritual journey in 2019, I thought my feet would find a solid path to follow. It made sense to me to look to various traditions throughout the world to make sense of this longing in my spirit.
I started with witchcraft. Not quite Wicca, as that had never spoke to me, but someone who recognized the magic in the world around her. A little bit of animism. And, that is the camp I have stayed pretty firmly planted. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the nuance, the depth, the intensity and understanding I have found in the most unlikely places.
I received a tarot soul reading in 2021 that indicated I should look into working with Mother Mary as a way of connecting with my ancestors. My family history is complex, as so many others, and this seemed like the best lead at the time. I don’t have a lot of information about lineage or spiritual practices. The most I knew was that my family had either been Catholic or some denomination of Christian…shocking, I know.
I’ve discussed in this publication before about turning to the rosary as a devotional practice. This made sense to me. There are prayers to follow, specific mysteries to meditate on and it felt good to be doing something. Whenever I feel spiritually overwhelmed, this is what I return to.
My creativity slowly became intertwined with my spirituality in 2022 as I started art journaling. It seemed pointless to separate the two. Creativity seemed like my strongest link to Spirit. It was tangible. I could feel it when I entered flow and was just making. I had felt hints of this previously in my fiber arts practice, but nothing like when I was creating in my art journal. Gluing scraps of paper, playing with watercolor, cutting out shapes…all of these activities turned sacred.
What this creativity granted me was spaciousness. While away from my desk, the voice in my head would be a little quieter. I began observing more. I was able stop myself from becoming reactionary in the moment, and instead pause to breathe. Like I said…spaciousness.
I don’t know about you, but I have read a lot of spiritual and self-help books. The idea of pausing and breathing, noticing your breath and rooting into your body wasn’t new information. It was a practice that was difficult to enact in daily life, when it was really needed, due to the overwhelming emotions and external stimuli. How was I supposed to take time to breathe when everything was happening at this exact moment!?
I don’t quite understand, but my morning hours with a paintbrush granted me the awareness to put these practices in place. The connection to my intuition felt strong. I felt more confident and sure of myself. The resistance that would previously come up when faced with challenging tasks suddenly felt really small. I made progress where I never thought possible.
The lines of different spiritual practices also started to blur. I began to see the beauty in all traditions. It’s not that this appreciation wasn’t already there. Let’s say, I stopped trying to declare titles for my spirituality. I didn’t need to claim Christian, Buddhist, Witch like I felt pressured to previously. All of this was interwoven. There is sacred truth to each teaching.
So, when I talk about daily practice, turning to my creativity is the most important aspect of that. When I am in the midst of a depressive episode, I know that if I can pull myself to my desk or into my studio, that the movement that happens there will lead to a release. I can leave behind guilt, shame, fear, sadness. I can step into peace…I step into peace with a paintbrush in hand.
If you missed it, I am revamping prompts for the Iridescent Explorations creative journey! Check out this post to begin.
I’d love to start reading more books about artists, specifically abstract artists. Can you leave me some recommendations in the comments? I also enjoy books about creative practice, and the intersection of creativity and spirituality. I am slowly making my way (still) through The Artist’s Way. Perhaps I will share as I read about these different creative geniuses.
I am a host artist for this years’ free Messy May art challenge from Get Messy! The challenge is free, and you can sign up to get freebies from all of the host artists. If you are inspired by this community of creativity, consider becoming a member here.
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I really loved Zen in the Art of Archery if you're interested in a Buddhist perspective. I stuck with the morning pages and artist dates, but to be honest the prompts in The Artist's Way rub me the wrong way and I didn't find that it was ultimately that helpful in helping me be "unblocked." I don't think the things Julia focuses on are really that central to the problem of creative blockages. Have you read Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act" yet?