Is Your Imagination Out of Focus?

Art and Soul Radio's Musing for the week...

One of my favorite writers, Mark Twain said “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” What helps you bring your imagination into focus so you can really see what is?

My musings on the quote: mindfulness...it takes practice to live fully in the moment and be present in your life...fully and mindfully experiencing all your senses, often will unleash vivid imaginings and delightful bouts of creativity...

it rained during my morning walk along the beach...i noticed other people scurrying off the beach...i stayed and felt the drops hit my arms and face and clothing...they were neither hot nor cold, yet the breeze from the ocean cooled my skin and felt good...

the soft rain added a fresh, clean fragrance to the salty sea air...i breathed deeply...it tasted salty on my lips as an upward curving of the corners of the mouth indicated pleasure...



the drops made a soft tapping sound as they fell on the ocean and sand...i stood and listened to the rhythm of the rain as it mixed with the sound of the waves as they moved toward shore...

i searched for a rainbow...there was none...however, i noticed the patterns the drops of rain created in the shallow water near shore...i tried to capture the circular shapes as they expanded and grew into one another...i took several photos as i watched the ever-changing patterns form and reform like an infinite kaleidoscope...knowing these patterns will find their way into my art...



when the rain stopped i noticed two feathers floating in the water...they created intricate dance patterns as they bobbed about...twisting and turning...growing close then separating...i watched this performance for quite some time until a large wave washed them from my sight...

mindfulness takes time and a commitment to yourself...i made such a vow years ago when i moved to this tiny island in the atlantic...i would take a mindful, prayerful meditative walk by the sea every morning as long as i was able...at this moment i am able...

with this gift is a mission...

i have been given a great gift...in return i have a job/mission to do...

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. Luke 12:48

the mission? to bring others to God and feed the poor...

heart broken open...

i had such a profound experience during my meditation this morning, i feel compelled and led to share a portion of the awakening...

'heart broken open' - 2009, journal sketch

i do not usually bring something so personal to this place but i am encouraged to believe that it just might help others who are struggling with something at this very moment...

during my meditation i was feeling heartbroken, desolate and in pain...both physically and spiritually...as i look inward, i find that i am unable to ask for help and, even when it is offered, i find it difficult to accept...yet, i have the capacity to willingly offer and give help as empathy is a large thread running through my nature...and i admit that i might, just might, need help at this time...

while journaling after my meditation this morning, i had a moment of clarity when i wrote, "the brokenness of my heart might, just might, be necessary for me to open my heart and accept help from God, friends, and even the universe."...albeit a forced opening, but an opening nonetheless....

'heart in a box' - 2007, acrylic on paper

now this opening of my heart is extremely painful...no, it is excruciatingly painful to the point i want to keep my heart in a box so it will be protected (actually it has been in a box for most of my life...you can read about it here and here...and even here...I write about trust issues a lot)

so my heart must be broken in order for it to heal...healing comes on gentle whispers to me, not in a roaring flood...healing is a gradual, sometimes difficult and almost always painful, journey for me...

'pieces of my heart' - 2009 acrylic on canvas

this opening up and pouring forth from my heart to yours is perhaps necessary for my healing to begin for a step toward acceptance begins the long journey into healing...from what was a small fissure, the tiny crack in my heart seemed to grow and the pieces of my heart were flung asunder...like a million tiny stars that blanket the sky on a clear night....

gathering these pieces of my heart together, fusing and mending it slowly is where the healing is leading me...that tiny fissure that i thought was bad and frightened me at first glance...is perhaps best viewed as a good thing, a necessary thing...for true authentic healing comes by going through the pain and coming out on the other side better...stronger...more alive...

i am not writing today in sadness or self-pity...that road has taken me nowhere over the past year...i write wholly within acceptance and awareness of my smallness in this vast universe of ours...embracing the fact that i am in the midst of healing...my spirit and my life...and it is painful...

my heart is indeed broken open...pouring forth to those of you who are ready to hear my story...and begin your own journey...

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Art...Inspiration...Spirit...

Model of Inspiration from visual thesaurus here...
As I begin to create The Artist as a Spiritual Explorer, I find a need to define the connection I feel between art and spirituality. If I could not explain it for myself how could I explain it for fellow explorers.

Art is inspiration...and inspiration is:


in spirit
Inspiration \In`spi*ra"tion\, n. [L. inspiratio-in spirit.] The act of breathing in; breath; breathing in the spirit.

Definition from Bartleby.com, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

1. 
   a. Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.
   b. The condition of being so stimulated.
2. An agency, such as a person or work of art, that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention.
3. Something, such as a sudden creative act or idea, that is inspired.
4. The quality of inspiring or exalting.
5. Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind.
6. The act of drawing in, especially the inhalation of air into the lungs.

Inspiration, for me, is a sudden flash of intuition...the arousal of the mind to creativity with divine guidance or...breathing completely in the spirit...where the skills and/or tools capable of originating (and subsequently developing) innovation or insight bring into existence something new and uniquely mine.

My formula for inspiration is:

spirit + openness + presence + grace = inspiration
The Holy Spirit breathes into me, when I am open and present, the grace to create....

Art has always felt like prayer for me...being one or with Spirit. It is a time of deep connection with something outside of myself...God, The Holy Spirit, the universe...whatever you name it. When I paint it is a contemplative time, a meditation where I feel the presence of my greater self in God and allow it to flow through me. Being in spirit...

The Artist as a Spiritual Explorer is about this inspiring influence rather than a process or it's effects. It is the journey to a place where intuition meets creativity to form intuitivity. Although my art, at times, is sprinkled with vision, illumination and heart...it is the moment of creation that is the catalyst for continued exploration. The 'affects' or feelings that I experience are what keep me inspired, regardless of the outcome in terms of monetary or notable gain.

This is about your journey, not mine. Although I will give reference to my journey from time to time for illustrative purposes, the path and how you walk it are entirely up to you and your connection with the spiritual.

Exploratory Expedition...Create your personal formula, consisting of the ingredients that define inspiration for you. There could be many things that play a part in your definition of inspiration or just a few. Pray with it or meditate on it for as long as it takes. There is no timeline for you to follow. This is your path. When you come to definition that suits you, create a visual reference for yourself.

Resources:
Definitions of Inspiration at Humanity Quest here...
Article of Inspiration here...