Another Numinous Moment

Still drawing upon the question about when and where I feel a sense of the divine - I recalled times of being a child and as an adult when I'm laying on my back under the trees and feeling the filtered sunlight through the leaves. To me this has always been a numinous moment in time - filled with a sense of grace and light - so beautiful, so ethereal. I tried to capture the feeling in this art journal page but it doesn't quite come close enough. Just have to go out, lay under a leafy tree on a sunny day and try it!

Night Sky

A friend asked, "Where, or when, do you experience divinity most profoundly?" Without much thinking involved, the answer rose up: in the evening stepping out onto the porch, and looking up at the night sky. It is here that I feel an essence of the grandness of the universe, and get the feel for the fact that of I am standing on a planet looking at other planets, and a realization of the immensity that surrounds me always. I feel held, open, connected and receptive.

Whispered Wisdom

This page grew from an inquiry about my own authenticity. I wondered, what is authenticity? Am I authentic? When am I, or when am I not my true self? I pondered these questions in writing all over these pages, and then when finished, smeared the pages with one of my favorite colors, and then another. Looking for words that fit my query, these words floated up and just seemed right. I especially was enamored with the words, "Whispered wisdom," which is what seemed to happen in this process. Wisdom came whispering to me, even as my thinking mind was doubtful, "Who me?"   There was a great sense of freedom and almost a jubilant feeling in the answer of "What is my authentic self?" It was as though I was invited to step into my own large-ess, my immensity, which is not boastful or inflated, but real and deep and hinting at what is possible. 

Personal Mandala

This journal page was made with the direction of a sweet teacher, Ingrid Murray of the My Peacetree blog, who lead a project she called "Beautiful You, Radiant You" on 21 Secrets, an online art journalling workshop.  In this project I made a mandala of images that seem to reflect something about me. As I noted what I chose, I realized that I had a mix of natural elements, such as earth, water, sky, and animals, and senses, such as seeing and hearing, and qualities such as wisdom and beauty. The circular nature of the mandala always reminds me of wholeness, and I realized putting this page together that these are elements of my own wholeness. Under the tag I wrote:

I am earth, I am water, I am sky, I am hearing, I am seeing, I am wisdom, I am beauty. 

It was difficult to declare these "I am's" to even to myself ... Imagine saying, "I am wisdom" or "I am beauty"... but there it is. It is a part of my golden shadow I rarely recognize. I ended my writing with    
                           

"Embrace your wholeness, with no part left out."  

Therein is the golden thread linking my life to the great mystery.

Emotional Evolution

This is an art journal page that I did after listening to the direction of Jennifer Hutchins from the JofulArts Studio through the 21 Secrets art journalling workshop.  She recommended to just begin journaling across a 2 page spread with a sharpie- anything that you are thinking about that is on your mind that you'd like to get some insight into. After writing without stopping, you take a paint color you like and smear it over your writing with your hand. This is very organic feeling, and partially covers your secret thoughts. Next, find a word(s) or phrase(s) from you stash of magazine word cut outs that seems to fit into your thinking and paste it onto the page. Breathe deeply and listen for the small voice within. What is it telling you? Add some more color with your hands, and finish by writing the message that has come up from within.  This process was very satisfying to me. I'd like to use this technique often.

Art Journal