“When you take the time to draw on your listening-imagination, you will begin to hear this gentle voice at the heart of your life.” - John O’Donohue
It has been hard to notice the gentle voice lately. There is SO much noise and distraction, which leads my nervous system into a state of stress. I think to myself, “Is this it? Is life just a series of bad news and stress?” And, then I sense a larger self or wider existence beyond all that we see. A space that allows and encourages us to be slower, gentler, and notice the subtleties of magic that really do exist in our world. If everyone (who is in a resourced/safe space to do so) could just turn their heads towards this more magical realm just for a few minutes per day, we’d see a shift in the world. Chaos energy creates more chaos.
Also, let’s be real. It is totally normal to feel all of the chaos and magic coexisting side by side. Sometimes all we can feel is the chaos because our lives are at stake or the lives of people we dearly love. We can not normalize the chaos - as a friend recently said. Action is required. But I think I need to find a way to touch into the beautiful parts of the world in order to stay grounded, hopeful, and be available to help when called to do so or else it just feels to heavy in a sensitive body.
Here is a list of the tiny magical things I noticed this week (and trust me, I noticed a lot of crap, too!):
Right now, it is Winter here in Maine and the grounds are blanketed in fluffy white snow. It glistens on trees and sparkles in the sunlight. And when it was falling from the sky, it looked like glitter. Each snowflake with its own unique pattern fell into piles of interconnection with the other snowflakes once they hit the ground.
Tending to the menagerie of plants in my home is a joyful experience. What strange creatures plants are! Two of my plants developed roots that shot toward each other, and I noticed they entangled their roots together as if holding hands.
I get busy and in my head with lists of to-dos and shoulds. I should be a normal part of society and be more productive - perhaps hustle more. Noticing magic seems like it could take up too much time. And yet, in order to do things, moments of just being and soaking up what surrounds me is important. My kids are growing and soon to leave the nest. Soak that up, Amanda. Your piles of “should do mores” will wait.
I took some time yesterday to have studio time with a group of collage artists on Zoom. It was nice to get out of my own thoughts and hear about their ideas, projects, and dreams. We need to see fellow artists and makers as collaborators, not competitors. We need to see everyone this way, really. If I have something you do not, I will share it with you happily and vice versa. I noticed the joy in their eyes and animated expressions when they shared about their art making experiences! Thank you, thank you for creative practices in community or even alone during chaotic times. It makes a difference.
Above is an example of one of the creative exercises I do that only requires a few minutes of time. It’s a collage made on an old Rolodex card. I even found and old Rolodex to go along with it. I love it because I can flip through it to find a card that helps boost my day. It’s a great way to keep track of inspiring quotes!
May you be well and find moments of joy this weekend!
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