Wednesday, 3 July 2013

The word for July is

I am aware of the practise of setting "words for the month", I dip in and out of this process, sometimes a word finds me, sometimes it doesn't.  A word for July quietly crept up on me today, it feels expansive, fluid, yet challenging.

And here it is



Can I allow myself to just "be" with whatever it is I need to "be" with?

I realised today that I am no longer a student, it's official, my College pass expired at the end of June, College is now finished, I feel like I have been pushed out of the nest into the big world.  Yet I find myself in a kind of no man's land, no longer a student but not yet a qualified counsellor (my exam results do not come through until September).  With a completed portfolio which has been 2 years in the making, I now have time on my hands, and I am twiddling my thumbs wondering what to do.

Completed Portfolio


Should I be "doing?" Can I allow myself to just "be" with whatever each day brings without feeling the need to "do" something.  Can I give permission to relax and see what unfolds?

Part of the "allowing" process, has reconnected me to painting. I picked up an unfinished canvass a few days ago, I'm still applying the layers, it's morphing slowly, from this:

To this:



 I learnt this style of painting from Flora Bowley  during an Art Retreat a couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to be in a group of 15 students and we spent 3 days painting with Flora.  I dipped into her book recently called Brave Intuitive Painting and smiled when I saw a picture of myself and a few others "flocking" in a field.  Flora has some great methods of freeing you up to engage in the painting process, from dancing to yoga to flocking! I am sure this canvass will go through many iterations yet and I hope I can stick with the intuitive painting process. 

I love this quote from Flora's book "the intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the raional mind is a faithful servant.  We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift" - Albert Einstein
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4 comments:

  1. Paper rainbow3 July 2013 at 20:02

    Oh I am so glad you have started painting again!! Your canvas is looking great, i'm loving the orange elements slowly creeping in. Now you have picked up the paint brush again would you like your canvas's back? :)

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  2. SwirlyGirl5 July 2013 at 10:49

    I'm liking the orange as well! The canvas's are yours :)

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  3. Jez8 July 2013 at 08:19

    Your two versions of your painting are so interesting. MY 'intuitive mind' sees birds in the first one, and when you have worked on it, I see fish creeping into it, and I like the brightness you are adding. I love both versions, and will look up Flora Bowley.
    The Einstein quote is so true.

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  4. Irene Rafael29 August 2013 at 18:42

    allowing yourself to paint, esp flora style of painting is a great way to transition into the next phase of your life. after being structured in a school situation it takes a while to find your new center. enjoy the process.

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