This Month’s Inquiry
This month, I would like to offer gratitude for the inquiry with life and art-making. What happens when you explore gratitude in your life experience?
Art Events
Nina Wise lecture Friday Nov. 21st 8pm "Creativity as a Path to Enlightenment". At JFKU Berkeley Campus, 2956 San Pablo Ave 2nd floor, email art@jfku.edu or call 510.649.0499 for more details.
I am offering a collage workshop at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. Collage As Inquiry Saturday, December 6, 9:30 – 12:00 pm – Playfully let collages emerge and discover something new about yourself. No art experience needed. RSVP Ryl (510) 384-4795.
Art-Making Inquiry
This month’s inquiry with life and art-making is the exploration of gratitude. What happens when you explore gratitude in your experience of life?
Begin by sitting quietly and defining gratitude for yourself. What is it for you? Write the ideas and concepts you have about it. Write the things you say about it and hear others say about it.
Let part of your exploration this month be noticing the "have to’s" around being grateful, saying thank you. You may have grown up with a family understanding that one must say please and thank you regardless of whether you are feeling gratitude. You may have heard phrases like "you should be grateful for what you have" and other things.
Write in your journal the ideas around gratitude you have gathered from others along our journey? And customs too – must you send a thank you note or call the next day to say thank you again.
This month I am inviting you to explore gratitude within your experience and discover what’s true for you. A heartfelt authentic experience of gratitude is a powerful force to create more of what you want in your life.
So begin noticing how/when/where/with whom/about what do you experience gratitude? How does it feel in your body? What thoughts are associated with it?
Each week create a collage about something you are noticing in your gratitude exploration. Have a great month and enjoy your journey.
For me, gratitude is radical acceptance, seeing everything in my
experience as a gift from my soul and part of it’s journey home. My mind cannot truly grok gratitude and yet my heart can feel it fully and letting myself have this wonderful experience of gratitude touches my soul and brings more color to life.
Warm up Exercise
1) Collage – 20 minutes – needed: paper, pen, glue, magazines, timer
Set your timer for 5 minutes and begin writing a list of all the things you are truly grateful for. After 5 minutes, pause to take a deep breath and feel into your body. What does gratitude feel like for you? Create a collage to give color and form to your current in the moment experience of gratitude. If there are words to describe it as well, put them down on paper.
Write about the image and process. What did you put together on the page? How was the process of creating the image for you? What did you learn about gratitude? What did you learn about yourself?
My Art Work as Inspiration for Your Art Work
I share my artwork here to inspire you to create your artwork. It is through your art-making that you will discover more about who you are.
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| 92808-1.jpeg, magazine images & paper, 2008, 12" x 12", |
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110608.jpeg, |
You can click on an image or its title to see a larger version within the online
gallery.
I always welcome a connection with you. If you would like to share about
the inquiry, art-making or other things happening in life, please feel
free to contact
me.
Previous inquiries are online at www.artasaccess.com/resources/inquiries
Have
a great month and live in the remembrance that in all of time, there will only be one you. Your greatest gift to yourself and the world is the expression of your authentic self. By using art-making to connect deeply with yourself, may you find the courage and strength to share your beautiful, joyous self with the world.
-Ryl
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