I am wondering about compassion and will be exploring it this month with my art-making.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
~Dalai Lama

I looked up compassion at thesaurus.com and found the definition, tender feeling. Synonyms are benevolence, charity, clemency, commiseration, compunction, condolence, consideration, empathy, fellow feeling, grace, heart, humaneness, humanity, kindness, lenity, mercy, softheartedness, softness, sorrow, sympathy, tenderheartedness, tenderness, yearning. There is a lot here to look at, ponder, sit with and explore with art-making.

This month’s inquiry is “what is your experience of compassion? what is a practice of compassion?”

Art-Making Process

This month explore what compassion means to you, what your experience of it is, what practices of compassion are for you. Bring the exploration into your art-making process. Be curious and see what shows up.

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.

072210.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 11″ x 12″	071610.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 11″ x 12″	071510.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

I am so grateful for the many wise and powerful teachings available today to guide us on our spiritual and creative journeys with life. I have been furthering my understanding of the art of allowing, affirming, and manifesting – reading and listening to Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, and Gregg Braden. Feelings and the feeling of gratitude in particular was a theme they all spoke of and one that touches me. So, this month’s inquiry is “what is your experience of gratitude and what are you grateful for?”

I will be exploring my gratitude for Reiki and how it is transforming my experience. I received the Reiki level 1 training and attunement on the July 4th weekend. Am learning and growing with my understanding of it as I use it for self-healing and energy balancing. Thank you, Reiki Masters over the many years. Thank you Reiki, universal love energy. Thank you life as you breath me each moment.

Art-Making Process

This month explore your experience of gratitude (or appreciation or love if these words speak to you) and bring it to your art-making process. Be curious and let your art-making be a thank you for the many things you appreciate having in your life.

What is your experience of gratitude? How does your body and your very Being as “yes, thanks, more, please”? What feelings, thoughts and body sensations are part of your experience of gratitude? Notice the subtle details.

Open to all of your experience, whatever is there is your truth in the moment. Say thank you as often as you can this month for all you are grateful for. Enjoy the process and see what happens with your experience.

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.

070510.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	062910.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	062210.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

So this month’s inquiry is “who are you in relation to joy, ease, play and spontaneity?”

I study the Diamond Approach, a contemporary spiritual path and wanted to share a quote from A.H. Almaas

Art-Making Process

This month explore your relationship with joy and bring it to your art-making process. Be curious. Notice the subtle details. Open to all of your experience whatever is there is your truth in the moment. Enjoy the process of life and the joy and pain of being human.

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.

042010-01.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	041910-01.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	032810.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

I have been wanting to write another inquiry for some time now. Tonight, I realized I am not finished with “who am I?” and I am wanting to inquiry further with it. I am reading “A Year with Rumi” daily readings translated by Coleman Barks. April 21’s reading is titled “I, You, He, She, We”.

I, You, He, She, We

I, you, he, she, we.
In the garden of mystic lovers
these are not true distinctions.

- Rumi

Somehow this expands who am I? to who are you? who is he? who is she? who are we? who is? who? and leads to Unity. So this month’s inquiry is “who am I, in relationship, in community, in union with source?”

Art-Making Process

Do what you do creatively and ask for insights to come through the process of creating images. What did you experience while creating? What do you see in the image(s)? Be curious. Notice the subtle details.

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.

041410-01.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	030210-2.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	021310.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

I am reading Deepak Chopra’s book Power, Freedom and Grace. I recommend it and want to offer a quote about joy in connection to last month’s inquiry “what color is your joy?”

“Of course there’s always a reason to be happy. Somebody says, “I love you,” and that makes you feel happy. You win the lottery and make a million dollars; that makes you feel happy. This kind of happiness is an expression of object-referral: you’re happy because of this; you’re happy because if that. But inner joy is independent of the situation, circumstances, people, or things. When you experience inner joy, you are happy for no reason. Just the mere fact of being alive to gaze at the stars, to experience the beauty of this world, to be experientially alive in the miracle of life itself is your happiness.” p. 89

So this month’s inquiry is a question that has been offered to me from several places and I offer it here to you. This month’s inquiry is “who are you?”

In Power, Freedom and Grace, the second chapter is “who are you?”. I’ll offer the three key points summarized at the end of the chapter for you to hold as you explore this inquiry this month.

• You are a field of awareness; your real essence is pure consciousness, or spirit, which becomes both the mind and body
• The intellect mistakes the image of reality for reality itself, and this image overshadows the real you.
• When you identify with your real essence, you escape the prison of the intellect, and enter the world of the infinite, unbounded, and free. p. 23
  

Art-Making Process

As a process to work with, I would recommend journaling with this question. Repeatedly asking yourself “who am I?” and then writing free flow whatever comes without editing anything. Keep asking the question for 10-15 minutes or longer if it feels right for you. It’s OK to hit a “empty” place where there are no thoughts or words. Take a breath into your belly and continue. And continuing may look like staying in this quiet, empty, still place of presence for a few minutes.

Read over what you wrote. No need to edit any of it. Highlight anything that stands out for you and from the text gather a phrase to take to your art-making process. Work with the phrase in your art-making and see what more is offered through your images. Have fun with it.

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.

020510.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	020310.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″	012710.jpeg magazine images on paper, 2010, 12″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

what color is your joy?

James Baraz’s, Awakening Joy, a ten-month experiential course to develop well-being and happiness, starts tonight in Berkeley (www.awakeningjoy.info). I am taking the course via the internet and am excited that it is starting. I got to be with James at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City earlier this month and get a taste of the course and his new book with the same title. I was touched deeply by the experience of his work.

I registered for the course last year and didn’t really participate and do the exercises. I was focused more on, Stephen Levine’s book, A Year To Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last, and trusted that joy would come when it would. And here it is <smile>.

I can feel it flourishing already in so many places in my life – especially in my current watercolor paintings (see images below).

So, I invite anyone intrigued to look at the course and in general where joy, happiness, contentment and well-being are present in your experience of life and give it color, form and texture as your art-making guides you to express it.

This month’s inquiry is “what color is your joy?“. Have fun with it.

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.

010810-2.jpeg watercolor on paper, 2010, 9″ x 12″	010810-5.jpeg, watercolor on paper, 2010, 9″ x 12″	010810-6.jpeg, watercolor on paper, 2010, 9″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!
Wishing you all the best in 2010.

Ryl

when you let go, take a break

I am finding that I want to say that October was the last inquiry for
awhile and take a break.

Yet what I am really wanting and hasn’t manifested is a sense of
community, connection, shared values and contributing to each other
around the creative inquiries and using art-making and the creative
process to explore one’s experiences of Life.

So, this month’s inquiry is “what happens when you take a break? when
you let go or hold very lightly?”

By letting it go it all gets done.
The world is won by those who let it go.
But when you try and try.
The world is beyond the winning.

– Lao Tzu

Noticing that I want to say I will write again in December or January and I’m
just not sure. My oldest son is having surgery mid-Dec so with that and
all the holiday time stuff I may not find my focus here again for inquiry.

I wish you ease, peace and happiness with thanks giving and holy days and the fresh start of a new year.

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.

111509.jpeg magazine images & paper, 2009, 11″ x 12″	111309.jpeg, magazine images & paper, 2009, 12″ x 12″	091309.jpeg, magazine images & paper, 2009, 11″ x 12″

You can click on an image 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.

If you would like to work on the inquiry with myself and others in a supportive online group, I invite you to join the Art As Access yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artasaccess/

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

If you would like to explore this inquiry with myself and others in a supportive online group, I invite you to join the Art As Access yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artasaccess/

gratitude, giving thanks

This month’s inquiry is “what happens when you see gratitude in all things and give thanks?”

I am in Canada now, celebrating the Canadian Thanksgiving with family. And the American Thanksgiving will be celebrated shortly in November so gratitude seemed like something to inquiry into again.

I am still working with the superego (reading Soul Without Shame book) and noticing how it often blocks out any chance of gratitude or appreciation for myself, my experience, Life and others by seeing things as problems to be fixed or avoided, something wrong, not right, or not enough!

I would like to bring a focus of gratitude to my next month and I invite you to as well, and see what happens for you.

How many ways can you give thanks this month? And what if it doesn’t mean doing anything more, nothing added to your schedule or todo list? What if it’s simply a matter of seeing all that you already do, give and receive as acts of giving thanks? What if art-making is giving thanks for creativity and cooking/eating/shopping are giving thanks for creativity/abundance/nourishment? What if everything you say and do is an expression of gratitude? What if everything Life offers is an expression of gratitude?

The wonder of “what if…”, the place of open curiosity where something new can be seen and experienced. Let it bring joy and gratitude to your inquiry this month and see what happens.

Art-Making Inquiry

A practice to play with this month – say “thank you” when you feel gratitude in your heart and not when you don’t. Practice being authentic and grateful for how life uniquely expresses iteslf through you. Notice and free up any “shoulds” you might have around “thank yous”.

Art-making – collage, paint or drawing (whatever medium works for you) expressions of gratitude. What colors bring a sense of gratitude for you? What lines, forms, textures, words?

Enjoy and have a great month.

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.

090609-3.jpeg magazine images & paper, 2009, 11″ x 12″	080209.jpeg, magazine images & paper, 2009, 11″ x 12″	073109.jpeg, magazine images & paper, 2009, 11″ x 12″

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.

If you would like to work on the inquiry with myself and others in a supportive online group, I invite you to join the Art As Access yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artasaccess/

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?

Please share it with them. Thanks

If you would like to explore this inquiry with myself and others in a supportive online group, I invite you to join the Art As Access yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artasaccess/

Beyond our ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing

Rumi wrote:

Beyond our ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’
doesn’t make sense any more.

This piece of prose has been working me for years now and still touches my heart and peaks my curiosity. My ego cannot make sense of it and my soul already knows the deep truth of it. I long for the freedom of an open heart, the spaciousness of being and the place beyond my ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing.

This month’s inquiry  is “beyond our ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing”. This month notice both your ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing especially in regards to yourself, your experience,  feelings, thoughts, and actions. Also notice the moments without judgments and expectations where it may feel empty, quiet and expansive.

Art-Making Inquiry

I am currently reading the book “Soul Without Shame: A Guide to Liberating Yourself from the Judge Within” by Byron Brown. I highly recommend it. It has been very helpful in understanding what I have been noticing in my experience, judgments of myself and others, feelings of helplessness when I am being attacked by my inner judge, a sense of power when I take the judging role and criticize someone else, and the pain my heart feels to watch it all play out over and over again.

I would like to offer an exercise from the book and a couple of art processes to support the inquiry.

Exercise: Observing Judgments/Attacks

During the next week, make a list of all the attacks you are aware of – if possible, as soon as you become aware of them. Notice how each attack affects your energy, your awareness, and the physical experience of your body. Also, note how the attack affects your emotional state.

step 1: Write a phrase or brief sentence that describes the incident.

step 2: State each judgment in the second person, using “you” instead of “I”. “You are stupid” not “I am stupid”.

step 3: Write down what you observe about your bodily and energetic response to the attack. What sensations do you feel in your body? How has your relationship to the things and people in your environment shifted? How are your alertness and ability to respond to situations affected?

step 4: In as simple terms as you can, note your emotional state. What kinds of feelings are provoked? How is your sense of yourself altered?

Art-Making:the Emotional State

Create an image that expresses the emotional state. Notice your thoughts, feelings, body sensations as you create. Make note of any insights that arise for you.

Art-Making: the Place Beyond the Right-Doing and Wrong-Doing

Choose a small object that has a neutral affect on you when you look at it. There isn’t a sense of needing to hold onto it or throw it away, neither aversion nor greed – neutral. Good test is “is it something you could give away to someone?”

While looking at the object, create an image in response to it. Notice your thoughts, feelings, body sensations as you look at the object and create an image. Is there a sense of spaciousness without the pull towards it or the push away? What’s your experience through the process? Any insights arise?

Have a great month and enjoy the process.

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.

untitled watercolor on paper, 2009, 5″ x 8″	untitled watercolor on paper, 2009, 5″ x 8″	untitled watercolor & ink on paper, 2009, 5″ x 8″

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.

If you would like to work on the inquiry with myself and others in a supportive online group, I invite you to join the Art As Access yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artasaccess/

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.

-Ryl

Who do you know that would benefit from reading this?
Please share it with them. Thanks