Wow second week of "The Joy Diet", I have felt kind of rushed this week, kids are on school holidays, and I suppose this is the purpose of the book to allow myself to see that I need time to let myself be, to reconnect with my authentic self.The goal for this week was to take 15 mins everyday of stillness, let the body relax and the mind find quiet from the chatter.
Before I began this challenge i had already been doing some meditation taught to me by my father, I was , and that is the operative word WAS, meditating for a while maybe 2-3 times a week, then as usual old habits creap in and one "forgets" to do it.
So I thought that to start again would be easy enough. But to be honest it took me much longer than 15mins, more like 30mins and I could only do this at night after the kiddies were asleep, to get to that place of quietness.
Once I got to that quiet place daily I felt better each day, calmer, fresher. Yet to get to the chair where I sit at night still feels like a struggle, I resist, and I ask myself why?
Has anyone else felt their body resisting?
I would rather be doing something else.....like my art!
That is my 'Amanpuri' my place of solitude, doing my art work in my artroom. When I am home alone and noone interupts me I feel so at peace and my mind is filled with silence.....But to get to this place has taken me a long time, to understand how important art is to me, even on those days when i don't feel like it, or don't feel good enough.
So I sit there and try to remember that feeling of creating, that familiar place, feels like coming home.
I did this journal page thinking about the book and what it meant to be doing "Nothing". It is like a sacred time, space, retreat from the rest of the world to reconnect with my soul. It was a fun page to put together, a first for me in collaging, will be doing more for sure.
Happy reading for next week and all the best in finding your one moment of truth! Angie oxox
It isn't too late to join this great group, link in the photo above to join in the fun!
I love your journal page and that your art room is your Amanpuri! Being creative is one of my ways to be still...I find when I am doing something I love even though I am "moving" my mind is in a state of joy.
ReplyDeleteWorking through this process of nothing, to being still, I believe is going to be different every day, just as each experience in life, as each day is different. We will feel one way in nothingness today but different tomorrow. It isn't about the destination with nothing, it's as the saying goes "about the journey".
Looking forward to exploring truth with you this week!
Oh I love your journal page! I am inspired!
ReplyDeleteI DO feel myself resisting going toward nothing, getting myself to settle in my studio - even though I know that I will be happy to be there once I do it. Today I'm cleaning the closet in my studio - which leads to one thing and another - trying to get it more organized so I CAN settle more easily, not having it hang over my head, not getting frustrated when i can't find the frame or tool or material that I need and know is there somewhere.
ReplyDeleteYour collage is terrific!
thank you for your comments - enjoy being in this with you.
Love your collage, most excellent for a first try! My understanding from the book wasn't necessarily to meditate but to just do nothing. I wonder if just sitting in your art room for fifteen minutes doing nothing would feel good, then maybe you could do some art. So nice to see you posting more often, I really enjoy visiting you.
ReplyDeleteI love your collage. Your art is your Amanpuri and that is good that you KNOW IT. You are well on your way.
ReplyDeleteLove your journal page. Keep doing nothing. It does help.
ReplyDeleteI do feel the resistance to meditating and I like you have reached that state through creative work. Love your collage!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
Love your journal page!
ReplyDeleteI often go into 'the zone' when I'm painting or creating and that is a form of meditation in itself. My morning meditation is different in that I sit for 15 minutes and focus on my breathing or just nothingness. During the process, I allow any thoughts that come to me to just drift away as thoughts are usually ego-based and keep us based in reality rather than connecting with our soul. I usually meditate first thing in the morning while the rest of the household sleeps. I have tried meditating later in the day but there are just too many distractions.
I love your collage Angie - it really makes one see the sacred.
ReplyDeleteI love doing collages - it is never wrong.
I had trouble doing more than 5 minutes - my mind is always racing, I always feel that I have to get something else done. But then at the end of the day, I'll look at my list and see that I didn't do as much as I thought I had!
Glad you are in this journey!
Take care.
Beautiful page. :)
ReplyDeleteWhy can't your art time be your meditation time? I understand you already have a way to meditate that has worked for you in the past, but perhaps your art is a new way to meditate. Just because you haven't meditated with art before doesn't mean it won't work...
Good luck!
i love your journal page. it's so beautiful yet full of nothing :)
ReplyDeleteYour journal page is beautiful and you're making good progress both with The Joy Diet and your own art. Keep at that ... :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning journal page! :)Yes, I met with resistance too, but as I added more nothing each day, it strengthened me. Strange how nothing can be something huge. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, your journal page is simply magnificent! And I think doing art provides a healthy dose of nothingness... nothing wrong with that. It's about each of us finding our own way to reach that quiet place.
ReplyDelete