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| "Every heart has a different song to sing" ~Beverly Keaton Smith |
Another flower?
Another bird?
Another heart?
Every since I began the practice of intuitive painting, certain images continue to show up. In the beginning, this bothered me because it felt wrong and unimaginative. So, of course, I began to resist the repetitive images.
It took me awhile to realize that my inner critic had cleverly been trying to shut me down by telling me that I should not be painting the same thing over and over. Darn you, inner critic!
Fortunately, I voiced my concerns about painting the same images repeatedly to my mentor, Chris Zydel. Her liberating response was shocking.
It took me awhile to realize that my inner critic had cleverly been trying to shut me down by telling me that I should not be painting the same thing over and over. Darn you, inner critic!
Fortunately, I voiced my concerns about painting the same images repeatedly to my mentor, Chris Zydel. Her liberating response was shocking.
"It's okay. Go ahead. Paint them as many times as they want to be painted!"
Chris gave me the permission that I was having trouble giving myself. When yet another heart begins to appear on the canvas, I push myself past that voice that says, "Oh no, another heart?" I simply let it happen. There is no need to analyze or resist the process, even if it initially feels like a duplicate painting. (It's not.)
I do my best (and sometimes reluctantly) to follow the brush and let it lead the way. Here's why.
I do my best (and sometimes reluctantly) to follow the brush and let it lead the way. Here's why.
Even though I might paint one hundred hearts, every one of them has a different song to sing. I don't want to miss any of those songs. They all offer me a sense of freedom that comes with being in the present moment and feeling deeply connected to the flow of creativity. For me, this is reason enough to to bow to the brush, no matter how many hearts that brush might want me to paint.
Three cheers for Freedom, in all of its many forms.
Beverly
"Every Heart Has A Different Song to Sing" ~Beverly Keaton Smith
Perfect and thank you! I too find myself repeatedly painting wings, birds, spirals and struggle with that inner annoying critic! I want to paint something new, something different, I want to go somewhere and feel change and movement! Thank you for reminding me as i try to also remind myself to let it be, trust the process, and go with what arises. What a sacred journey!
ReplyDeleteHey Beth, Thanks SO much. You really do get what I'm talking about. So glad you can relate. And yes, I know the feeling of wanting to paint something different. And I do...and then, here come the hearts, birds and flowers again. LOL. But, they are all different in some way and take me through a unique process each time. Maybe part of the learning is developing a stronger sense of patience that eventually leads us more deeply into the "new and different." Thanks for deepening my thoughts on this subject.
ReplyDeletefantastic post, bev! (great quote, too, wise woman!)
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