Each of us is an artist of our days;
the greater our integrity and awareness,
the more original and creative
our time will become.
-John O’Donohue-
The days of autumn change with the colors of the leaves, the clouds of the sky, the movements of the winds and the conditions of our hearts, minds and hands. Each day becomes a challenge to rise above all that’s falling away and all that keeps coming our way ‘for better and worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health until death us do part.’ The artistry that’s necessary for this journey requires a certain amount of stilling and action, trusting and wonderment, opening and closing, presencing and awareness.
What does it matter if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul, and how does it feel to lose your soul? How does your emptiness get filled once you’ve let go of all that’s been dear to you, when you stand naked in the cold with the covering of your leaves stripped away by the changing seasons? What fills the empty spaces of the bare branches of your life and the possibilities and potentialities of another winter sleep? How do your endings prepare you for the newness that’s promised to come in this harvest season of soul?
With each passing day we move closer to the end of our present journey and the beginning of our new one. In each moment we have the opportunity to rise above the losses and celebrate the gains; the lessons that have been, are, and ever will be. The experiences of autumn teach us about letting go to let come, about the ever present cycles of nature that help us belong. They teach us to be artists of our days in so many mysterious ways; to bring forth original creations with new intent, boldness and creativity.
The air was cool on this Autumn afternoon. Colored leaves sprinkled the ground and hung from the branches of the trees. I moved along the rarely walked path through the wonder of the forest. The sun was close to setting but shined brightly in the cloudless sky. I stopped for a moment to listen to the silent music coming from the breeze and breathe in the scent of the season. Suddenly, I became aware of a subtle light radiating from the earth, trees, leaves and air I was breathing. It was as if a portal from another dimension opened for a moment to reveal the infinite energy of Life to me. For an instant, the invisible became visible. A brand new awareness awakened in me. Somehow I was seeing from a place deep within my soul.
To be an artist is to be attentive to the interconnectivity of all things. It’s the ability to see through the form into its’ substance and recognize the substance as the very essence of Life. It’s to envision, hear, and intuit a message beyond the messenger; awaken to an intention beyond an action, a sadness behind a smile and the invisible within the visible. An artist sees with the eyes of a child beyond culture and doctrinal dogma, and is open to the divine disclosures within the exteriors hiding the inner realities. The artist broadcasts these insights to the world. . . .
Whether we know it or not, each of us is an artist in some way, shape or form with integrity, awareness and potential beyond our present awareness. As we learn of this innate Being-ness, this Essence, we become more interactive with the creative process which allows us to awaken, align and integrally participate within this Divine Drama we call Life. This field of experience is inherently a field of Belonging, an interconnected web of relationships; patterns of energy interpenetrating one another. It’s a relaxed receptivity rather than an intense striving that draws this ever present current of creativity to the surface.
Autumn then becomes a special season to practice the ‘Art of Awareness.’ It’s a season to get comfortable with the unknown and unfamiliar; to let go and let come the mystery of Life which opens the gate-less gate flowing with currents of new creativity. Here we discover the mystery of belonging where all is One, where interconnectedness is the core element of the many seasons of Life. Here we awaken to a process beyond the limitations and restrictions of our institutions. Here we live within a whole new field of awareness to experience a belonging that creates New Life. How are you allowing your inner artist to mentor you, to inspire you? Hmm?
• Allow yourself to again spend significant time in Nature this week with the awareness of your interconnectivity to all you see, hear, taste, touch, smell and sense. Focus on this experience as if you were a five year old child and note your revelations. . . .
• Focus your attention on everything you consider ‘ordinary’ this week and awaken to the beauty that’s here within it. Just say to yourself: “See the beauty!” and recognize how changing your perception changes your awareness and your life. . . .
• As you slow down to become more present and aware of your experiences, give attention to the field of Belonging. Feel the interconnecting linkage with your inner and outer selves as well as with what you sense flowing in, around and through you. You can do this in Nature or sitting quietly in your favorite lounge chair. Feel the Divine Energy that’s always part of you!
• Walking through your days, notice when you’re in an ‘intense striving’ mode. As you become aware of this energy, stop and drop into a ‘relaxed receptivity.’ From this space, feel the shift in the current of your energy. Note the difference in your demeanor and in your creativity!
Blessings,
Fr. Rick+