River Seeks Ocean

Many days I cycle down to Boulder Creek to sit on my certain rock, now partially submerged from the high country run-off. This morning as I watched the frothy flow of water rushing by, I felt the urgency of the river seeking the ocean. And I thought of the human condition, always seeking connection with Source. It's the PULL of the Source, and when we allow our innate guidance to raft on the stream, there's no effort, it's easy to flow, and thrilling too. 

30 Days of Aqua - #2 - Acrylic, toner on panel 7" x 5" x .75" 2018

This is true in the painting practice - it is a form of meditation in that way. Deep listening to the guidance, the flow, the stream, toward our unique and authentic selves. We can allow ourselves to be guided, without nagging judgement, or we can resist the force, and worse, not even enter the water at all. This cutting off of our potential is tragic. And if we do it in small ways, are we knee-capping ourselves in big ways too?

The river's flow is without fault, but it can also be overwhelming. Knowing how to navigate, to ease into trusting, is the key to creative freedom and joyful painting. But how do we KNOW? There are so many voices, so many phantoms in the room!

To close out the chatter, the endless noise that drowns out our native wisdom, that is the challenge, more than ever in this modern age. But beginning each painting session with even a few breaths, a few moments of stillness, standing or sitting in the presence of our potential, opening ourselves to the spaciousness of pure BEING is the simplest and most effective way to start. Surely that's one step closer to where we weren't before.

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I like to give myself a daily challenge from time to time - working small, fast and with no-thought, just presence and fun and with whatever arises. Summer is early and already heating up, so in this series titled 30 Days of Aqua, I'm cooling off with liquid shades of aquamarine.