Tag Archives: peace

Art Assuages Angst

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If you’re reading along with my posts, you know my recent life has been filled with caring for my dad. The stress and angst of his injury, complications, and days and nights in the hospital were pushing me to the edge. Then, my oncologist – after seeing my recent bloodwork – said, “You have got to take better care of yourself!” I nearly fell over the edge.

What’s a girl to do when she’s at the edge? Well if you’re me, you paint, write, or paint and write. I love playing with paint and words. I’m often surprised or stumped, and go through moments of deep thought and wondering, mess ups and revelations. Somehow the process brings me to a space of flow, peace, and joy.

Thinking about my process and experience, I did a bit of research to see what experts say about art assuaging angst, and aiding in health and wellbeing.

The Mayo Clinic — The intersection of art and health: How art can help promote well-being – Mayo Clinic Press

 The arts also can be beneficial to your physical and mental health when you experience them — as an appreciator or creator.
The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine says making or even just seeing art can impact the brain. Whether it’s part of a creative arts therapy exercise, or something you experience in your everyday life, art can help:
*Imagine a more hopeful future.
*Increase serotonin levels.
*Increase blood flow to the part of the brain associated with pleasure.
*Foster new ways of thinking.

The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature – PMC

Engagement with creative activities has the potential to contribute toward reducing stress and depression and can serve as a vehicle for alleviating the burden of chronic disease.

So, as I am want to do when it’s time to create, I pushed aside the many things that were in my way (in life and on my kitchen table). I surrounded myself in that small cleared space with acrylic paint, paper, an acrylic wedge, old hotel door cards (the poor woman’s answer to pallet knives), artist tape, and some hopeful enthusiasm and curiosity.

First I just sat in that tiny creative haven breathing, looking, thinking, and being. I was reminded of the invitation from our school’s art gallery curator to be part of our faculty and staff art show. In the midst of everything, the provocation of new art had sat forgotten in the back of my mind. Now, it came into my conscious mind as a beautiful opportunity.

Wonder joined my breath, looking, thinking and being. What might I do that would bring me joy, peace, and healing? Is it possible to do that, and create something I’d like to submit for the show? I decided to play and see what happened.

First I mindfully taped the edges of the paper. Then I added the paint.

At first it didn’t work as I hoped. I tried a few times to bend the paint and process to my will. Finally, I surrendered to the process and paint. Instead of trying to control it, I bent to its will, or, at the very least, cooperated with it. I began to see what was possible and beautiful, rather than what didn’t work. I switched to a more monochromatic palette and the results of my change in thought and color were surprisingly beautiful and satisfying. The things that had been so frustrating became the elements I most enjoyed.

Sitting with my paintings I knew I had to add words. Haiku is a form of poetry that soothes me and brings me beautiful, quiet joy. Something about the process of forming my thoughts, and then forming those thoughts into 5-7-5 lines, changing words to match the beats, and finding unexpected inspiration in the new words, brings me into an almost parallel world of stillness. Many words flow out of me onto an old envelope. I gather them up and the haiku begins to take shape. Then, as is my usual experience, I am unable to find the right sound and feeling. I struggle on for a bit. Then I rest my head in my hands, close my eyes, breathe, and wait with peaceful expectation. As I wait, my breath deepens, my headache eases, my angst lessens, and the words appear.

Waves
Energy transferred
As waves crash on sand or soul
All they touch transform

Flowers
Gregariously
Flowers burst out with brilliance
In color and scent

Sunset Over Snow-covered Mountains

What a Difference a Day Makes

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Sometimes, when things seem grey, or we can’t quite see as much as we’d like, we give into fear or stress. When we experience the lack of clarity, and the feelings that come with it, we often embrace it all as truth, and begin to tell ourselves a story filled with greyness, uncertainty, and melancholy.

The good news is we can do something else.

First, we can simply breathe, be, and notice. As we sit, or stand, with open hearts, minds, and eyes, we may notice that beauty, joy, or peace are present in this space that first seemed only grey and uncertain. As we can take another breath, we can acknowledge whatever is there. If we are open to the possibility, we might even express gratitude for what is.

The ocean view on a Monday.

We may not see a blessing in front of us. We may not feel at ease or peaceful. Sitting in the moment, breathing and being open and grateful may appear to be failing us. When that happens we can reassure ourselves, no matter how we feel, it’s helping. It’s science. It’s the way we are built.

Finally, we can remind ourselves that tomorrow is another day, and we’ll get there. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again. Tomorrow will come! And when it does, it will be different from today. Let us hold onto the hope that it will be filled with many good things.

Same ocean view, two days later.

Here’s to experiencing the beauty and gift in the grey, and soaking in the awesomeness of a new day filled with light, color, life, and joy.

Share Your Gratitude

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We are never more than one grateful thought away from peace of heart.
Brother David Steindl-Rast

It’s been a long few days with my Kindergartners. It seems like I was constantly having to bring them back, constantly having to ask for their attention, constantly having to scold them in some way. Now, to be fair, it wasn’t actually constantly. There were many moments of marvel, joy, laughter, love, and all around fantabulousness. Those beautiful moments far outnumbered the frustrating angst filled ones. And yet, those moments that were less than I hoped for, those moments when I was less than I hoped to be, weighed heavy on me. I struggled to figure out what I might do, and how to get both them, and me, back on track.

With that on my mind and heart, I headed to my coaching gig. As I entered, I ran into a friend. “Hey!” I said, smiling under my mask. Seeing me she said, “I’m sorry, I just have to …” as she reached in and gave me a hug. I laughed out loud as we embraced before hurrying off to be with my HS athletes.

At the end of the night I popped over to say goodbye and my friend handed me a bag and a lovely vase of flowers. “What’s this?” I asked. “Just a little something to say thank you.” she replied. I thanked her, and gave her a tight squeeze as we got her daughter to take a quick photo. Then, we were both on our way.

My way included having to wait with some athletes whose parents hadn’t yet arrived. I was tired and none to happy to have to wait. But wait I did, and as I waited I opened the bag, read the card, and looked at the gift. In the card, my friend detailed the first time she met met me. She was late to pick up her daughter and I waited, outside, with her daughter. I made sure she got into the car alright, and pleasantly said hello before heading off for the night. She told me how much that relatively small act meant to her. The note, the flowers, and the gift — You make a difference. That’s all. — touched my heart and mind. They were the one grateful thought that allowed me to see the truth, take a breath, and find some peace.

How amazing, right? Her gratitude for my waiting with her daughter came at the moment when I was miffed at having to wait, in my exhausted state, with someone else’s daughter. Her acknowledgement, affirmation, and gratitude for the difference I make in the lives of others — with the smallest of acts — was the one grateful thought I needed. Her gratitude, shared with me, helped me to see the truth, helped me to take a breath, helped me to be present — present to truth, to opportunity, to joy, to peace. As I took a breath, I turned to the athlete still waiting. Instead of expressing any impatience, I simply chose to enter the moment with another human being. The peace and joy were much nicer than the angst.

Later that night, I realized I had received another grateful thought at the very beginning of the day. If you notice in the photo, there’s a bit of a yarn chain nestled in front of the flowers. That was a gift from one of my Kindergartners. I taught them how to finger knit a couple weeks ago. First thing in the morning, Jay came into our learning space, and came to me, as she does every morning, to greet me. It’s a routine I treasure. Today she held the finger knitting up for me to see. I told her it was beautiful. She said, “I made it for you!” I responded, “Thank you so much!” as I placed it on my neck.

That finger knitting chain stayed on my neck all day. I forgot about it until I got home and looked in the mirror. Seeing it, I realized my sweet Kindergartner had shared a grateful thought with me at the very beginning of our day. I love that her grateful thought had rested close to my heart all day. As I placed it by the other gifts for a photograph I again took a breath, embraced the truth, and experienced peace and joy.

Never underestimate the power of gratitude. Never hesitate to express it. Your gratitude — for yourself, your life, and towards others — may be the one thought of gratitude needed to find peace and joy.

Imagination, Curiosity, Creativity, Possibility, Hope, Peace, Joy, and Faith

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I breathe best in a space of imagination, curiosity, creativity, possibility, hope, peace, joy, and faith. In some way, my breath supports each one, and each one supports my breath. In an equally powerful way, each moment of imagination, curiosity, possibility, hope, creativity, peace, joy, and faith, grows from, and feeds each other.

IMAGINATION is a mighty force. Sometimes it seems like a playground in my mind.

CURIOSITY often produces a laugh, entices me to exploration, and calls to my creativity.

CREATIVITY (thinking and doing) is looking with new eyes, open to the surprise, uniqueness, and possibility.

POSSIBILITY (thinking and being), is for me, the food of hope, peace, and joy.

HOPE, PEACE, and JOY are everything. They keep me going, and help me impact my world (inside and out) in positive ways.

FAITH – in myself, others, God, things larger than myself, the process, imagination, curiosity, creativity, possibility, hope, peace, and joy – makes it all possible. It encourages me to try when it seems I cannot, to believe when I do not, and to take another breath, and just be.

The other day, as I finished up my 9 hour infusion, a little loopy, and frankly, a little desperate. I didn’t feel like I had imagination, curiosity, creativity, possibility, hope, peace, joy, and faith, but none-the-less, I reached for them, and thankfully they were there!

I hadn’t brought much with me, just a small notebook, and a pen. What could I do with that?

I could occupy my mind and my hands, and fold an origami crane and a simple rectangular box.

I tore out a page, ripped it in half, and began to create. I made one of each. Then I took out another page. I decorated the page before I ripped it in half and folded another.

My breath eased a bit.

They say if you fold a 1000 paper cranes wishes come true, luck, and hope abound.

I say, 2 cranes and two paper boxes, folded with imagination, curiosity, possibility, hope, creativity, peace, joy, faith, and simple presence, might hold the same power. I took a photo to keep with me, and left the cranes, boxes, and any good they hold, for someone else to find.