On this episode of the Art with Soul podcast, I offer you a short – and inspiring – creative pep talk for the days when you’re feeling overwhelmed. This your reminder – and your permission slip – to rest. You’ll find the transcript {lightly edited for readability} below.
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The April 2021 new moon falls in the sign of Aries. The Aries archetype is known for its bold – often rash – action, for going where angels fear to tread. As the first sign of the zodiac, it represents the active core of our spiritual journey on earth, and teaches us to act in accordance with our ideals. The Aries archetype teaches us to be unafraid to march to our own drumbeat, to assert our willpower towards the attainment of our desires, and to embrace beginner’s mind and the innate trust and explosive power {conviction + action} that is needed to start something new.
Spiritually, the Aries archetype teaches us about action. And as most of us know, it’s easier to talk about the things we want to do than to put in the work and actually do the thing! Aries teaches us that courage is the key to unlocking the full potential of this spiritual principle. And that comes from connecting your head to your heart, focusing your will, and taking consistent action towards your dreams.
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“I will participate, but not as asked.”
― Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy
When I was in my fiery teens, my father declared me a rebel without a cause. I’ve always been contrary. If you tell me to go up, I will go down. If you tell me not to do something, you can be sure that I will go right ahead and do it. And then proudly tell you that I did it too. That fiery rebellion of my teenage years has mellowed over the years, though – I guess that’s what they call aging.
I may not be a fiery rebel, but I am still contrary. I question most things. I tend to think deeply. Sometimes, it is annoying. It would be so much easier to just go along with what everyone else is saying. With the things the world seems to value. With what everyone else is chasing. It is so much more difficult to try and swim against the tide.
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On this episode of The Art With Soul podcast, I talk about intuition and grace; the intuitive painting process and maintaining the flow between painting intuitively and painting more deliberately; and how these ideas and themes feed into art and life.
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Let’s talk about anxiety for a minute. The debilitating fear. The constant worry. The thoughts that circle around in your head at a hundred miles a minute. The heart palpitations. The shortness of breath. The certainty that everything is going to come crashing down around you.
We’ve all suffered from anxiety at some point in our lives, but did you know that 1 in 7 Indians – or 197.3 million people – were impacted by mental disorders of varying severity in 2017, of which 44.9 million Indians suffer from anxiety disorders. And this is 2017 data, so this number is sure to have skyrocketed.
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Amanda’s done it! She’s finally managed to save up enough money to hand in her resignation so she can follow her dream of becoming a writer. She just has a few more days left to serve out her notice and then she can put that daily commute from Brighton to London behind her forever.
But then, on her commute home from London to Brighton, she meets a charming stranger – who seems to know everything about her. He delivers an ultimatum. She needs to give him the code for the safe where she keeps her savings before the train reaches Brighton – or she’ll never see [her daughter] Louise again. Convinced that the threat is real, Amanda is stunned, horrified. She knows she should give him the code, but she can’t. Because she also knows there is a terrible secret in that safe which will destroy her life and Louise’s too…
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The March 2021 full moon falls in the sign of Libra. The Libra archetype is closely associated with justice and maintaining balance in social interactions and within the self. They are the true diplomats among the zodiac archetypes, and focus on fair dealings in all their relationships.
Spiritually, the Libra archetype teaches the principle of intimate balance, of the ability to remain centered and true to yourself no matter what may be going on around you. This is a skill that can be particularly helpful for those of us who turn up our noses at societal expectations as we dance to the tune of our own drum beat. Being able to remain centered is also an important skill to have if you’re surrounded by toxic people – and in these times, even toxic politics! One of the easiest ways to remain centered is through the breath, and by being able to distinguish between the things that are in your control, and those that aren’t.
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I spent most of the weekend in the studio – painting, writing, creating. Completely engrossed in the paintings and projects before me. Flowing between paintings and projects and journaling and enquiry.
Not every weekend is like this, though I wish it was! Not every painting session goes so beautifully. And that got me to wondering.
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While scrolling through my Facebook feed last night, I came across a post asking for recommendations for therapists who deal with depression and anxiety in adults. I know, from previous experience, that depression isn’t well understood, and that it is notoriously difficult to find good, qualified therapists. So I went through the comments to see if the lady’s query had been answered and if I could share any recommendations with her.
But the comments were closed. This meant that she had either found the information she was looking for, or people had left their usual unhelpful advice on her post.
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On this episode of the Art with Soul podcast, I talk about where I find inspiration as an intuitive painter. Showing up to the canvas without any preconceived ideas about what I want to paint or what I want my finished piece to look like can be both terrifying and exhilarating. Tune in for a peek into my process! You’ll find a written transcript of the podcast {edited lightly for readability} and additional resources below.
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