On this special Diwali episode of the Art with Soul Podcast, as we celebrate the victory of good over evil, I’ve got a quick little tip to help you silence your pesky inner critic! Because let’s be honest, as an artist and creative, your inner critic can be particularly loud – and mean. And that’s never a good thing when you’re approaching your craft, is it? You’ll find a written transcript of the podcast {edited for readability} below.
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The November 2020 new blue moon falls in the sign of Scorpio. The Scorpio archetype is known for its intense power and its ability to transform, much like the butterfly emerging from its cocoon, ready to fly. The Scorpio archetype isn’t afraid of the birth-death-rebirth cycle, for it is only when parts of us die and are reborn that we can fully transform.
So perhaps it’s not surprising that spiritually, the Scorpio archetype teaches us to surrender – to align our human will with divine will. It can teach us that sometimes our human trials can reveal a need for deep healing. This is not always easy to live with or to understand, especially when the need for healing arises from trauma, and yet on the other side of working with and healing trauma there can be deep and valuable transformation.
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As artists, most of us have our favorite color palette – the paint tubes and color pencils we reach for over and over again. Mine are blues, pinks, purples, and hints of orange.
Sometimes, though, it’s good to pick up the colors that you tend to ignore. For this particular painting, I spied a little-used tube of emerald green, which I decided to pair with orange and some hints of turquoise blue.
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In today’s episode of the Art with Soul podcast, we continue our conversation on the fear of visibility, focusing this time on the possibilities that lie on the other side of our fears of sharing our work and being seen. I share some stories from my own journey, as I shed some of my fears and reached for new possibilities, and offer some ideas and things to consider as you navigate your own artist’s journey. You’ll find a written transcript of the podcast {edited for readability} below.
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The second full moon in October 2020 falls in the sign of Taurus. The Taurus archetype is grounded and steadfast, calm and composed, firm and also somewhat stubborn. This is a sign that is practical and earthy, and is associated with material pleasures, desires, luxuriousness, and abundance.
Spiritually, the Taurus archetype teaches the principle of belonging through presence…our presence as sacred human beings…honouring the body temple…honouring the flow of life. This can be difficult given the society we live in, which praises the hustle over reverence and treats time as money rather than a finite resource that should be used wisely in the pursuit of the things that give us meaning.
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Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind. – Amit Ray
The mindful break this year has been a lovely little pocket of calmness amid the uncertainty and unusualness of this almost dystopian year.
Taking these few days to really savour the small moments, the practices that are our touchstones, the colors and feelings that thread through our life, has in some ways anchored us to the continuity of life.
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Some days, you just feel so directionless, y’know? Like why are you here? What are you doing? What is the meaning of all this?
And those big questions make you feel scared and hesitant about everything. This is also something that shows up when I paint intuitively.
When I started this painting, I was just splashing paint, making marks, having fun (swipe to see – you’ll see a little arrow on the image below), and then I started getting scared.
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I’ve recently been doing quick gestural drawings of whimsical faces using my non-dominant hand in my sketchbook. They’re an easy way to warm up before your painting session. And drawing with your non-dominant hand gives these portraits a raw, expressive feeling that’s almost impossible to mimic when you use your dominant hand.
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In today’s episode of the Art with Soul podcast, we talk about the fear of visibility, specifically the fear of sharing your artwork – or any creative work – freely. I share some tips and ideas to help you overcome this fear and awkwardness, and share some insights from my own art journey. You’ll find a written transcript of the podcast + detailed shownotes below.
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The October 2020 new 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 to 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 best ways to remain centered is through the breath, and through being able to distinguish between the things that are in your control, and those that aren’t.
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