Showing up

Would you believe me if I told you I hardly ever have an idea for an article before I sit down and write it? And I almost never have inspiration for art until I'm standing in front of a canvas. Occasionally I'll come across something I want to try or incorporate, but I hardly ever have that complete idea at the beginning. In fact, sometimes I don't even know what something will look like until the very end. And then I'm as pleasantly surprised as everyone else.

Sometimes to just begin can be the hardest part. But what happens when you start to take the first steps toward a motion, is everything else shows up that needs to be there. It's really the most amazing thing that can happen in creating anything. Being there with all the tools, skills, awareness and openness required and allowing what is suppose to be to come into creation.

In much of my art, I use patterns of small shapes, lines, dots, squiggles, in a repeating pattern. The longest step is generally the first one, the first glob or paint or the first ink on top the paint. And I just start to release my attachment to what it should look like, and allow the forms, shapes and figures to just line up like they are meant to. I also recognize in the process that it's just relaxing, and I really try to stay in this moment of being curious and non judgmental and being in the flow. And whenever I start to feel a bit of panic, like, shoot, did I make a mistake? Should I have done something else, I just shift that to, it's all good, just keep going into that thing, or make it part of what was suppose to be, and often it becomes the best part of it all. I did a small painting Friday like this, and early on, I wasn't sure it was going to work, and I realized part of the way in, it's exactly as it should be, and its forming up the way it needed too. And I sort of like it!

I feel like there are some pretty unique and powerful things to take away from this type of thinking too. Creating anything takes small steps, and consistency will eventually bring about something beautiful and maybe not even what you expected it to be, but in the end you'll love it.

There also has to be this non-attachment to the outcome, where you just allow whatever to come into fruition to happen. Like just being focussed on the here and now, and accepting whatever comes and loving every step of the process.

Do you see areas in your life today where small steps and consistency can help you get there? Or are there places you can detach with curiosity and just focus on accepting what is happening in the here and now?

I am an intuitive healer and artist. I currently offer 1:1 Skype or Phone healing sessions as well as group painting parties. Learn more about those on my services page! And contact me at jesskippes@gmail.com for interest!