The Tools Of The Inner Artist

Poor book......I'll have more scribbles than the actual text....*sigh*

I had mentioned in my previous post about working the Artists Way book.
WORKING.
Not just passively reading.
Sometimes, just like our cars, the Inner Artist needs a tune up; a little fresh oil, a part or two replaced and the bugs worked out. Bad stuff flushed out and new clean fluid put in.
Occasionally it takes an almost abrupt creative stoppage for me to see this and do the work. I think that frequently there is so much input from the outside world that we, as creatives, take this all and hold it internally until there is no room for new ideas, dreaming, growth and refilling that well. We are exposed to so much media that it is almost impossible to shut it all out, and I suspect it accumulates within.
Then there are the other obstacles of life; trying to work out the business end of art, dealing with the bumps and stalls unique to that aspect, attempting to do so with grace and not become a floor mat. We are not here to have whatever squeezed out for free, we have a voice and deserve respect.
*sigh*
For the good old days when a persons word was their bond.
I digress. The work at hand requires TIME but is not unpleasant. Before my studio day starts, I do the inner work.

Words flow, thoughts perk, and of course I love BRIGHT so that is an enticement to keep on with the tune-up! 
Things remove themselves, decisions become clear, old issues still lingering and festering must be faced head on......it's an interesting journey.
Affirmations are read daily, and I pull them from one of the little blue and white Oriental cups.
Today's seems to sum it up for me....

I am.
I really am.
And by whatever name you call this divine spirit, I ask~~~
Are YOU???


Pax....

Worthy of Gratitude; The End of the Journey

And now, we reach the end of this five part series on worthiness. From comments left, it seems those who read were able to garner something that related to their own experiences or some area where in they would like to strive harder for positive change in their lives.
I am excited by this because it is a sign of thinking, progressing people, who know that their own personal life is a very valuable and important thing that should be handled gently.
I am grateful for having this opportunity to share thoughts with you. I express my personal gratitude to all of you, right here, right now, from my heart.
And I hope you accept this small gift.
Sometimes, feeling worthy of gratitude is a hard thing to allow ourselves to do because we are afraid we might be seen as gloating, pretentious or perhaps feel we just don't deserve it. Our upbringings, our stations in life, how we have been molded by other's hands all have a factor in the ability to genuinely accept--and know that you are worthy of--gratitude.
You are.
Every one of you.
I know this from reading the words of your lives you've shared. You are worthy of gratitude in great abundance---to stand with your arms wide open, to close your eyes and speak in your most inner soul that yes, and YES, SEND ME GRATITUDE! The universe hears you, your angels hear you, the Divine hears you.
Let it happen.
And as a gratitude practice, pass these feelings on to others. In kindness, in generosity, in words of praise, in small ways that only you can manifest for whatever situation presents itself. Remember what you put forth will eventually come back to you tenfold. (I am not necessarily talking *bank accounts* here folks! there are other ways....really!)
We cannot change a lot of the world we now live in on large sweeping scales, but we can change the way we treat ourselves and those who are around us. One small effort does not go unnoticed. It can cause a ripple effect.....that is not the stuff of science fiction, nor of dreams. It is being willing to put thoughts and words into action and putting your gratitude out there.
It will return.
Accept it gently.......as a heart in your hands.

I now close this with an image of a felted heart I made for a series I did in fiber, and I think it is appropriate. If you wish to download and save it, fine. If you wish to use it on your blog, please just give me a cutline. If you wish to print it for an everyday reminder of Gratitude, and your worth, please do.

I most sincerely bid you, for all of your days; Love, Joy, Courage, Enough, Gratitude and above all else.....

Pax.

Worthy Of ENOUGH......

(Thanks to everyone who has responded on these posts; it has been a great privilege for me to be entrusted with different personal views and stories. Tomorrow's post will finish the series; for those of you who have read all along the way, I hope there has been something you can take with you & ponder!)

I have had ENOUGH!
I have ENOUGH!

How different those two statements are. They express almost opposite sentiments and yet flow off our tongues quickly and easily and sometimes the first one is what we say more. So let's delve a bit deeper into being Worthy of Enough.
We all have to set personal limits. It can be a difficult and frightening thing to do, especially when most of us were raised to please others, to never retort, to be silent and unseen. Humanity was not created to live in that particular vacuum, in stasis---we were meant to live in the sun and interact honestly with those around us. Therefore, getting to the point of being able to say (in whatever circumstance is appropriate in your life) "I have had ENOUGH!" is not an easy road.
In fact, the first part of this post links in with yesterday's post about Courage....it takes a lot to say it, mean it, and stand by it. It takes a lot of self worth to know when you are at that point. It is important to verbalize when enough is really much more than enough. I feel sure we've all walked that bumpy rocky path at some time, and hopefully have reached deep within to cut loose with a loud "ENOUGH!" and then moved forward.

Now, on the flip side of the coin.......are you worthy of *enough* and what is it???
Enough is not succumbing to the fads and flings that surround us daily. Enough is wisdom gained from age, experience, mistakes.....things that have impacted us and we know that the pursuit of the superfluous is, well, superfluous. (and yes, I did have to look that one up in the dictionary for the correct spelling!)
Being worthy of this kind of *enough* is being centered, wise, taking delight in the moments that pass rapidly. It is accepting what we have (in terms of property) and making the best use of it. It is realizing that no matter how little we feel we have, there are those with much less; both in spiritual realization and in the very physical realm of a hard economy.
It is not easy writing a positive statement when I look around the area where I live, and on a daily basis see people doing without due to massive job outsourcing. But there again, it hones a sharper perspective for me of exactly how I am blessed with and worthy of ENOUGH. What I have is more than sufficient, so how do I share and do it with respect towards the integrity of others?
How do I learn to be content in a mass media market constantly pushing more and more into my wallet cross-hairs......trying to coerce me to buy-buy-buy? (remember Anne....Enough...)
How do I walk away from the sales, the bargains, the *things I need*...(do you Anne? really?)
Do I cloister myself away and ignore all I can? Do I need blinders and ear plugs? Do I need to just not leave the house?
Well, in my case, yes. Sometimes that is what I do. And that is when I find, within myself, my studio, my heart and my life, that I am worthy of many many moments that are Enough.
You are worthy of that too. The moments of peace, without want, without greed, without fear, without pressure; when the very act of being is Enough. You deserve that, and the wonderful sense of everything being right in your world that comes with it.
What you have within you, in your soul, in your psyche, in the deepest recesses of your heart-of-hearts is enough and you are worthy of knowing that and not having anyone try and make you feel less.
You are completely ENOUGH.
And I like you that way.
If I remember correctly, the quote in the photo is from a book read back in my childhood, which I believe was "Rabbit Hill" and it hit the nail on the head......

"There is enough for all."

And you're worthy.

Pax.