Learning to Love the Shadows too...

I've been participating in a great on-line art journaling workshop called 21 secrets, just to get my gears oiled again and juices flowing and some of this... mucky shit... and wonderful fertile soil... out of me... and out of the way... laying the path a bit, leading the way for my next steps.  And clearing my head, you might say, as I dive back into making art that's authentic and closer to Source, regardless of outcome.

It's been a great journey so far, and i'm uber uber thankful to the woman behind this particular workshop gathering,

Connie of Dirty Footprints Studio

and her whole blog and mission (I could seriously devote hours trying to show one why and how she is amazing in her pure-self-out-there-for-the-world, bringing art empowerment to the people by bringing it to herself through struggles and stumbles and honest reflection and joy...) - she has been just the fuel and fire i've needed at this crossroads in my own road. It's like I find myself thinking something or onto some inclination and there she is... posting about it, encouraging it, making it seem right and possible just like i know it is deep in my own inner wisdom. and i guess right now, i need a little of that validation to get my tank juiced, even if i know in my soul she's just tapping into the great shared consciousness reservoir that we all have access to. that's ok, though. i am where i am.

anyhow, i digress.

one of the 21 workshops is about embracing our Shadow side , along with the sides of our Selves that we show the world. a comment made by the workshop facilitator (Violette Clark) really struck a chord in me. she was saying how we all know the line of thought that says when we see some flaw in someone else that drives us crazy, it's because that very thing is a part of our own personality. she points out that this truth can be seen both ways, though it is rarely presented this way: that when we see the good and amazing, infatuating, inspiring things in someone else and it seems to feed us, that is also because those very positive qualities are within ourselves.

wow.

really struck a chord for me that i need to hear.

here's a little color play on what came out for 'what i show the world, what the world thinks...'

and here's a little color and word play on my shadow sides, and things i don't necessarily like, but am trying to learn to embrace for the opportunities they bring to my life, too...

It was quite an inner process to write the qualities that are less than desirable about myself - as I am a recovering perfectionist. :-)  So to write these and just let them be without thought to home improvements, so to speak, is good practice i intend to do more of.

finding the art of allowing... and choosing... and embracing... and loving...

into a better self...

good stuff.

many gratitudes,

hali