The Essence of an artist

Every time you are in harmony with the natural rhythm of the universe, you are a painter, you are a poet, you are a musician, you are a dancer.

Art is executing a beautiful dance with the universe!!!

En armonia con el universo

La esencia de la sabiduria es estar en armonia con la naturaleza, con el ritmo natural del universo.....Y siempre que estas en armonia con el ritmo natural del universo eres un poeta, eres un pintor, eres un musico, eres un bailarin.

OSHO

When you love what you do

When you love, whatever you do is because you want to do it. It becomes a pleasure; it's like a game, and you have fun with it. When you love, you don't expect something to happen; whatever happens is okay, and hardly anything disappoints you. 
Don Miguel Ruiz.



Do what you love and you will never have to spend another day working
Confucio

"YOU ARE AN ARTIST OF THE SPIRIT 

Find yourself and express yourself in your own particular way. Express your love openly. Life is nothing but a dream, and if you create your life with love, your dream becomes a masterpiece of art." 
— Miguel Ruiz

Awareness and enlightenment

Awakening is simply a matter of rousing ourselves from the dream that we are separate objects (mind/bodies) in a universe of separate objects. This is achieved by inquiring into our own nature and discovering the deeper level in which thoughts/sensations occur, are seen and dissolve. This rising, existing and subsiding of thoughts and sensations is an ongoing process and that which constitutes our moment-to-moment experience. The body is experienced as a stream of sensations whilst the mind is experienced as a stream of thoughts (which includes mental images), which leaves the question of who, or what, is the experiencer?? We tend to think of this as the mind but this is obviously not the deepest level of experiencing, as the mind itself (the flow of thoughts) is just an experience! Similarly with the body where sensations occur and are detected by the nervous system, and other sense organs, this too is just an experience … So what is it that ‘sees’ and ‘feels’ these experiences, this deeper level of our being, the true experiencer and enjoyer of our existence? That which we feel we have always ‘been’ and that which seems to have been the constant unchanging basis of our lives.

This is evidently not the body, for we speak of its parts as ‘mine’, my hand, my head, my stomach and so on … Therefore who is the owner of this complex organism? Similarly with the mind we speak of ‘my thoughts on the matter are …’ or ‘my preference is’ etc… So who is it that owns these thoughts or preferences? The problem here is that we tend to identify with the mind and these become ‘I think’ or ‘I prefer’, but this still leaves the question who is this ‘I’ that thinks or prefers?

The clue is that we could not survive without being aware of our thoughts and sensations (mind/body), which leads to the undeniable conclusion that it is this very awareness that is the deeper level of being … in fact who (or what) we are! For this is that in which our thoughts and sensations arise, exist, are seen, and subside. This is ever-present for whenever a thought/sensation arises there is awareness of it, and this is the witness of all our experiences, the unchanging basis of our existence. 

At this point just take a few moments to notice how thoughts/sensations come and go whilst awareness, that which sees these fleeting objects, is a constant presence.

This is pointed to by advaita vedAnta which regards man as a physical organism through which brahman(awareness, consciousness) senses and experiences the world. The kena upaniShad states that it is the Self (brahman, awareness) which is the agent and witness, through which the mind thinks and the senses experience sensations. However this Self is undetectable by the mind and senses, being the substratum in which they appear, exist and disappear. (kena upaniShad 1v.1-9) Moreover, due to its undetectable nature, it is very easy for man to overlook his true nature and identify with the mind and body. The kaTha upaniShad likens man to a chariot, of which the Atman (the Self, brahman within each individual) is the master, the body is the chariot, the mind is the charioteer, the sense organs are the horses and the roads they travel on are the objects of sensation. The atman is the enjoyer and experiencer of the ride, which is made possible by the charioteer, chariot and horses. (kaTha upaniShad 3v.3-4) So brahman needs the mind and senses, to enjoy and experience the physical world. However when the mind is unaware of the master’s presence, through lack of discrimination, it is unable to control the senses which run amok like wild horses (Ibid 3v.5). brahman, pure consciousness, is hidden in every heart, being the eternal witness watching everything one does. He is said to be ‘the operator’ whilst we are his ‘innumerable instruments’. (svetasvatAra upaniShad 6v.10-12) 

Although this is interesting it is of no use until one has become ‘aware of awareness’ for oneself through direct investigation of one’s own moment-to-moment experience, after which the above acts as an inspiring form of confirmation of that which one has discovered. My book Beyond The Separate Self  is designed to provide a framework within which the reader may carry out this investigation for him/herself, enabling the direct discovery of this level of being that is deeper than thoughts and sensations (body/mind).

We are all creative beings

Creativity is a gift from the "Creator" to us.  We have all been created by one universal, vital force that I personally call God.  Simultaneously we are creating our own lives.  It is like if God lets us co-create with him.   We have the the canvas, the oil paints, the brushes, and we are given the opportunity to create our own painting, our piece of art.  A piece of art we have to master.


This challenge, the challenge of living and creating our own lives can be very scary and overwhelming.  I know that I feel that way.  Very scared of living this challenge.  This is a lot of what this blog is about.  This journey, this challenge.


I have, though, learned some things about this personal journey.  I still have a long way to go.  One thing, though, is that I have to be creative about living my life.  That creativity is a great energy we receive and share with God.  This creativity manifests very often in art.  But art is everywhere, in all of us, not jus in the obvious, like music or painting.  It is in all the things we do every day.  I exists in little and big tasks.  We can be creative in what we do every day or we can simply be flat.


Sometimes our creativity gets blocked.  A lot of times it is because of fear.  Sometimes life seems to overwhelming to feel creative about it.  We have been taught to often to look at the great picture and get scared and blocked.


Staying in the present helps me start to get un blocked.   The truth is that creativity exists only in the present. Imagination can be very big, but creativity exists only in the present moment.  To keep it simple, we do not have to worry about my WHOLE life.  The present is a good place to start finding our creative selves.  From the present, being creative about our lives starts feeling less scary and more joyful.  When we start feeling this joy, we get more playful with our lives, happier. .. Then we start creating.  Co creating our day, co creating it accompanied by God!


I want to share some words on being blocked about our creativity from the book The Artist Way, Julia Cameron.:


"Creativity is God energy flowing through us, shaped by us, like light flowing through a crystal prism.
When we are clear about who we are and what we are doing, the energy flows freely and we experience no strain.  When r=we resist what that energy might show us or where it night take us, we often experience a shaky, out -of-control feeling.  We want to shut down the flow an regain our sense of control.  We slam on the psychic brakes.  Every creative person has myriad ways to block creativity.  The choice to block always works in the short run an fails in the long run."


Final note.
When I waked up this  morning I was feeling very flat, blocked, like if my creative energy for my day was not flowing at all.  I started doing small tasks, my every morning tasks, slow and fully present.  I recognized that fear and anxiety were waking up with me.  It was good writing this blog.  Writing in the morning is good for every one and enables the flow of vital creativity go through you.  I am ready for a beautiful creative day.  I do not know where it is going to take me.  For now I am going for a nice walk. I hope you are also ready for a beautiful, creative day!




* I want to mention again that I am not a writer and english is not my maternal language.  However I hope that my use of this language for writing this blog is enough to communicate my experiences and inspire you to share yours.    I live in USA now and people that follow this blog are mostly english speakers.


Comments in spanish are of course VERY welcome!

More on art and faith

"We are not accustomed to thinking that God's will for us and our own inner dreams can coincide."

Julia Cameron

Enthusiasm as the voice of faith in Art

To me enthusiasm is the vital energy that rules the world.  I truly believe that it must be enthusiasm the powerful source behind creation.  I really think that it was enthusiasm what makes God create the universe to take delight in it.  Of course the word enthusiasm, as joy,  is synonyms of love.   The very origin of it all, the very origin of the infinite.

Enthusiasm and creation come from love, come from God.

Enthusiasm is not a emotional state, it is a spiritual commitment.  A loving surrender to our creative process.

The word enthusiasm comes from the greek "filled with God".
It is a vital energy supply from the universe itself, manifested in the most joyful and playful state.  Like the beating heart of our inner happy child.

Fear is the opposite of love.  Of course fear is the opposite of enthusiasm, and, since fear reign so much in our minds, it often blocks the flow of creativity, of the creativity needed for every single task of our life.

I want to cite some words from Julia Camaeron (The Artist Way) on this matter.

"-Once you accept that it is natural to create, you can begin to accept a second idea - that the creator will hand you whatever you need for the project.  The minute you are willing to accept the help from this collaborator, you will see useful bits of help everywhere in your life - BE ALERT, THERE IS A SECOND VOICE, A HIGHER HARMONIC adddint to and augmenting your inner voice.  This voice usually shows it self as SINCRONICITY."

It is my believe that there are no coincidences.  Miracles are the result of enthusiasm and faith.   So is creativity.

Art and faith

Creativity requires faith. Faith requires that we relinquish control." 
— Julia Cameron


Much is said about faith these days.  It is a concept in fashion.  It it is sometimes very difficult to apply this very intangible concept in a practical way, in our everyday life.  A lot of times we believe that to have faith is irresponsible, after all faith is an act of believe in what is not yet manifested.  Is an act of total believe in what we not yet see, feel.  


Our thoughts, our beliefs and bad experiences of the past advise us not to trust.  Not to trust the universe, the divine, the source, the magical..... or however each of us call this undeniable energy.  Other people think that it is necessary to be religious to have faith, or that faith is only for the unscientific being.


Faith is necessary for our existence, for our regular life, and definitely for our creative being.


Enthusiasm is faith, and we need enthusiasm for everything we do.  Enthusiasm with our families, in our work, in our creations, in our art.


Fear is the opposite to enthusiasm and of course the opposite of faith.   Fear does not let our faith emerge.  It blocks us in life.  It blocks the flowing in our lives.

Yes, of course we have to act with responsibility in our planning, mapping  researching...  whatever it is that it takes to do our best.... But the comes the act of faith.  Then comes the ability to let it happen.  The ability to make room for the miracle.  This is not in our control.  This is the work of a higher power, the power that creates, .... the power of God.  Then we become co creators with this force.  Then God let us co create with him.


Pray to God to catch the bus.....
Then run as fast as you can.            


Julia Cameron


In this very funny sentence.  I think Julia expresses the message I am delivering y a short funny and direct way.














"Leap, and the net will appear." 

The Four Agreements.

Whatever happens around you, don't take it personally... Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves." 
— Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book)

The four agreements. (Don Miguel Ruiz) Every human is an Artist

The Four agreements is an incredible book.  It is simple, concise and poetic.  It contains this four incredible truths, The Four Agreements.  It has made an incredible difference in my life.

I want talk about this agreements in the next couple of days.  I WOULD LOVE YOUR COMMENTS.  Putting this simple principles into practice, into our everyday lives would make an incredible difference.  THE DIFFERENCE from living our lives in fear to living our lives in total harmony.  I carry this book with me.  I read this four principles everyday.  I do not want to forget what I learned from this book.  What I like the most is how simple the reading is, and how simple he keeps the concepts.  It makes peace to seem reachable, easy to grab, easy to take, POSSIBLE.  I highly recommend this book.

He also talks about how we all human beings are artists.  Co creators of our own lives.  Like good artists we all interpret our reality in our own way.   We sculpt it with our own dreams and beliefs.  We can also change it whenever we want, however we want it to be.  We can make it hell or heaven..

He talks about the DREAM OF THE PLANET...

Toltec wisdom.

It never ceases to amaze me how all ancient wisdom seems to come from the same source, from the same universal intelligence.

I call it our universal God.

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.


2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.


3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.


4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."
— Miguel Ruiz


The Four agreements is an incredible book.  It is simple, concise and poetique.  It contains this four incredible truths, The Four Agreements.  It has made an incredible difference in my life.


I want talk about this agreements in the next couple of days.  I WOULD LOVE YOUR COMMENTS.  Putting this simple principles into practice, into our everyday lives would make an incredible difference.  THE DIFFERENCE from living our lives in fear to living our lives in total harmony.  I carry this book with me.  I read this four principles everyday.  I do not want to forget what I learned from this book.  What I like the most is how simple the reading is, and how simple he keeps the concepts.  It makes peace to seem reachable, easy to grab, easy to take, POSSIBLE.  I highly recommend this book.


He also talks about how we all human beings are artists.  Co creators of our own lives.  Like good artists we all interpret our reality in our own way.   We sculpt it with our own dreams and beliefs.  We can also change it whenever we want, however we want it to be.  We can make it hell or heaven..


He talks about the DREAM OF THE PLANET...


Toltec wisdom.


It never ceases to amaze me how all ancient wisdom seems to come from the same source, from the same universal intelligence.


I call it our universal God.

tags: spirituality, toltec-wisdom

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The place where creativity is born

All things that truly matter, beauty, love, creativity, joy and inner peace arise from beyond the mind.

Echart Tolle

.... and creativity happens in the PRESENT, in a place of no mind.  Creativity is the vital energy of our present.  The eternal present where God exists.  God, the eternal creator exists in the now.  We can visualize our journey, plan it, fill it up with dreams.  We can also use images or situations that happened in the past....  but we create in the present.

Our creativity journey may seem to have more than a million steps,  But it only really have one... The one we are taking right now.

When we are in this journey, it is certainly very helpful to know where we are going, and of course, we have to have a general direction, a map, but the only thing that is ultimately real is the step we are taking now, right at this moment, in the present.

I tend to forget this way too often.  A lot of times I tend to live to much in the remembrance of my experiences (some bad, some good), but most of the times my tendency is to live in the future.  Living in the present, as simple as it sounds, is a very big task for me.  Mi mind makes me believe  it is such a great task.  I have learned (I am programmed since childhood), to worry.  It is like if somewhere in my mind I would believe that if I worry, I do things better.  Nothing further from the truth.

When my work has been fully creative, high quality, excellent, it has really emerged from a quiet space of no mind.  I might have even visualized it a lot, or plan it a lot, but if I just stay, there, in the planning,  it is like being stuck.  I have to start acting in the now,  feel the energy happening inside me,  and, as it is, something magic starts to happen.  Creativity starts taking over.  It is like magic, real magic, it is like I am not creating alone.  This are the most intense moments of my life, this is the most creative me at work.  It is like a meditation.

Just do it!

ART.... JUST DO IT!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.


Mark Twain

Observing nature

Nature will teach you to be still.
If you don't impose on it a stream of thoughts
A very deep meeting takes place when you perceive nature in that way, without naming things.

Eckhart Tolle.

Every artist learns to observe.  When we are observing we are in total presence, we are meditating.  When we observe nature we become one with it.  Pure observation is putting our thoughts away.  No mind.  That is when our spirit emerges, our soul, our being.  a space is created.  This is the space where creativity comes from.  Nature is there to remind us who we really are..!!!

Changing your Beliefs - Malacates

Changing our beliefs.

I I was talking with my daughter Christa about the challenges of money.  I had to admit to her how hard it has been to change my beliefs about that topic.  I mentioned the voice in my head (from my parents), whom I love dearly, which referred a lot about life as an artist, and how my life should be oriented to making money, of course for my own good.  After all, we all have a lot of bills to pay. don't  we?   I realized that as a parent I had passed this same beliefs to my kids.  I , of course, like my own parents,  I meant very well.  Now, after a long journey on a very rocky road, with a good share of suffering and a fair amount of growth, my priorities have changed.  I have respect for money, as I have respect for excellence.  I believe in doing always my best.  I believe (most of the time) how abundance come with faith and excellence and not from worry.  I wish I could reprogram the mind of my kids, but I know I cannot.  They have to find their own way with their own experiences.  I dedicate this song to them.  I hope they change the negative beliefs passed to them and follow their dreams.  With excellence and faith they will succeed in whatever makes them happy.   There is a song inside me.... This is a loose translation of the chorus.... -"you won't have money when you dedicate your life to singing       At least that is hat my father says..   But from heaven I can hear  a second voice..   And every time I take my guitar I understand what my life is worth   THERE IS A SONG INSIDE ME..   I spend my life singing   and I was almost forgetting   That I can do this well!!!!"-   THERE IS A SONG INSIDE ME... Melodías que apartan todas mis melancolías esta vida sin ellas que absurda sería y desde niño yo soñaba con cantar y desde niño me gustaba imaginar una canción donde suene mi voz para cantarle a todo el mundo y así por un segundo poder sacar todo lo que siento por vivir Pero primero, mejor consíguete un sombrero para pasarlo cuando cantes por dinero porque el dinero no se gana con cantar al menos eso siempre dijo mi papá y desde el cielo se escucha una segunda voz siempre que tomo mi guitarra siento que cantamos los dos así entendí con la música vale vivir coro Canto, paso la vida cantando se me estaba olvidando, ya ves... que esto sí puedo hacer bien Canto, toda una vida cantando el tiempo se ha pasado volando, ya sé lo volvería a hacer Yo no entiendo porque a veces no funciona, porque tanta gente ni siquiera se emociona, sin una esperanza, viven si ilusión, sin una canción, que venga de un pobre corazón lo único que quise hacer era cantar y así pueda hacer a alguien más feliz Coro hay una canción dentro de mí ... que se asoma entre la esquina de mis labios hay una canción escrita en mi. hay una canción dentro de mí que se asoma entre la esquina de mis labios que aunque no pueda cantar sigue saliendo que aunque no pueda decir... sabes que es para tí Coro

Creativitity and life

Sometimes we want to be creative, with our families, children, our business, and of course our life as artists.  Sometimes we feel stuck.  We have to be patient with ourselves.  There are some basic rutines that help us do that.  We first have to stop, listen to our inner voice (not our beliefs, we can do without those) but "that voice sometimes forgotten" the voice of the instinct. the little voice 'that knows'.  We all have that voice but we seldom listen.  Stop the running  around and the worrying.  Take some time to meditate.  Write your questions.... to whom?  To the universe!  To God!  Write your inquiries, your doubts, then take sometime to listen to the answers.  We have the answers around us most of the times, but with all the noise in our mind we don't listen.  I know I do that a lot of times.  I personally have learn that to be creative in my life I have had to stop, look and listen (yes, just like when a train is coming)  Answers come different ways.  Sometimes like 'coincidences' (I think it is synchronicity).  Sometimes it does not happen in a short period of time like we would like it to, but if we wait and listen the answers come and their fruits last for LONG PERIODS OF TIME.  It is worth the wait.

I want to quote the daily meditation  for today from the book THE ARTIST WAY.  This is a beautiful book that helps creative people in those moments they feel stuck.  I highly recommend it!

"Growth is an erratic forward movement:  two steps forward, one step back.  Remember that and be very gentle with yourself.  A creative recovery is a healing process.  You may slide backward.  This is normal.  Creativity ocurs in spurts.  You will lie dormant sometimes.  DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED.
Think of it as resting.  Very often, a week of insights will be followed by a week of sluggishness. " The Artist Way

I am happy to remind myself of this as I share it with you.

Going to fast

Slow down and enjoy life.  It is not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
Eddie Cantor

Well.... I started my year officially today...  So I also started doing what I usually do:..Hurry and worry about everything about this WHOLE year.  That is a LOT to worry about.  I am often very hard on myself and often have pushed myself to my limits.  I read recently in The Artist way by Julia Cameron that being very demanding and very hard of yourself is artistic abuse.  That made me think a lot.  I have been abusing myself in that respect for a long time.  For some reason reading this phrase made me realize that I have to be gentle with me.  Of course all that rush and all that self demand is fear.  I have to stop a lot of times, breath and remember that all is well.  I literally start to do everything slower and without thinking of the results.  By doing this everything around me appears to be in a whole different dimension, the dimension of the present.

So this morning I started a painting with no particular goal in mind.  Kind of a warm up.  Started to relax.  To my surprise it came out very nice. It looked like I could do something with it.  I do not know yet.  Hurrying and worrying does not make my work better...on the contrary.

I am going to be much more gentle with me.  More loving.

So this morning before I started to paint I took some minutes to read a daily meditation of the Artist Way, it quoted amongst other inspiring sentences;   Marathon runners suggest you log ten slow miles for every fast one. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR CREATIVITY.

I affirm that I will take the proper time to do whatever I have to do.  It will be fair to me, gentle to my soul and it will also nurture my creativity.

I will mention The Artist Way frequently in this blog.  Highly recommend reading.

Your comments on this are very welcome

Be your own

To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer is to have kept your soul alive.
Robert L Stevenson

Every time you don't follow your inner guidance you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness.
Shakti Gawain

Sometimes we feel it is safe to do what others are doing, so that somehow we know that we are not going to fail.  Instead of creating  we start trying to please everybody and we loose ourselves in the process. Whoever started what everybody is doing is the true genius in this chain of making.  The creative genius who started what everybody is imitating did it from a place of true creation, out of real conviction, enthusiasm and inspiration.  All of these come from our higher self.  When authenticity happens it comes from that place of the soul where there is not room for comparison or pleasure of the ego.  It happens because it is coming from the vital energy, from the source.

I am going to be creating from my heart.  I will try to establish connection with others through my paintings.  I decide to do my work simple and authentic rather than elaborated to please.  In the process I may not please everybody, maybe even I will please just myself.  My creations will have the intention of connecting my soul with the soul of others.

When we work to please others, we create from fear, from the ego
When we create from our hearts, we create from our higher selves

That is Art
Abundance will follow if we create with faith

Please feel free to comment on this...!

imagination

Everything you can imagine is real." 
— Pablo Picasso


IMAGINATION - MIND 
Mind and common sense can be the biggest enemies of our creativity and imagination...


Echart Tolle always talks about the mind (thought, beliefs) like the main enemy to the being (I will be refereing to Echart Tolle continuously in this blog).  Fear exists in our mind.  It has a lot of limits.  It can limit our own being narrowing our spiritual growth.  The mind is full of beliefs, a lot of these are negative beliefs we have inherited from parents, school, etc.   Common sense also limits ourselves.  Although common sense is imperative for survival and functioning in the world, also limit our performance to the acceptable by others.


Imagination knows no boundaries.  Creativity knows no boundaries.  imagination and creativity come from within, from the place where our true being exists.  It is an energy that knows no limitation since it comes from the divine.


When we are painting, or performing any art, the mind stay behind, I am referring to true creation.  When we are painting for instance, and our mind is telling us for instance:  "this has to sell"  "This should please such person or such situation" "I hope they like me better if this work pleases them", etc, our performance is not coming from our higher self, is coming from our ego, the one energy that feeds on acceptance of others and RESIDES IN OUR MIND.


I am willing to create from that place in me where my imagination reigns, where there is infinite connection to my spirit and not my mind.


When I enter this universal cycle, abundance generated from my art will be part of the natural  harvest.  I will paint, write, sculpt, etc in a no mind- meditative state.  No judgment, no destine to my creation....just do it.  This is a simple but intense practice.  It has worked for me.


A lot of things will sell and others will not.  I have found out that usually what is mostly liked is what I have created from my deeper being.  That is when you are really connecting with others.   I have certainly sold paintings that emerged from my mind or from pure a commercial idea.  That is Ok too.  I am trying not to judge myself.  However in my journey of painting through life my intention is of higher fulfillment.


When I paint from my ego it is a painting
when I paint from my soul is ART 


WHAT YOU THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MY.  LET'S WALK THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER.  PLEASE SHARE!


Patricia

imagination

Everything you can imagine is real." 
— Pablo Picasso