Ask, Seek, and Knock

A friend of mine, a retired elementary school art teacher and expressive artist, remarked that now she has time to pull books of the shelf and read them. I am doing that, too. For years it seems books have leapt off the shelves when I needed them. The most recent book I read offered these words that “shimmered on the page,” as Christine Valters Paintner of Abbey of the Arts invites us to consider in reading. “Ask, seek, knock” in The Reason for God: Belief in an age of skepticism by Timothy Keller.  And how did this book end up falling off the shelf for me just now?

Trusting

The leaping out of resources started during my divorce in the 80’s when I concluded in the first half of life I thought God had made me bright and set me free…that I trusted myself, my intellect, my persistence, my motivation. Then when divorce took me to my knees I decided to “let go and let God,” the parlance of that time.  When I couldn’t find a file for a lecture, I would just let go and a book would fall of the shelf or some other resource would land on my path, the right quote, the right story, the right illustration.  When I was in despair I would just let go. I went to the Unity church which was very inclusive of a variety of beliefs. I learned to trust my intuition more as that small, still voice and explored who I was in my own right. I meditated, explored guided imagery, and metaphysics. 

I vowed that if divorce took away my ability to trust men, I would have given away too much.

Starting Over

I remarried, took on role of stepmother and blender of families, and moved more into my private practice of traveling as a speaker and writing. I read about spirituality and sexuality. I was drawn to new adventures, longings, bunny trails to traverse…holistic nursing, Sage-ing, the expressive arts. I set intentions and saw marvelous synchronicities respond. Joseph Campbell said if you want something, put it out to the universe, tell everyone you know, (some of us call that prayer) and it will be as if 1000 unseen hands are there to assist you. And so my journey continued, busy, busy, busy.

Asking What’s Next

As I began to explore conscious aging, in my 50’s when I still thought I knew a lot…not as much as in my 20’s…but still a lot, I began to ask, “What’s next?”  I facilitated workshops on Sage-ing and the expressive arts for meaning making. A definition of spiritualty I favor is “meaning making.” I continue to teach nursing electives on self-care through complementary therapies and the expressive arts. I continue to update a nursing text on communications and still ask, “What’s next?”

Pondering the Spiritual and Religious

Two books fell off the shelf, OK they were gifts. A priest friend gave us Jesus: A pilgrimage by James Martin. Our son in 2008 gave us Timothy Keller’s book mentioned above. And so I find myself reading these books and thinking. My son, a Presbyterian minister, and I have started regular dialogue by phone. We read and discuss and ponder together. He says Timothy Keller’s book represents his beliefs and so, finally, I sat down to read it and just finished this morning. I had been called to create a mandorla while reading this, an overlapping of circles in which one makes art in each about 2 opposites, this one on doubt and belief. The center represents where the two overlap. I couldn’t begin it but a friend, expressive artist and Quaker pastor, was visiting and she suggested we do it together. We meet when she is in town and make art together often at a table at a Starbucks. I sent the photo of the art to my son and we will talk about it. Our son is an artist, too, and gifted me with an incredible painting honoring our journey together. And now the words, “Ask, Seek, and Knock,” want to become art. We’ll see.

Below is a sample of a mandorla I created several years ago working with “anxiety” on the left and “trust” on the right. Where the circles met became a safety net which to me represents God.

 

Resources:

Here is the mandorla process from my book Art in Small Spaces: Art at the bedside, a guidebook of 35 processes for self-discovery and wellness. (Available in print or E-book, a pdf file) Email to order: julia@constantsource.com

Process:  Mandorla…working with opposites

Purpose: To offer a unique process for exploring opposites in life or for working toward a resolution of inner conflict

Supplies: Paper with 2 overlapping circles and art supplies of choice for drawing/painting.  Choose paper based on medium you offer. Use a plate or cd to trace circles.

Directions/Language of Invitation: When a client is working with two opposites in his/her life, offer the mandorla. Suggest making a mandala for each opposite and then in the overlapping space, make art of where they meet, the union of the opposites, the resolution of a conflict, the “liminal” space of transformation where they meet. (Mandorla comes from the Italian word for almond, the shape of the overlap in the circles.)

Variations/Special precautions/Lessons learned: Colored pencils or watercolor with a fine brush give control for details but any art materials can be used.  The drawing above illustrates the liminal space but offer 2 complete overlapping circles, without the line breaks.

Processing: Ask the client to tell you about the art. Offer an opportunity to journal about insights arising from the art.            

Visit http://www.kyrie.com/symbols/mandorla.htm