The other day I took the picture above on a cold day. Capturing the blossom before the snow came later that day.  I could have passed it by, and just noticed it but I wanted to hang on to it somehow, so I took a picture.

If you are a regular here, you may have noticed that I have not been posting here as much on the blog in the last little while.  I have indeed been busy with my Dream Dialogues Dreamers sharing and learning from this wonderful group of brave jouneyers.

I have begun and not finished several posts.

I have been pondering what that has been all about.   Usually when I write my posts they just flow out of me, I inspire myself- really.  What I have noticed lately is that I can’t seem to write past a certain point.  As I am writing this I am actually not sure where this is going, but hey it’s the creative process right? So let’s just go with the flow (which I admit may be full of contrasting currents and trains of thoughts at the moment).  I have been exploring other creative avenues and outlets and as a result my writing of posts has been suffering.  Perhaps it is because when I write posts (with the exception of Week-End Reflection) where I explain a concept or share ideas, it has not been appealing to me of late.  Even on my other blog I seem to be taking a hiatus.  But don’t read that the wrong way mind you, there is a lot still happening.

In my line of work I feel it is important to go within, explore my inner world through the process of art making, journaling and sitting with what is.  Sometimes this is hard to do.  It’s almost like I feel an obligation to explain through words what it all means.  When I feel a pull to share however, it is not through words.  When I bare witness to others I tend to do this quietly.

The other week while taking the public transit I saw and ad for a new book called  “Quiet: the Power of Introverts” and had an “Ah ha” moment.  Perhaps this is why I was drawn to the practice of Art Therapy.  Sometimes there is so much talk, explaining things away that we forget to sit with what is, and what is doesn’t have to have an explanation.  It just is.

In making art we process meaning on a different level.  There is no need for words (with the exception of poetry where words are often used metaphorically or to convey imagery).  This is not always easy in a world where talking, chatting, tweeting, posting, commenting, texting are the “norm”.

In the Dream Dialogues e-course I am currently running, this is demonstrated so clearly for me in the forum.  Those who share their dreams are not looking for answers outside themselves, explanations of what their dreams mean. They share so that “what is” can be witnessed, acknowledged, faced.  The process of sharing, of making art is often enough, even without the journaling through words.

Although I know many adults prefer to talk it out, I’m more child-like that way, or at least I am trying to be.  The children I work with in expressive arts therapy don’t often explain verbally what is going on for them. When they do it is just enough, not over explained.

I myself have always been more on the quiet side.  This doesn’t mean I am not in my head.  That is a work in progress.  What it means to me is that sometimes I am too much in my head thinking, worrying, deconstructing, instead of allowing.  So I guess these past few weeks I have been allowing things to unfold as they will.

Getting out of my head and into what is looks like this for me:

art journaling

planting seeds

gardening

painting

cleaning up around the house

taking photographs of anything that looks remotely interesting

dancing

It’s an organic process.

As I said earlier, there is still a lot going on.  I am visualizing about an Art Therapy retreat I hope to give down the line in Ontario (Canada).  I have set a date for a live workshop for Painting With Your Muse here in Toronto.  I am getting excited about delving into 21 Secrets hosted by Dirty Footprints Studio.

What is it that you are allowing?