My meditation today was again slightly distracted, but less so. Andy spoke today about considering how our meditation might benefit those around us, those we are in relationship with. Definitely. By having a calmer happier me. By teaching me better listening skills and increasing my compassion. Husband, friends, kids at school.Today I painted Our Lady of Guadaloupe holding an empty bowl. I have always been attracted to the representation of this figure and saved a clipping of her to someday paint. I wanted to try something else on the newspaper before going back to paint color on the chairs to see how it worked. I chose the empty bowl for what she is holding rather than praying hands. A spontaneous decision.
In Zen, an empty bowl is used to describe the state of emptying one’s self, one’s mind, of the things you "know," the things that get in the way of being open to new ways of thinking and being. Often when you allow yourself to be like the empty bowl, you find that many things that were thought to be impossible, actually are possible. This is a perfect image for me for entering into the new year. I want to be open and present to what is at the moment in my life and in my art. I think that I sometimes sabotage myself with my thoughts and attachments to "what I know", and that if I were more like an empty bowl I might be happily surprised.
