Home sweet home.

The Beginning

Woke up this morning and decided it felt right to "start" my mindfulness/creativity practice. It is a gray day and snow is expected. Paul went to work early and I am alone at home which gives me a good quiet and focused time to begin.

I definitely resisted meditation this morning, and thought of the emails I get from "The Voices" which address how everything will try to keep you from getting to the mat (meditation or yoga). I am still sick so when Andy, the meditation guide talked about the breathing aspect of the meditation, I felt like I wasn't "doing it right" because I couldn't breathe through my nose. But I then realized that whatever I was doing was just right, and that it is only awareness that I am trying to connect with, not doing something perfectly and that there is no place for judgement in my meditation practice.

While meditating, the words "Be Here Now" from the Mason Jennings song came to me, and when I got to the art making portion of my practice, I decided to paint a little canvas with those words to be a reminder to me each day. I will keep it on my art table where I can see it. While making my painting I was happily putting paint down, nothing too critical or "wrong" came up about what I was doing. It was fun & relaxing. I thought about the fact that there are many levels of challenge and that I want to try and cover a range of them. I also want to try things I have never tried, so I will make a list of things that I will try. The biggest challenge will probably be a large full face portrait of my husband, which I have always wanted to do.

I also thought I would like to do a solar system, and relief animal portraits for the Junior League show. Cool ideas. This is going to be great.