Stepping out…

Well friends, I’ve done it. I stepped into the blogging world and out of my Cancerian shell. A couple of people have been encouraging (dare I say shoving) me to do it. A lot of my own inner voice, God, best authentic self (whatever you want to call it), has been begging me to step out of my hiding spot and into a place where I can bridge my passions; art, the unconscious, and reflections / attractions on this spiritual voyage.

This blog is dedicated to reflections and projections; the inner journey into outer manifestation! The process of spiritual self-actualization through my specific journey, trials, and art expression. It’s funny where our messages in life show up. Sitting in Sunday school with my daughter, of course in complete distraction because she is learning about God, not me, I heard the minister speak about showing up for a relationship with God. That He can guide us on our way! Until we show up to receive, we will not be supported! The words hung with me for a while as I realized, while sitting there, that I was being called out! Im not showing up! Im not showing up for my daughter and role-modeling, I’m not showing up for myself in presence, and Im not showing up for the people / life that awaits when I pay attention to the mental chatter in my head that is distracting and pulling me in a million different directions.

How many times do we pull back out of fear? Out of shame? Out of fear of being exposed as a fraud or out of fear of vulnerability? Art expression is one of those areas that elicit anxiety for most artists; the oscillation between ‘I love it” and “I hate it” happens so automatically. A place where self-judgment rears its ugly face, yet artists express over and over again. We – they – can’t help it! It’s something that needs to be born, expressed, said out loud, and explored. True artists show up for themselves and their art. They follow blindly, being led by their creative intuition, daring to be different and NOT so trendy. Yet, they second-guess, try, fail, and continue to put themselves out there.

So, I am learning to show up. On a minute by minute basis, I am being asked to shed the cloak of fear and hesitation. Every moment, I have a choice. I can run from the life that I want for fear that I can’t “pull it off”, or I can head towards it in small steps, taking risks, and daring to be joyful. If we truly followed the path of self-actualization and continued to shed our conditioned mind, we would be a more vulnerable, fearless, and creative society!

This piece of art is symbolic of that very process of stepping out. The Blue Heron, on two small thin legs, symbolize self-stability. He doesn’t need a large foundation to feel secure. Contemplative, a lone hunter, yet grande and magnificent, these creatures symbolize determination, expansion of self, self-reliance, and inner security. Im borrowing his strength to step out, stand tall, and look out at the vast horizon towards uncharted territory! I hope you follow me on that journey.

Peace and blessings,

Leah