How to Live Art Everyday Part 2

At the midpoint of the Art Everyday Month Challenge, I am both delighted and humbled. There were moments this week where it took real choosing to create beauty, ease and art with life...especially when I was very busy, tired and tempted to reactivity and survival chemistry. Though every time I choose to live my life as art, my mood lightens and I feel my commitment to my essential values.

That is what creating art does for me...kicks a log in my fire of divine love!
Here are some nuggets from the week in review:

Day 8: The Art Of Simplicity After a juicy, fun filled day of friendship, intuitive consults, family time, and all kinds of details in the marketplace, I snuggled in bed with four 4x5 postcards and a pencil. Simple- 4 line drawings, before dissolving into dream time. Turns out these wee pieces captured potent energy, and really nourished my soul. It doesn't take much. As the Bhagavad Gita says, about the path of yoga, "Even a little of this practice will shelter you from great sorrow."

Day 9: The Art of Going with the Flow Though a long to-do list met me in the morning, I looked at my journal and line drawings and knew the agenda was out the door. Today (unlike yesterday), I would make Art Everyday my first priority. I sprawled out with bright brush pens, layered papers, wrote haiku, adorned and framed each line drawing. Each was written for and since given to 3 precious peeps in my life. Later, going with the flow, found Talia and I sharing a picnic and romp at Sabino Creek all afternoon. I also shifted my evening city plans as the flow led me to a sweet mountain sunset with the hubs and snuggling our cutie to bed together. Following the current of energy, and letting go of agendas once in a while is golden.

Day 10: The Art of Shopping I am not a fan of shopping. Though I love quality, groovy, functional goods and gear, consumer madness, is cuckoo. Today, however, I set out to create an art form. I was a stealth, zen shopper. I was on a mission. And a fruitful, affordable and fun one it was! Here are my art of shopping pointers:

1. Have a list- yet be open to surprise purchases.
   
2. Get only what you *love* and need.
3. Welcome bargains (second hand can be first rate).
   
4. Have fun.
   
5. Get in, get out.

Day 11: The Art of Chanting I am a big fan of singing Kirtan and devotionals. Every week, right here in Tucson, over 150 folks from Tucson gather to sing Global Chants together. We sing songs and prayers from the Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Sufi, Native American, Buddhist and Goddess traditions and more. I love that we are all a totally diverse cross section of humanity. We are mixed in age, gender, ethnicity, size, color and background. Yet we all have in common a sweet, singing devotional heart. I love attending with Kenya and Talia. We sit in the inner concentric circle, surrounded by guitars, drums, harmonium, violin, shakers and bells. Tonight Talia danced in the center, until flopping into my lap and falling asleep to the lullaby of a Sanskrit chant.

Day 12: The Art of Zenjoyment (a word I created and use often). This day, (and all weekend solo with Talia as hubs was out of town) cross referenced with The Art of Least Resistance, The Art of Non Reactivity, and The Art of Patience. I chose to practice Zenjoyment all weekend, saying yes to life, letting go thoroughly to the moment, being wildly grateful for my experience, no matter what.

Day 13: The Art of Altars Creating a little (or big) space, here and there to welcome, honor and remember the divine is a gift you give yourself and your family. It doesn't matter if that place is where you meditate or on your kitchen counter. Adorned with fresh flowers, images of family, divine archtypes, sentimental trinkets, beautiful elements of nature, seasonal goodies, candles, and more, nurturing this space is a way to nourish ourselves. Today, I cleaned and cleared my kitchen altar. It is fresh with a trinity of Kwan Yin, Mary Magdalene and Lakshmi, with offerings of pumpkin, mesquite pods and eucalyptus. Everyday, I light a candle and some incense here and notice I immediately slow down, breathe more deeply, and relax into love.

Day 14: the Art of Sabbath A day of rest and worship...who couldn't use one? As Rumi wrote, "There are a hundred ways to kneel and kiss the Earth." Whether in the church of the great outdoors, your home, a spiritual service, solo or with others, taking a Sabbath day is a loving, sane practice, and truly an art given our fast paced culture. I love unplugging, enjoying time in prayer, and communion, savoring unhurried 'down' time that is focused on connection. Today, we did just that, all day long! Yes! A sweet exhale of gratitude.

How about you? How did you create art everyday, in big or small ways this week? I would love to know. Please remember to post your comments on the Blog itself. Use the "comment" link/space at the end of each post. Hitting "reply" to your "emailed" post never gets your comments to me. They are words of wisdom. I want to hear them! May you go out and "Artsper"... prosper too!

In loving Gratitude, G