My soul is filled by...
I wrote it down in the margin of the pad I was taking notes on, because it struck me so significantly.
It occurred to me that I did not really know how to complete that sentence. Not that day.
It's an interesting and necessary concept for me....this filling of one's soul...because I believe that all of us are creative people, and that creativity is drawn, like water from a well, from your soul. Granted, it's difficult to make water appear in a dry well, but your soul can be filled up again when it goes dry, if you just allow it to happen. How? By paying attention and being present to what and who you are, and how you live your life, and to the million little things that go on during the day around you.
Be present.
Be mindful.
Observation can bring knowledge and insight when you need it most. But I think the hardest thing is for us to be still and listen and see and just be.
So I realized, over the course of spending time with creative people and going to classes and learning things and trying new thing out and experiencing new ways of thinking and seeing, that MY soul is indeed filled, too.
Not by treating patients, as my friend's is, but by the act of creating.
I think I've known this for some time, but I tried so hard to narrow it down. Creating? Just creating? Why couldn't my soul be filled by a specific thing, like flameworking, or making jewelry, or baking bread, or sewing? I do all those things; why doesn't ONE stand out?
Well, because it's ALL of those acts together that replenish me. I live my life as a large creative event, I've noticed, and if I actually am mindful of what I am doing, it can ALL fill my soul.
Elusive, this knowledge of self, isn't it?
Kind of like the Green Man here, hiding in the oaks....
So.....how is your soul filled?
6 comments:
Christine - I needed this post today! Love that "Green Man"!
Christine, this was so poetic. I love the idea that we all have the deep well within us. I think that some people feel that those who exhibit more creative tendencies have it and they don't. I agree that it just runs dry. But the key is finding that which can fill your soul up. Thank you for your eloquence.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Christine, I have been out of town for 2 weeks and you hit the nail on the head. I can't wait to get back to my creating. I also thrive with a diverse number of ways to create. I can't narrow the field to just one and why should I? thanks for sharing- you help to fill my soul with your insights. Love the green man!!!
HI Christine...thank you for expressing my very thoughts - and describing them so eloquently. I have to agree it's hard to narrow down just one soul-filling way in which I love to create. I find it in many different ways and I know it when I'm doing it. :-)
Your green man is amazing, how'd ya do that??! :-)
Cindy
What a thought provoking post! I love the analogy to the well, so true. I agree that creativity takes on many forms in our everyday lives and truly is fulfilling!
This is such an awesome post. I'm going to have to write "My soul is filled by..." on a sticky note and put it by my computer, to remind myself to think of something each day.
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