Tuesday 25 September 2012

The past should be left behind, where it belongs

We all step into the past every now and then… Something we see, a noise we hear, someone who reminded us of someone else we met before, a song we used to listen to, the toy our child is playing with, the colours of the rainbow…, and our minds get totally engaged in past events and memories.., which is find as long as our perception is positive, but, are we really referring to the past with optimism and joy, without judging our actions, adventures and misadventures?, That is the question…

An aunt of mine has recently passed away, and joyful memories (we used to laugh a lot together!) are flooding my mind gently, bringing me into those moments of the past, we both shared… As I revive those blissful memories, something tells me to embrace life in the present moment and welcome death as eternal life, as I have no doubt that we are infinite beings of light and can never dye…

We should only bring our attention into the past either to create a better present, or to revive events that, not only bring us joy and happiness, but also heal our present life… When we look at the past with doubts, sadness or regrets (we used to be so happy!.., I really enjoyed that job!.., if only I could do that again!.., I was so fit then!..,), we bring negativity into our minds and our energy field, and ultimately into our bodies.. The medical world has reported many times that people's attitude to past events, present experiences or future expectations, influences their perception of health and their quality of life.

A quote from Henry David Thoreau (a complex man of many talents. I like his hair!) comes to mind: He is blessed over all mortals who loses no moment of the passing life in remembering the past”… Mmmmmmmm….. Wouldn’t you agree?

My own conclusion is that the past should be left behind, where it belongs… and this is what I have tried to represent in this painting (watercolour pencils on 200lb Not Paper, 10x8inch)...  
I hope you like it…

Thank you very much for reading my thoughts, however shallow they might be for some.... Thank you, thank you, thank you…

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Aisha

Like for many of you, life can be very hectic sometimes and even our memories play trick on us… I cannot believe I totally forgot to share with you a true story that really touched my soul and made me to reflect on the unfairness of life… Yes, we all wonder every now and then, why some people have such a hard lives and others so easy?!!!!

I read this article in one of those in flight’s magazines; it was titled ‘The last Nomads’, and it was about the annual journey the Morocco’s Berber tribes make to graze their livestock in the Atlas Mountains.. A vanishing way of life in one of the world’s most majestic scenery..
A part from the hard and extraordinary way of living of the nomads (I remember feeling sensitive when being thought at the school), what it really touched my heart was to see the photo of this woman, Aisha, a forty-six year old Berber (yes, forty-six, will you believe it?), who together with her family, her oldest son Mohamed (32) and Said (15) are on a journey they make twice a year to ensure that their animals (usually goats, sheep and camels) get the best land for grazing.. In an average days’ work, Aisha will spent 12 hours trekking across some of Africa’s most daunting terrain… Uuuuuuffffff!... (did I mentioned to you I had a hard day in the office today???)… My goodness me!  Life is really hard for some human beings… How many things do we take for granted now days???? 


As I kept reading, I felt as my soul was linking with Aisha’s and all of a sudden tears begun running down my chicks, I couldn’t understand what was happening, I just kept crying… until a huge peaceful sensation washed my entire body, the tears stopped, and an overwhelming calm invaded my whole being… It was beautiful.., absolutely beautiful feeling… My eyes intuitively closed and visualized a beam of love and light surrounding Aisha… (my eyes still fill with tears just writing about that moment… I cannot tell you how small I felt… humbleness and gratitude have always been part of my life, but every day now I become more conscious of it…)…

After reading the article, all I wanted was to sketch/draw Aisha (inevitably, my interpretation of her is a much younger Aisha) and since I couldn’t finish the little painting (5.5 x 8 inches approx.) while on the plane, I tore off a couple of pages to show you these images..

The article said that Berber nomads like Aisha have been making this migration for some 4,000 years, but Aisha will be the last of her family, and possibly one of the last of her tribe, to do so. (My heart keeps a very special place for Aisha…UUUUHhhhhmmm…if only she would know that someone in the globe is thinking of her right now and has a little painting of her that will be treasured for ever and ever…)..



Once again thank you all for reading my thoughts, I really appreciate it… This journey in intuitive painting and awakening consciousness would have never had begun without you, and cannot possible continue without you either, so stay tune… and, let’s don’t forget:
To keep painting… J J

Thursday 13 September 2012

Thinking

It has been a little while since I have written to you… Time flies, don’t we know?...  Everything goes so fast…, Hhhmmm… Our minds are constantly buzzing with millions of thoughts… All thoughts want to be heard, and each one of them competes for importance…. Arrrgggghhhhh!... We all know we cannot stop thinking…  The reality is that most of our thoughts are not only repetitive and useless, but because of its often negative nature, much of it is also harmful…  If you observe your thoughts you will realise this is true…

The left side of the brain never gives up and keeps nagging our right side for attention… Although, both halves are connected and involved in the thinking process, the left side is believed to be critical and analytical.., It has always something to say and louder… It also believes is the most important of the team…

As often as I can, I try to be attentive to these mental quarrels and I consciously make the shift to my right side of the brain (the creative and intuitive half !!).  By practising shifting the awareness to the right side, I do not intent to neglect the left side, in the contrary, I recognize its noise, but I ignore it, as this is the best way to keep it quiet…  Nevertheless, sometimes is hard to be so attentive, and I come back to what I have always known best: getting involved in a mental dialogue with my ‘thinking’….arrrggghhhhh!....  But, but, but… wait.., wait…, this time with a difference…  I took a deeply breathe, and consciously stopped the mental dialogue… I observed and acknowledged my thoughts … Then, very calmly, I took my drawing pad, my pencil and some watercolour crayons and very simply said to my left brain: here you are, now, instead of wasting so much energy nagging my head so persistently with staff I do not want to hear, you are going to focus in directing my hand in whatever way the right side brain tells you to go, so we can produce some art here… This will definitely keep you quite... Let’s paint!
And.., guess what? Another one of those magical moments I have mentioned to you before, it happened again… Time lapsed, and I was there, in the zone… I just kept drawing until early hours into the morning, as usual!!…


For me is not only another confirmation of what both halves of the brain can achieve when working together in unison and harmony.., but also, the profound feeling of knowing that I must continue believing in myself (however difficult!)… Trying games like this is fun, please try it yourself, you will be surprised of the results…  We must continue believing in our dreams and enjoying the journey…

My inner thoughts and artistic journey are now being shared with you out there, who are kindly taking your precious time to read my words, and therefore I really hope that between these words each one of you finds at least a bit of inspiration, motivation, courage, tenacity, perseverance.. etc., etc… There are many of us having similar thoughts, concerns, dreams and desires to make it in the artistic world, hence we can all motivate and inspire each other. Isn’t great? 

Let’s remember that the present is here, and the now is very powerful…

Sweet dreams..zzzzzzzzzzz....

(I wrote the above last night but couldn't post it, so while at my lunch break I am posting it now).. Thanks again for reading...x