soul expressions – Creative Soul-Journs

SELAH! the art of the pause

Slow-down

This is a common theme that has been trying to worm its way into my life over the last several years. From traffic appearing out of nowhere to roadblocks and cancellations, something in my spirit has been trying to get my attention.

Let’s take the recent Covid-19 experience…for 99.9% of us, this happening has knocked us off our highway, and onto the footpath of life. It has forced us to pause in the midst of our busyness and reassess where our life has been or is going.

For many, the things that used to occupy our minds have changed in favor of other “more important” considerations. Some have changed their business focus (me included), and others have begun to learn that nothing is sure in this life.

Where do you find yourself on this spectrum?

Since this is a Creativity blogpost, let’s talk in creative terms.

My first reaction to this whole pandemic thing was elation that I will finally have the time to create the things that have been milling around in my spirit for some time. Honestly, my days don’t look all that different from what they did before. But…

this pause in the path of my life has served to force me to slow down, re-assess where I was at, and ultimately consider where I wanted to be.

Selah!

The word has been debated by scholars for centuries as to its meaning with considerable dispute, but one thing they do agree on is that when the word appears, the reader is to stop….to pause.

This pause, like many other opportunities in our lives, can either dumbfound us or propel us to new heights. Instead of seeing this time as a curse, instead ask yourself what this pause is an opportunity to do…to change.

Is it your perspective that needs change? Your habits? Maybe you need a change of scenery or plain just need to rest. These are all valid things.

So, in an effort to move forward in wisdom, ask yourself these questions:

What have I been putting off for days, months, even years?

What can I do now that I couldn’t before?

How can I reduce the busyness in my life so that when everything returns to normal, I can move at a more reasonable pace and be more at peace with my schedule?

…and most importantly….

What CREATIVE thing can I engage in to help me to see beauty instead of chaos right now?

Friends let’s start focusing on the positive, and let go of the negative talk that the rest of the world would love to drag you into. It is not serving you, your mind, or even your physical health.

Let’s be the different that this world needs to experience.

Who knows, your creative expression might be exactly what will change not only you, but the world around you.

What are you doing to stay creative during this epic time?

I would love to connect with you! Check out my facebook page on Mondays for some creative inspiration, here at creative faith on Wednesdays for some encouragement, and sign up for our Friday newsletter HERE , you will receive all the updates in one place, and even get some “extras” from time to time.

Take a Pause today my friends…consider what your soul may be telling you!

Peace and Love and Art ~lisa

the in-between moments…

Are you working from home right now?

maybe you find yourself there half-time, full-time, or no-time.

I know this Season has been hard in oh so many ways….and for so many people.

It has never been more important than now to care for our hearts…and CARE DEEPLY! Our personal soul-care is vital to our well being, both mentally and physically. It is from our OVER-FLOW that we are able to affect those around us…hopefully for their good.

When we are emotionally spent – which, haven’t we all been there a bit too often lately? – there is nothing left to give others. Not our families, not our friends….even our work people suffer at the hands of our personal neglect.

But filling up can be a challenge when we are faced with stress, job loss, money shortages …temper shortages. The negative culture around us can affect us so deeply if we allow it to. So I would like you to do something for me….for you….

Find Beauty in an In-Between Moment

Right now in fact… Stand Up and walk to the closest window…

What do you see?

Now look closer – notice something that you hadn’t before. What does it look like? What color is it? How does it move [or not move]? What surrounds it? Is it affected by its surroundings?

Now craft a little story in your head about this noticing.

Tell it’s Story

It doesn’t have to take long. Imagine you are telling a child about this thing. Everything has a story, even inanimate things. How does it look, feel, think.

Imagine the possibilities.

Taking yourself out of the auto-pilot moments of the day, and into creative story, helps you to find beauty in life. This practice can lift your Spirit, and bring you more in-tune with the present moments that you often can’t see because of busyness, obligation, and world view. As you fill up with these, your over-flow will change the culture around you.

Notice the change. It may be very subtle at first, but as you lift, so will the atmosphere.

Somehow we all need to find a disconnect….in order to reconnect – to what’s important, to the natural world around us…to our very Souls.

Take time today to find beauty in the In-Between Moments…

Make it a habit every hour or so. Stretch. Walk. Look. Breathe. Five minutes is all it takes to totally change your perspective. Over time you will begin to see your Spirit lift, your emotions settle, your mood improve, and your Creative Heart begin to soar!

As you transform, so does the world around you….for it’s good

WHAT do you see right now? I would love to hear it! Please leave a comment and encourage the world. We are all in this together my friends!

Don’t forget to share, comment and engage! I would love to connect with you

Peace and Love and Art! ~lisaellen

Creating from Deep Places

I am often asked what it takes to make great art

My first reaction is to say all art is great.

But that is often met with qualifying words of what they think is great.

Making any art in general, is directly related to; learning a process, practice, refining that process, more practice, changing that process to fit your “voice”, even more practice…practice, practice, practice. But even this, although true, is only part of the equation. It’s just the basics of what it takes to make art.

Great art on the other hand, comes from a much deeper place.

GREAT art is part desire, part suffering, a little bit of desperation, and a whole lot of SOUL.

Great art doesn’t just happen, it is born.

So what do I mean by great art….it isn’t what you may think. Sure, the Masters did their fair share of suffering, and created some of the worlds greatest masterpieces. Feeling is evident in the brushstrokes, even love, compassion, curiosity and a desire to know the subject matter more intimately. These are all qualifiers.

But just because you didn’t study under the masters, doesn’t mean that you can’t create a GREAT work of art.

Great creative works aren’t always born by the most gifted person, or even the one who has invested hundreds of hours into a creative piece or practice. It isn’t necessarily the most “beautiful”, or the most expensive, and they aren’t always found in galleries.

Truly Great pieces of Art make people feel.

They bring out emotion, memory and sometimes even tears. They are a culmination of what the artist feels deep inside during the creative process….often mirroring the heart of THE CREATOR, for it is in those deep places of the soul that ours touches HIS.

Heart beating fast, as the bush hits its mark with an accuracy you simply KNOW isn’t yours.

And then there is that one person who sees it and is overcome; sometimes with joy, sometimes with grief – and they experience feelings they often don’t understand. In this moment, that art, that masterpiece, that Truly. Great. Soul-work. is a conduit connecting the Creator to His creation; for that is what we all are, whether we readily acknowledge it or not.

It is a call to recognize that deep place, to “SEE” what only some will choose to see.

In that moment of clarity, all of our questions fall into place, and a knowledge that surpasses understanding finds its way into our souls…into those deeper places where art and creativity are born.

I invite you today to go deeper, to choose to see what is hidden deep inside of you, and to create that Great Work of Art that can touch the souls of others.

I would love to hear how you are connecting to that creative center of your being. What do YOU do to connect to your Creative Soul? Let’s start a conversation….this is a place of safety and love…your feelings mean something to us

with love and creativity ~lisa

Spirit Led: the art of worship

Have you ever experienced that sensation of wonder over something you’ve created? Beauty is upon the page but you aren’t quite sure where it came from.

Words, color, or creative expression evident, but how did it get there?

If you’ve come over today from A Beautiful Life – Welcome! I am so glad you have decided to stop by.

Creativity and art is not everybody’s cup of tea – heck, even self-proclaimed artists sometimes have trouble claiming it. But what do you call that fantastic meal you just created for your hungry family, the enemy slaying prayer that manifested on your lips – making all the difference in someone’s life, or the time carved out of an overly busy schedule to meet the needs of another?

I call it a CREATIVE use of what the CREATOR has given you. It is your worship!

Not everyone will have gifts that fall into the artistic realm. But, we are ALL, each and every one of us, CREATIVE. How can we help it? We have the breath of a creative Eternal within us. We are made in His image, made to reflect who He is. And that reflection is CREATIVE.

As of late, I have been intensely interested in Spirit led art. Are you familiar with it?

It is the practice of allowing the spirit within you guide your thoughts, your hands – your unique expression of creativity.

It is mysterious, invigorating, and enthralling, all rolled up into one.

I love how the spirit connects with its Creator to bring about something deep and unexpected. We can learn so much about ourselves and our Maker by engaging spiritually. The important thing to remember is that it’s not about the end result – it is absolutely about the process.

Here are some ideas to get you started in a spirit led practice, whether you are a writer, photographer, artist, cook, prayer, or creative entrepreneur…we all have that Spirit connection within us that will engage us on a much deeper level, manifesting things we never thought possible. These are just some initial things to try. Ultimately the Spirit will guide you as to how to proceed, but the idea here is to just get started. The more time you take exploring this practice, the closer your spirit will come to the Source and the deeper your outpouring will become. Take five minutes today to explore this, ten tomorrow. …and keep increasing your time to whatever you can afford to do. This is a great practice for right before you work doing whatever it is that you do.

Spirit Lead Me…

Gather a few favorite supplies – limit what you take, this isn’t about exploring new techniques or supplies. Use what you already know so that figuring things out doesn’t factor in. Here are mine: arches hot press watercolor block (small) travel box of watercolors (limited to paynes gray, sepia, burnt orange and raw umber), white and black acrylic inks, 1 piece of willow charcoal, stabilo pencils in black and sepia.
Find your quiet place – this should be somewhere free of distraction. I have to go where the dogs are not J I love their snuggly tendencies, but not while I am forming a spirit connection! This might be in a garden, walking in the woods, or in a room of your abode near a bright window. Your choice – do what works for you. Just make sure that you won’t be disturbed for the set period of time you have chosen to start with. I will be sitting near the big window in my studio today, as it is still quite cold outside.
Engage with creation – The Creator is present within all of His creation. Being immersed in it will help you to visualize being where He is. Bring in some flowers from the garden if you aren’t sitting in it. Branches and pinecones you picked up on a walk works, as well as flowers from the store. Try to surround yourself with anything natural you can gather. I have a terrarium full of things I’ve picked up on walks. Empty robin’s eggs, acorn caps, moss balls, twisted branches. These kinds of things inspire me
Have a backdrop of tunes –Does music inspire you? It does me. Choose something soothing and keep the volume low. Here are some of my personal favorites for this particular type of journey: bethel music, hillsong united, sounds of nature cd’s. These are just to get your soul singing. Sometimes words from the songs will pop vividly into my mind, demanding to be recognized. I often find that these are clues from the Eternal – words just for me. Recognize them, make them heard on your page!
Close your eyes to “SEE” – Sometimes seeing isn’t about the visual world. Sometimes it is about seeing with your heart, with your soul. When my eyes are open, I tend to see what I want to, but when they are closed my heart is much more open to the whisperings of the Spirit. When you close your eyes, what do you hear? Can you see a color? An image? A shape maybe? I often see circles – they find their way into my art a lot! What types of things do you do over and over? Pay attention to them. If you find that it is always the same thing, look up the symbolism of that shape, word, image. Listen to what your Spirit is telling you about it.

Journal what you are learning. After several sessions, you may see a pattern, or discover something new….

Allow the inner to connect with the outer – Whatever you are hearing or seeing during these precious moments, allow that inner voice to move your outer hands in a way that describes what you are hearing or seeing. I know it sounds confusing. I’m often confused during this carved out space in my life. But let your hands give expression to what you feel. Don’t over think it – you are not creating a piece of artwork that you will hang on the wall – yet. In these beginning sessions, it is about learning to listen and respond in whatever way you are compelled to. String lines together…or words. Let what you are experiencing on the inside flow through to the outside. Just let it go! It doesn’t matter what it looks like. It isn’t about anyone seeing what you see – only You and the Creator

Maybe you are sitting in a garden and watching the wind move some dried winter blooms. Video tape them. Watch how they sway. They are responding to the external as well as the internal. They are doing exactly what they were made to do in every stage of their life. They recognize how they were made. They know what to do. They worship with their whole being!

It may be a stretch to think about things this way, but give it a try. Recognize the Creator spirit in all that surrounds you. See the world in a different way and renew your mind.

When we do what we were created to do, our very being becomes worship. Who we are reflects the Spirit of the Creator and shows the incredible glory that He is. This can make our whole life become a beautiful work of art – on or off the canvas.

Keep your heart open to the possibilities, and you will see amazing things!

I hope you are inspired to begin today. Seek the Creator in all of His eternal glory.

Bring about the “ART” you were born to create!

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