cHANGe

Have you ever noticed that the word "HANG" floats inside the word CHANGE?

Something to ponder...I identify with the connection between hanging and changing..

I am not one to embrace change.  You'd think, being the creative type, that I would fling

myself fearlessly into new ventures...confront the unknown with excitement and instant right action!

Not.  (yet?)

When I am faced with changes my tendency is to resist.  Resist...

:to fight against : to try to stop or prevent

: to remain strong against the force or effect of  : to not be affected or harmed

: to prevent yourself from doing something that you want to do

And what does resistance feel like...??  Well, it can sometimes feel like zoning out...avoiding the next right thing..just HANGING there....Honestly I know resisting change feels uncomfortable but I can honestly say that sometimes limbo...hanging...doesn't feel as bad as my imagination tells me a big change may feel...

I recall what I learned about the tarot card "The Hanged Man"...The card represents indecision, pausing, being in limbo...yet when you look at the illustrations describing the Hanged Man, he is usually hanging upside down with a peaceful grin....In other words..he is enjoying limbo!

That's probably insane, I know..and as I follow this train of thought I realize that change is also a LOSS and losses can and do bring pain...thus fear of change can equal fear of loss....and ok..so taking it one step further...fear of change (and thus loss) is ridiculous because to resist change is like trying to tell the sun not to set...

Time to refocus...time to change the direction I am looking in once again...Loss can be another way to say "release"..and release is good..Release worries about changes, about other people, release of old ideas and even old paintings that don't cut it...Ahhhh...a simple change in perspective! 

 Look at his serene face

           This Painting is about CHANGE,

           with a hanging heart   (2008)--------->

Comments

[Jena Nilsen]

Hi Cynthia,
I am a recent Pinterest follower and found my way to your blog via Arts Alliance. I am sitting up in bed on a cool Sunday morning in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, enjoying reading you blog. I am a recent Graduate of Art Therapy having just finished a 3 year Diploma, I am also a practising Ceramic Artist. I have found your blog really engaging and at times very funny and of course inspiring. I really just wanted to say I look forward to reading more in the future. It still blows me away that I can click a few tabs on my iPad and access such creativity and wisdom from individuals anywhere in the world (I am middle age too).
Thank you.
Jena Nilsen