“A Sensitivity of Connection” by Arena Heidi As most of you know, I have been having lots of problems with Instagram. I have been banned 3 times in 3 different ways. I no longer check my feed, and have been unable to catch up and give likes back except in restrained and isolated ways. I apologize for this inability. I prefer to foster mutual relationships and give ample likes to those who freely support me. Many people I know have had their site banned completely and have had to start over. If this were to happen to me, I'm not sure that I would continue. My plan has been to post less frequently on Instagram, and put my energy into collaborative writing projects instead. There are new things on my website that I will not be posting here. I have 3+ collaborations in the works with Instagram friends. And I fully intend to keep using and promoting the artwork of as many of you as I can in future articles. So many of you here have work that I love and want to use. Always, I wait for the right fit to emerge so that words and images align. I used to begin with art and then let the writing evolve from it, but now I do the opposite. I am moving in the direction of using email instead of Instagram to keep in touch with people. (However, I have yet to actually send out an email!) If I were to get completely banned, I am likely to switch entirely to email. So if you desire to maintain long term contact with me, then subscribe to my site or DM me your email. I also hope to find a good forum for spiritual discussions, and hope to notify folks via email when I find or establish such a place. For those of you following my housing saga, we have not found our home yet. The housing market has gotten sparse here and very few people are selling. The few homes that are available, are snatched up right away by folks and investors from out of state with huge cash reserves. I trust that a path forward for us will appear. These are dark and frightening times on various levels, but always there is spiritual opportunity and hope. I feel grateful for life's abundance. I pray for the wellbeing of those impacted by war, each of you, and our planet as a whole.

Art by Carol Phillips Whitt @theresnopillforthat I used this painting of Carol's (titled: “See What's Important”) for an article that I wrote on Reclaiming Humility and Humanness in Art, Spirituality, Awakening and Life. I feel grateful that The Association for Spiritual Integrity has reposted my article on their website. “The Association for Spiritual Integrity℠ (ASI), a 501(c)(3) charity, was founded in 2018 by Craig Holliday, Jac O’Keeffe and Rick Archer with input from many valuable friends, peers and students along the way. The ASI arose out of a deep need to address the numerous scandals and confusion involving spiritual teachers, their students and communities, over the years. The ASI aims to deepen the conversation and become an evolving force in education so that there is greater integrity and professionalism within the modern spiritual landscape.” I recently discovered and joined the ASI and thought that some of you might be interested in joining and supporting them, too. (If you aren't already familiar with Rick Archer and his interviews of spiritual teachers, I highly recommend that you check him out!) I would be grateful for anyone who goes to the ASI website and reads my article. I also hope to stimulate a bit of discussion there, and would feel doubly blessed if anyone leaves a thoughtful response there instead of here. I have put a direct link in my bio for the next few days. https://www.spiritual-integrity.org/reclaiming-humility-and-humanness-in-art-spirituality-awakening-and-life I chose this painting of Carol's, because it expresses the humble feelings of vulnerability and care that I wanted my article to convey. Carol has an ability to capture both the personal and collective in her imaginative, unusual, and mysterious compositions. Her colorful abstract pieces are composed of forms that almost seem realistic. Similar to the realm of spirit, upon viewing her work I receive impressions of what a piece is about, yet this clarity dissolves as soon as I try to pin it down or grasp it precisely. I appreciate how her art situates and balances the personal within vast unknowns. I hope that you may resonate with her work, too!

Light at the End of the Tunnel by Vic de Chabrier @vic_de_chabrier_art This post is a surprise Valentine's Day and belated birthday present for my sweet soul sister, Vic. We are birthday twins! She turned 35 and I turned 60 two weeks ago. Being on Instagram, allows me to see the joy I receive from uplifting others and making a difference in someone’s life. I feel grateful when many of you recently left beautiful comments for Rachael. @art_transitions_arts_therapy My most popular post has been Heather’s piece. @outsider_birdy It warms my heart that her artwork has been loved even more than my own. This article feels like a sequel to the one that I wrote for her. I hope you will read that one too, if you haven’t already. Anyone who wants to increase my joy, can offer likes to these artists and other hidden angels. It was hard to choose a piece of Vic’s to post because I have so many favorites. I picked this one because it looks like a humble unrecognized angel to me! Vic’s work radiates optimism. I love that her creative whimsical titles match the feeling that each piece portrays. Like a treasure hunt, I wander through her page and discover: Eyes Full of Stars, Path of Gratitude, Waltz of the Black Water Lilies, Doors of Opportunity, Lollipops of Frustration, Eye Wander, Weird and Whimsical World, Village of Eternal Bliss and Happiness, Midnight Watery Slumber, Falling into Routine, and Grandpa's Blueberry Pancakes. I hope that others will take the time to find these hidden gems. This post is also intended as a Valentine's Day gift for anyone who struggles with disability or hardship. Unfortunately, most people tend to look only at the surface of things, and those with afflictions of one kind or another are often stigmatized and judged. Our culture and media often promote lies, and some famous teachers are not as evolved as they appear. For example, a friend of mine worked at a large spiritual retreat center. She would regale me with stories of well known teachers who had an inflated self image. Once off the stage, they would treat the staff with arrogance and disdain, acting nothing like the spiritual masters they were purported to be. (continued below)

Art by Rachael Hannah @art_transitions_arts_therapy and @rachael_hannah_1970 This is part 3 of our collaborative article. www.kindground.org/presence/the-somatic-healing-of-therapeutic-art THE SOMATIC HEALING OF THERAPEUTIC ART Art Connecting Us to Nature and Our True Nature Arena Heidi: I love these two nature drawings that Rachael made highlighting fly agaric mushrooms. I feel a deep affinity for wild mushrooms in general, and this mushroom in particular. Amanita muscaria has been featured in countless myths, visions, and stories. It has hallucinogenic properties, and a long ancient history of use for spiritually and mystically altering consciousness. Mushrooms in general, with their ephemeral beauty and mysterious nature, transport me into a joy of receiving their fleeting presence as an unsolicited blessing and gift. I love the range of textures that Rachael uses to capture the feelings of nature. The images evoke many sensory feelings. I feel the lightness of the dried leaves falling, while grasses and trees offer energetic lines of comfort and protection. I identify with both mushrooms and rabbit, and feel myself drawn into the scenes and comforted. The bunny is vulnerable and innocent, and the image offers support for those qualities and the corresponding parts of myself. Rachael: These two small art pieces were done a long time ago using Ecoline watercolors, Derwent colored pencils, and ink pens. If I remember correctly, they were drawn from photos in a book on England where I was born. I have a strong connection to my homeland, even though I moved to Australia in 1986, when I was 16. I love that these artworks have a whimsical, enchanted fairytale feeling, which connects me back to my childhood. I have a vivid imagination and am able to connect to different realms. Throughout my life I have seen unexplainable things that could only have come through other dimensions. My son, who was born on the same day and time, has also had these kinds of intuitive experiences. I feel this gift was passed down to us from my mother. (continued below)

THE SOMATIC HEALING OF THERAPEUTIC ART www.kindground.org/presence/the-somatic-healing-of-therapeutic-art This is part 2 of an article that I wrote with Rachael Hannah @art_transitions_arts_therapy @rachael_hannah_1970 Landscape of a Settled Perspective Arena Heidi: This is image number 22, from an unplanned series on Drawing into Trauma. Through emotionally expressive mark making, I allow imagery to emerge spontaneously from my subconscious. The first drawings in the series depicted wounds, most of which were composed of unresolved space. I was unsure how to resolve the wounds visually on the paper and emotionally in my body. Yet slowly, and in tandem, both art and body evolved and transformed. Like a visual diary, the artwork captured each small step of somatic healing. This image portrayed one of the first significant shifts, in a long gradual process of integration. The drawing depicts a buried wound that has now risen to the surface. I have learned how to internally support the once neglected and abandoned parts of myself. So the wound now feels fully supported and held in its environment. My inner landscape has become a soft, comforting, and interesting place to rest and receive nurturing. The wound communicates clearly from its settled perspective. Like a crystal ball, it begins to intuit and integrate past and future events. Healing arises both in the making of the art, but also in sharing it with others who need and resonate with its imagery and feeling. As an artist, I always love hearing different interpretations of my work. Another’s perspective adds to and enhances my own understanding. I invited Rachael to offer her perspective and feelings about my piece. Rachael: I immediately loved this image of Arena’s. It feels healing and relaxes me. When I look at it, I get a soothing feeling, which is calming as I sometimes suffer from anxiety. I love how the colors blend, but also define form. I see the birth of a new moon rising in the image, with an aurora that depicts the wavy patterns of light of a magnetic field. (continued below)

Art by Rachael Hannah @art_transitions_arts_therapy and @rachael_hannah_1970 This article (that I have split into 3 posts) is a collaboration with Rachael Hannah Pagett. We wrote the article four months ago and I am happy to finally have the time and energy to share it. It was a pleasure to collaborate with Rachael and our writing process flowed effortlessly. I hope it inspires others to write more about their art. www.kindground.org/presence/the-somatic-healing-of-therapeutic-art THE SOMATIC HEALING OF THERAPEUTIC ART Sometimes art pieces emerge from the subconscious that act upon us in unexpected ways. An image may offer a blueprint or energetic pathway for healing trauma that has been stored in our body. Rachael and I offer our experiences with several pieces of somatic art, which reveal the importance of creative expression and a healing bodily response. Healing for Brain and Body Arena Heidi: Some art pieces have a power to them. They help us to make internal and external connections. I fell in love with this image of Rachael’s the moment I saw it. I knew it contained healing medicine. And furthermore, I needed its medicine! The drawing was the catalyst that brought us together. We began writing about it, before we knew anything about each other. It inspired us to stumble into the gritty details that any collaborative endeavor entails. Rachael: This was a piece of work I did while studying for my Bachelor of Arts Psychotherapy degree. I made this image for my Life Span Development class. It represents how through our brain we have so many emotions that we radiate outwards somatically through our body. The colors represent the different responses. The more I looked at the image, I saw it change into to a fetus, like the birth of a new life connection to our primal brain. When I did the artwork I really enjoyed the process. It felt healing when I embodied the colors. And also how they radiated out from the image around it. I felt the technique had a fluidity about it. Even though I used pen it didn't feel restrained. (continued below)

Presence for Small Things Healing Powerlessness and Despair (This is the second half of the article that I split into two posts. I recommend that you read the previous post first. Or go to: https://www.kindground.org/presence/presence-for-small-things ) Though most of us live preoccupied lives, where a felt experience of this kind of love is hard to access, it really is this simple. Caretaking the smaller parts of ourselves, attunes us to the ways that we belong to and are nurtured by a larger benevolent whole. Presence opens spaciousness, into which grace may more freely manifest. I can affirm that you don’t have to work hard to fix or change anything. Just show up and compassionately acknowledge tender wounds. It is enough. Empathetic attention allows all things to unravel and care for themselves. Each body knows when to rest or fly, when given enough space to be. Simple attentive presence is more powerful than we realize. This is a dark and oppressive time upon our planet. With Covid-19 and the push to implement rapid vaccination, we are simultaneously losing the freedom to choose how we treat and heal our bodies. Knowledge of more benign and less financially lucrative treatment is being suppressed. Regardless of which side of the vaccine issue you fall on, we need to find ways to bridge toward each other and respect our differences. Mandates, coercion, and the loss of choice is a steep and precipitous slope. Whether the agenda is personal or collective, force and manipulation are not kind and beneficial ways to achieve compliance. I offer my experience of working respectfully with body and psyche, without using pressure and force. I hope that we may collectively evolve more empowered approaches to all aspects of our lives. My writing is offered as a prayer, that you may also find empowered ways of being in a controlling world. May your difficulties float buoyantly in the warm waters of presence. May inexplicable grace enter the cracks and broken pieces of any wearisome hardship that you face. May you know and feel that you are deeply valued and loved. (more info about the image and my life is posted in the comment below)

(I recommend reading this article on my website with a computer https://www.kindground.org/presence/presence-for-small-things as I wasn't able to include all of the images and writing here in a way that flowed well. I hope that this will be the beginning of a series of explorations that delve into this challenging subject matter. Healing is an evolving process and not a one time event.) Presence for Small Things Healing Powerlessness and Despair Though I’d done enough inner work that I now felt inwardly safe and supported, my physical body still held a posture of discouragement and despair. So I ventured into exploring bodily spaces where difficult emotions were still firmly entrenched. It was not easy. I felt crazy for choosing to wander into dark issues that had been viscerally internalized since adolescence. Could I handle the unresolved isolation and despair? My body preferred the safety of being slightly curled up in self-protection. Throughout my life my posture had been recalcitrant to change. I’d tried various therapies, but most techniques left me feeling propped up, and my body would soon revert back to its comfortable and familiar posture of subtle collapse. Long haul Covid-19 lung symptoms, were merely the newest installment in a long history of feeling powerless and defeated. My life truly had been a struggle to overcome external obstacles, but I also battled an inner embodied sense that things were just too hard. My previous success with learning an internal language of kindness, encouragement, and presence, gave me the courage to explore this desolate terrain. I was searching for humble ways to cope with and heal a hidden undercurrent of oppression and despair. A dream I’d had nine months previous in March of 2021, foretold of my grappling with and healing portions of this issue. (the article continues in the comments)

I am taking a break from Instagram. And I have no idea how long that break will be. A week? A month? For the winter? I have been aiming to develop quality of followers instead of quantity. And for that I have been more successful than I imagined. Thank you. I feel deeply grateful for your friendship, and for your dedicated following and reading what I write. If I could just focus on you, I would be all set. But so much time goes into trying to determine if someone is a real person instead of a spammer or bot. And then so much time goes into following people who enthusiastically like everything to begin, but then they never look at another post thereafter. Yesterday, in a frenzy to make Instagram manageable, I tried to weed those people out. It took a lot of time, and I think I accidentally removed people who just happened to miss my last few posts. (If you are one of those folks, I will refollow you when I return.) What I would like most, is a way to track readers. I don't even care if people like what I write. I only care that someone reads it, and perhaps uses what I say to clarify their own values and insight. (I wish there was a button for acknowledgement instead of liking.) I am open to suggestions on ways to make Instagram (and life) more manageable. Perhaps periodically taking breaks may be a strategy that will work? This image of black water is by Aga Putra and I found it on unsplash.com. I chose this image because it relates to a powerful dream that I have had. I have published the Rising Black Water dream on my website for anyone interested in reading it. https://www.kindground.org/presence/rising-black-water My blessings and heartfelt prayers for each of you during these dark times (where we are losing freedom of choice). May you and your loved ones be well and inwardly thrive. (Sometimes, just staying alive is accomplishment enough!) I look forward to reconnecting when I return.

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art Part 9 of 9 posts BETWEEN DAY AND NIGHT by Jacek Błoński @jacekblonski.art_and_photo I love this art piece of Jacek's and find it comforting. I have learned to appreciate in-between states, especially the time between sleeping and waking. I love to linger in the realm of slowly dawning consciousness. This half-awake meditative space is useful for accessing insight, creativity, and compassion. I simultaneously hold myself and feel held by expansive consciousness during this nurturing between worlds kind of space. This image captures and transmits the enveloping yet spacious feeling of this healing in-between time. The making of spirit art entails an immersion into undefined realms and portions of reality that are not entirely clear. Rather than offering step by step instructions on how to make spirit art, I recommend letting go of preconceived ideas, and allowing something unplanned to flow through you. Setting aside attachment and agenda, opens the possibility for something unexpected and “other” to emerge. Empower yourself to explore, especially if you feel insecure, inadequate, or lacking in talent. I offer many suggestions below, but just follow the ones that feel right for you. If you freely experiment and try various approaches, eventually something of value will emerge. Tag me with any interesting results of your spirit art making endeavors. I hope to someday write a sequel to this article, and perhaps your art and experience may be relevant and included. (suggestions and tips are in a comment below)

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self Part 8 of 9 posts: https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art (I rewrote this part. If you have seen it before, I hope that you will reread it.) REBIRTH from The Angel Series by Jacek Błoński @jacekblonski.art_and_photo Jacek Błoński is one of my favorite artists due to his nuanced renderings of metaphysical themes. His artwork portrays angels, ancestors, dreams, nightmares, ancient cultures, and in between realms. He renders these hard to convey themes with just the right mix of beauty, feeling, and mystery. Spirit is simply and sensitively conveyed without being overly idealized or sentimentalized. I know little about Jacek, but his sensitivity and attunement emanate through each of his images. The felt sense of presence in his work, transports me into the places and feelings he depicts. His work offers a gateway into a realm of mystery. And in that mystery, I find myself. These are dark times. Each day I wake up and navigate the greed, corruption, manipulation, polarization, and dysfunctional bureaucratic systems that surround me. I wake up and step into the fire of my fear, my rage, my grief, and my determination to make this world a better place. An angel of compassion supports me in this task. The angel is there because I have chosen to step into the fire and chosen to support myself. I have become the angel, simply because I hold myself in my own vulnerable kindness. It is enough. The rebirth happens automatically. I step forward because I am willing to face and receive the fullness and complexity that life offers. Tomorrow, I will wake up and step into the fire again. It is an unceasing process. The peace that I feel today, will not protect me from tomorrow's grief or tomorrow's failure. Each day offers another fire, another experience. I am willing to burn again. The pain is real but so are the blessings. I have discovered that it is worth stepping into the fire of truth and feeling a fullness of life. My fiery struggle to live a life of humility and goodness, illuminates the darkness that surrounds me. The burning light sustains me. It is enough. (continued below)

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self Part 7 of 9 posts on Spirit Art. The entire article may be viewed on my website. https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art THE VISITOR By Lesley Washington @bellasmom4ever and @creativegrieving In the back of my mind while writing about spirit art, I kept thinking about those whose hearts have been broken through profound loss. I wanted to offer hope, and a way for people to connect with loved ones who had crossed over. So when Lesley, who lost her 19-year-old daughter Bella to suicide, posted this painting on Instagram, I immediately knew that I wanted to include it. I occasionally feel the spirit of those who have passed on, typically in the days following their death. But Bella’s spirit is pronounced and strong. Her wild happiness with no longer being encumbered by body and hardship feels contagious. I get chills, and feel her with me, whenever I write about this art piece. Her love and support for her mom is palpable. Lesley told me, “I'm not sure I would use the language of spirit visitation per se, but yes, I feel very connected to Bella when I make art. This painting was very much some form of channeling. I try to let go and release into whatever wants to manifest.” “Letting go and releasing into what wants to manifest” is perfect advice for anyone who wants to channel spirit art. This painting is a beautiful rendition of “spirit visitation”. A feeling of presence is powerfully, yet simply conveyed. I love how “the visitor” merges into and out of sky and sea, like a fleeting apparition bridging between our world and the next.

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self Part 6 of 9 posts on Spirit Art. The entire article may be viewed on my website. https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art SPIRIT GUIDES by Andrea Nehana Christensen @nehanadk I love this painting of Andrea’s for it’s emanation of compassion, wisdom, and kindness. It reminds me that we are spirit, and that spirit moves through us. Spirit is not separate from us, but woven into the fabric of our lives and being. Andrea said, “Artists who make spirit art, work through their essence. Sometimes it is difficult to define what is me and what is spirit. One attracts likeminded energies. It is a merging, where our energies blend.” Many people perceive spirit as higher or more evolved than ourselves. But I think that kind of elevation is a human construct, due to our own perceived limitation. Our essence is spirit, but many remain unaware of the free and powerful nature of their being. We project our hard to own expansive nature onto other humans, or historical religious figures that we deem to be more evolved, more worthy. But the qualities we project onto spiritual figures are facets of our own true nature. I intentionally use collective pronouns, because our essence is one of expansion and unity. Anyone can learn to rest in the unconditional love of their true essence. It is an act of remembering who you are. Years ago, I used to regularly remind myself to “remember the ground of being”. This phrase would bring me into alignment with expansive consciousness in small but significant ways. Now, I tend to work with just relaxing and settling more into my body. Just being here. I place my hands upon any place of discomfort. The simple act of holding and reassuring myself, brings me into a felt sense of empathy and compassion, similar to that which emanates from this painting. With repetition, a simple centered act of presence builds into something more. Our hearts and bodies open to giving and receiving more kindness, and a presence of spirit is strengthened. We feel held in a compassionate ground of being.

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self Part 5 of 9 posts on Spirit Art. The entire article may be viewed on my website. https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art Have you channeled art or intuitive information for others? CROW PORTAL by Andrea Nehana Christensen @nehanadk When one collaborates with others around the topic of spirit, synchronistic signs and connections occur. This painting of Andrea’s was the first synchronicity that I noticed. She posted this image after I had begun writing, long before she knew about Matthew’s crow painting. I had just finished an abstract healing drawing with the same nurturing form as her wing portal. Her painting reminded me that we all have similar gifts, yet the the gifts manifest in ways that are unique to each of us. Andrea told me, “This is a newer piece from this year and I feel it is about protecting life and awareness, how much love is involved in nature. Love is our nature.” For many years, Andrea painted intuitive art pieces for others. Her journey into metaphysical art is a fascinating one. Before she made intuitive paintings, she had been a police officer in Switzerland for 11 years. When I asked her about what it was like to channel art for others, she replied, “the results were very mixed. Sometimes I would get plenty of information and make a great drawing, and sometimes I received almost nothing. I had to learn to accept that some people were not meant to get something, that it was entirely up to spirit. And it also had to do with the openness of person. Some wanted to hear set things and were not really open. So spirit would not offer them anything. I trust spirit for clear energy. I remember a spirit that got killed by a train. In my drawing he had one eye open and one closed. Later, I found out that was how they had found his body!”

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self This is Part 4 of 9 posts on Spirit Art. The entire article may be viewed on my website. https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art Has any of your art predicted the future? EVENING COTTAGE by Matthew Pony @matthewponypayrollbones Matthew said, “I actually lived in a cottage very similar to this a few years after painting it. It’s a prophetic work. Yet, it’s also a ghost cottage that lives in the other realm, full of those who have come and gone. I am in the field of things. We are all in the field. Wandering to and away from shelter. Ghost is soul.” ”Speculate upon anything and everything, and venture into the rabbit hole of things measured. You don’t want to end up haunting yourself. There are ghosts from what was once physical bodies, animals and human. There are ghosts from historical events and remnants of architecture. Archaeology of the present. I always thank and bless the spirits, whether understood or not.” I appreciate the poetry of Matthews description and the haunting simplicity of this piece. With just a few basic colors and forms, a layer of spirit and place has been captured. Attunement to the spirit of a place, is a primary way to begin, for anyone wanting to explore spirit connections. Each building, each landscape, carries an entire ancient history of all that has occurred there. Even when the particular events are unknown, one may receive a felt sense of the history and energy of an area. Atonement and healing for the past wounds of a specific location may be offered. A heartfelt caring for a place, brings healing to land, spirits, and oneself.

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self This is Part 3 of 9 posts on Spirit Art. The entire article may be viewed on my website. https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art CROW FUN CROW by Matthew Pony @matthewponypayrollbones Most of Matthew Pony’s artwork renders spirit. His paintings primarily access the spirit of crows, ponies, and various birds; but landscapes, ghosts, bones and other symbolic elements also work their way in. He paints into the essence of things in a way that feels shamanic. Some of his work is raw and uncomfortable. He willingly enters dark places to heal trauma and restore light. All of us bring to this lifetime talents that we’ve developed in other times and places. Though I have had no significant contact with Native Americans, much of my life is rooted to a sense of being an indigenous person, with deep reverence for the natural world and the inner spirit of things. I sense the same with Matthew. He talks about his art “pursuing the convergence of the unknown. The spiritual is made known through everyday archaeological investigations concerning life and death, with their simultaneous layers of clarity and murkiness. My art is channeled. Things are revealed. I create to heal myself and the world around me.” “Often the physical world will communicate the art of the day. For instance, one morning a crow talked to me. The immediacy of this first distinct sound encounter, brought sharp relief to the visual world. I then brought the sounds of the crow into the art making process.” This painting, with its playful animated presence, captures crow spirit, as simply and freely as a crow’s caw. One may render animal spirit by feeling into its essence and then bridging its spirit with that of one’s own. We each forge meaningful relationships with the natural world. Matthew’s art reveals his affinities. Becoming aware of and attuning to a personal connection with a particular animal, plant, or element, offers a path for healing. These affinities function as conduits, linking us to our own empowerment.

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self This is Part 2 of 9 posts on Spirit Art. The entire article may be viewed on my website. https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art THE GIRL KNOWS THE POWER OF COLOR Five months later, I experienced a transformation of greater freedom and ease with my art. The transformation was ushered in by this drawing and a child spirit who instigated it. I had been unintentionally trying too hard to accurately render my inner life. The effort of listening had become oppressive. A strong and uninhibited child spirit broke through my exertion. She was not afraid to draw outside established lines and boundaries. Fear and conditioning had not corrupted her self-expression. When the piece was finished, she told me it needed more red. So I added more red. Although I sometimes dialogue with and reassure young childlike parts, this encounter felt different. The girl seemed whole and intact, with her own mind and spirit that felt freer than that of my own. After this visitation, I began to draw without trying. I felt like I was cheating because it was too easy. However, my subconscious managed to express itself just fine, with greatly reduced effort upon my part. I do not think that it is important to define or come to conclusions about these kinds of experiences. Spiritual encounters often occur on levels of consciousness beyond our thinking minds. Depending on one’s cultural or personal beliefs, one could interpret the encounter as a type of soul retrieval, a spirit visitation, a child self existing on another plane of reality, or just a clearly defined psychological part. I try to hold beliefs and experiences lightly and openly. I no longer need to elevate or deny these occurrences, as both extremes may lead to limitations or false conclusions about reality. My contact with the child felt other. And yet ironically, the art piece feels even more me than other artwork of mine. I’m learning to remain in the unknown mystery that abounds. A comfort with the unknown engenders freedom and self-discovery.

SPIRIT ART Explorations into Unseen Dimensions of Life and Self https://www.kindground.org/presence/spirit-art We all live multidimensional lives, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. Everyone has untapped potential and access to subtle realms of existence. However, many have a tendency to elevate and glorify these dimensions, or conversely ridicule and judge that which falls outside of a culturally agreed upon reality. I think that both extremes create distortion. Humble explorations into the unknown, without coming to fixed conclusions, allows openness and a sense of balance to flourish. When I was young, I lived for transcendent states of consciousness. I needed those expansive experiences to cope with my heavy suffering. But I have healed enough, to appreciate the value of compassionately being with suffering, without needing to flee from it. Goodness and strength arise from anchoring more expansive states into the ordinariness of humble life. When one’s life and actions are rooted in simplicity, one chops wood, carries water, cooks food, and integrates profound experience. Unseen dimensions are not separate; they bleed into our ordinary states. Anyone can learn to quietly attune to subtle aspects of reality. We are all more expansive than we realize. My artwork reveals unseen parts of myself. I draw freely without preconceived ideas, and something inner and meaningful expresses itself. My work functions like a pictorial inner diary. The unconscious reveals a visual progression of insights that may be retrospectively interpreted like dreams. (Although I stumbled into this form of art making entirely on my own, I later discovered that “automatic drawing” or “automatism” had been popular with Surrealists in the early 20th-century.) A few pieces of mine, unexpectedly tapped into a realm of spirit. I write about these two experiences, and then explore the work of four other artists, whose art delves into the in between realms. The artists represent a range of styles and possibilities for exploring spirit art. I conclude by offering suggestions for those interested in venturing into spirit art making for themselves. continued below

This image represents a simple radiance of light from a humble spacious form. The artwork is included in a piece that I wrote about Wandering in the Spiritual Bardo https://www.kindground.org/presence/wandering-in-the-spiritual-bardo The article recounts the most influential dream that I have had, how it gradually came to manifest, and what I have learned from it over time. (It did not feel right to cut it up and post it here.) I have a deep desire to help others spiritually, and much of my motivation stems from this dream. I feel grateful for those of you who will take the time to read it. I will post the link in my bio for the next day or two. Since my last post, I have been working on an article about Spirit Art. It will include the artwork of 3 or 4 other artists, in addition to that of my own. Writing has been exceptionally slow for me lately. I've been working on relaxing into the natural ripening of endeavors, and reminding myself not to push or work too hard. I have been able to back off of the pushing, but I always work too hard! I try to squeeze as much as I can out of a day. It's a lifelong habitual pattern that was passed down to me. I added more writing to my previous article about Heather Quaine @biko619 https://www.kindground.org/presence/the-challenge-of-living-what-you-see I also included a beautiful video about the William Stafford poem on following a thread, as well as a video from Heather. I have ideas for other articles that will include some of you that I have gotten to know here. I plan to write about the nuances of grief, the art of shame, art as a spiritual practice, the intimacy of failure and success, and more. I feel grateful for meaningful connections and your support. I hope that you manage to stay well and do okay during challenging times.

The Challenge of Living What You See (There are videos and more images that accompany this article on my website: https://www.kindground.org/presence/the-challenge-of-living-what-you-see ) I did not make this drawing, though I wish that I had. It was made by my good friend @biko619 Heather Quaine. The truth is that Heather and I only recently met. I left glowing comments about some of her art pieces, and then asked for permission to write about her work. She then made a short video telling me about her life, saying, “I was just rambling on!” But her video moved me to tears. Even though we barely know each other, a deeper unconscious connection draws us together. I want to honor that unseen felt sense, and the benefit of following this kind of subtle thread. Heather has many art pieces that are deeply attuned to the subconscious — they feel shamanic and healing for me. Similar to the uninhibited art of children, I think that Heather’s work illustrates that anyone has the capacity to make great art. One does not need special skill or training. An open willingness to explore and freely express the self is enough. However, many people have been conditioned to believe the opposite. We have forgotten that unselfconscious naivete makes for great art. Ironically, the art of indigenous people and outsiders, becomes valuable years later; once the maker has been long dead, and the work acquires a degree of antiquity. Unfortunately, those in power typically operate from positions of hierarchy and greed. They control the narratives of what is valuable, while judging and excluding the work of those who lack both power and voice. When one is living under oppressive conditions, making art as an outsider becomes a politically significant act. (The article continues in the following 3 comments)