Looking for Peace? Try Surrender

This month I am following along with Oprah’s podcast version of Super Soul Sunday. She and Eckhart Tolle are discussing his book “A New Earth” chapter by chapter. I have had so many wonderful moments of clarity rereading this book. Today I really understood surrender and peace.

Many years ago when I had younger children and did a lot of volunteering at their school and at church I was often tired, busy and dissatisfied. One afternoon while driving home from a painting class I was taking, I clearly heard the word “surrender.” It was not Morgan Freeman but it was commanding enough that I immediately began sobbing as I was driving. I knew that the word meant for me to surrender all the busyness, fear, doubt - surrender it all and paint.

At that time in my life I was pretty conflicted. I was in deep with all my volunteer commitments. My children needed my hands on attention and I was not yet ready to surrender and paint. That message, along with many others through the years, has haunted me. Even as I tried to push those feelings and urges down, always in the back of my head there is some part of me that knows I will never be happy until I surrender.

Since my double-hip replacement in January, I have been forced to slow down and surrender to my recovery. The hip replacement has given me the luxury of slowing down and taking more personal time for things other than errands. This morning was day two of breaking out the oil paints (after nine months of part-time art journaling) and getting back into a routine.

I did not know what I was going to paint or even if I had a spare canvas. I just knew I needed to paint. Luckily, I found an old half painted canvas, a reference photo and I went to town. It didn’t take long but when I was finished I sat back and felt at peace.

This reminded me of what I have been reading in “A New Earth.” In chapter two Eckhart Tolle references resistance as an inner contraction, a state of being closed up. When you are in that state nothing good can come to you. When you open up and surrender a new dimension of consciousness opens up. Instead of closing yourself off and fighting against life you will be in alignment with that creative intelligence that animates the universe. He says “you will rest in the peace and stillness that comes with surrender, you rest in God.”

This also brings to mind Steven Pressfield’s book “The War of Art.” He describes overcoming resistance and surrendering to your inner urge to create like slaying a dragon –everyday. After you slay the dragon there is peace in the kingdom but each day brings a new dragon.

Today after I finished my little rooster painting I had that wonderful feeling of peace. Jesus described it as the peace that passes all understanding. I know it won’t last but each day that I choose to surrender to my art I know that I will be rewarded with peace.

Peace is a powerful reason to do something. More powerful and meaningful than Instagram likes, followers, or a vague dream of making money. Those are the outward, ego demands we put on the ephemeral process of making art.

Tomorrow is another opportunity to practice surrendering again. I will try it, how about you? What brings you peace? Do you have something in your life that calls you to surrender to it? It doesn’t have to be painting or anything related to art. The Creative Intelligence that animates this world operates in endless ways.

Beth

Are You Wise or Clever?

My latest painting is about Wisdom, yes Wisdom with a capital W. Lately in the world I feel we are sorrily lacking it. I was recently inspired by Oprah's Super Soul podcast interview of Joan Chittister. Quoting Wikipedia "Joan Chittister is a Benedictine nun and an author and international speaker on subjects of spirituality, peace, religious life, and justice for all people, especially women and the poor." I was struck by so many things she said that I listened to it twice, back to back.  I particularly resonated with something she said regarding wisdom.

Paraphrasing Chittister: Because our society does not produce anything we have kept our young people out of the workforce by extending their education. We use retirement to get the older people out. Just when people are at their smartest, we quit asking them questions and essentially throw them away. We train our young to get ahead our middle aged to be consumers and our elderly to be silent. And, we wonder why our culture is obsessed with looks, tech gadgets and capitalistic growth. 

What we are missing and desperately need is the Wisdom! We've abandoned prosperity for capitalism and growth. It is not good for our souls or the planet. We are lost. We need the Wisdom teachers to show us how to find our way back! 

So I am putting out the call to you - our teachers, those that have been around the block. We don't need Facebook rants or more editorializing news reports - we need deep thinkers. Our media (social and otherwise) moves so fast that many thoughts and ideas don't scratch the surface. That is why Wisdom is more important now than ever. 

I am calling on those who have, through life experience, gained the wisdom to give us real guidance and solutions, not just opinions. Be silent no more. I, for one, am ready to listen. Wisdom Warriors and contemplatives, your thoughts will bring about our highest change. Perhaps one day we'll all find out -maybe just maybe- you are the pyshic glue holding this whole thing together. 

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Do you think society has marginalized the older generations in the name of growth and consumerism? Or do you think our salvation lies in the hope and energy of the young? Maybe it's a mix? Continue the conversation by leaving a comment and letting me know what you think. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! If you have more time I recommend listening to the referenced Podcast, Joan Chittister is thought provoking, hopeful and Wise.

Today, I am wishing for you the luxury of time needed and the space and peace to be thoughtful! 
Until next time, Beth :-)

• LInk to Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Podcast interviewing Joan Chittister, O.S.B 
You can also search Oprah's Super Soul Sunday If you have iTunes on your phone or iPad. 
• Link to Joan Chittister's webpage

A note about the symbolism of this painting:
The main image in this painting is the Barn owl. From the Egyptians to the Native Americans the owl has long been a powerful symbol in many cultures.The ancient greeks used the owl as an attribute of Athena the goddess of learning. They also used owls to guard the parthenon.  Beatrix Potter, A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh), J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and many more authors continue to reference and associate owls with magic, mystery and wisdom. 
The full moon represents the constant and dependable cycles of aging, going from new to full to darkness each month. The constellation in the upper right part of the canvas is Virgo. In astrologic mythology it was believed that this constellation was actually the last God to live with humans. This constellation and symbol of Virgo was associated with a renewal of culture in Renaissance times. 
This painting speaks to the interconnectedness of wisdom, cycles of aging and heavenly enlightenment.