|
|
|
 |
|
|
WD_141/ 2005
(  Satoshi Kinoshita )
| Series: | Works on paper: Drawings 2 | | Medium: | oilstick on paper | | Size (inches): | 25 x 19.9 | | Size (mm): | 640 x 510 | | Catalog #: | WD_0141 | | Description: | Signed, date and copyright in pencil on the reverse.
"Inner Vision" by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox.
The act of drawing allows the journaler to see in graphic form what was initially-an abstract, almost incomprehensible notion. Explaining in words how you feel when you lose a loved one or when you fall in love is for most of us an impossi- ble task. Words simply can't describe such an experience. But images can-and with a depth that words cannot achieve. Visual journaling has its roots in the early work of Carl Jung, who practiced creating images in his journal every day. He would begin by making small circular drawings in his notebook, which to him seemed to correspond to how he was feeling at that moment. Jung believed these images rose spontaneously out of his instinctual inner world as sacred symbols, to lead him to the voice of his higher self. Fascinated by the results our clients obtained when they drew images of how their emotional reactions felt inside their bodies, we began researching exactly how imagery is perceived by the body and mind. That's when we discovered the extensive work that had been done in the areas of sense perception, split-brain functioning, and body-mind thought transmission. Our own recognition that imagery is a language inherent in each individual was verified by our findings: imagery is the body-mind!s first or primary means of inner communication.
Words are a secondary form of communication-an "outer" method we have invented in order to communicate with each other. As we continued to work with our clients using visual journaling as their principal means of self- expression, we noticed that their imagistic language not only revealed how they felt about experiences or issues in their lives, but also, as they began to understand this language, communicated messages. These messages, it soon became apparent, were not from their rational, logical, conscious minds, but seemed to come from a deeper place-the realm of the subconscious mind, a source of wisdom we all possess but often ignore. That wisdom, we believe, is soul wisdom. Before long, our clients began asking us to offer visual-journaling workshops where they could gath- er with others who were doing journal drawings, share the results, and discuss what their inner imagery was teaching them. Consequently, over the last five years we have been conducting visual-journaling workshops for an ever-growing number of participants. Most people who have come into these workshops have not yet left. They keep taking the workshop over and over again. They all tell us the same thing: without visual journaling, they would lose touch with who they are on the inside, that connection to their souls- a connection that keeps them walking their rightful path.
Journaling with words is the most common method people use to record their thoughts and experiences. Unfortunately, words, which are a left-brain function, can make it extremely difficult to get into our core feelings, because the left side of the brain is not an experiencer of our feelings, it is an interpreter.
~
Ideally, your journaling space should be a place that allows you to be undisturbed during the time you set aside for this work. Constant interrup- tions can prevent you from achieving the focus and concentration that are essential to the visual-iournaling process. In addition, the location you select needs to be a place where you can feel safe, protected, nurtured, and at peace. Ideally, your work space should be away from the hustle and bustle of family or housemates. It should offer privacy and some degree of seclusion, so you can leave your journal and art materials out where they will be undisturbed and ready for your next session. Your journaling space does not have to be an area used exclusively for this process; it can be as simple as a cor- ner of your bedroom or a shady spot under a tree in your yard. Where you do your work is not as important as the feeling it imparts. Have fun as you set up your jour- naling space, but be aware that you are setting a stage. Walking onto that stage will transform you into another state of being, just as an actor is transformed when the curtain goes up. So make sure that when you choose your space and the things you put in intuition.
It you create an environment that fosters introspection and self-discovery. One of our journalers likes to have a special music tape playing that is meant to transport the listener out of ordinary space and time. Another person always brings a vase of fresh flow- ers to her space, while still another folds handmade paper into cups to hold the paint or sand she uses in her work. Take time to think about what is important to you and what would help you to become more deeply immersed in your own inner world. Fill your space with things that envelop your senses, for it is through the senses that your emotions flow, and it is through your emotions that the soul speaks.
Note: Although it is extremely gratifying to have a special place to do your journaling work, it is not absolutely essential. One of our work- shop participants has a sales job that requires a good bit of traveling, so she bought herself a 5-by-7-inch jour- nal book that she keeps in her purse. That way she can work on her journal drawings whenever she has a little extra time-whether waiting in her car or in a hotel room. Now you are ready to begin the four basic steps in the visual-journal- ing process. These steps are fairly simple in concept, yet essential in practice.
STEP ONE: Setting a Clear Intention Before each visual-journaling session, it is important to set an intention that describes what you want from the experience. An intention designates a purpose, reason, or goal for what you plan to do. When your mind sets a focused intention, it sends your body a message that there is a clear objec- tive behind the actions you are about to undertake. Your body in turn responds to that message. Setting an intention also combats the interfer- ence or resistance that often arises when we challenge-ourselves to go beyond our conscious thoughts and judgments. Formulating the words to reflect your intention and writing so them down on your journal page before you begin drawing sets up a structure for each journaling session. Setting an intention can take many forms. It can be as simple as closing your eyes and reviewing the events of the day (if you journal in the evening). If you journal in the morning, you may want to reflect on how you feel at that moment or on feelings that are still with you from the previous day. As you focus on some emotion or event, your intention may then become a verbal statement that you write down on the top of the journal page. These are some examples of intentions that our visual journalers have used for their own drawings: I intend to conduct With thefefling Of tension in my stomach. I intend to be open to tvbatwer images want to move through me. My intention is to understand the sudden mood swing I am experiencing. I intend to draw the joy and peace I bave been feeling lately. I feel timid as I start this process, I intend to find out wbat the source of that timidity is and draw it. My intention is to clarify my feelings about myfiance. Intentions can also be set through ceremony and ritual. For one woman we know, part of the preparation in setting an intention includes lighting a candle and taking a series of deep breaths. She then writes down her intention, which is always the same: to connect with that sacred part of herself from which she receives soul wisdom. She then affirms, out loud, a desire to be guided by what she refers to as "the Spirit that moves through all things." If you want to use such an affirmation but the word Spirit doesn't suit you, you can substitute God, the Source, Buddha, the Great Goddess, or other words that are more closely attuned to your own beliefs. When you use this type of spiritual affirma- tion, you reinforce the idea that all creation is really a co-creation, a union between yourself and a higher power. Where you write your intention in your journaling book is up to you. Some people prefer to write it on the page preceding the one on which they draw. Others write it on the back of their drawing page. We do suggest that you write your intention somewhere near your drawing so you will know what your drawing was , about should you go back and look at it later on. So if you are ready, close your eyes, take a deep, calming breath, and ask yourself what your intention should be for this practice journal entry. Now relax and take a little time to allow the answer to come to you. Fear not, it will. Then when you know what your intention is, write it down in your journal.
STEP TWO: Quieting the Mind To get in touch with the feelings and emotions through which your soul-voice flows, you must disconnect from your thoughts and quiet the mind. Most of us experience our thoughts as a kind of mind chatter that blocks our ability to feel what is happening inside the body. Only by connecting with your body can you access your emotions and the images associated with them, because every emotion is expressed as a physical sensation, and every physical sensation has a corre- sponding image association. Body-centered awareness is a tech- nique that allows you to shift atten- tion away from your mind and into a particular part of your body through breathing and simple guided visualiza- tion. This exercise facilitates what we all do naturally when we stub a toe or feel an itch: our attention is instantly drawn to a precise spot on the body. Take a few minutes to read through the directions that follow, and then try it for yourself. You may even want to read the directions into a tape recorder and play them back to take yourself through each step. Exercise in Body-Centered Awareness o Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Take three long, slow, deep breaths and exhale, concentrating your attention on the rise
STEP THREE: Seeing witb Your Inner Eye Now breathe normally, and as you do, allow your awareness to move away from your breathing. Let it drift, toward any place in your body that draws your attention. It could be a place where you feel tension or dis- comfort, or one that feels particularly relaxed and comfortable. If you find that you are not drawn anywhere in particular, just allow your awareness to move to your heart or any other place in your body where you wouic like to be more present. a As your awareness enters that space, focus on that part of your body. What does it feel like to be there? Can you imagine what this part of your body looks like on the inside? Quieting the mind through body-centered awareness brings you to the state of being where you can begin to see with your inner eye. . We all have the ability to see with our inner eye. We visualize images when we daydream and when we dream at night. We also visualize images every time we think a thought or feel a feeling. For most of us, these inner images go unnoticed. Our early conditioning teaches us to bypass imagistic sensations and rely on left , rain, verbal interpretations of our feelings. But occasionally these imagistic messages break through our automatically screening process in the form of, an intuitive hunch. Think back to the last time you had an internal signal that told you something was about to happen. Was it a flash of an image or a kind of picture impression in your mind's eye? That's an inner message coming through.
In Step Three, you imagine what the feeling sensation you were focusing on in the previous exercise (quieting the mind) would look like if it were an image. That image might be recognizable, such as a mountain, a face, or a rocking chair. Or it could be totally abstract, like a squiggly line or a circle with slashes of color spilling out of it. It doesn't matter what it is or how it looks or if anyone else knows what you are trying to draw. As long as you know what your image represents, that is all you need. Exercise inguided Visualization , Close your eyes once again, take several deep breaths, and focus your attention on your body by feeling the rise and fall of your chest. Once you feel connected to your body, allow your awareness to go back into that body part where your attention was drawn in the previous exercise. Focus on the physical sensation in that part of your body. - Imagine what this sensation might look like if it were an image. If an image doesn't come to you, either as a vision or an idea, then just imagine what colors and shapes or forms would best express it.
STEP FOUR.- Drawng Your Inner Images This final step will show you how to express your body-mind's inner imagery as a drawing. It combines steps Two and Three. With your journal in front of you, open to the page on which you wrote your intention. Close your eyes again and imagine the image you visualized in Step Three, or the colors and shapes that would best express the feeling sensation you are experiencing in your body. Now open your eyes and draw the image or shapes and colors. Be careful not to judge what you see or sense as you draw. If judg- ment starts to interfere while you are drawing, close your eyes again, get back in touch with your body and your visualization, then open your eyes and continue to draw. 62 If you still sense yourself being crit- ical or questioning the meaning of your colors or images, draw with your nondominant hand. That will make it impossible for you to be concerned about what your drawing looks like, which in itself will shift you back into the nonjudgmental right side of your brain. Once you have completed the drawing-your first visual-journal entry-place your journal on the floor or prop it up on a table or chair, and study it for a while. Then read through the questions that follow. These questions are designed to help you see what your images and colors might mean. As you read through each question, allow yourself to respond intuitively-that is, trust the first response that comes to you. Don't think about it. Don't mull it over. Just answer each question hon- estly and spontaneously. No one will ever have to see your answers, so let the truth fly. Only you can know what your drawings mean. So trust yourself to know the answers to these questions. Write them on the same page where you wrote your intention.
1. As you look at your drawing, how does it make you feel?
2. What does this drawing tell you about how you feel emotionally?
For example, if the colors are dark and cold, could you be feeling alone and isolated or shut down emotionally?
If the image you drew is frightening, is there something you are afraid of?
If your drawing is playful and bright, is it telling you that you are feeling happy and full of fun?
3. How do the colors make you feel?
4.Is there anything in your drawing that disturbs you?
If so, what? Write a few sentences in your journal about how or why this part disturbs you.
5. What do you like best about your drawing?
Write a few sentences about how this part makes you feet.
6. What have you learned from this drawing about what you feel?
7. Are these emotions related to a particular current issue or concern?
If so, what is it? S. Does knowing what you feel about this issue or concern help you, deal with it?
If so, how?
One point that is important to understand when you begin to express an emotion through your journal drawings is that you don't always have to resolve the issue that creates it. Often just the act of getting in touch with how something really feels inside your body-rather than how you think it feels-and expressing it, is enough to offer a sense of relief. It is also tremendously freeing to express an emotion without having to deal with the critical judgment of the left brain. The right brain simply accepts our experiences and the emotions accompanying them as valid and necessary. You can also begin to converse with your images, to ask questions and receive answers. Sometimes the answers will come in the form of quick, direct responses at other times they may be entwined in a story, poem, allegory, or fable. All you need to do is think of a question you would like to ask either your images or the drawing itself. Write,that question in your journal. Then simply close your eyes and allow yourself to remain totally open and receptive as you wait for a response. It will come in the form of an intuitive thought or notion. If you are like most people, you may hear a little voice in your head actually saying the answer. However, we constantly have to encourage our journal workshop par- ticipants to trust the first response they receive, and to resist the urge to second-guess it.
Exercise in Dialoguing witb Your Images Write the first question from the list below on the journal page opposite your drawing. Close your eyes and imagine that each image is coming alive. Now focus on the drawing or the specific part of the drawing to which you posed your question, and imagine what it would say in response. Do this with each of the questions listed. Feel free to improvise, chang- ing or adding your own questions as you go along.
1. Ask your drawing what it is trying to tell you about yourself or your life through its images, forms, and colors.
2. Pick one image-something that attracts your attention either posi- tively or negatively-and ask it what it is doing in your drawing.
3. Select another image, color, or form. Ask the same questions as the two above until you have clialogued with every part of your drawing.
4. Look at each answer. If it feels important, you can go deeper by ask- ing for more clarity or insight.
If you would like to explore the possibility of a relationship between the messages you received and any other present or past circumstances of your life, then the following questions may help you:
1. At what other time in your life have you had a feeling or emotion that was similar to the one you expressed in this drawing?
2. What life trends or personal behaviors do you sense may be related to the message you received?
3. Is there a particular response to any of the questions you have already asked that might apply to a current situation?
4. Is there a particular response that might apply to a past situation? If so, how?
5. What have you learned from this drawing that may relate to who you are or who you are meant to be?
As you attempt to go beyond the surface meaning of your drawings responses into a potentially deeper one, try to see the images as a guiding force, a pilot light that warms your heart and accesses the energy of life itself. When these messages from feel like an earth-shattering "Ah-ha!", you you have completely fullest meaning.
-people.hofstra.edu/faculty/joan_s_bloomgarden/intuition1.htm
| | | send price request |
|
|
|
|
|
Gallery opening
500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1820 (Between 42nd and 43rd)
...
|
|
more
|
|
