Finding stillness (plus, new art and sketches!)

“I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. / I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down / into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, / how to be idle and blessed” Mary Oliver

How to be idle and blessed.

This phrase is from one of my absolute favorite poems by Mary Oliver (we actually used another line of this poem for our wedding invitations).

When I hear idle and blessed I think of deep rest and day dreaming, of doing an activity that lights you up and clears away the chaos in your mind.

I also think about how I’m most in tune with what I want when I can be inside that stillness for a little while. Are you the same way?

I’ve been craving quiet lately, but there are so many ways to immerse ourselves in quiet beyond taking a nap or sitting in silence.

Stillness emerges when we turn away from the screens and to-do lists to focus on one simple activity that just feels good. Lately my activity has been sketching.

Last week I visited a local arboretum with a friend / artist to draw (hi, Lisa!). Simply being outside with pen and paper felt like a salve for my heart and we saw the funkiest sculptures. Here’s me taking them in.

I’m still learning how to draw with a pen / pencil, but the trip was a reminder that everything is new to us until suddenly it isn’t. Everything is new until we take a step outside of our zones to learn, own our inexperience, and put in the work to improve.

I love the early days of learning, as it just takes so much courage to try something you know might be hard for a while. The key is to remember that every challenge dissolves with time. Think back to something you’ve mastered this year, from a new recipe to an exercise routine. The world expands to meet us when we’re ready to move to the next level.

Here are some of my recent sketches:

We had so much fun trying to draw these sculptures. If you’re interested in learning more about them, check out more info here. Also, sleepy cats! I’ve been wishing lately that I could draw animals, so it’s time to put in the work and learn. I put my first little animals in this week’s painting.

I didn’t plan to bring the spirit of stillness into this week’s painting, but it quietly emerged as I painted. I paint rather intuitively, which means I don’t plan out my paintings ahead of time and simply follow what I see and feel in the paint. As the painting came together I began to feel that moment when you’re with someone so beloved that there’s no need for any activity beyond simply being together.

When I was finished this painting I felt sweetness, love, and quiet. I felt the stillness in my mind that brings me back to painting again and again.

What’s helping you find stillness this week?

With love,