Hi beautiful Butterfly,
In this blogpost I go deeper into the meaning of the spreads I have been sharing throughout the month of October for the A Layer A Day challenge. If you would like to have more insight in the how's, I invite you to join us for a hang out.
October was the month of Black and White for the A Layer A Day art journaling challenge. And for many of us it was a stretch out of our comfort zone to walk away from colors for a moment. But you only realize what you are missing the moment you lose it, right? Then end of the month did hold a little celebration thanks to that!
Week 39: black and white
Between black and white there is... so many shades of grey. That was the theme of the live youtube demo during the first prompt. Warm grey, cold grey, neutral grey etc.
These were perfect to reflect on my then state of mind, which felt very black and white. Yes, it is a coping mechanism.
Playing with the greys on the paper allowed me to open up to all the ways of being in between the two extremes of thinking. My ways of beings and those of others, which directly impact me.
Week 40: black hole
My black hole can be to be totally sucked up by social media (instagram, youtube,...) some periods. Everytime that happens, I realize that instead of relaxing, I'm actually dissociating. A way to not hear what my mind and heart have to say...
Being aware of it allows me to shift those periods into solar eclipses instead of black holes. What thought, feeling or emotion am I hiding from? Often it takes a moment before I realize I need to come back to that question, yet when I do, it is always a moment of growth and deeper connection with myself.
Week 41: white out
I so missed using colors at this point. Like real colors all over! But that was the point, to stretch ourselves just a bit further before coming back to comfort.
One of the questions I asked during the live prompt is: what blinds you? Being in an atmospheric white out that is how you feel... blinded.
I focussed on a couple of new insights I've had lately. Although the moment these insight hit, they feel like a total blizzard, completely blinding, I am so happy they are coming to be. Once they dissolve and the light and color is allowed to shine again, that is when it feels like this horizon you have known since forever has so much more depth to it than you thought.
Week 42: color!
Finally. It felt like celebrating breathing. Simple as that. So of course I had to add bubbles, as an expression of airbubbles, of happiness. I never thought of my art journaling as a very colorfull happening until this spread. So even after years of practicing mindful art journaling on a very regular basis I still discover things about my voice, my needs and my happy places. Looking at this spread, that is all that comes to mind, the reminder that 'after all this time...? Always.'
In all of those spreads, the deeper connection is a recurrent theme. How have you been experiencing deeper connection in your art journal sweet Butterfly?
Now if you are not yet playing along with us and the A Layer A Day challenge, there is no better time to start than NOW. Join us on the forum, connect with like minded people while putting down A Layer A Day... in a mindful way.
🦋😘