Thursday, January 6, 2011

embracing those dark nights.. [sharing the JOY Thursday]

dark nights is sharing my JOY?.. yes, for me it is.. I think i have finally got to a place where I can actually accept that these times are part of me.. and that they are actually quite perfectly normal for many.. Thomas Moore and his 'Care of the Soul' has helped me understand this.

yesterday, I took myself out for lunch. THE book tucked under my arm, a pen and a note pad.. I ordered pumpkin soup [no salt please] and a chai latte on soy and I sat. by myself. and read... and as I read, I saw images in my mind that I knew i must journal.

after lunch.. I hurried home to get the images down onto paper..

[my journal page - not quite like i saw it in my mind.. but it never is.] The image at the top right hand corner was inspired by this: Paper bag painting.


[my journal title page..for 2011 - anything I put into my yearly journal has an uncanny knack of coming true. of manifesting. my very own wish book]

I could say that actually sitting down and creating my journal pages was full of JOY too.. it was.

I
slow down.
meditate.
pray. breathe slowly.
be in the present moment.

I am silent

and surely all of that is JOY?

...to the soul, the most minute details and the most ordinary activities, carried out with mindfullness and art, have an effect far beyond their apparent insignificance.
Quote from CARE OF THE SOUL...Thomas Moore


15 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I am happy for your joy! Your 2011 journal title page is gorgeous!

mxtodis123 said...

Care of the Soul was an excellent book. The darkness has always been my time...ever since I was a child. I used to sit up in bed and play with my paper dolls by the moonlight. I love the quiet of night. Living in the city, it offers me a great reprieve from the busyness of the day.
Mary

Holly said...

I am beginning more and more to understand, as I told my step daughter, who lives her life from one crisis to the next as though her hair was on fire and leaves you breathless like this run on sentence. "We think that manifesting our desires is hard. In fact, it turns out to be very simple. The hard work is not in the manifesting, but in become authentic and listening to what we truly need vs. what our ego tells us we want."

Joy to you!

C said...

what a beautiful journal (wish book) you are creating.............. magical........... enjoy your quiet times x x x happy new year xxx

rebecca said...

first off....
love your new blog home "look"...your white rosary in the old baking tin, the sepia toned bird cage...with the door OPEN, the bird, freely flying.
there is peace here before my eyes even begin to take in your words.
love your jOy here, the sharing, revealing.
love love love your small free form painting, oh to see just that, larger!

i feel we are all stepping outside of ourselves, sharing the journey, revealing and supporting growth in each other every step of the way!

thank you for your hand in mine.

Sheila said...

I haven't journalled for some years now. Perhaps I should start doing it again. Especially if it helps things Happen..!
hugs
xx

Anonymous said...

I think for me Robyn, my nights would not be dark, but I hold the hand of others who find themselves in this place who feel sometimes the sad joy of sucumbing to "what is".
It is humbling. It all takes courage. I am learning. Me, who always prided herself on being so strong find I am quite easily moved to tears with others hefty challenges.
Love and blessings to you - so happy you are finding joy in quiet, an having fun journalling!xxx

Tinker said...

The new year always makes me feel a little more introspective, though so far this year, I've been 'running about' too much to give into the feeling. Seeing yours reminds me I need to make time to do this - break out my sketchbook and journal. Your journal pages are lovely, Robyn.
(My pages seldom end up looking the way I envisioned them too. But then sometimes I like them better than what I'd planned...)
xox

gma said...

Your journal IS joyful! Love your words and the images you have added. It is amazing when you reflect upon your pages they manifest in your life.

Meri said...

Where should I start? I join you in your connection with Dark Nights of the Soul. It is profound and beautifully written. There is so much creative power in the darkness, if we can let ourselves abide there without trying to escape. It can be terrifying sometimes though, especially when it seems as if the light is gone forever.

Your journal pages are beautiful, hopeful, inspiring. I suspect there are rays of light in your darkness these days. Joy in the darkness!

(Rebecca's right -- the blog decor is marvelous.)

Anonymous said...

Great pages !!! I wish I was that creative. I start out with a lot of plans in my head and usually that is what they stay, just plans.....
Have a great weekend.

Janet said...

Your journal pages look beautiful. I think that must be your joy shining through.

J C said...

I really like your journal pages Robyn. I have sent you a little something, and let me say if you dont want to use it in it's present form, there is plenty of journal material there. :) xoxoxo

rebecca said...

wondering....as i take in your blog roll.
maybe you or someone can help me. why is it that some blogs on blog rolls have the title of their blog, others also have a picture, some the fist sentence of the new post...

does anyone know how to enable more that just the title of ones blog?

thanks....

rebecca said...

thanks for your lovely visit and for answering my question.
xoxoxooxox,
rebecca

"She seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if she had surprised a butterfly in the Winter woods"
(edith wharton)