Fierceness & Dragon Wings
Hello beautiful soul,
Today I want to share an unfinished, and probably the weirdest, darkest page in my art journal yet. Are you up for something a bit grungy?
The kids are off school and still in bed, so all is quiet in the house and I've just spent an hour in the studio working on this strange page with a strange story. You see, while I'm all fairies and butterflies at heart, life's current challenges have started to awaken something different and fiercer in me too.
Most photos here are of the page still in progress. Iāve added a picture of the finished page at the end of this post.
The relief of art
Here on my blog and in my classes, I always encourage you to take care of your beautiful heart, express your feelings and emotions, and turn to art in those moments when life just gets too much. Wellā¦ I've no shame in admitting that it's all waaay too much for me right now. I won't share any personal details, but suffice it to say that I'm dealing with a lot of anxiety, and I feel just plain exhausted a lot of the time these days.
I'm getting help, prioritizing self-care and rest, spending time outside in the sunshine, walking and gardening. I also started therapy which, helpful as it is, can't help but stir a whole lot of muddy stuff I thought was safely buried and forgotten deep down and forever. I'm sure many of you can relate.
Awakening my inner dragon
The hidden gift of this hard time and this inner work, is that I'm getting to meet a part of me I didn't really know was there: my inner dragon, the fierce protector of my heart. When all is well, she stays dormant and I like to imagine her curled up in a hazy slumber, her wings softly sparkling. But she's still watching, listening, ready to wake up and roar.
I began this page with a "found poetry" process (I share all about this technique in this class) and the story that emerged felt so confusing at first:
It starts with a girl who's lost and trapped in a dark, rocky cave. She's afraid there might be dragons there, and she feels just so tiny and weak, so helpless, she's almost certain she's going to die, probably crushed or eaten alive. She falls down on her knees and cries. She just surrenders.
And that's when a shift happens. Something deep inside her awakens. From way down below her sobs, deep in her belly, rising up from her heart into her throat, comes a mighty, primal roar. She hears the whoosh of wings unfolding, but that's not a scary dragon coming to eat her. These wings are her own. And with sudden, renewed strength, she opens them wide, and leaps up into the night. She's safe. She's powerful. And she leaves her fears behind, for good this time.
The Finished Page
Hereās what the page looks like after adding some finishing touches, mostly with Posca pen markers:
I'm learning that my inner dragon is the fierce and brave part of my soul that demands respect, and teaches me to prioritize self-respect. She's the guardian of my inner fairy, my inner artist and my inner child. It feels so good to feel her presence, to know she's always in there, in me.
If, like me, you're struggling with your personal life and/or the state of the world at the moment, I want you to know that you are not alone, and I encourage you to turn to art for an extra dose of creative self-care. You'll find a ton of inspiration and free resources on my website, as well as soul-nurturing classes where I'll take you by the hand.
What I'm learning these days, amidst the challenges, is that I'm much stronger than I thought, and I bet you are too.
Light, Love & Fairy Dust,
PS: Iād love for you to leave a comment for me below! Tell me, do you turn to art when youāre feeling down or stressed? Do you have a favorite symbol or animal spirit that feels like it protects you?
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