More than meets the eye

A few short weeks ago I was back in New Mexico helping facilitate an art retreat with my buds, Susan and Terri. One morning Terri and I went out for an early walk on a back road. As the morning sun peeked up from behind the hills, the landscape began to transform. The bright light cast deep shadows, lit up flowering bushes and distant hills, and the colors of the desert emerged.

We were chatting away when a large windmill caught Terri’s eye and we walked down a small road to photograph it. While she planned her shot I waited. Ceasing the talking and crunching on the gravel road seemed to amplify the silence. As I stood there still, I began to notice what else was present… the slow rhythmic ping of the windmill, a bird calling from a distant tree, a dog barking, a lizard scampering, a truck or car moving further up the road. A whole world was happening in that moment. Something about it felt so right. The space seemed to expand. It felt like this was the way this environment wanted to be taken in. Not just in the sights but also in the sounds.

It made me wonder what all would be present if I didn’t always fill up every space with noise, thoughts, distractions, efforts, what comes next… I even thought about my art. What might show up in my paintings if I paid even more attention? What would I hear if I listened more to what my art is telling me when I am making it? What subtle clues would I pick up on?

I think that silence breeds a deep connection to ourselves, to the world around us, and to our art. It focuses us. Creative ideas become louder, and our inner guidance becomes louder. I wonder what would happen if we all spent time in silence, listening.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I promise to be quiet and listen as I read them.