Allisons Backyard Art - The Power of Now

"The whole essence of Zen consists in walking along the razor's edge of Now - to be so utterly, so completely present that no problem, no suffering, nothing that is not who you are in your essence, can survive in you. In the Now, in the absence of time, all your problems dissolve. Suffering needs time; it cannot survive in the Now," states author Eckhart Tolle author of "The Power of Now."

I know for a fact that Eckhart's statement is true. Living 100% in the present moment should be easy, right? His whole book basically states how most of us live in the past or the future instead of the present. Why is living in the present so powerful? Because - as you look around you right now - everything is fine. You haven't projected your thoughts somewhere in the past or the future.

Any type of creative person - because they are creating something individual - and putting it "out there" for criticism - is subject to projection. As creatives, there is no separation of who we are and what we create - because we are what we create. In the creative's case, there is no subterfuge! What you see is what you get! The creative wears their feelings on their sleeves - because there basically is no "protection" between what we say we are and what we are! If you're a writer, if I read your book, I know what you're all about. The same is true for an artist, musician - or any creative. It's all "out there" to be judged.

I think that's why so many of my personal creative friends find it "difficult" to paint on site. I used to regularly paint on Sundays at the Grand Bohemian Hotel's art gallery in downtown Orlando. It was great fun to paint in the gallery space and have a chance to interact with all the visitors. One word of caution here, it is NOT for the faint of heart! Anyone can say anything - as they can when you hang your cherished artwork on any exhibit space. The difference here is I'm right there listening to it. I'm not removed from the comments. There is no where for me to go to distance myself from a comment that I might perceive to be disturbing.

The one really good thing (MANY great things came from this experience) that I learned is - people will say whatever pops into their head. They are coming from another place - someplace far, far away and me and my painting are a new experience for them, as they are to me.

I learned to embrace whatever they said as part of the experience. Many, many times their comments forced me to examine my own thoughts.

One time a little girl, all dressed up in her Sunday best came into the gallery with her parents. I was painting one of my landscapes. I'm guessing she was about 11 years old at the time. Her parents approached me and told me their daughter LOVED to draw! So, I picked up one of my brushes and gave it to her and told her what to do on the painting. The parents stepped back and said, Oh, are you sure you want to do that?" I said, "Absolutely!" So she painted the area, with such care and trepidation, and did a great job! I told her to stand back and take a look and she was amazed! It disappeared seamlessly into the painting! It was THE best experience for both of us!

We both were caught up in the amazing NOW where miracles happen. I left her brush strokes untouched in the painting and the painting was infused with her energy and painting style. She left filled with the potential of the creative spirit.

It all happened in the one place that it CAN happen - in the present moment. So, EMBRACE the present moment - no matter how scary it seems to be - you can face anything in the Now.