Inner Journeying Through Art-Journaling by Marianne Hieb

Author:Marianne Hieb [Marianne Hieb]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Figure 5.1 Sacred images, traditional icons, objects from nature, familiar photos, and art-journalings all can become icons for our contemplative gazing

Your art-journaling reflections, done with humility and intent, and in the presence of the Holy, are vehicles of the sacred in much the same way as are the ritual icon images that bring the mysteries of divinity before our sight. With this understanding, practice gazing at your art-journaling, and allow the space between your gaze and your work to be holy. Listen to any parables revealed through your use of the elements of art. Bring this richness before the inner wisdom that desires to speak through nature and art, through mystery, silence, and darkness.

Noticing

“Notice” is an active, imperative word, a deeply contemplative way of living, a discerning stance, an ongoing awareness of life as it manifests itself, an incarnational spirituality. It is the key to the learning hidden in art-journaling. As we grow in holy noticing, the created world is illumined and reveals its outer and inner wisdom. If you practice contemplative noticing, you may be surprised by the gradual and progressive healing that begins in you. In your relationship with the environment, with others, with your history, with yourself, and with your images of the sacred, you will see with new eyes. You will be led to the revelation of truth, you will be slowed down. Gradually, the forgiving and transforming nature of things will shine forth from their place in Holy Creation.

Seeing creates

When we gaze at something lovingly, our seeing has the potential for creative growth.

We model the divine act of creative gazing as manifested in the creation stories of many spiritual traditions. One of these, the account in the Hebrew book of Genesis, describes how God sees, God names as good, and God calls into life.

This is the creative process at its most essential. Look back at your own art-journaling with those eyes. This divine glance is the way of seeing that art-journalers are invited to employ when they look not just at their own work, but also at their lives and at their fellow travelers. The gaze is non-judgmental in nature. It receives rather than analyzes. It belongs to the essence of contemplation.

Seeing with new eyes

You can experience the power of gazing through a relatively simple two-part exercise.

Go to a magazine, find a photograph of someone whose face appears to be looking at you, and cut it out. Spend some meditative time looking at your new acquaintance with a loving, creative glance; then, draw what that experience felt or looked like. Do some written journaling to focus your meditation.

Then, using the same photograph, shift your gaze into one of disdain and devaluing. Look at that same person and see if you can muster up the power of an uncreative glance. Spend some time with that experience. Draw what that feels like. Do some journaling, first about the drawing, and then about the differences in the look of each reflective drawing. Notice if you were able to

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