Saturday, July 19, 2014

Beyond Fear

8 Bits of Wisdom From Neil Gaiman to Graduates on Being a Creator
 
 
Today I don't have any photos of "fearless art" - as that is what I looked up in Google Images.  Instead I found this photo of Neil Gaiman.  In 2012 he addressed the graduating class of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  I guess his speech was pretty fabulous.  Perhaps you graduated that year and heard him speak.  You may enjoy reading the article about it I found on the web...I know I did.
 
The book excerpt I have for you today is from a book titled Beyond Fear; A Toltec Guide to Freedom and Joy - the teachings of Don Miguel Ruiz the author of The Four Agreements (another must read book IMHO).
 
So opening the book this is what I have for you ...
 
     "Always look first for happiness.  Happiness can come only from inside us.  No one can make us happy.  Happiness is an expression of our love coming out of us.  We are not happy because others love us, but because we love them.  The purpose of Toltec training is to convince a person to love herself or himself.  Everything is here so that we may love it, including ourselves.  When our love for ourselves is conditional, our love for others is also conditional.  Through our woundedness, we first deny ourselves love and then we deny it to others.  Therefore, self-love has to be the first goal.  If you have enough self-love, you do not need the love of another person.  You can enter a relationship because you want to do it, not because you need it.  If you are needy, you can be manipulated.  If we are happy, we do not need another person to make us happy.  We share our happiness, not our loneliness.  Self-love makes us lovable.  Others always move toward the person who is a peace with himself or herself."  (pg. 89)

Oh!  I suddenly thought of Peter Max - who I saw at an art show years ago...he was showing his Heart Series.  Here is one of the paintings from that series.

 

 This is how beautiful one heart...your heart is.  Keep it faithfully - then share :)

Wishing you an artful and love filled Saturday ...and every day.

~Alex