Artist's Answers: Are You Ready to Receive?

Call it fate, coincidence or accident. Call it what you want, but it does not change the simple fact. What you think and what you are ready to accept will determine what follows in your life. It is more than karma. It is boundless and all encompassing. Very few of us experience it fully. Some of use comprehend and accept the idea, but do we follow through? Are we ready?

Let me start with a simple example. Like many other artists I happen to possess a library of art books. Some are excellent and are tatty from overuse. Others are barely touched. Then there are all the magazines and e-books about art. I am a voracious reader. You probably are too if you have read this far. I have found that when reading an art book for the second time that I suddenly learn a profound lesson. The flash of realisation. What I missed the first time has become illuminated. I was receptive to the piece of knowledge and I can now apply it. My art in turn will benefit. This process happens almost every time I read a book over again. Pick up an old art book and see for yourself. Receptivity - the answer revealed itself when I needed it most and when I was open to it. This is not an accident.

To be receptive to circumstances or information requires intentional thought. We need to focus our energies and want something to bring it about. We have to believe that the answer will present itself and to do this we must have trust ourselves. Why trust? I suspect that without trust or faith we will never feel worthy of the answer. We may not see it when it is right in front of us. Unworthiness seems like a harsh word. It is, but is it not true? We often just call it self-doubt, but if we doubt ourselves it usually comes from a sense of unworthiness for the good stuff that could happen. Fear of success is perhaps another angle to this condition.

Artists will recognise these issues, but it applies to anything in life that could help us grow. Artists carry the burden of self-doubt from the outset. Even successful artists wrestle with this issue. How we measure success will very likely point to our issues. Lets be honest - if you are "measuring your success" you are trying to overcome self-doubt. I know this about myself too. It could be the number of paintings sold, whether a gallery will represent you, the number of blog readers or whatever. The creativity is not enough when you carry these issues.
 
Ever wondered why events seems to fall into place when you focus and call for creative solutions to a problem? When you open yourself up to the solutions they tend to happen? Why do strangers you think about happen to call within a day or two bearing an answer? These are not accidents. They are meant to happen and we need to open up to accept the solutions. Do not harbour doubt because a gallery has not called back or a client has passed on a painting. Accept that when you open yourself up to creativity and intuition the solutions will present themselves. They may be right in front of you.
Trust your creativity and focus on it. We are all networked at higher levels than we can imagine.

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