January 2024 – Animated Spirit

I took this photo at the top of the mountains in Switzerland but we don’t need to go this far to find rest. Nature almost anywhere can bring great peace and rest to our souls.

“This is very important— to take leisure time. Pace is the essence. Without stopping entirely and doing nothing at all for great periods, you’re gonna lose everything… just to do nothing at all, very, very important. And how many people do this in modern society? Very few. That’s why they’re all totally mad, frustrated, angry and hateful.” — Charles Bukowski, Writer

As a counterbalance to our previous discussion on work, I’d like to talk about rest. I don’t think we can overestimate the value and power of good solid rest. I don’t mean sleep, or vacations, or laying around playing video games or going to a party as a relief or reward from hard work, but the genuine cessation of activity; doing nothing.

To me, rest means silence; a silence and easing of the mind and body. There’s no direction at all. it’s about NOT being guided by goals, memories or thoughts of any kind. It reconfirms an approach to life — an approach to each moment — with the attitude of “I don’t know” which humbles us, empties our minds and opens our hearts.

If you don’t know what to do, you do nothing… then inwardly you are completely silent.” — J. Krishnamurti, Orator

Sincere and genuine rest also means time alone to be with oneself and oneself only. To hear a different language — one not limited to the one-dimensional and time-bound nature of verbal language but one that’s multidimensional. It’s an opportunity to communicate within the self and to trust the signals deep inside us. Signals which, ever so strangely, connect us with forces beyond our understanding, the big picture that we can’t quite see. I can’t think of a more countering action to all the noise and superficiality of our modern technological society than this kind of re-alignment. It strenghtens the soul.

“The strongest men are the most alone.” — Ibsen, Playwright

Personally, I find try to find rest (silence) at least once daily — via meditation usually — just to be quiet, not thinking and to look, smell, hear and feel things around me. I might do this for 15 mins or 2 hours, but I find duration isn’t so much the key. Rather, it’s the complete letting go of things that makes all the difference. Our sensory acuity sharpens in the silence.

“Silence is so accurate.” ― Mark Rothko, Painter

At other times, I take my reprieve informally, like going for a walk by the ocean or even just sitting in my studio staring at (listening to) my painting, without commentary. I let things speak to me and the unknown, well, it finds me.

“Only in the stillness of detachment can the soul yield up her secrets.” — Elsa Barker, Poet

One thing I have learned with creative maturity is that, when I don’t take heed to silence and rest, I’m never quite right; I fall prey to frustration and increase my rate of reactive (poor) behaviour. It’s as if only this kind of deep beautiful rest can ever ground me and cleanse me of the wrongs in my life. This silent “nothingness” makes me a better artist and a better human on this earth — it’s a bridge to possibilities.

“It takes a lot of time to be a genius. You have to sit around so much, doing nothing, really doing nothing.” — Gertrude Stein, Writer

The studio space of sculptor Henry Moore looks like a welcoming place for play and genuine exploration of all things important.

I love to work. Most people dread it. As artists, it’s a tragedy to turn work into drudgery. Hence it’s wise to be reminded of the value of creative work besides the obviousness of sustaining a living. Today, I leave it primarily to the words of others to make some critical points clear:

On work connecting us to action (thus giving it meaning):

“You resume your silent conversation with the work. This is a two-way process: you create the work and then you respond to it. The work can inspire, surprise, and shock you… The solitary act of making art involves intense, wordless dialogue”. — Stephen Batchelor, Writer

On work being a reminder to play:

“Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order” — Samuel Beckett, Playwright

On work being a declaration of independence and authenticity:

“Once you have chosen your part, abide by it, do not reconcile yourself with the world.” — Emerson, Philosopher

On work challenging us to overcome insecurity:

“Will you make artwork, and do something that we have to do not knowing how it will work out?” — Agnes Martin, Painter

On work revealing truths:

“Creative work is a lie detector.” — Jeanette Winterson, Writer

On work being a lifelong practice:

Work helps prevent one from getting old. I, for one, cannot dream of retiring. Not now or ever. Retire? The word is alien and the idea inconceivable to me… one’s work should be a salute to life.” — Pablo Casels, Musician

On work helping to reset priorities:

“The artist is the sole authority of his work; only weak artists seek external acceptance and authorization. Only shallow artists seek recognition, as the confrontation with one’s own existential boundary does not call for external or social recognition.” — Pallasmaa, Architect

On work keeping us capable:

” A talent grows by being used, and withers if it is not used.” — May Carton, Poet

On work keeping us sane:

“Creativity is on the side of health — it isn’t the thing that drives us mad; it is the capacity in us that tries to save us from madness.” — Jeanette Winterson

On work’s value to perception and understanding reality:

“The more I work, the more I see things differently; that is, everything gains in grandeur every day, becomes more and more unknown, more and more beautiful. The closer I come, the grander it is, the more remote it is.” — Giacometti, Sculptor

On work challenging us to do what we really want to do: