5 minute read
Artist of Life, Drawing from Within
by Patti Lightflower
“And the seasons, they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down We’re captive on the carousel of time We can’t return, we can only look Behind, from where we came And go round and round and round, in the circle game.” ~from The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell
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Feeling restless, lethargic and a little irritable of late? You are not alone. People around the world adapting to various stay at home restrictions, due to the virus making its rounds, are also experiencing the mental, emotional and physical symptoms of Cabin Fever and Stir Crazy.
Being somewhat of an introvert with lots of books and craft supplies I was at first a little elated with the chance to spend time alone, eat and sleep as I pleased and not worry about having to make myself or my space presentable while creative projects dominated flat surfaces wherever found. But as the weeks have turned to months and now a whole year these activities have less of a shiny object appeal, and it is an effort to start or finish something.
So, I investigated what it means to have Cabin Fever and feel Stir Crazy. Professionals seem to agree that these are not real illnesses but behaviors and moods as a result of long-term confinement. Stir actually originated as a nickname for prison in the 1800’s in London. The term Cabin Fever originated during the same century in the US with pioneers spending long periods of time stuck in a cabin mostly alone or with a few family members.
Now a couple hundred years later we are giving these phrases whole new meaning and adding to their history. Thankfully, there are remedies and help available. There is a cure for it.
The hardest part of just about everything is just getting started, taking that first step. Sometimes the soul needs a jump start. An opportunity arrived with a request to make a mandala and as the ideas rolled around in my mind, I found myself choosing between a traditional round mandala, a sea turtle which is a mascot for this magazine, or a lotus flower. Each was fitting. The circle representing the cycles repeating, the sea turtle teaching us patience and to enjoy the journey, and the lotus which rises from mud with its blossom opening to display delicate pure petals. As you can see, I decided upon the sea turtle. Sea turtle teaches us many of the things that are helpful to manage our Cabin Fever and Stir Crazy symptoms such as patience, enjoying the journey, and persistence.
Stitching with a variety of threads I have collected over the years, I realized some of the silk threads were around a hundred years old. I wondered if this piece I make will survive time and be in someone’s collection a century from now. I like that other’s women’s thread collections have been added to mine and I will cycle them and mine forward. It is a circle game.
Below are a few suggestions to overcome the effects of long-term solitude and confinement.
1) Try to stick to a routine so that time doesn’t become a blur. Schedule activities on your calendar that you would like to work on. Make lists of things you would like to get done.
2) Make sure you eat nourishing meals and avoid nibbling all day and night on snacks. It is easy to think
we are hungry when we are just bored. If nibbling is your style, then be sure to have healthy choices.
3) Exercise is so important. One, for keeping us fit and flexible, but also our lymphatic system moves when we do. It helps move toxins from our bodies.
4) If the walls feel like they are closing in, you could:
“Draw a window on the wall to remind you of the sun. To remind you of the rain that taps. To remind you of the sunset that makes you smile. To remind you of the moonlight that sneaks in your room. To remind you of the snow that covers the world.” (from “A Room Without a Window” by Yoko Ono)
You could also add artwork that gives you the feeling of open space. Craft shops have small window frames to paint your own scenery if you do not want to paint a window on the wall.
5) Strive to be patient and compassionate. Put yourself in others shoes when you are wanting to release some of that pent up steam and pressure. As much as I now cringe hearing people say….” we’re all in this together”, we are. Be kind, to others and to yourself.
Bio for Patti Lightflower: I have always enjoyed working with textiles. As a child I watched my grandmother turn colorful cotton feed bags into play clothes. I designed and made dresses for my dolls from scraps of fabric and shoes for them from orange peels, which I pretended were leather. I’ve attended art classes at the University of Cincinnati in the 70’s and have studied with textile artists at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, as well as with many other professionals in their studios over the years. My long-time passion has been the study of hands along with their owners, being creative and expressing my artistic side allows for manifesting something tangible whereas reading hands is more esoteric.
Patti Lightflower can be contacted at pattilightflower 2@gmail.com and more information can be found at her website: https://www.ireadhands.com/ Enlightenment – Incredibly Easy! Many paths lead people along the long road to enlightenment – when one overcomes the difficulties of negativity in the world of duality. At the conclusion of the journey participants experience nothing but line Sound (& Color) Healing School. Jill presents new ways of approaching health and everyday issues using the benefits of sound and color! Free music & School of Sound Healing at www.jillswingsoflight.com
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