Dear Painting Friends Worldwide,
Janet Ghio – Quilter
The free wanderings of our minds can be our worst tormentor. … as some of you know. Liberation form the “out of control” , our “inner critic” mind can be our greatest gift in this life, freeing us to be who we came into this life to be. Ah, the bedrock of all spiritual teachings. Yes? And we are always tested to our grave.
I thought I had my mind pretty much under control until….For the past few weeks my youngest son who is father of my 4 year old granddaughter has been going through a stressful divorce and a fight for joint custody. I have witnessed him struggling with his past decisions and behaviors, and watching all his money go to his former wife and lawyers and seeing the trauma the divorce is inflicting on my little granddaughter.
Sometimes my suggestions are helpful to him, sometimes irritating to him. I have noticed that my stress level is affected by how he is feeling … the latest problem or relief in his situation has influenced my mood. Seems no matter how old our children are it feels painful to see them suffer the stings of life. And I understand that the divorce with a small child is triggering memories of my traumatic divorce from his father when this son was just a baby and his brothers were the age of my granddaughter. The irony, the wheel of karma, did not escape me.
Speaking to a woman friend whose son went through a similar experience and how sick and over involved she became, helped me realize how deeply I want to fix my sons situation and helped me remember how all my own teachings and deep spiritual work can spare me this anguish. I am good at keeping a healthy and loving distance with friends, clients and students, but with my sons I forgot.
Also one of the pains of this experience for me was sinking into self blame as a mother and a person. If only I had been a better mother to him, a better person, he and his family would not have to suffer now.
I have an avatar healer teacher (named Bruno Groning), who is no longer alive (call it a “higher power”) who I connect with twice a day, makes my requests for inner peace and requests to be fully present. I let go of my mind and feel the ‘healing stream” in my body… and when I remember, I ask for the burden to be taken from my shoulders and for Bruno to take care of the situation in the best way and just send love to all involved including the lawyers. I really do feel a sense of relief and the situation does seem to improve. I let go of control, no longer invested in an outcome. .. I become more available to listen with less judgment.
In my work as a therapist, spiritual seeker and painting facilitator I have come to understand our lives in the light of Karma, which helps me keep perspective and which I will share with you. Basically: There is a part of us, call it our Soul, that lives on and on through many life times. .. and the purpose of each life time is to learn many lessons which will hopefully stretch our souls. .. how much we learn and the good deeds we perform and the non-judgmental love we spread in a lifetime will effect what our lessons and challenges are in the next life… So our soul chooses the situation we are born into and the challenges we will meet to accomplish the lessons we need to learn and to have an opportunity to discover our true selves and purpose. We are born connected to Source, we forget that connection due to life and our particular lessons our soul requires and we have an opportunity to reconnect in each lifetime. It is the needs of our soul to grow that directs our path for despair, loss and liberation.. our hero’s’ journey.
For me reconnecting to Source is being in the present moment, letting go of the tyrannical mind, letting go of suffering that the mind inflicts. This, to me is the greatest gift of life: to rediscover the freedom from mind chatter. .. and it is free. .. but it requires a life time practice. Painting From The Source is an effective practice for Soul growth and I am still alive and able to facilitate you in this journey with either my NEW UPDATED COLOR book. Order now.
Or sign up for an upcoming workshop. The big discount for the Swiss workshop Aug 23-28 will end Jan 1. Sign up now.
It is my greatest pleasure to share this gift with you.
Love and bless, Aviva
