Facing the Blank Canvas

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

In thinking about the first post for this blog I was quite stumped, this is the beginning I don’t want to mess it up.  I realized I have had this feeling before in front of new convases or grids of blank paper lined up waiting for me to go at them with a brush.  Then I realized that in itself was the perfect topic for a first post.

Everyday we are faced with it, waking up we have this entirely untouched thing before us, the new day can be terrifying.  Sometimes its dealt with by just going through a routine like a zombie but other times there just doesn’t seem to be a routine to hide behind.  On those days you are face to face with your life and your self.  I’ve realized I have 2 ways of dealing with it.

1/  DO OR DO NOT THERE IS NO TRY

Those simple cliched words from Yoda have become more and more clear with each year of my life (a topic for another article).  I’ve noticed particularly with art its usually a matter of just getting something on the canvas,  I’ve even seen an artist just throw a whole cup of coffee at their blank canvas just to muddy it up a bit.  Essentially its just about getting past your mind and giving something for your intuition to play with and respond to.

In the case of writing many writers know the simple trick to overcoming “writer’s block" is just to write your river of thoughts.  It seems almost mockingly simple but the simplicity of it can be deceptive.  The “block" is mental and ignoring your mind to simply write anything no matter how unusable it may be creates a movement that will develop into a more desirable outcome.

This block or mental shadow sneaks into you gradually, it takes a moment of clarity to realize you are not doing something and that it is due to your own mind.  For instance I spent days tweaking the code to this blog to achieve the desired aesthetic before I realized the coding was just helping me avoid writing and it was time to actually pump out some articles.

This applies nowhere better than physical exercise (as if Nike’s “Just Do It" slogan wasn’t enough to remind of this).  Things in motion stay in motion is one of the all pervasive qualities of the Universe.  If you begin to move this momentum will bring more and more movement.  I have approached exercise in numerous ways over the years and have come to see that moving the body with determination stimulates the desire for more moving and it encourages the health of the body overall.  This is why even when I am sick I do my best to get some physical activity if not full on exercise.  Simply getting up and going anywhere or doing anything will quickly lead to the day taking a usuable shape, either improving your health or accomplishing some task.

2/  NOWHERE TO GO NOTHING TO DO

This concept actually is the exact opposite of number 1 and has its own word in Japanese; Mushotoku.  Its one of my favorite words and concepts which relates to Zen Buddhism, just be with what is upon you.  If you have a feeling of not knowing what to do on a particular day that is not a bad thing, allow it to be that way.  

It is a natural cycle for us to have days when our body or mind just needs us to do nothing, there is a lot to be processed from our lives.  Our bodies need time to rest or heal and our minds need time to work through seemingly endless rivers of thought.  There are many subtle ways for us to allow this to unfold but on those days that just feel empty it is usually a sign that we can let things take there own course and trust our body and mind to take care of themselves if we let them.

Of course every day can’t be about sitting and not moving, even monks have things to get done but if there is truly no schedule then just appreciate the blankness of the canvas, it will be gone soon enough, nothing stays blank for long, nature has a way of dirtying up blank canvases and we get a fresh new day to experiment with every 24 hours.

BREATHE IN THE ABYSS

You may notice though that while these 2 approaches are at opposite ends of a spectrum they compliment each other sublimely.  Part of just doing something is accepting that the goal is not so crucial, the nothing-to-do quality.  Similarly part of just being with what is there is a very strong intention to do something, even if it is just being blank.

In both approaches you are essentially relinquishing control and the more you can do this the more fulfilled each of these kinds days will feel.  In just doing something you have to release the desire to control the outcome, of the painting, of the writing or of the life, don’t plan just move.  In just facing the blankness you have to surrender to the fact that the Universe and your life will still flow onward without you stearing every moment.  Instead of a day of facing an abyss it becomes a day of enjoying the space to breathe.

Be well

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