Winter is a time when I willingly retreat into hibernation. As the bare earth becomes cooled and still, I enter into a place of deep reflection. It is a dark place but not a forbidding one. On the contrary, the darkness is positively charged with potential fecundity. It is a private and sacred space, and within the stillness seeds can germinate and show their first colourful shoots. These fragile beginnings need to be nurtured, lovingly coaxed from the shadows. This is no time for rushing about but a time to quietly embrace my peaceful solitude and honour my creativity.
However, as the frosty wind eddies around me threatening to freeze my ability to move, it is inevitable that doubts will creep in through the cracks to try and sabotage my resolve. If I can work through these challenging moments then whatever progress I can salvage is even more rewarding. I repeat the mantra ‘just do it’ and take heart from these wise words by Sol LeWitt in a letter to Eve Hesse which I have shamelessly taken from a great blog post by artist, Liz Davidson.
“Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping,…Stop it and just DO!…Don’t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world. If you fear, make it work for you – draw & paint your fear and anxiety…You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to DO!…Try to do some BAD work – the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell – you are not responsible for the world – you are only responsible for your work – so DO IT. And don’t think that your work has to conform to any preconceived form, idea or flavor. It can be anything you want it to be…I know that you (or anyone) can only work so much and the rest of the time you are left with your thoughts. But when you work or before your work you have to empty you [sic] mind and concentrate on what you are doing. After you do something it is done and that’s that. After a while you can see some are better than others but also you can see what direction you are going. I’m sure you know all that. You also must know that you don’t have to justify your work – not even to yourself.”
Caro – you are so right. Time to defrost soon – but until then just careful, gentle nurturing of those tender shoots. Without the winter recharge the spring would not be such an exciting place. Tx
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Oh Tabi, how right you are! Spring is stiring already with those lovely sunny daffodillie trumpety faces all over the place……you can’t help but smile. (Do you remember what you said about daffodils?) xx
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This is a gorgeous post….and I love your photo/illustration. Winter has a similar effect on me, and I enjoy the pulling inwards. I can feel things stirring a bit now though, and I have more energy and drive to burst through into the world 🙂
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Thank you Seonaid. Yes, winter is a good time to gather up those reserves to blossom forth once more when the time is right. I wonder if it is something to do with the levels of sunlight and our innate reactions to it?
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