The word inspiration comes from the Latin root spiritus which means Spirit or breath. To be inspired is to be filled with the spirit or to be breathed into. This is what happened when Mary received the Spirit of God into her womb. The Spirit continues to move and breathe into each one of us, each moment of each day. Are you willing to receive? Have you made a welcoming space for the Spirit to move within you?
In my blog journeying today I discovered some poetic and visual inspiration:
Cathleen at Back Road Journey writes about Dreams of Darkness, an invitation to “sing from deep within.”
Bette at B’Oki shares a beautiful image of her pond with one of her short form poems. Bette also inspires me with her beautiful wood-block carvings and I am finally breaking out the soft carving materials she inspired me to buy.
Rich at Pilgrim Path told me I inspired him to write this beautiful poem called June 22nd.
Kayce Hughlett is one of our Awakening the Creative Spirit participants and shares her wonderful poems and images at Diamonds in the Sky With Lucy, at least a couple of which were inspired by exercises in our program. What is your inner poet like?
Me at Those Northern Skies has gorgeous black and white photos, I adore the ones she just posted of milkweeds, and has inspired me to experiment with black and white as well, one of which is below.
And Wendy at Bluebird of Happiness is inspiring me to do a little gift-giving of my own. Stay tuned for more about that. . .
The beauty of a creative community, even a virtual one, is that there is always lots of food for inspiration. In sharing our creative gifts, we offer sustenance to each other. We become signs of hope through the power of the Spirit working through our own unfolding. A veritable feast today, thank you for all of your gifts shared so freely.
Photo taken in Volunteer Park in Seattle
What is inspiring you these dark days as winter slowly descends?
-Christine Valters Paintner
6 Responses
You are welcome Cathleen. I just adore Advent and it is even richer to have so many others who share a love for the season. Blessings, Christine
Inspiration – in blogs, in photos, in the rich stack of books you included earlier, in pondering questions offered by others, in the sight of the full moon, in the endless forms of art and creativity, in the play of kittens, in the drawings and music of my daughters, in the acts of generosity that need to be in the news more often!
And thank you for the link to my blog!
May Advent continue to inspire you, Cathleen
You are welcome Me, and thanks for the comments on my photo.
Wendy, I just posted a book giveaway and you were definitely an inspiration for that.
Thanks Bette! I saw the moon as I drove home from seeing a dance performance downtown of a South African women’s troupe. Good stuff! Thanks for the photo comments and you are most welcome for the blog links.
Blessings to you this full moon night! Thank you also for the link. I’m so grateful we can all share the energy and breath of inspiration with each other. I can’t wait to see your carvings. Just have fun with it. I hold my breath when I carve to stay steady, then take a break and sweetly release it, along with the worries of life that are carved away. Enjoy the process and the fun of playing.
Thanks for the others’ great blog links. Your b&w photo does look like an etching. Shards of crystal light.
Blessings,
Bette.
I can see why you were inspired by the milkweed, they were just gorgeous, so kind and soft and real.
And looking forward to hearing about your gift giving : )
Thank you for the links – it is fun and good to read what inspires others.
I really like this photo – it has an almost etched feel to it. It is hard to explain really quite captivating.
What is inspiring me. Right now my inspirational spirit is low. I am seeking something to move me…perhaps I need to move myself and it will come to me.