Hidden in the Heart

So......what hidden talents do you have lying dormant? Why haven't they been discovered yet? I can't say that I have the answer but in watching my husbands creative talents emerge over the last few years it has made me stop and think. As I marvel when he embarks on a new art form and ask "Did you know that you could do that?," his response is always an equally astonished "No!" 

I think we can become so conditioned as to what we can and can't do that we often have a pre-conceived notion as to what may be possible. I was introduced to the concept of 'domestication' when reading Ram Dass for my meditation teacher training.

In our early years we are socialized to rely on judgments outside of ourselves and it continues as adults. We learn to 'do this' and 'don't do that' and are often rewarded for 'doing this' even when it may conflict with our inner voice.

We are surrounded by judgments on our behaviour and what we produce. Some will accept that we colour our elephant purple and some will not. Some will persevere despite the judgements and in others that creative process will begin to shut down.

We can be very good at self-judgment. I can't sing; I'm not good at art; I'm a terrible athlete. Now sometimes our judgment that we aren't 'good' at something may be the truth. Math was never my strong point - just ask my poor stepfather who tried to tutor me - but I also didn't enjoy it and knew that it wasn't something I was going to pursue in my higher education. But what if you really love to do something? Does it matter if you are good at it? Or can your joy be simply in the doing? 

Ram Dass wrote "When we say 'Trust your intuition,' when we start to encourage that, we're reversing the process." Our actions begin to come from the inside out, rather than from the outside in. The transformation begins! What we do isn't based on what others will think or their judgments. There is an awakening of what we have in our hearts and if we let it, it will emerge. 

I've been married to my husband for forty years so that will give you an idea of our age and how long it has taken for this talent to show itself. There were bits and pieces of it along the way. He loved to build creative sand castles with our children, he and my mother enjoyed doing random sketching while we vacationed together, there was a funny little dog caricature that he would draw on the back of placemats and he took up carving as stress relief. But none of that was anything like what he is doing now. 

And do you know when I think it all started to appear? When he was released from the bonds of needing to be, do and act in an expected way. When he decided that he was no longer willing to live a life full of stress that took a toll on his health and was governed by the expectations of others. When he could follow his own inner voice. Yes, there was a nudge that set him on the path - but oh, how wonderful that path has been! 

As I went downstairs this morning to take a picture of his latest creations to send our son, my heart filled as I saw that he was using the wooden case that my mom used for her paints and that my father made for her so many years ago. It made me stop to wonder why his gift lay buried for so long. He himself is truly shocked by what he creates.

So I wonder - how many of us have a talent within us that we are unaware of? About five years ago I was at a retreat and a new acquaintance gave me a stone with the inscription 'Serenity' on it. She said she was giving it to me because that was how I made her feel. I was not yet on the path that I'm on now and was completely surprised. But it was there....

It was hidden in the heart.

The art that my husband creates is coming from his heart. There is nothing holding him back now except when his own judgmental thoughts get in the way - but he is learning to kick those to the curb and believe in himself. Now he can't stop learning, experimenting and creating; it has become a vital part of his being. 

Can you let your heart be free - even if its for a moment? I know it can be hard and so much easier said than done. But you never know what might be hidden there, simply waiting to be found. Is there a change you need to make that will help release your gifts? Do it with joy. Do it with abandon. Be patient and trust in the magic that is you. 

I'll see you on the path.

Namaste, Glenda