Dear friend,
It has been quite some time since our last conversation. Summer has revealed her bounty and now fall is just starting to take form. The lavender is dried out and has lost its fragrance, the witch hazel tree has turned a fiery red, and the maple has already begun shedding her leaves. The world that we find ourselves in today is undergoing seismic shifts. We all find ourselves troubled by the challenges of climate change, political theater, and a society utterly destitute of belonging and community. Don't get caught up in speculation and longing. Take the time you need to cultivate inner abundance and joy, and take pleasure in the simple things around you. Find ways to support and inspire other practitioners in your life, as we are all in this boat together!
Just as the outer world changes, there is dramatic change unfolding in you. You may not notice it, you may not see its form, but if you are still you can feel its presence. Take time to sit and listen to that which is inexpressible. Within that space of deep stillness, you will find something that moves in you. Don't fixate on it, don't become too elated. Just relax. Clarity reveals itself naturally without effort. Effort in this moment simply creates more confusion and a cycle of disappointment.
This inner work of revealing your own heart is not easy. Don't take it lightly. You need to do the work, which means putting in the time and effort into your practice. I suppose that is why they call it the path of meditation, because we need to traverse the inner landscape of our own heart and mind in order to find what it is we have to share with the world. Don't be afraid of getting lost on that journey. Just as when one is in a new city, getting lost can reveal more and create more of an impression than rushing straight to your chosen destination. You are always blazing the path of meditation in your own life, meaning the trail is always behind you.
This commitment and dedication that you have is quite uncommon in this world. I know at times you must be frustrated and feel at a loss. Be patient with yourself. Your work inspires us all, even though we often do not have the words to say it. Bit by bit, our intentions and actions shape the world. The work of compassion and generosity is rarely done with a hammer and chisel, often it very subtle and we do not get to appreciate the final form in our lifetime. Be confident that form does reveal itself even if you do not see it. Your work, your art, leaves an impression in the world and that impression is in the lives of the people you impact.
The renaissance was a time of reawakening to human values and the measure of man. This question of what is sacred and what it means to be human is ever more urgent in our world. Artists moved the renaissance. Artists were the creators of change and the drivers of what people came to value and appreciate. Their art created an impact, it changed the culture. Now is a time in which we need more artists.
Take a moment to look at your own work, this inner work that you are doing. Does it lend itself to refining your values and who we are in the world? Does it examine the nature of what it means to be fully human and the nature of the world in which we move? Does your work reveal insight into the human condition and our place in the world?
This work that you are doing is the work of an artist. You are the blank canvas and the block of marble. In order for art to make an impact, it must be shared. It must go out into the world where it can interact with others, influence their perception and shape their values. Art that isn't shared isn't art at all, it is just a painting or a piece of sculpture. Art creates change. The way that you create change is by being present and contributing. Compassion, kindness and generosity are the expressions of your art, and each of those has the power to shape a human life and to make an impact in the world.
We too find ourselves in a renaissance, only this time the art won't stand in galleries. Art is the gift of our humanity that changes and benefits the lives of others. A life dedicated to this work and practice has both purpose and meaning. It has the power to shift the culture, to create a culture of awakening. This is the work of the bodhisattva, the work of revealing our own heart for the benefit of others.
With fervent admiration and support for you and the work that you do.
Gregory Scott Patenaude
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