Lately I’ve noticed sustaining a regular practice of painting, doodling, yoga, meditation or daily walking requires more than sheer stick-to-ativeness (isn’t that a great word?). It can be difficult to rely on just me to get into the stick-to-ativeness because such sheer determination rests in my mind rather than heart and spirit. I was musing about this when painting today: what keeps me coming back to the art studio?
Enter Saraswati. But before I tell you about her, know this: I love chanting. It’s a vocal meditation, offers my voice, body and spirit good energy, fills the space with healing vibration and connects me to all that is divine. I learned and studied chanting before this century began from a magnificent woman, Pat Moffitt Cook. Since then, chanting has become a part of my life.
Saraswati is the Hindu Goddess of knowledge, music, the arts and wisdom. And like all the Goddesses and Gods of Hinduism, she has a lot of arms and hands to hold her sacred tools, four hands to be exact: A book for knowledge in one, mala for wisdom in the other, a lyre for music, and a water pot for the river of consciousness that stimulates creation. I imagine a fifth hand holding a paint brush every time I sing her sacred mantra: Om Eim Saraswatiyei Namaha.
I rely on the spiritual world to help me in the physical world. Chanting is part of that help. When I step into the art studio, the string of love goes beyond what I can see, hear or know. I count on that mystery to give me stick-to-aliveness plus a whole lot of other stuff.
Here’s what the mantra sounds like. Enjoy!
Oooooo! Wonderful! Thank you for the recording! It sounds so happy!
Glad you like it!!
Hello lovely friend !! It is so beautiful and inspiring !!! I love chanting because of you , chanting is part of my day specially when I am cooking, walking , i can relate what you said “the string of love goes beyond what I can see hear or know.”
❤️ to you
What a great way to infuse positive energy into what we eat. You are the best!
Jen, thanks for sharing “what keeps you coming back”. I love listening to the chanting…never thought about that as a 5th hand helping you along. Keep these thoughts coming they are so helpful for us struggling artists.
Yes, yes, we all need whatever help we can find!