WHAT DOES BEING AUTHENTIC HAVE TO DO WITH ACCEPTING OTHERS
Here is my only 2020 painting!
Since 2019, I have been in the theme of embracing my true nature. Huge changes occurred which imposed reorganization and distancing from different things.
2019 was a pivotal year of acceptation, decision and action that led to my self-discovery.
2020 was the year of entering my purpose for exponential progress.
2021 has been the year of narrowing further what my true nature is and closing the year with the decision to confront remnants of old premises to unlock my full potential.
2022 will be the year of new heights of growth, success and actualization by trusting I do not need to control how I'm interpreted to produce the good that is in my intentions. I can express my nature openly and trust it will reach those who are meant for it.
I am reconnecting with painting with joy and inspiration. My hope is to inspire more humans to embrace their own unique authenticity to bring meaning to their life and contribution to humanity.
What does being authentic have to do with accepting others? But how do you connect with your true nature? How do you tell if you are being yourself? Why is self-discovery so important? What it means to be genuine?
This is the title of my only 2020 painting. I created it in the tiny apartment I lived in with my soul mate. I wanted to express the discovery of authenticity as my new home and as the symbol of the unique relationship that was unfolding with my beloved companion as a result of embracing my nature.
I treasure his presence in my life as a precious gift.
I didn't know how to illustrate this concept, so I did like usual. I trusted my inituition and painted.
I find the outcome interesting. The pointed edge reminds of an arrow piercing through a fabric displaying a fascinating outerspace universe. The eye represents the reflection of the discovery and exposure of the true inner self.
It is the beginning of a new experience.
It is the product of decades of trial and errors, searching, experimenting, risking, discomfort, doubting, evolving, etc. Living life to it's fullest at the best of my knowledge, awareness and capacities. It's is not the best but it is my best and would not change anything.
What follows are the different stages I went through that led to this beautiful fortune.
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My original fallacy
From as far as I can remember, I was obsessed on understanding how the human mind works to find a fail proof solution to make every human the best version they could be, so they can enjoy existence to it's fullest.
I was convinced that no matter the severity of trauma or hardships someone experienced, there had to be a way for them to access happiness, peace, serenity and fulfillment. I wanted to uncover the formula to open this access to everyone, no matter what.
It became my life obsession and it developed in the urgency of finding the solution for everyone's problems and difficulties. In emergency mode, I was in alert full time, restless, and disconnected from my own identity, needs and desires. So much that I didn't even believe I was human, I didn't know how to communicate and interact with others, I just wanted to fix their life. My goal was to start living my own life and enjoy it only after I fixed everything around me.
In fact, I allowed myself to have some kind of existence in secret, never openly. I believed that humans were all too fragile, too vulnerable and needed assistance for everything since they were so helpless.
I believed I was their only hope and that I was so powerful that it might be a serious threat and danger for humanity if I dared living openly. They might not be capable of sustaining this and I would be responsible for irreversible damage, possibly fatal.
It was too serious to risk that much, so I preferred to continue analyzing and searching for the truth and solutions.
Being socially deficient, I also believed that in order to integrate and succeed at anything in society, I had to learn to communicate and interact.
So I decided to work in restaurants to have access to as many different humans to observe, learn and practice social interactions. I thought I might learn to become human too.
What it means to be genuine
This week, it became clear to me how authenticity works, is expressed and non-selective.
Authenticity treats people as capable to deal with the expression of other's authenticity.
Authenticity trusts that each individual is ultimately responsible of their own problems and are the only ones with the power to solve them at their own pace and their own manner.
Authenticity is concerned to be true not to micro manage how it is understood by everyone.
It trusts that the people it is meant for will receive what they need the way they need it.
What my authentic self is not for others
Dangerous
Harmful
The major obstacle to authenticity is fear not confronted. Every fear we decide to overcome brings us closer to discovering our identity.
~ Maryse - Amoritz
Can you make any connections between a spider and an octopus?
I bet you can't guess the similarities between the two!
More...
The vision
Here's another mental image that I had to put on canva.
As you might discover, there are several occurences of spiders in my paintings.
In fact, spiders have been omnipresent since my early childhood in my dreams and hallucinations. Therefore, I have learned to appreciate them, while searching to understand it's symbolic purpose and meaning.
A sudden mental spark dictated this image.
Comparison between spider and octopus
This idea of the image triggered the realization that the spider and octopus are quite complementary.
An octopus has 8 arms, a spider has 8 legs.
An octopus lives in the ocean, a spider is terrestrial.
They are both described as adaptable and blend to their environment.
I searched on the different symbolic meanings of both. Here is what I found for each one.
The spider symbolizes:
Assimilation of negative experiences and use them for gain
one's fears
strong feminine energy
creativity
patience
strength
an invitation to become more receptive and intuitive, and rely on your unique gifts to get you ahead in life
The octopus symbolizes:
flexibility
creativity
intelligence
expansion
unpredictability
illusion, can avoid the dangers as it creates an illusion by mimicing other animals, changing color to blend in with the surroundings and shooting black ink to disappear amid the distraction
The portrait of their interaction
The spider is now observing the octopus into the water bubble, while the octopus is looking up to the spider.
Why? I'm not sure. Just let your mind go wild on this one! Some food for self-reflection.
Maybe the spider was avoiding a perceived danger and realizes it while looking in the bubble. It might be it's obstacle to really go ahead in life and expand it's potential.
Let me know what this painting evokes for you in the comments!
