God Will Rewrite Our Story...Plus 5-Steps to Healing Hurt HeARTs Prompt

Each one of us has a story...

Every day we are "writing" that story in the way we live our lives.

Some days we do better writing than on other days...

Unlike an author that writes with pen and ink, or even types, we cannot throw what we have written away...or what someone else has pushed in and written what they willed on our story

Over the course of time, our skills improve.  
We meet people who help us along the way.
People become a part of our story whether we invite them into it or not.
Challenges, joys, griefs, fellowship, laughter, dancing, births and deaths;
mistakes and successes; transformations and inspirations....

All are transcribed on the pages of our lives...


The good parts; the painful parts; the parts we regret eventually...


Everything is there - nothing can be thrown away or erased...


But there is another Author.  The One who has written upon all of history.  

When we submit our "manuscript" to Him, and let His careful eye read;
He doesn't erase.  He doesn't reject.  He doesn't throw away.

2 Corinthians 3:3

He rewrites.  He writes over the places that need help.  He writes over the pain and mistakes and regret and doesn't remove their fact...


By His writing, He redeems our story. 


Nothing is removed - it is reframed and written by the Author's hand to reflect what He knows is true.
And as He writes, a miracle occurs...

We begin to see as He does, and we begin to co-author our stories with His...
Just as in any good story, there is a beginning, a climax, and then the end...
Between the beginning and the end, there must be a conflict...


Healing Art/Healing Journaling Prompt
 
 (Please read through the entire entry before you begin.  This will give you a better experience as you will know what to expect as opposed to 'just winging it'!)

In my last post I shared a spontaneous journaling piece I had done that morning. As I was writing that blog entry, I remembered this technique I had tried several years ago, journaling on top of journaling to make interesting marks on art...I don't believe I ever published anything with it, as I was still practicing - I still like the look of it - and the idea of "abstract journaling" comes to mind...

The "look" is abstract; or modernistic if you prefer - but it isn't random.  In putting new writing on top of the old, we are becoming co-authors with God, rewriting our past with His promises and truth - His words coupled with the act of writing will help cement His promises in our hearts (not to mention that you will end up with something that looks very contemporary to use in your art, or just keep in your journal.)1

Supplies:

Prepared art journaling page or plain journal - even just a sheet of paper of choice
writing tool
a Bible

Step 1:

Prepare to write.  Close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly three times.  Still your mind.  Ask the Lord for His Presence and guidance for this prompt.  Pay attention to what comes up in your mind:  is it an image; words; an emotion felt even in the body?  Jot down 3 - 5 words that will help to remind you of what came up at the top of the paper or journal you have with you.

 Step 2:

Using free writing (quickly writing the stream of thoughts and ideas flowing through your mind without regard to proper grammar or punctuation), write the words that come to you concerning the topic found in Step 1.  You might want to set a timer for around 5 minutes for this portion, so you don't get bogged down in possible negative thoughts or memories.  This is just a suggestion, not a hard, fast rule!  Remember that healing art is supposed to be fun!

Once written, do you need to step away for a few minutes to ground yourself or regroup?  You can drink a cup of tea or coffee, take a short walk, move around for the duration of a favorite song or two.  These activities help to get you "out of your head" and into the present.

Consider if you want to do the next part of this exercise now or wait a while or even wait till tomorrow.  Any decision is perfect for you - and waiting may give you more time to 'hear God' for His promises and purposes and healing words for what you have written.  You may want to take time to search the Scriptures for specific verses that apply to what you have written (trusting that the Holy Spirit will "illuminate" the one's He specifically is leading you towards)

Step 3:

Return to your journal entry and begin to write over the top of your previous writing any words, promises, quotes, verses, etc.  that you believe the Lord is saying to you about the topic.  You can write in any direction!  For my piece, I turned my original journaling upside down and then wrote over the top of it.  I got some nice upstrokes and downstrokes over the course of my page using this method.  Write as much as you like.  If you run out of new words to cover your original writing, just begin to repeat until all of your original entry is covered.  Or, if you have more new words than old, you can stop when the old is covered OR begin a third layer of writing!  Fun!  And the Lord may speak something to your heart about these layers covering your original!



Step 4:

Add extra embellishments if you like.  I noticed swishes and dots (from dotting my "i's" and "js", and I had space to add embellishments and liked the way it turned out.  (Plus, it gave me some additional practice with my dip pen!)






Step 5:

You might want to do a little reflective journaling about what you learned through the process.  Consider documenting the words, scripture, quotes and promises that you used in your overwriting to keep them as a legible way to remember what God has written over your heart!


Need some ideas for God's promises?

Check these links:

Promises that speak to fear and anxiety 
Promises that speak to worrying 
Promises that speak of God's love for you 
Promises that speak to times you feel overwhelmed 
Promises that speak of God's compassion and mercy 
Promises that speak of His constant presence 
Romans 8 is a tremendous chapter of the blessings we have because we are God's children.
And finally, a list of "I am" through the promises of God verses (also known as our identity in Christ) 
 
Blessings!
Cindy

"You are beautiful - perfect for your purpose - a vessel for divine glory..."

“I long so much to make beautiful things.

But beautiful things require effort—

and disappointment and perseverance.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

Image credit

 
I go through this in my art making! I'm glad van Gogh shared his creative thoughts...

Lately I've been thinking about the beauty that God has woven into creation...and the other evening, at a meeting with other moms, the conversation turned to the beauty of this earth, and this is the fallen world, the one groaning for redemption as we all hurtle through time together...

...so much beauty...

...and then the Lord reminds me of the list of "beauty" scriptures I have been thinking about 

and making graphics with...

...and He reminds me that van Gogh's quote is about our work to develop skill, 

the repetition, 

the beginning,

the middle,

the beginning again...

learning to silence the inner critic...

crying out to Him in agony

wondering if we really heard Him 

in pursuing creative endeavors...

the reassurance,

the beginning again and again...

until the habits 

of creativity are formed...

and we see the primitive beginnings 

as an avenue to get to our present skill..

...and God said...

that even though He always blesses

our practice...

He didn't have to practice

when He created 

each one of His daughters...

He created each of us perfectly -

no "do-overs"...

...we are beautiful...

...and what we might consider a "mar"...

...is only because we aren't looking only to Him...

"You ARE beautiful,

perfect for your purpose -

a vessel for divine glory..."

He says...

{...and what can my response be, except to worship in awe...}

 

Exploring Circles - A Shield of Protection - part 6 {Paths to Healing}...

I have written about the Caim prayer already in this post; but I do want to share even a little more deeply here.  The word "Caim" is an old Gaelic word meaning:  "protecting", "encircling", "sanctuary", loop or circle and has been passed down from the ancient Celtic church.

When the ancient Celtic Christians of Britain felt threatened physically or spiritually they used the Caim (encircling) prayer. The Caim involved both a spoken prayer and a simple ritual. (To some this may sound odd, but it is nearer to prophetic acts of the Old Testament prophets or words and symbolism,  eg baptism, communion, even handshaking or stopping at red traffic lights, that are used today.) The "simple ritual" was the actual "drawing of a circle" in the air using ones hand, much like making the sign of the cross at the end of a prayer that some of our Christian brothers and sisters use.  The act helps make the connection with God's Presence more real, visible, in this physical world.  Brother Tadhg Jonathan calls these "enacted" prayers.

There are several prayers called caim, and the individual is encouraged to adapt them according to need. 

Here are some samples:

The sacred three
my fortress be
encircling me
come and be round
my hearth and home. (Prayer from Outer Hebrides)


From : Susan Gaddis
Use your imagination to see yourself and those you are praying for surrounded by the safety of the Father’s care and protection.
Here are several ancient caim prayers from Celtic Daily Prayer.

Circle me, Lord. Keep protection near and danger afar.
Circle me, Lord. Keep light near and darkness afar.
Circle me, Lord. Keep peace within; keep evil out.

See how easy it is? The basic structure of a caim prayer looks like these examples. Simply insert the name of the person you are praying for and change the wording to suit the circumstances.

Circle (name), Lord. Keep (name the good you want revealed) near and (name the evil you want removed) afar.
Circle (name), Lord. Keep comfort near and discouragement afar. Keep peace within and turmoil out.
Circle (name), Lord. Keep hope within and despair without.

 Another example of Christian Caim prayer can be found on the Anam Chara book website - this is by Bruce Epperly: Drawing a Circle of Love: The Celtic Encircling Prayer

I found another sweet place that discusses the Caim prayer style at "Being Benedictine" here.

(Blogpost updated 03/15/2023)

Circle love (exploring circles post)...
Exploring Circles - techniques post - {Paths to Healing}...
Exploring circles - post 1 - {Paths to Healing}...
Exploring circles - post 2 - {Paths to Healing}...
Exploring Circles - post 3 - {Paths to Healing}...
Exploring Circles - Bringing Focus, Bringing Containment - part 4 {Paths to Healing}...
Exploring Circles - A Shield of Protection - part 5 {Paths to Healing}...

15 Ways of Thinking That God Wants to Transform in You

On Friday of last week I gave a "healing art prompt" on my Facebook page - did you see it?  It was really a journaling (writing, not art journaling) assignment that I use frequently with clients.  You can find it at my "Paths of Healing" section on the navbar up above.  (Click the link or copy and past this address in your browser search bar:  http://12tribesministries.com/find-the-path-that-will-work-best-for-you/recognize-reflect-and-releasing-emotion-through-journaling%20/).
 

That journaling exercise will help calm and move you through intense emotions...but it doesn't change your thinking.  It CAN help you identify thoughts, and then ultimate belief structures that drive those thoughts.  Of course the Lord is already working on the needed healing, but He won't do it without your partnership - He wants you to recognize the structures you have built in your mind that are not of Him.  If He just removed them instantly at salvation, you would keep repeating the same patterns with the same unhealthy results...this partnership in the healing process is part of what "transformation" means in Romans 12:2:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Distorted thinking is at the root of most relationship problems.  Distorted thinking usually is a result of a sense of shame.  We won't go indepth into this issue, but shame is NOT from God.  It is a sense of inadequacy, of being defective, bad, not enough.  It can create chaos in your inmost being, where you long for peace to reign!  Even though shame may seem an elusive foe to "lay hold of and defeat", it does show up in predictable ways of thinking.  And we CAN identify these ways of thinking!

I have included a worksheet titled "Fifteen Styles of Distorted Thinking" to guide you in uprooting a sense of shame. ( Click here to download it or copy this link in your browser: https://12tribesministries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/FIFTEEN-STYLES-OF-DISTORTED-THINKING.pdf)  And when you are done with that exercise, be sure to download the companion guide: Changing the Fifteen Styles. (Copy and paste this link: https://12tribesministries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CHANGING-THE-FIFTEEN-STYLES-OF-DISTORTED-THINKING.pdf.).  Later this week we will look at different verses that talk about God's Identity in you, and how we can use that list to confront this distorted thinking as well. 

Come on over to my facebook page and let me know what you are discovering!

Take you time on this!  Deep emotions may get stirred...pause and do some self-care if needed.  Go through the first worksheet in one sitting.  Then follow the instructions there to go further.  Take a full week to let yourself understand how your particular styles are affecting your life.  True change takes at least 6 weeks - that long to develop new, healthier habits.  Get started now, but pace this process because "slow and steady wins".  Fast and furious burns out!  Consider creating some art in your art journal in response to what thoughts and feelings you are uncovering.

Here is the first portion...

15 STYLES OF DISTORTED THINKING

Problems in relationships (even finding peace within your own heart) are often caused by faulty thinking – and generally, our own particular style of “faulty thinking” can be found in the following list.  Rate each of the following statements of a scale of 1 – 10, with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 10 being “strongly agree”.  Rate using 5 if the statement is true “some of the time”.  Rate 0 if the statement doesn’t apply at all.  At the end you will have identified your own personal style of distorted thinking – and once identified, you can begin to change it with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Take the top two or three problems areas and invite the Lord to help show you how these styles of thinking are in your life.  With this companion list of “Changing the 15 Styles of Distorted Thinking” (click here or copy and post this link into your browser: https://db.tt/HOz3fkLI) begin a daily practice of recognizing that particular thought pattern and then actively use the “Changing…” worksheet to partner with God in changing your thought life!

1.                  Filtering – You take the negative details and magnify them while filtering out all positive aspects of a situation.

2.                  Polarized Thinking – Things are black or white, good or bad.  You have to be perfect or you’re a failure.  There is no middle ground.

3.                  Overgeneralization – You come to a general conclusion based on a single incident or piece of evidence.  If something bad happens once, you expect it to happen over and over again.

4.                  Mind Reading – Without their saying so, you know what people are feeling and why they act the way they do.  In particular, you are able to divine how people are feeling toward you.

5.                  Catastrophizing – You expect disaster.  You notice or hear about a problem and start “what if’s”:  What if tragedy strikes?  What if it happens to you?

6.                  Personalization – Thinking that everything people do or say is some kind of reaction to you.  You also compare yourself to others, trying to determine who’s smarter, better looking, etc.

7.                  Control Fallacies – If you feel externally controlled, you see yourself as helpless, a victim of fate.  The fallacy of internal control has you responsible for the pain and happiness of everyone around you.

8.                  Fallacy of Fairness – You feel resentful because you think you know what’s fair but other people won’t agree with you.

9.                  Blaming – You hold other people responsible for your pain, or take the other tack and blame yourself for every problem or reversal.

10.              Shoulds – You have a list of ironclad rules about how you and other people should act.  People who break the rules anger you and you feel guilty if you violate the rules.

11.              Emotional Reasoning – You believe that what you feel must be true – automatically.  If you feel stupid and boring, then you must be stupid and boring.

12.              Fallacy of Change – You expect that other people will change to suit you if you just pressure or cajole them enough.  You need to change people because you hopes for happiness seem to depend entirely on them.

13.              Global Labeling – You generalize one or two qualities into a negative global judgment.

14.              Being Right – You are continually on trial to prove that your opinions and actions are correct.  Being wrong is unthinkable and you will go to any length to demonstrate your rightness.

15.              Heaven’s Reward Fallacy – You expect all your sacrifice and self-denial to pay off, as if there were someone keeping score.  You feel bitter when the reward doesn’t come (according to your expectation).

 

Exploring Circles - A Shield of Protection - part 5 {Paths to Healing}...

Time for our next installment of exploring circles.  Last time, we explored using circles as containment or as calming...today, we will examine circles as "protection" or "guarding".

Now do NOT think I am moving towards New Age ideology!  I DO NOT think a simple circle can protect or guard you.  I DO NOT think circles have any magical powers in or of themselves, nor do I think drawing a circle around oneself offers protection...in fact, if you are doing that, you are actually opening yourself up to spiritual danger.

Just a quick snap shot - quality isn't very good!

However, I AM talking about this because if you are on the internet and looking for the symbolism of circles, you WILL come across that other terminology and ideology.  What I want to do is to offer some word pictures found in the Bible and reconnect you with the idea of circling prayer that the Church Fathers enjoyed so that when you do come across the dross, you have the true 'mental pictures' coming forward in your mind.

Since the ancients used the circle to symbolize God and His eternal nature, it makes sense that the circle would be employed as the symbol when entreating Him for protection!  I had so much fun finding scriptures that included this idea - the passion of the hearts and spirits of the writers is so evident: 

For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;

with favor You will surround him as with a shield. 

Psalm 5:12

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; 

You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.  

Psalm 32:7

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 

So the LORD surrounds His people 

From this time forth and forever.
  Psalm 125:2

loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh.

Psalm 32:10

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. 

The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me. 

Psalm 142:7 

Perhaps you can find more?

Please feel free to share them in the comments if you do! 

 

Experimenting with prayer circles asking for His protection - and Caim prayers (more in the next circles post)

Circle love (exploring circles post)...

 I haven't had much time to work on my exploring circles book and posts, but I thought I'd share some of my inspiration photos with you...it looks like life will settle by this weekend, and I should be back with more in depth healing through art prompts...

Clockwise from top left:  A Garland of Gratitude by Jessie Jellicorse on Minted.com; crayon scribbles from a friend;  circle collage by Daisy Yellow; doodles - Anna Pasquale; circles by Rebecca Sower; circle collage by Daisy Yellow; mixed media bird with watercolor bubbles (I cannot find the original website); center - torn paper stack by Andrea Myers

Exploring Circles - Bringing Focus, Bringing Containment - part 4 {Paths to Healing}...

 Today we will look at the circle as a tool to help us mentally focus...

Circles on my grocery list so I am SURE to get those items...

Circles as a way to narrow our attention, or draw it towards a certain point, is so common, so instinctive, that we may not even consider the act of circling as a tool to help us work through strong emotions, calm a feeling of anxiety or as a way to diffuse racing thoughts.  For example, I am a note taker - I take notes in the books I am reading; I continue to use spiral notebooks to record my own thoughts and the quotes and instructions I want to especially remember from the books I read.  And to help me find, once again, the really good things - I circle them...sometimes the line is more
rectangular, but still I have encircled the portion I want to be able to find again - and that serves as a way to draw my attention, my focus, to that portion I know I will be coming back to.

So - it could be said that circles can be used to help remember, recognize, and reorder!

Let’s move into some exercises using circles to help one focus:

1.       Exercise one:  Recognizing importance – using circles to relieve anxiety over being over-scheduled:  using paper and pen/pencil, make a list of all the things you need to attend to on the next day.  Try to limit what you write to just a word or a short phrase, for instance: laundry, dr. apt. at 2 pm, call _____, order ______, etc.   Also, try to get the day’s list finished within five minutes.  Write as fast as you can, not worrying about spelling or punctuation.  At the end of five minutes (or sooner) go back through the list and circle the 5 that have the highest importance and then number those 5 in order of importance.  Do not overthink this and do not spend more than another 5 minutes on this part of the exercise.  You may not finish your entire list on the next day, but if you focus on your top 5, you will most probably accomplish them, and have the satisfaction This is a great way to prioritize items that do not already have a set time and to quickly relieve a sense of overwhelm or anxiety about “having too much to do”.  You can adopt this principle for other issues that are causing anxiety for you.

2.      Exercise two: Reordering scattered or racing thoughts/emotions – Does just reading those last four underlined words make your stomach do a little flip flop?  Did you brain just go…somewhere?  Many of our “normal” days can be so high stress that just thinking or imagining more stress or chaos can send us there!  So this exercise will be a great one to put in your toolbox of self-calming tools – and…it can be done anywhere, at the office, waiting for children at soccer practice, watching TV with the family, even in your quiet time if needed.  Draw a four to six inch circle on a piece of paper you have handy.  This becomes a container for those ambiguous feelings or racing thoughts.  Now, within the circle, color or doodle…there is no right or wrong here.  But just to get you started, consider:

Miss Sweet Tweener was a little heavy with the color!

Color concentric rings, starting at the line you drew and working towards the center.

Divide the circle into parts using straight lines, 

then fill in each space with a different doodle (this is very much like Zentangle)...so here is a link to some different Zentangle patterns.

You could even doodle or write over the watercolor or colored pencil...

Make large "scribble" lines, then color each space or doodle in each space.

Draw, color, or paint an image of a peaceful place (to you) within the boundary of the circle.

Write words that you need to be peaceful within the circle, or

write just one word that calms you and embellish it with designs and/or color.

When you finish, note how you are feeling - emotionally.  Write down how you feel someplace near your circle.  Note any clarity, new ideas, or creative solutions to problems you have been having as well.

3.   Exercise three - a) circles as simple containers for memories or b) temporary containers for racing or intrusive thoughts - Use this little exercise (really another form of exercise 2) to quickly capture the events of a day or to dump racing thoughts.

a)  Draw a circle an inch or two in diameter, then draw an image or write a word or two describing something you want to remember.  The act of making the circle narrows the mind's focus, and the most important events are what emerge in the forefront of your thinking...making it simpler to choose which events to record!  Don't forget to date your page...

A little watercolor wash behind my brief journaling circles.

 b) In the case of racing or intrusive thoughts, write enough words to capture the thought, using one circle for each thought.  Do this for as many thoughts as needed.  It is OK to write outside the lines!  Notice how the circles act as a containment vessel for the thought, and that the feeling of calm increases as each thought is expressed and contained.  You might even consider folding this paper in half and tucking it in a safe place as a metaphor that you are tucking these thoughts away in a safe place in your mind until there is a good time to continue processing them.  Sometimes just the expression is all that is needed to diffuse troubling thinking; sometimes more processing is needed. This is a tool to bring control and calm and containment till a more convenient time to address the thoughts, not to bury toxic thoughts indefinitely (which would be unhealthy).

Also, in using art for healing, one isn't necessarily trying to produce an art masterpiece, but a heArt masterpiece, so "proper" art technique isn't as important as the process itself.  This is the time to "let go", experiment, and relax!

Linking with my "In the Studio" friends again...here...

Exploring Circles - techniques post - {Paths to Healing}...

Here it is - tricks, tips and techniques I have already learned in making this little meandering book...it will be a bit long, so enjoy!  {You can see the first 3 posts here, here, and here.}  Also, if you read or scroll to the end of this post, you will find links to downloadable images in 8" x 10" and 4" x 4" sizes.

And I'm joining with the "In The Studio" creatives here...

First - tho' the book I was using as inspiration was small, approximately 4" x 4" and I thought that would be big enough, now I certainly wish I had an 8" x 8" book to work in (I would have to bind the edges with decorative tape or in some other manner, which could be cute and add another dimension of design)...or perhaps not even do a "meandering book", but just a straight forward art journal, such as the Amazing 16 page journal by Teesha Moore (part 1 here and part 2 here).  Next journal will be an Amazing 16 page one!

Second - REMEMBER, when doing the meander book, to think through how the pages open and plan your pages in advance.  I used a pencil to lightly mark page numbers in the lower corners help me remember the direction each would turn next.

Third - I am playing around with watercolors this year...I read - somewhere in all the free online tutorials I have found in searches - that you only need 3 colors, and you can mix what you need from those...but for myself, I am currently still borrowing from sweet tweener's school watercolors:

Prussian Blue
Burnt Sienna
Yellow Ochre

There is a crimson red that came with
the set that I have used in this project
when the Burnt Sienna doesn't give me
the color I want.






Fourth - I am approaching this more like a sketch book than a finished art product...so I am experimenting right in the little book.  If you want yours to be more of a finished art piece, you might want to practice a scraps first, until you find the technique you want to use in each page.


Page One
I used a compass to lightly draw a circle to mark where I wanted to add water for a wet on wet technique, then I placed a "load" of each of my main three colors into the pre-wetted paper at 3 different points near the outer edge of the circle, then used the brush to guide the colors towards the center, letting them mingle freely as they chose.  White space leaves the piece looking organic and light - the imperfection of it lending a natural look and helping to heal my need to be perfect!  The imperfect is so inviting...in relationships as well as art...

But, there is something to be said for a little planning, as well.  Especially when it comes to word placement.  Again, using a light touch with a soft pencil lead, I sketched in the words around the outer edge of the circle, erasing and re-writing several times until the spacing of letters and white spaces fit...then I wrote over the top with my micron 01 pen.  Finally I erased the pencil marks after waiting for the ink to dry a couple of minutes.

Here is a "wet on wet" tutorial I've watched and liked...

Page 2
 

Here I was trying to do a watercolor wash with one color, fading from darker to lighter with a mask over the trefoil I had transferred onto the page.  I couldn't find my masking fluid (did sweet tweener borrow that?) Well, she couldn't find it either...so I improvised and painted some gel medium over the trefoil area so the watercolor would just wipe off.  After the gel medium dried, I did the wash - the gradation isn't all that obvious, but it looks nice I think, just one color.  I just used a paper towel wrapped around my finger to wipe away the color from the trefoil area.  (I like Viva because it doesn't leave behind traces of paper).  I also have started using up my soft knit recycle rags which also do not leave lint behind.  I could still see - lightly - the lines from the tracing and they would no longer erase because of the gel medium, so I painted a light layer of white acrylic over the gel medium and that gave me the less defined look I wanted.

Page 3

I wanted to play more with blending the colors, so I painted each arc with one of my 3 main colors.  Use your palette to add water to your color till you get it to a nice transparency.  Then I painted the color straight onto the dry page.  After I had laid all the colors down, I wet my brush more, and pulled the water around the points of where colors intersected to blend the transitions even more...when color went over the lines into the white area, I just added more water at that point and dabbed the wet color up with my lint free cloth...just experimenting with removing watercolor from the paper, too!  I haven't decided how to add words to this page, or even if I want to - I like it in its simplicity right now.



Page 4

Ahhhh fun!  Wet the page with clean water, paint a strip of prussian blue along the bottom and with new clean wet brush, pull the color up towards the center...then paint a strip of burnt sienna along the top, clean and wet the brush again and pull the paint towards the center - don't touch the blue, let the colors move towards one another on their own and mingle...and the surprise was the yellowish result in the middle!  I guess the blue didn't reach up very far, and the burnt sienna separated into the pigments that make it up...!  I messed up the fish symbol a little - just couldn't find those light lines.  I "saw" this classic Christian icon as I was working with the trequeta...and the implied two circles could represent heaven/God and the other earth/man...and their intersection the joining of the two through the experience of being "born again"...  

A little blurry, but you can see the entire page...

Template for 4 inch by 4 inch designs
8 inch by 10 inch circle
8 inch by 10 inch trefoil
8 inch by 10 inch trequeta
8 inch by 10 inch cross with circle