“What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter – a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.” Henri Matisse
The right brain and left brain working together, what a beautiful sight. The perfect blend of the rational and the emotional, a logical yet sensing individual who can find their way in this world balancing it all. An individual who challenges oneself to expand knowledge and intelligence, at the same time incorporating compassion and artistry through images that sooth and calm the mind. Striving to understand the world at the same time lovingly accepting mistakes as a vehicle to learn valuable lessons as they come. It is both nice to think that this person exists inside us all, yet there are days where I can imagine that the “balanced one” is only the figment of a skilled artist’s imagination. One that can only be created as an image perfected on canvas. How can we engage both the left and right brain to enable this to be the norm as we go about our days looking for sunshine? It may not seem possible as we hover and focus on the moments where we feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or distraught. It may not seem possible when we feel the struggle of the climb up the mountain. It may not seem possible where we feel stretched too thin to even have the time or energy to think straight. Perhaps in situations like these, we must take a moment and stand back from the portrait that is our life so that we can see the purity and serenity of the subject matter. Maybe we are focusing too much on troubling or depressing issues that shift us out of our natural state of balance. If we want to bring back inner harmony where both parts of the mind work hand in hand, transcend the moment when the beleaguered soul feels like there is no hope and look at the beautiful things that surround us each day. Strive to appreciate who we are and allow the right brain’s creative impulses to flow in union with the facts gathered by the left brain in a logical way. When we deny any part of our beautiful self, both the intellectual and the compassionate one, we are subject to chaos that is only created by our own lopsided point of view of our present reality. Go to the top of your lighthouse, where the light shines the brightest, and take a moment to get in touch with the vision that is uniquely yours. Be still and listen, let the drama of the world drop away. Allow your intelligent artist to take over and fall into the armchair as you embrace your senses allowing your mind to be grateful for what lies in front of you. Hold that vision of balance in your mind’s eye, stay there as long as you can, and return each and every time that chaos descends. Stop begging for the balance, start receiving it. Not only will we continue to return to inner light, but with this practice return once again to a natural state of balance, right brain and left brain working together for the highest good to create the brilliant masterpiece that is this life.