A reflection for my Christmas tree.
REFLECT
Molly writes:
Ahhhh . . . I love spending a moment here and there to look back at a time or experience that shaped me into who I am today. I didn't look up the definition of "reflect," but I always think of it as a pleasant action. I see it as a poignant way of thinking about those priceless moments that make up my past and my present.
I appreciate how a fleeting sensory experience – a smell, a sound, a glimpse of an old toy – can trigger a memory and take me back in time to a deep moment of reflection. I have noticed that my Zentangle practice seems to enhance these moments of reflection. I also find that I often remember situations differently from what might have actually happened.
What I find so great about reflecting is that I can choose which memories to focus on. I have learned so many things from my mother, but one thing I always admired was that she only seems to have room for the good memories in her brain. Ask her if I or my siblings ever did anything wrong as children and she'll say, "No, they really were perfect."
She might be on to something! To be able to deliberately REFLECT (on) the good times, the accomplishments, and the beautiful people we were so lucky to know is an overlooked gift.
Alfie is spending a moment looking back at the last ten days and appreciating how much fun he had learning about the Zentangle Method from his new friend, Bijou. He is so grateful for the gift of discovering a creative side he never knew he had.
Rick adds:
I wonder now if it was such a good idea to show Alfie how to use that two-sided tape . . . he's sticking stuff everywhere!
I also think it's quite symbolic that Alfie taped his tiles to a mirror. Tiles that you tangle, like a mirror, also offer a reflection.
We encourage you to take your tiles out from time to time and re-appreciate them, read the comments on the back, arrange and rearrange them in mosaics.
Often, in such moments of reflection, I will notice something valuable that I didn't see when I first created the tile. The experience is like re-reading a journal entry, but it's a journal entry that isn't limited to the perspective I had when I first put my thoughts and feelings into those words.
So, take a moment and look through your earlier tiles. Reflect . . . and appreciate!
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And while we are talking about reflection . . . we thought we would give you a chance to reflect on our original Twelve Days of Christmas ATC project from two years ago. For those of you who missed it, enjoy! For those of you that were following along, take another look, you may find comfort and joy in seeing things again with new (Zentangle) eyes.
This LINK will get you started. Enjoy!
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Winning, randomly chosen commenters from the Tenth Day:
- deborah lee
- luvhymns
- nanw
Congratulations! Winners, please send your snail mail address to Zentangle (at) gmail (dot) com.
Thanks again for all your wonderful comments!
Rick, Maria, Bijou, Molly, and Alfie
Posts
50 comments:
Thank you for the timely reminder to reflect. Alfie has inspired me to teach my favorite desk character, Swamp Thing, to Tangle. I often dress him up for each upcoming holiday, but now it seems he needs to create, as well! Pictures will come!
Alfie really made me chuckle looking at his own reflection - he's such a character that you've given life with your creative imagination. Thank you for raising a smile at the end of a frustrating day.
Paula (PEP)
Advent is the perfect season for reflection--and one too often missed by the mad commercial rush to Christmas! Thank you for the reminder to reflect, rest, and remind ourselves of all the small beauties around us.
This has been a wonderful series of posts... and I look forward to tomorrows finish. I'm sure it is going to be special.
you are always adding to my appreciation of the art of zentangle and how it has an amazingly positive effect on me and the people I share it with
Another lovely post with great reminders for the season and always.I think Alfie may have to live on past the 12 days of Christmas....
Reflect. Bijou always has good advice. Loved Alfie's display of his tangled tiles on the mirror, also.
Thanks for this reminder to reflect on the positives in our lives! All too often we dwell on the "what ifs" or "should haves". I think I may have to make a copy of some of these positive reflections and paste them to my mirror, taking an example from Alfie! I appreciate your blog and look forward to more! Blessings to you.
I am redoing my art studio- just had it painted and now have a special drawer cabinet for my Zentangle supplies. When I was cleaning up for the paint job, I found a sweet picture of my son who is now 11 1/2. He was just born in the photo. I reflected on the past 11 years since his birth with such gratitude because he was a gift. When we reflect we can either stay in a story that keeps us stuck or chose gratitude which opens us up to joy. Thanks for the chance to revisit reflect.
Lucky to have such lovely memories!
These have all been fun ~~~ is that a Yogi Santa behind that mirror ?-)
And how perfect --- like yesterday's mention of cosmic synchronicities --- getting ready to have my Graphic Design Principles & Elements students do ATCs for the last day of class. Heading for that link now!
What a wonderful idea. I haven't started Zentangle yet, but hope to do so next year. I can't afford the official supplies as yet, because I'm on a pension, but hope to be able to take some lessons from our local CZT - I'm going to ask my family to pay for them for my birthday and/or Mother's Day. We only have one teacher here in Hobart, Tasmania who is actually teaching. I love the whole concept, and really hope it will help with my Clinical Depression and PTSD. Happy Christmas to you both.
Wonderful post! I have been doing a lot of reflecting this year since my sister passed away in January...I have a lot of wonderful childhood memories. I really miss her and this holiday will be a difficult one. Thank you!
You two are so funny and clever. Thank you.
Thank you all for sharing your reflections and your tangles. Always inspiring.,
I love that Alfie is using double stick tape. It has to be on of the greatest inventions. Right up there with post-it notes. Reflect is a great Bijouism. I reflected on some of my tiles today and also showed them to friends. Thanks, MartyG
Reflecting is a part of my daily evening routine. As I am trying to get to sleep, I reflect on what occurred during the day. I always try to pick out at least three things I did during the day that made life easier for other people, kind of like the Random Acts of Kindness plan.
Yes, look anew at earlier tiles! I have a set of 3 that I tangled as l listened to a series of talks on The Chronicles of Narnia: He's not a tame lion; I,only,tell you your own story, and Bigger on the Inside than the Outside. Both my husband and I are amazed at how much the tiles "change" each time we reflect on them. I keep them framed in a series and above my desk.
This blog entry reminds me of a tile I did on a sleepless night. I got up and started in the familiar way. From the beginning, I did not like the tile, but I kept on tangling it. The last tangle I did was a jumble of fescue sticking up from the corner. As I reflected on the tile, I realized that my stomach was really upset, and that the tile reflected back to me that I wasn't feeling well at all. Funny, isn't it, how the tile can reveal to you that which you overlooked consciously? Thank you for the reminder. ..
Debbie Butterfield
Tangling helps me to reflect on so many areas of my life. To think. To plan. To be surprised. To find joy. Gosh, I need to be tangling more during my days! Thank you for sharing such beautiful tiles, ideas, and moments to ponder and reflect!
Reflecting on how tangling has help me find a way to put the day in perspective. Being in the moment that is happening is what is most important.
All of the ornaments on our Christmas tree are handmade and many have special stories behind them--such as the ones my son's teacher gave him each year. Now his sons are enjoying those and I can reflect on all our past Christmases--47 this year.
We have a lot of ornaments on our tree that were made by the kids. I can't say they are the prettiest of ornaments lol! But they all brings memories and every year when decorating the tree I am shocked at how much they have grown since making this and that. This is certainly a time for reflection. Thank you for sharing. :)
I do love Molly's choosing "to deliberately REFLECT (on) the good times, the accomplishments, and the beautiful people we were so lucky to know"! This idea of reflecting is multi-faceted ... it includes remembering, feeling again, learning from and perhaps even repeating some of the best ... I find reflecting is very grounding. Thank you for this post! Quite thought-provoking. :)
While reading about reflection and memories I thought that I love some smells. I sometimes smell a perfume and ... there is my mother who died a long, long time ago.
This has been a wonderful series. Thank you to all of you in our Zentangle family. The comments have often been as insightful as the posta.
Oh my... Is Alfie larger than I imagined, or are the tiles he drew really really tiny?
The tiles Alfie worked on were about 3/4 " square. Jullie helped Alfie with his tiles.
Cute, eh?
Oh my gosh, I loved reading Molly's words decscribing Alfie and his feelings. Every single day, I find myself " reflecting" on how much the method of Zentangle has changed my life and that of so many others. The world is indeed a much better place because of Zentangle. Thank you!
Another gift from you all. So glad I did find the Zentangle family and became part of it in 2011 as a CZT and able to have more and more people added to this world wide family. Thank you
oh, tiny tiles!! How CUTE!
& reflecting on GOOD is good!
I love looking back on my earlier tangles. And I am amazed each time at how beautifully they turned out!
I'm constantly reflecting on the joy Zentangle has brought to me and my family and friends. Love Alfie's tiny tiles! Thank you. And what fun to see the ATC 12 days of Christmas; I had not seen it.
Reflection, a beautiful way to bring back our inner child. Reflection of a life full of both Joy and Sorrow -which now in my golden years brings to my heart and should a gratefulness of all people, places and things which have shaped me into the woman I have become. Thanks for my reflective mo nets.
Sadly I haven't had the time to enjoy your blogposts till now. I had too much work to do and not even a few minutes to just sit there and breathe...
But today I had time and I really enjoyed the last posts. They reminded me of everything that is really importand in these days. Thank you for this!
Greetings from Germany!
Every now and then I look through my earlier tiles and appreciate what I have accomplished. Jackie CZT XIII
It is amazing to hear how much reflection takes place
as a tile is being created. At the end of a lesson, students
often will share what they were thinking/feeling as they tangled together.
Love the 'cartwheel Santa.'
Sue
A little magnet on the back of a tangle would make an essy refridgerator display....workout more double sided tape...lol.
A little magnet on the back of a tangle would make an essy refridgerator display....workout more double sided tape...lol.
Tangling really reflects the moment you are in, including details like your mood and physical state. At a class one of my long term students commented on how my style has changed. Without reflecting on my tiles I would have missed this.
Love this post, as all of the others - inspirational!
Thanks for sharing the link, I didn'tknow it. Fun! :)
I reflected on my art journals today.
I actually follow the practice of taking out the tiles I have completed in the past to just reflect on how I have grown in my lovely art form of zentangle....I think I also need to reflect how it has continually helped me create peace of mind....I was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder many years ago and I learned how to cope - but Zentangle is a really good tool that I use now. Happy Holidays to all!
Thank you so much for everything you do! Sending much Love to all of you at Zentangle HQ. Have a wonderful Christmas! Cheryl C. xoxoxo
What joy you two have given us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Reflection is so important in life as well as Zentangle. I am about to do a class this morning and I will be sure to mention how important reflection is in one's life. I try to remember to reflect whenever I do a Zentangle but sometimes I forget to do it. I must remind myself the importance of reflection. Thank you for the reminder!
molly and rick,
thank you for this particular post, so meaningful, especially 'to reflect'.
embracing tis moment, midori
Thank you for these past few posts.
I do have to say that I love the "reflection" theme.
Also, Alfie reflecting, looking in a mirror, with his tiles and the tumbling Santa just made me smile. If Alfie can take time to reflect and make some tiles, so can I!
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