Offering Unconditionally
(Inside are my tips for creating a life through offering unconditionally.)
Several years ago, while wandering on a pristine beach in Anagada, I stumbled upon an establishment made pretty much entirely of driftwood. It seemed the owner of this little bar wanted to share the island with tourists, make a little income and provide them with a great meal in the midst of their beach combing. He was the lobsterman, the bartender and jack of all trades for this little spot. I admired the way he was so passionate about his offerings.
I noticed that many of the pieces of driftwood had adornments on them like initials, doodles, quotes, etc carved into the wood. Curiosity has always been a wildly untamed part of me, so without hesitation I asked about these little bits of art. The man told me people started wanting to leave a piece of themselves on the island and he thought it was the perfect way to create a little building to cook and serve drinks from.
With a bit of trepidation, I asked him to show me how it was done. I was fascinated when he handed me only a magnifying glass and told me to "find a way". After finding the perfect piece of driftwood, I thoughtfully, yet laborously, spent two hours carving my masterpiece.
"KLC"
Yup, that was it. As he hung this small part of me next to a perfectly designed sea turtle with ornate shell markings, I was a little disappointed with my efforts. And surely, this was symbolic of something much greater. I'd wanted to create perfect so badly that I'd nearly extinguished all the energy for creation.
Several more years pass, and as I'm walking a boardwalk in California, I meet a true Solar Artist, who created gorgeous large portraits, trees, dolphins, signs for business and more with just a magnifying glass. Once again, I was intrigued. He taught me the technique in order to carve with the sun and I was hooked. But again, I found myself seeking perfection. Comparing my creations in driftwood with that magnificent sea turtle and the expectations I had in my head.
I pressed on, doodling about and with each piece, I set my intention to let go, a little more. A young girl once asked me to show her how to create this art and I did willingly, after 3 minutes, she was bored and asked if she could have the piece I was making. Graciously, I gave it to her. She was ecstatic! And so was I. From this point, I decided that I had little interest in creating anything but masterpieces from my heart.
To this day, I sit and burn on driftwood occasionally, generally words, quotes, dolphins or SEA TURTLES! And I almost always leave my art behind for someone to find. Carving the energy of positive vibration permanently into a piece of driftwood and offering that to whomever needs it without any regard for results feels great! The lesson in this small artistic anonymous gifting is really about the gifts we can give ourselves.
CREATING A LIFE THROUGH OFFERING UNCONDITIONALLY:
I leave expectations behind and offer myself unconditionally
Some might find this art a little simple, and it is, but it is undoubtedly one of the most unconditional outpourings I can offer. Doing so, gives me a chance to connect to this source of me where judgement, fear, expectation and guilt don't exist toward myself or toward others. Bringing this aspect into my daily life is key. No matter what I am creating, I try to be aware of the expectations I am putting on myself or my creation and then release them.
I allow the creation to be a pure manifestation of my soul
As I leave behind little pieces of love, I set the intention to bring more purity in creation and love to every facet of my life. I follow the inspiration, even if I don't know where its taking me or what comes next, I follow, eagerly observing the unfolding of my souls creation. I embrace the uniqueness within each creation, whether art, healing sessions, courses, doodles, or life.
I do only what feels really good
I've found that the key to really being unconditional is within one's own pleasure. If it doesn't feel good while doing it, how can we expect it to nourish us. Doing things that are really pleasing and nourishing feeds our souls with all the good stuff! And that helps us to maintain this good feeling within us, which keeps us in alignment with who we really are.
I choose to be unattached
"It's not the destination, but the journey that matters most." I've found no matter what it is that I am doing, when I am unattached to the results, present in the process of creating, being with the inspiration and guidance, the results are much grander than I could ever imagine. Results don't always look like what we might think or think we want and that's okay. If we can stay the course of focus without attachment, we can hold no regret, because we've simply done whatever it was that felt great, was from our soul and was done so without expectations.