How to heal a heavy heart

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(at least for now)

  1. Wrap your arms around the heart
Swain art paintage

Even if you’re sad, make art
Sally Swain © original art

2. Plant your strong feet upon the earth

3. Sit down

4. Know that the moon is there behind you

5. Sing mournfully

6. If you can’t bring yourself to sing, then hum or simply breathe.

That’s how to heal a heavy heart 

(at least for now).

On a day I felt sad, I

gazed upon a previous paintage. I gazed, dreamed, imagined. I saw a woman holding an outsized heart.

This is how the image grew,

according to the Art of Emergence …

Even if you’re sad, make art
Sally Swain play-in-progress 1

Swain heart art

Even if you’re sad, make art
Sally Swain play-in-progress 2

Swain Sally art heart

Even if you’re sad, make art
Sally Swain play-in-progress 3

Swain art

Even if you’re sad, make art
Sally Swain play-in-progress 4

Swain art paintage

Even if you’re sad, make art
Sally Swain © original art

I felt distinctly happier and more engaged once I completed the painting.

If you feel inclined, you might peruse a couple of other artworks from my Even if…make art series so far: Even if you’re grumpy, make art;  Even if your wings become elephant ears, make art.

24th July, 2017 is the seventh anniversary of my father’s death.

As some of you longterm pals, colleagues and blog-followers know, David Swain was and is my original muse.
Here’s a link to Climbing Trees, Knowing Home.

I believe he was an ultra-special being of wit and kindness. He offered a gentle listening ear and endless creative delight to many people in the world.

And guess what? As soon as I wrote about singing to heal a heavy heart, I spotted this link about reviving the ancient art of lament.
Yay for synchronicity!

with love, art and soul from Sally

14 thoughts on “How to heal a heavy heart”

  1. Thank you dear Sally. This brought tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart..just when my heart was feeling a bit chilly & baffled by perceived unkindness in the world. Your Dad must have been a very beautiful & special man. Thank you for being the prescious muse that you are too Sally. Love Sally! xoxxx

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  4. It is good to write from the gut Sally. I wish I felt the same way about my father, but he hurt my mom and I. One day I will share that story in my blog. But … my love for my mom is often reflected in my blog posts – good memories, in fact, I am writing one today where she chastised me and I was mad at the time (what do young people know anyway), but I recall that moment now with fond memories … she was right as usual. I wish she was here to tell her so. Memories keep them alive. My eyes misted up just now for her.

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    • Thank you, once again, Linda. And aren’t writing and art-making brilliant tools for connecting with memories and expressing feeling?! I would love more people to feel confident to access their creative resources.

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      • Thank you Sally. I feel the same way as you and it is wonderful to express your creativity, be it through art or writing. It is really a way of sharing yourself with the world. I was nervous at first writing what was in my mind, but now am totally comfortable with writing and sharing my thoughts.

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  5. I was sad too Sal and for many weeks. Eventually poetry emerged in the “crack where the light gets in”. We need to be with our Sadness when it comes to visit. And gifts of previously unknown things often come to visit too! x

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    • What a beautiful message, Rosalie. I enjoy your eloquence. Sorry to hear you were sad for many weeks, but gladdened to hear about your poetry. And with a spot of Leonard thrown in. Thank you.

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