Snake – A Year of Change

work in progress ©Ayn Hanna (MX reactive dye breakdown printing on cotton fabric)

(I have ~14 works in progress in the studio right now and I’ll share some of them in upcoming posts.  The one above was made using a breakdown dye printing process, demonstrated in this video by Committed to Cloth.)

Change is a Constant

“Snake” was the animal card I selected for 2011.  It represents Transmutation, Change.

My 2 words for 2010-11 were FIERCE JOY. This Yoga Journal article best describes what I envision as “Fierce”, connecting with your inner Kali.  And JOY, well, this simply is the state of being I most want to exist in.

2011 was a really great year and included many wonderful changes – lots of good forward progress with development of my art career, and major growth and change with my life partnership.  I put a lot of energy and focus outward and feel good about my achievements.

This year, I’m adjusting my focus more inward, while also maintaining a balance with outward focus.  It’s still about setting and achieving goals and being fierce, but in a softer, more contemplative way.

It’s about transmutation, meditation, taking “right” action, but with a deeper more compassionate, loving, and forgiving connection, to myself, to others, to the earth.  It’s about finding ways to achieve (art) career goals, while developing my healthy relationship with myself and partner, as well as deepening connections in the community, Joy in all things, and appreciation for all experiences.

Connectedness, quiet reflection, breath, boundaries.  Listening and responding to the evolutionary whispers of the inner voice.  The transmutation that comes through deep connection to one’s core self.

My 2 words for 2012

I’ve been mulling several good options for my 1 word for 2012, and have narrowed it down to 2 finalists, one focused inward and one focused outward.

BREATHE – it’s the inner word that keeps coming to me and gives me a sense of calm and grounded-ness when my work day has overshot it’s boundaries and I’ve reached my threshold of max absorption.  Coincidentally (or not), it’s also another Yoga word.  A very highly recommended book on my must read list is “A Life Worth Breathing” by Max Strom, an acclaimed yoga teacher and speaker.  Instinctively I know that breathing and meditation will lead me to where I want to be, further along the path toward fully being “me”, fully giving and receiving love, and finding joy in all experiences.

CONNECT – inward and outward, although I’m feeling a strong pull of deepening my connectedness not only to self, but to my tribe, my outward community.  This is a challenge because its much more comfortable to cocoon myself in my studio (I love my alone time).  But I recognize that part of being a successful artist is we each need to put ourselves and our art “out there”, becoming vulnerable to connect with others and develop relationships.  I also want to contribute to my community, get involved in efforts where I can help build the economic Arts engine and value of Art in our culture.

So my 2 words for 2012  are BREATHE & CONNECT.  They will be my focus, my theme for this year.  And Fierce Joy is etched into the background as well.

How do you set your focus for the year?  Have you selected “a word” for 2012?  Please share in the comments below.