Wordlessness

 "Wordlessness .... a blissful and absorbing experience, a place where concepts dissolve, and everything is love." Martha Beck, Finding Your Way in a Wild New World

From an early age I used words, written words, to express myself.  I did this because my ability to express them verbally, was brief and often times, inadequate.  Yet I was totally seduced by, and still relish, the written word in both of my languages, Spanish and English.  Somehow writing makes words more meaningful, durable, solid.  As in a friend you can depend on.  Verbal words, have the opposite impression on me.  They are ephemeral, just as they are said, they are gone and often times, forgotten.  The written word,  on the other hand, carries an echo of authenticity, courage, and dare I say, love.  Even when read out loud,  written words carry the sacredness of bells, flutes and drums. They play in harmony, just like in Amanda Gorman's light-filled poetry.

Walking toward the sea, 2019, pastels on 19.5 x 25 paper

I enjoy words so much that I dedicated my first entrepreneurial endeavor to them. Back in the late 90's when I was living in Miami, Florida , I created a company called Words Unlimited Inc. with the mission of serving and promoting the cultural arts.  Two successful initiatives came from this effort, the first was a community event called Words and Music, which showcased local musical talent and writers like presidential inaugural poet, Richard Blanco, and the second, my first greeting card line and ceramics which played with the beauty of the Spanish language.  

Yet, more than the memories of my first company,  a wordless feeling remained. A feeling which took  years to decipher and explain in words.  All I knew was that I wanted more of it.  The feeling I couldn't pinpoint then, was and is,  at the most basic level,  the feeling of doing what you love and being in alignment with Spirit.  

Fast track many moons later, I find myself in search of words I cannot find.  The need to express and connect at a deeper level with myself, my community and the world.  Even though I journal daily, blog weekly,  and consistently work on creative writing projects, words just aren't enough to express myself these days.  Hence, my drive and need to create art and walk the visual medium. 

At first, my artwork was purely personal, experimental, and a medium to  delve into the psyche, heal, explore and discover.  Overtime, it has not only healed certain wounds, but helped me thrive and honor my highest self. It has expanded my vocabulary, both metaphorically and literally.  It has re-connected me with Spirit, taught me mindfulness, the importance of this very second, and the zen act of  surrendering and allowing.

And so, I finally understand that state of wordlessness. 
I choose to live in it with intention and purpose. 
​Words included.

​AMO

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