“We are like sculptors, constantly carving out of others the image we long for, need, love or desire, often against reality, against their benefit, and always, in the end, a disappointment, because it does not fit them.” – Anais Nin

It’s very easy to become stuck in trying to figure out what we really truly desire in life. One place to start is by figuring out what it is that we really truly do NOT desire.

It’s equivalent to understanding negative space in a painting. Too often when we paint something, we stop observing and start painting from memory. Instead of painting what is in front of us, we paint what we know and remember about the subject. So, for example, when painting a mug, we start thinking “I know what a mug looks like” and don’t observe the precise angles of that particular mug.

By changing your focus away from the mug and to the negative spaces – such as the space between the handle and the mug, and the space underneath the handle and the surface the mug is sitting on – you have to concentrate on what’s in front of you.

The negative spaces are your undesirables. Focusing on the things you do not desire makes what you truly desire the more important.  Often by working from the negative spaces rather than focusing on the object, you end up with a much more accurate painting.

Writing down, and then letting go of the undesirables going on in your life will open up more room for the more pleasant desires to take affect. It is just as important to know and understand the things that you do not want. That helps in that you are more in control of your creations. In understanding your very own undesires, makes what you actually desire really important.

As a matter of fact, your desires will become the most important and the main focus. The negative space in a painting is the list of undesirables. The painted space is your list of desires.

You created the painting. It came out a very beautiful painting. You created your desires. Beautiful desires.

This week, try to figure out what it is that you do NOT want. That is always a good place to start.

Or, you could always start sculpting.

—Penna

The What Do You NOT Want? by INNER PRINCESS Magazine, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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