Groundlessness
How forgoing the glue helped me cultivate this Buddhist teaching by Pema Chodron.
I started this peculiar habit of eliminating the use of glue when I revived collaging during the Covid 19 lockdown two years ago. I pulled old magazines from the shelf and selected images to cut out. Once I accumulated a bunch, I created loose collages on a colored 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper. I’d photograph each composition with my iPhone and then move things around. I reiterated ideas by reusing the same elements until I was satisfied with 3 to 5 compositions at the end of the session. The process was so gratifying that I abandoned the conventional approach of choosing one final assemblage to glue down on paper. I just kept at it a few hours a day and the next thing I knew, I’d developed the habit.
Recently, I realized that this unconventional collaging method is analogous to Pema Chodron’s Buddhist teaching on groundlessness:
The Buddhist teachings actually say there is nothing solid and graspable and reliable. The sense of inner strength and compassion and flexibility and openness of mind and heart comes from becoming more comfortable with groundlessness– becoming more comfortable with the fact that things are, that people and things are always shifting and changing. That is the nature of reality. –Pema Chodron
Gluing down is holding on to permanence. The rearranging of objects is practicing flexibility, being comfortable with uncertainty, and freeing the mind to generate more ideas. It’s staying focused in the present moment and subconsciously building mental and spiritual muscles to weather through doubt, fear, and pain.
I’d like to think that foregoing the glue has subconsciously helped me in my own life while I’m in a period of transition. I’ve noticed that I’m less anxious about the future, enjoying most days, and more open to possibilities than I’ve ever been in my life.
What do you think? I encourage you to give it a try particularly when you’re experiencing a creative block. If you do, I’d love to hear about your experience!
Making art is really about process. Once needs to yield to the process instead of resisting revision. The outcome is often much more interesting that our initial concept.
I *LOVE* this! In fact, you’ve given me a second inspiration this morning. I was reading Co-Create’s post this morning, and the first part had some art and talked about how we don’t create because we think our art isn’t good enough. I commented that the post had inspired me to offer free, amateur art/craft events for my community (adults and children alike!).
https://open.substack.com/pub/cocreatespace/p/036-interview-yourself?r=5apie&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
One of the things I want to do is collage art. It’s so fun and anyone can do it, right? But you have taken that idea even further. By teaching others (as you have done here for me) that they don’t have to use glue and to take photos of their pieces positioned in different ways, I can help open their eyes to a new way of viewing life. Being comfortable with groundlessness. Kind of makes me think of my own post yesterday on getting comfortable being uncomfortable.
Such an awesome post, Stella! Thanks!