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Hidden Gold Day 3
Create and Live
Then it was as if I suddenly saw
the secret beauty of their hearts...
the core of their reality.
If only they could see themselves as they really are.
If only we could see each other that way all the time,
there would be no more war,
no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed…
I suppose the big problem would be
that we would fall down and worship each other.
Thomas Merton
Here we are at Day 3!
Listening mindfully, we have approached the doorways of the body and the imagination and have entered into our inner mandala landscape. You may have come back with something tangible to live into, or you may not yet be clear about the gifts this can give. It's often a winding path where we lose our way and find it again repeatedly, sometimes the timing is right and sometimes not. The practices from Day 1 and 2 can work on us gradually if we return to them over and over.
Wherever you find yourself now, can be where you begin for today.
Next we will relate to all of this through creativity, which is another way to circumvent the everyday thinking mind. I encourage you to give yourself the gift of this creative time. You may be surprised as what emerges!
However, if you prefer to find a readymade object to be your talisman, that can work fine too. For example, recently someone let me know that they found a piece of driftwood which seemed to be just the thing.
Create a
Talisman of Intention
Many people find that self-doubt sabotages their creativity. Let's say a kind goodbye here to our self-critic. This is not about perfected or 'good' outcomes, it's about self-expression and anchoring intentions into the physical realm. If what you create is beautiful, that is a great side effect, more important is to spend time with your discoveries in a creative way.
We are going to make a talisman of intention, that you will be able to see and touch. I hope it can accompany you as a reminder of your hidden gold.
Traditionally, a talisman is an object that is believed to hold magical or protective powers. It is usually thought to be charged with specific energy or symbolism to serve a particular purpose. I'll leave it up to you whether you see the talisman as a symbol or a kind of spell, or both. Either way it bears your intention.
Video 3 - Create
It’s time to gather the materials you need to start creating. So get a cup of tea and sit comfortably. Turn off notifications. Close the door. Put music on if you like. Light a candle. Whatever feels conducive to a creative space for you.
Audio 3 - Creating from Presence
Please note that you will probably want to press pause periodically so that you can do this at your own pace. The recording is open ended, so you can go on for as long as you wish after it finishes.
By Indie Author, Storyteller and Word Stitcher Liezel Graham, find her here
Mandala by C G Jung
Amulet to Find the Singer of my Heartsong by Rima Staines, find her here
Crescent Bird by German contemporary artist Kiki Smith
Here is a written summary of the steps I guide you through in the audio
FOUR STEPS TO FOLLOW…
Step 1: Mindfulness
Sense your body sitting. Connect with the feeling of what has felt important to you from the last two days work. Be present with this feeling and begin.
Step 2: Background (optional)
Make a background texture to give depth to what you do next.
Step 3: A Shape to Work Within
Choose your medium – pen, pencil, paint, needle and thread, chisel… Make an initial shape. You can draw around something like a bowl or small book.
I drew around a shell for a more unusual shape.
If you make a mistake include it into the uniqueness of what you make.
Step 4: Play!
Fill in the shape with writing, colour, images, collage or doodles that represent the intention coming out of your Hidden Gold explorations…
Let the feeling of what’s been important inform your decisions about what to create – words, colours, shapes, images, a poem, a mantra.
Anchor into mindfulness as in Step 1 every so often.
As you go along, watch out for the self-critic. If it shows up kindly acknowledge it and then come back to mindfulness. The same with frustration, distractions and any other emotions.
Talismanic manuscript from sub-Saharan Africa, probably Nigeria
Live
Well I'm so curious! What did you make? What are you taking away with you to live out moment to moment? Where are you going to put your talisman?
If you'd like to share your work and reflections, please join in on our Hidden Gold private Facebook group here or using the QR code.
As you know, old habits die hard and so now comes the time for commitment, determination and practice. Use the audios as often as you like. Practice daily if you can, even just 10 minutes makes a difference. And stay engaged with others who feel like company in this kind of work.
I want to leave you with two thoughts about extending the hidden gold principle out to others. It is my wish that through forging a growing connection with the core of the mandala of our heart-mind-body, we will become a more beneficial presence in the lives of others. Let it not stop with you! We can embody it, but we can also practice seeing the hidden gold nestling in others. If you train your eyes to see it, you will catch it glimmering everywhere. In a wry smile, in an act of modest generosity, in someone being moved by a piece of music, in the absent minded hum of a tune, in an awkward apology, in a valiant attempt to do things differently and failing, in a word of consolation that hits the spot...
See with the eyes of the heart.
If you enjoyed this little adventure and would like to go deeper, please come along to a live online Mandala Day (the next is on the 11th October 2025, then another on 7th Feb 2026) or get in touch for one to one coaching here.
You can also sign up to my mailing list to receive a freshly recorded audio practice every month along with poems, reflections and info about what's on.
May your Hidden Gold shine out, both for your own benefit and for the benefit of others too!