Tea Room Conversation with Cathy Corcoran
Much of my life has been spent in search of answers. Rushing from place to place, seeking outside myself for the answers to questions I had not yet asked. What is meaningful? What is of value? In the midst of the quandary, I lost the process, the experience of life just for the wonder of it.
Thankfully there came a time when the beginnings of understanding glimmered through my unconsciousness. One of the golden keys to awakening arrived in the form of Zentangle©. The mantra of the creators, Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas is: “Anything Is Possible, One Stroke At A Time.” So simple and so brilliant, Zentangle is a meditative art form that opens doors for the answers to come. A beautiful small Italian paper tile, a perfect pen, a deep breath or two, a smile of appreciation for this gift I am giving myself, and patterns. Patterns in the multitudes…..some already created, more to come from our observations of nature, architecture, and even Yogi Tea boxes! No artistry required, no creative training or mindset…..yet the outcome is always surprisingly beautiful little works of art along with a powerful opportunity for quiet mind to develop. Answers come when I stop seeking and relax into the simple pleasure of “tangling.” For example, decision-making has always been a challenge to me. I am one of those people who can see the possibilities of every angle that eventually spirals out into the stratosphere of overwhelming indecision and angst. Happily there is a solution that now works wonders for my decision-making process: I set the intention for the highest and best solution to present. I take out a tile and my pen, and I hand my intention off to the Universe at large. I begin the process of quieting and centering into a relaxed state of focus and watch as a newly tangled tile unfolds before me through the flow of my pen. I am fully engaged. I am peaceful and amused at what is unfolding before me. As I finish up and appreciate my creation, there it is: the highest and best solution for all presents itself with clarity, because I have gotten out of my own way. It is for me a miracle each and every time: instead of getting stuck, I have a process that works with ease and grace. It amazes me still! The organic process of pen to paper has helped me to become fearless, opening new doors that I thought were immovable. The lesson of engaging in the processes and the patterns of life in each moment is invaluable. Seeing the world with a reawakened curiosity and wonder is happily the most surprising outcome of all, and for this I am truly grateful. The process of Zentangle continues to work magic for me ….. and I can state without a shadow of a doubt that it is really, really fun!