Atiliay noun, a play off the French word “atelier”; a workshop/studio, esp of an artist or designer; my creative space

Notes plural noun, a brief record of facts, topics, thoughts written down as an aid to memory; a short informal letter

 

The theme for this month's mantra is rooted. There were some different ideas and phrases that stood out to me and I'm sharing a few of my favorites below. I hope one of them resonates with you!

For the mantra artwork, I wanted to use brown and gold to represent the ground and earth and I was drawn to the curvy shapes of tree and plant roots. The bottom layer was made with kraft paper and the top with a piece of paper covered in watercolor and acrylic paint that was scraped and mixed then cut up and added to the collage. (I wasn't sure where I was going with this at first and it wasn't until I tore the page out because I didn't like it that I realized what I could use it for!)

Rooted is also my word for the year! The first thing that might come to mind is being rooted physically and while that seems like it will be true too, I was really thinking about it in the sense of…

Did you choose a word for the year? If you haven't yet and want to, it's not too late. I really love doing this because the word becomes an anchor and compass throughout the following months. It reminds us of what we want to focus on, what to circle back to when things are unsteady, and where to focus our attention. 

 

“I am rooted, but I flow.” - Virginia Woolf

“Heal the root so the tree is stable.” - Unknown

 

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”
- Amelia Earhart

 

"It is not our job to remain whole. We came to lose our leaves like the trees, and be born again,
drawing up from the great roots." - Robert Bly

Wishing you growth, strength, and clarity as you move through the month.

Take good care and talk to you soon,

PS: I've been picking a word since 2019! I love getting to look back at things that have been happening consistently over a period of time and seeing how it's evolved.

PPS: I almost forgot to look up this day at the park and so glad I did! This is your reminder to look up at the sky next time you're outside :)

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