A Prayer
“For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length—and there I travel looking, looking breathlessly.”
I climbed to the top of a mountain days ago and when I got there, I prayed. I pulled my body, heavy from years of idleness but with just enough spring from recent diligent hiking, up more than 3,000 vertical feet to the highest point in my magical home, New Mexico. The path was worn yet steep, dark storms hugged the neighboring peaks and swirled over the valley below, the joy of my dog and my love of the moment provided the light of the day. Winds grew in ferocity as we progressed and the thin, high air forced me into a cadence consisting more of stopping and breathing than moving. I was determined to make it to the top, for nothing other than sitting and asking to be guided: for my life to be one lived in love. The wind was so fierce I am convinced it took this prayer To whomever it may concern.
I believe prayers are answered, but the inquirer must work faithfully and open-heartedly, traveling on a path that fulfills the necessary work and actions to answer this prayer. I did not shoot my prayer out to the wind and go about my day, hoping it will all work out. In my asking, I am also committing to making it my life's work to see the prayer answered. I want to live in a way that I am able to give love to everyone I meet, put love into the work I do, fill my relationships with love, finding and giving love where it is needed in this existence of ours.
An Art
Lumino fits into this in a profound way. It is the means I have found to continue on my prayer's path. It enables me to love. For my artistic process to function, I fuel it from my well of the things I love. As this well grows, I can produce more artwork and creative output, and so the happier I am. Here is the important part: If I live with my well overflowing, I am able to return that happiness and love out into the world. I do not keep it for myself, or fall victim to being blinded of it because my eyes are set on material gains. I yearn down to my soul to give love to others, it ignites me and sustains my being.
A Business
My goal with Lumino extends beyond making jewelry. Metalsmithing and spending my time with stones is work I adore. It is my art, and I have crafted this endeavor in a way for it to eventually be my life-sustaining business—every entrepreneur must give thought to, at minimum, how their business will provide for them. Aside from the worldly concerns of a roof over my head and food to eat, there is the intrinsic happiness I receive from making my living with my art, and there is the happiness I desire to return out into the world.
When I plan for Lumino's growth, I do not think of the house I want to purchase, the type of car I want to drive, the luxuries I will fill my house with, the vacations I will take. Right now I live in a casita (now the trend is to call it a "tiny house"), out with the land and close to nature, my belongings are minimal. I consider my internet service the extravagant monthly purchase, a necessity for my business. I do not plan for any of this to scale up; my only change in living I'd like to make is to move further out into the land, getting rid of material ties as often as possible. I want to build a family and live in a home we build with our own hands, and those of our carpentry-skilled friends of course.
Beyond this, I want to give back to our collective. I want my time and energy, my love, to be available to people who need it—whether that be helping my local community with providing food, learning, shelter, support, a voice, whatever is needed that I can give; or traveling to offer what is needed around our hurting planet; helping to fund causes that need monetary support to stay alive. The jewelry I create, my "product" in business-speak, I want for it to provide its wearer with happiness of course, and also an awareness of the beauty and power of our earth. You can read more about that here.
These are the things I am striving for my business, Lumino, to enable me to do. This is my daily prayer, and it is one I climbed to the top of a mountain to express and send out on the eternal winds.
Thank you for your time in reading, I send you love,
Christi