INNERWORKS WITH THE BLESSED MOTHER

Why innerworks? I take innerworks or “soulworks” to  signify works of the soul or perhaps conversely, the soul at work—that is, to attain or possibly to reclaim its connections, its connectedness—to be “on line,” to be “in touch.”  In touch with what? The soul must work to find itself, to find deeper meanings, to find the heart of things, to find the sacred. Why? For its wholeness, its oneness with everything that is and ultimately with the One who is the source of all beings.

Why, why, why…it’s an endless why…but the soul must find itself, its be-ing in such questions. It must do its work—to question, to find, to connect or re-member itself with the totality of existence. It must set itself in motion, it must walk, must journey in the outside world as well as in its inward dimension. It must find itself, its home.

I have been initiated and set into motion by a couple of self-healing processes. Some real persons and friends served as companions, guides and mentors. Along with them I have also been, and still am, being accompanied, guided, and mentored by a very special person, friend and mother—our Blessed Mother Mary. My journey with her began to be more pronounced in summer 2000. (I say more pronounced because our partnership or companionship dates back to my childhood. My mother was and continues to be a faithful devotee to our Mother of Perpetual Help. She introduced me and initiated me to my love affair with our Blessed Mother.)

In that unforgettable summer I pursued a deeper finding and healing of my soul via a process (in search of archetypes as called) conducted by my Emmaus friends and guides. I found my kairos moment when my artistic creativity began to well up and unfold. No less than the Blessed Mother Herself and Her Son surfaced on my personal mandala that we were asked to make. She and Her Son were the first to manifest to me and became my defining inspiration for my art ministry... Since then, as can be gleaned from my works, she becomes my foremost inspiration.

Today, she comes as my real guide, mentor, consoler, healer and more, not only in moments of artistic creativity and activity. She fills me much with her presence in my solitude, in my deepest concerns, in low moments and trying times. She invites, initiates, and guides me in my soulworks. She inspires me to listen, expand my awareness and attention and she teaches me to see things more deeply.  She helps me build my better self. She helps me find my home.

As for my innerworks that are up for exhibit, they are the fruits or the catch I have obtained from the well of my interiority. They are fruits of my listening and awakening to the stirrings in my soul. They are the catch metaphors of my inward motions and my soul’s travail to be in touch with the spiritual realm. They are images of my contemplation about my dreams, memories of journeys and pilgrimages. They are my impressions about people, events, things and places, about songs and stories, about accompaniment of people and soulful friendships.

They are my attempts to capture colors, lines and motions that mirror to me my passions, invitations, and explorations for self-growth, integration and holiness. They signify my grateful recognition and celebration of the goodness of life, and communities and friends who provided me then, and even now, my sustenance, sanctuary and formation.

They are my soul’s outpouring gratitude of the healing accompaniment of the Blessed Mother and the bountiful blessings from our Loving God. They are partial answers to my soulful searches for home.

Let us do our innerworks or soulworks. Be in motion. Find our true home. 

-Elvi

(21 September 2002)