Acorn

our haiku/short prose:

Autumn oak leaves

Carpet the green grass

Acorn grows

Transcript for Acorn

Welcome, let’s take a mindful look at this artwork, Acorn.

To start, find a quiet, comfortable place to sit, if you can and bring your full attention to the image in front of you.

Take a moment to look at this image. What do you notice about it? What stands out to you?

It might be a particular colour, - the vibrant lime green and yellow in the three acorns near the top of the picture. How the leaves that are near the top  appear more rich and verdant and start to change colour as your eye moves further down.

Or perhaps it’s particular shape - the organic, curved forms of the oak leaves.  Or the collection of squares seen towards the left. Each one a different colour, Each one containing a delicate imprint of a leaf. Take a moment now to notice these.

Or maybe it’s the absence of colour that stands out to you. Outlines of oak leaves are present but their centres remain blank. These ‘ghost’ leaves can be seen throughout. 

There are 9 acorns in this image. Each one is different from the next.  Take a moment now to find them. Notice their differences. Which ones are green? Which are brown? Which have lines? Which are paired with another? Which one is the smallest?

Did you notice that they are all facing upwards, all except one?

This artwork is a celebration of the acorn. These tiny objects found in nature, so familiar to us in their shape and size - are transformed here into larger than life icons. Their considerable size makes them the main focus of this piece. But what else can you notice in the artwork, in its different layers? The example of repetition of the crimson red oak leaf just to the right of the downward facing acorn. The blue sky that might evoke memories of beautiful early autumn mornings.

The mighty oak, like us, does not become resilient overnight. It goes through many stages of growth. To enable this process the tree needs certain elements to support its growth  - sunlight, rain, nutrients. We humans are not that much different. We too need certain elements to support our growth - nutrition, sleep and rest, supportive relationships and one other important element - self-compassion. Whatever stage we’re at, we always need to remind ourselves that we are worthy of acceptance, kindness and compassion.

Take a moment now to reflect on what it was like to spend your time noticing the colours, shapes and textures in this artwork.

If you’ve listened to this audio before, did you notice anything new this time?

Why not share some of your thoughts about this artwork or this exercise with someone you know.