Visual Haiku 

In January I posted on this blog my thoughts about the books I was currently reading. The Artist's Rule, and Haiku~the sacred art, have influenced my latest series.  Both underscore a process of taking time to see what is around me and holding it in my heart.   It reminds me of the Hebrew word, Selah that I pondered several years ago which means pause and think about that. 

The principles of haiku and monasticism complement my introverted temperament which needs time, silence and meditation to ruminate on what I have seen, heard or read. Margaret McGee writes that a haiku is a prayer of praise, celebrating God’s creation and reflecting back simply and clearly what we experience.  I have been intentional about saying more with less and leaving only the bones of the composition and/or finding the essence of the object or moment and leaving everything else out. 

This series of images captures the moment in a most economical manner and pasess it on; what I call a Visual Haiku. I can imagine this to be an ongoing series with pieces added throughout the year(s) as I become aware of those special fleeting moments. I have posted these images on my website, www.phyllisthomasart.com along with my reflections about each piece.  If you have a chance, please visit

The Artist’s Rule; nurturing your creative soul with monastic wisdom, Christine Valters Paintner, 2011

Haiku~the sacred art, Margaret D. McGee, 2009

What is SELAH time?

It occurred to me as I re-read my last post that perhaps I should expand it with some explanation of the Hebrew word, Selah.  Used 71 times in the Psalms, it is a musical term; "an intended pause, suspension to the music."   The Psalm that I referenced when I studied the word is 46:10-11 calling for stillness to know who God is. That word has called me to suspend some of my "hurriedness".  So far this year, I've paused my TV viewing, kept my computer off for one day a week, taken fewer 30 min trips into town and spent more time in my studio and scripture study.  I find those actions give me a more relaxed and thoughtful mindset.  I've returned to my studio, trying to work steadily and be content with whatever happens in the day and when I feel it is time,  I stop for the day. 

I believe these decisions are directly related to some of the reading I've been doing mentioned in my last blog.  A few excerpts from some of those authors follow for your meditation:

Tozer:  "what a man is must be shown to be more important than what he does."

Wiersbe:  An explorer was penetrating a difficult area of the jungle and wanted to keep going, but his native bearers would not move.  "We have been going too fast", they explained, "and we must wait here for our souls to catch up with our bodies."

Barbara Brown Taylor:  While contemplating what her "work" was to be, she was impressed by God that it is "Anything that pleases you.".  It meant the ball was back in her court and she still had to decide among many things how she would make a living.  "I could be a priest or a circus worker.  God really did not care.  But whatever I decided to do for a living was not what I did but how I did it that mattered."

That's enough for today.  Perhaps this will give you food for thought for the week.  Actually, now on this Saturday, I'm taking time to go with my husband to a movie and practicing releasing my "to do" list for the weekend.