WHAT IS Soar the art of living?

S.O.A.R - self observation, awareness and realization.  

On vacation in Portugal in 2017, I stopped at Cabo da Roca.  It is the most western point on the continent of Europe, a beautiful location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  The day I was there it was clear blue skies, and ocean as far as you could see.  My first thought was of the explorers, who left this land hundreds of years ago, sailing out into open ocean, not knowing what was beyond the horizon.  They had faith that something bigger than they could imagine was waiting for them to discover.  I thought of the courage and strength it must have taken to make that journey. When I close my eyes I can see that horizon, the color of the blue, the wind blowing on my face, the vastness of it all.  The excitement of possibility…..Wonder. To me, wonder is a place of complete surrender, accepting the uncertainties in life and embracing them as new and exciting journeys, letting go of control and allowing peace.  To be in the drift of life, while at the same time knowing I have the power to change the sails in any direction I choose.  This has not always been a place I operate from. Through my own path of self awareness, I came to the realization that I was the only person holding me back from my dreams.  Life, and the quality of my journey could be anything I chose. That I had to let go of the heaviness that was holding me back, so that I could soar to the heights I envisioned.  

Why the art of living?
I came across a series that was discussing the expression of art through cultures and across time.  Starting with cavemen using caves to paint on, humans have expanded to make earth the canvas on which we have created art.  As humans, we have a fundamental desire to grow, we call this “human becomings”, but we also have a desire to create art.  As a society, we have been creating art externally, with the focus continually being outward.  But the real beauty is focusing that art inwards. To creating art in how you live.  Allowing yourself to feel and express emotions.  To quote Monet, “there are no objective facts about a landscape or building, which we need to describe literally. There is only the sensation of looking at them.” Life is not black and white, it doesn’t fit into predetermined boxes.  The experiences we have paint the landscape and shape our stories.  Once you realize you have the power to chose those experiences and corresponding emotional responses, you begin to add color, texture, and vibrancy.  This is when you become the artist, and life becomes your masterpiece. You have the canvas, how are you going to paint it?