The Warriors Rest

This painting features a warrior, she has sat down to rest as she is weary, she's taking a moment before she intends to climb the rugged mountain in the background, as she does so she takes in the bright red poppies that are growing by her side as two Swallow birds fly overhead.

I often try to paint images that are colourful, very positive and often try to convey a quite cheerful or uplifting message yet with this one it carries a deeper message, yet also a strong message of hope and strength in difficult times.

The warrior woman is tired, she's put her heavy sword down, its sharp end piercing into the soil. She wears her armour still but she is quite aware that it is indeed time for her to take a rest.

Regardless of gender, age, back ground, or our profession I think we can all recognise those feelings of 'Can I go on?' 'Can I keep doing this?'

With the theme of this month's edition being around mental health I feel that it's very significant to recognise feelings of struggle, sometimes our usual ability to 'fight on' can feel depleted.

Sometimes life throws us obstacles, sadness and loss.... Sometimes surviving a day feels like climbing a mountain....

So maybe there is a message here in this painting about acknowledging our own feelings of struggle, as they are very, very valid.

In an ideal world the warriors sword would be a magic wand and she would just 'magic away her woes'... but reality isn't quite like that is it?

So what can we do?

As I say there is no magic wand but sometimes it can help to acknowledge our feelings, and to admit to ourselves that we are struggling.

There is no easy fix but sometimes putting down our sword can give us a breather, a bit of time out to regain our strength, maybe asking ourselves 'What can I put down just for today?'

Sometimes we just need to 'lower the bar' and accept that it's OK to not be perfect and to not be constantly coping and striving or achieving.

Sometimes just an hour off, or a day off where we lighten up on our expectations can help. Then however there are times when it's not 'just a bad day' Sometimes it's time to seek help, to seek the support of others, or if we are lucky enough to have friends or family to reach out to then we might do so.

Or we may choose to contact the plentiful professional mental health organisations that are there for just that reason, to try and help us.

The opportunity to talk to a stranger can help so much, to open up to someone that doesn't know us.

Phone lines and professional counselling can give us safe space to vent and to signpost us to finding consistent support and putting this in place.

I am probably oversharing a little here, but I feel it's important to do so.

Not many people know how and why I started to paint. I enjoyed drawing as a child but never pursued art or ever picked up a canvas and paintbrush until I was age 37.

I actually started painting at a support group that I attended when I was seeking help for my own mental health struggles. At the lowest point in my life I accepted help and support, and it worked for me.

The ironic part of this story is that before this I had been myself working as a Counselling Therapist for 6 years, I was a fully fledged member of the BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists)

So after years of successfully providing support for others working in schools and surgeries and with Cruse Bereavement Care

The tables then turned... and it was me who needed the help.

And I'm glad to say I took it.

There is a saying 'Out of the darkness cometh light' and painting not only became my therapeutic saviour but also my future career choice.

Painting as well as doing my Clairvoyant readings came as a bit of a surprise!

But 11 years later I haven't looked back.

Of course not everyone experiences such a happy ending as I have. But I hope my story can bring just a little bit of hope.

Myself and my family are 'survivors of loss by suicide'

My husband sadly took his own life, we had been separated for many years and he was a very troubled man with a good gentle heart. Before he passed to spirit we formed a close friendship again and I was actually the last person to speak to him before he passed.

Myself and our children will never forget the shock we experienced answering the door to the two police officers the day we found out that he had took his own life.

I experienced (and still do at times) a vast range of emotions, despair sadness but also anger and guilt.

8 years later it still sits with us heavily but we try to remember him as the gentle kind hearted man that he was and he often comes through when we go to spiritualist church, which is lovely and we welcome his communications.

The purpose of my overshare' here is to help people be aware that we never know what goes on behind closed doors or what truth can hide behind a smiley selfie.

Life does go on... its not easy at times... but it does...

I hope my story offers some strength or support to anyone facing difficult times.

Don't give up, as indeed out of the darkness you can find the light.

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Back to a final message from the painting, The Swallows are symbolic of the supportive souls that are looking on and the Poppies are symbolic of remembrance, In remembering our own personal strength and also remembering those that we have lost.

There is hope and strength in this painting and I hope it helps as a reminder to anyone who may need it.

Love from Katie xx