Hello Hello,
On a quest to bring my life onwards and upwards, by embracing who I am, what I have to offer, and what I am blessed with. I discovered some beautiful lessons.
I got out of my environment and my own head for a few days and dove deep into my heart. I read a book that served as a catalyst for more thoughts than I knew possible. Edmund de Waal is such a brilliant writer... In his 'letters to camondo" I had many aha moments and found myself journaling away...
In one entry he discusses loss and mourning versus melancholia. He references the renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer’s enigmatic piece called Melancolia.
This work of art leaves so much food for thought... A young woman is still and surrounded by every tool imaginable.
"everything should be possible and yet nothing is" It is like her melancholy and chosen sadness is stopping her from grasping the tools around her. Everything is within her reach yet she does not have the willpower or mindset to make anything happen. Perspective is always a choice.
For me melancholy is the "extraordinary prolongation" of mourning De Waal claims it to be. "You cannot lose loss"
Loss becomes something that reprograms every thought and action that comes after it. We allow loss to define us... shape us even. The rituals of mourning that culture and society have in place should allow us to have the process and then re emerge after time. Yet many of us cannot... We grasp onto that familiar feeling of void. Whatever somber thoughts or experiences melancolia faced have left her frozen, unable to move forward. Melancholy is the refusal to give up on our sadness for the fear of ending it. Do we think that if we stop grieving we end our love for what we have lost? There is guilt associated with moving on or forward after loss. I certainly experienced that after losing my mother and now after losing my dog.
Reading this chapter gave me such wisdom to find a way to not let sadness or melancholy redefine me or become me indefinitely.
So how do we close a chapter within the storybook of our lives and get onto the next...? Are the chapters in which our grief occurs ever done? Do those sentiments permeate into every other chapter there after?
The over-thinker doesn't let go whereas the person present in their life knows that nothing is ever perfect and that life is what it is. It all moves quickly, if we mess with it we pause it. Pausing takes us back not forward.
Small pauses allow reflection. Fast forwarding allows dreaming. But the present is the sweet spot of what is so let it play.
What are we left with after all of our losses and gains? Isn't that what life is a tally of losses and gains? How do we keep score of it - how do we even define success or victory? It is a journey...and each moment in time is imbued with different emotional signatures.
So much of the beauty that I have created comes from experiencing these deep losses and turning them into gains for many and myself. I feel proud to take adversity and channel it into design to help heal and preserve hope for humanity.
My intention is to celebrate life... embrace what was, what is and what will be. No matter what challenges comes my way I have never stopped dreaming, staying positive, hopeful and just showing up, creating and loving.
Sending positive energy your way,
Ariana
This stunning hair tie is inspired by our healing garlands collection. Delicately wrapped crystals elevate your everyday hairstyle. Wearing it has made me feel so playful and young again...
Blue Calcite - brings serenity and tranquility, encourages flow, relieves anxiety, eases communication.
Purple Lepidolite - to promote calm, comes from the Greek word for scale since it brings balance and harmony.
Citrine - provides joy and abundance, connects to your solar plexus chakra for self confidence and willpower, symbolizes the sunshine within us, and promotes a positive mindset.
Pyrite - provides luck and positive energy, protection negative or energetic harm, success and prosperity.
Some behind the scenes moments at our design studio and recent features on instagram!
These photos are so raw and work in progress... but I could not help but share! Making the hamsa motif of our dreams. We merged a fashion history ladylike aesthetic with the more ethnic bohemian hamsa. I grew up around lots of hamsa's to protect from the evil eye... and after my month of January i was majorly craving my own iteration. We will make a medium scaled crystal grid for the wall and smaller scale jewelry with these... concentric circles of healing crystals here we come!
Having a getaway was much needed and restorative. Culture, sunshine and nature made me return to gratitude.
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