
A mindful week or so looking for pink in nature as a way to focus on letting go of stress, and unwinding from months of busy-ness.

Over the past week or so, I’ve taken some quiet time to reflect and unplug after many months of constant activity following our cross-country move from Minnesota to Arizona.
It seems as if all the things up until now, along with the events, all the improvements to the property, business decisions and all the new relationships we have made in the past 6 months truly brought our dream into focus; and into what is our lives calling: To serve others on their journey to find peace, rest and transformation through art, with a creative approach to wellness.
I live (and love) the work I teach. This week I started my days with morning pages, sometimes creating art on some of the pages. I drew several drawings I felt inspired to create along with a few mixed media collages in my sketchbooks. For the first time in a while, Dean and I were able to get out and take some relaxing walks in the desert and spent an afternoon exploring at Saguaro Park East.
On our walks, for some reason, the pink stones called to me. The brightness of these rocks against the natural tones of the desert stood out and grabbed my attention. I decided I would choose those stones to create a special image to mark this time of reflection before moving forward with new work.
One one of the walks, this small dried-out, twisted root of a plant caught my eye. I carried it with me to add to my image in some way. I liked the twists and turns of the wood and it’s aged appearance.
Today, I took the chosen rocks and piece of wood out on the dry ground to create my special image with my pink rocks. The first rock that was put in the center is shaped like a heart. Right at the “heart” of the image – which happens to align with pink being the heart chakra. I’m not “big” into chakras, but I am aware of them and how they often line up with the color work I do relating to emotions and personality traits.

So, that got me wondering about “pink.” Colors fascinate me, regardless of how much I know, there is always more to learn! So let’s take a look at some interesting information on the color pink and how it shows up in nature and how other cultures view it.
Pink is one of the most common plant colors seen in nature. It attracts birds and insects. It may also deter predators.
The color pink represents unconditional love, friendship and has an energy about it that signifies a balance between the spiritual and material.
Pink is a sign of hope. It radiates gentleness and loving energy. Pink or “rose” inspires a feeling of comfort and joyfulness. As the color of the heart chakra, it brings open heart energy and is a sign of being receptive and you show up in the world in a loving way. Pink is the universal color of love for oneself and others.
In Roman times, the goddess Venus is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility and desire.
In Christian traditions, the color pink is a joyous color and represents purity and the resurrection of Jesus. It’s the perfect time to reflect on the color pink if you celebrate Easter. While it’s a time for joy, it is also a period of penance and prayer.
In China, pink is a lucky color believed to bring good fortune and represents purity and joy.
Koreans view pink as a symbol of trust and faith.
In Southern India, the pastel tone of pink is considered a bright, happy color that brings joy.
As I consider these past few days reflecting on the color pink, it reminds me to be thankful of good health and the great joy I have had meeting so many wonderful people as we have just begun to build our legacy here in Arizona, Solquest Retreat.
I am reminded that it is a delicate balance between the spiritual and material world. There are many who need that same reminder and a safe place to explore what that means to them. I am proud of the work we are doing and hope that many will come to find peace here in the desert.