I have always loved the idea that I have guardian angels watching over me and those I love, keeping us from danger or costly choices and occasionally connecting us with resources, untapped strength, clarity, and guidance.
So, when I came upon Austin Kleon’s blog post on guardian spirits, I was elated.
When Austin is in need of some extra juju, he determines the specific superpower he needs, and then determines which person is best suited to be his guardian spirit for that effort or project. He clips out one or more guardians and pastes them into his journals or keeps them in sight over his desk. He also suggests pasting them onto your wall calendars for adding extra ooomph to that month’s projects.
I began thinking through whom I’d like my guardian spirits to be, and dozens of heroic, creative souls I admire came rushing into my mind. I printed and cut out the images and began affixing them in my journals when I wanted to call upon their specific energy. This collage of spirits is only a representative selection, just to give you a feel for who attracts me.
Starting from the top left, the guardians pictured are David Whyte (poet), Laura Dekker (sailed around the world solo at 15), Picasso (artist), da Vinci (polymath), Joseph Campbell (scholar and writer), Oprah (media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist), Diana Vreeland (former editor-in-chief of Vogue), Franca Sozzani (former editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue), Coco Channel (fashion designer), Erik Weihenmayer (first blind person to summit Everest), Maira Kalman (artist, illustrator and writer), and Georgia O’Keefe (artist).
Not a shabby collection of genius, creativity, courage, vision, and audacity! These are the very qualities I want to infuse into how I live, work, create, and serve.
Take a moment and think about who your guardian spirits could be. What special energy would you like to bring to your current projects, and who would you like riding on your shoulder when the going gets tough?
Bring their images in front of you and keep them within sight throughout your day. Let them serve as your own personal counsel and beaming lighthouse on the rocky shore, guiding you home.
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