soul & ego

Speaking to my soul is a terrifying challenge. My higher self is a very quiet person, a very simple person. She is not too forthcoming with answers and requires a bit of coaxing before she is willing to agree to anything. Her lack of verbal, or typical, communication skills has made reconnecting with her difficult in the past - but it seems that creative expression is the way to interact with her.

I have spent years perfecting my ego - my social mask, the image I have created for myself - because I was always told that no one would understand the true me, the me that begs daily to be let out. Over these last few years, I have met many people who are more than willing to work at understanding me, to be there even though I may be having a dark day.

I have spent very little time working with my soul. I am consumed by my ego on a daily basis. Though there are times when I wish I could cast my ego aside, I know that it is necessary for my soul to express herself in the physical world.

There are times, each year, when I meet with my soul, having the full intent of reconnecting and learning to balance the influence of my ego. And, as if it were destined from the beginning, something comes along that convinces me to put the masks back on, to hide, to shy away from my spirit and her wisdom.

I have sorely missed digital art, and when I first saw the double exposures floating around online, I was intrigued, but I did not attempt to create one. Today, thinking on the topic of soul and ego, it felt right to try my hand at the technique. It was a treat, and it helped me to consider the connection between the ego (the body in the images) and the soul (the landscapes exposed over the bodies).