Carp, otherwise known as Koi fish.... are known for their trans-formative power.
As totem animals, they are said to bring abundance, prosperity, bravery, endurance, strength... and wisdom from the elders.
An auspicious sign in Asian traditions... they are considered truly blessed.

I was fortunate to be able to visit a friend the other day, and her immediate neighbor has some lovely gardens and a koi pond.
How wonderful! (to say I was jealous though, is probably an understatement)... but it was a treat to be able to see and enjoy.
Luckily, I was able to take a few photos... and one of them is included in today's post.

In the book I've been reading and sharing with you all... I am coming down to the final few chapters.
The current one is all about "looking under the rock."
Ie: what is it that is holding you back from success?

The author lists several points to ponder:
-self sabotage
-fear of failure
-fear of success and what that might mean
-all about talent... because it isn't always about who has the most talent...
-stubbornness, entitlement, jealousy, disappointment, and the comparison "game"...

yep, it's all there.
The ugliness of it all.
But also, the realization that... we are indeed human.

We wouldn't feel jealous (or whatever) if deep down... we didn't believe that we could do it as well.
And that's a good place to start.
We can, indeed, do it.
We can be successful... whatever "success" means to us.
That, every time some one else is successful; it really opens up the opportunity for us as well.
After all, they are not taking our success... there is plenty of that to go around.
It's not like there is a finite amount of success in the world... and if someone else gets some...
there won't be any for us.

So.... go on.
Make a mess of it.
Make a big sloppy mess of your art life.
It will be OK.

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to read more about koi as a totem animal:
look here
and here