I have had several comments and emails about my pages for the Soul Journalling prompt which I posted about here and I thought I would comment on the comments - Please believe me -my intention is not to 'have a go' at anyone - everyone is entitled to their own opinions but as I'm not sure how to take the comments - I thought I'd write here.
Many of you found my pages 'Funny', they made you laugh.
I'd like to point out that the picture struck a cord with me because for many years I have suffered with eating disorders and until I was around 35 years old I ate very little and I was very thin - I was not classed as Anorexic as such because I did not dislike my size or hate myself I just did not eat because I did not feel hungry. Then in my late thirties I found myself eating - this spiralled into a bit of a Compulsive Eating phase. When I turned 42 I stopped the nonsense of compulsive eating but have been battling with food and my weight since. Now at 48 I don't diet but I do try to eat sensibly - I fail quite a bit but am getting 'better' - At least I know I have a problem.
The newspaper page - (front page it was!) really spoke to me and in my journal I wrote from my heart about ME not about the ladies in the pictures.
As the reaction to my pages has affected me like this I have thought perhaps it is my own fault for sharing the photos - maybe my Soul Journal should remain hidden. Maybe I should do two spreads at a time - one really from my soul (just for me) and one 'fake' for Internet consumption.
5 comments:
Hi Anna, I don't agree with you. I rather see the real Anna than some fake pages, just for the internet. Like you I am always struggling with weight (up and down) but I didn't feel "attacked" by the pictures. I also couldn't imagine that that was your purpose. You just made a funny page and I hope you enjoyed it!
Please don't go for the fake option I love the honesty in your work. Maybe it is because we couldn't click on it and read what you wrote, maybe then others might have seen the depth o your feeling for this piece. You know ful well I fight with the scales too ( well not litterally as I won't go near them any more) That spread would have spoken to me too. I hope writing about it gave you some peace, that is the greatest gift the soul journal is giving me is chance to talk, even if it is to myself. In trying to not worry others I regularly bottle things up, not so much anymore and so it makes me feel better, hope it does the same for you.Lots of love and hugs.
hi anna i have only recently found your blog and find your work realaly inspiring.
2 things - i found that newspaper clipping quite confronting - whatever size women are they can't win, which is why i liked the dove ad campaign that pointed out the normality of difference.
secondly while i don't think you should necessarily censor yourself on what you put on your blog (honesty and sharing are important)- it has to be safe for you and only you know what level of disclousre about sensitive issues is safe for you
i'll be interested to see what happnes to your ikea catalogue - i put mine out yesterday :)
oooohhhh my dear. Here I was one to laugh. I want you to know that I don't take this subject lightly. My best friend's daughter is struggling with the bulimia. Her compulsion is the worst I have ever seen. I'm so worried about her that I designed our next Soul Journaling exercise (next week's) based on this. It is titled, "Healing Love." I am an emotional eater and in the last two years gained 50 lbs. Last night I awoke up in the middle of the night and asked myself, "What does Kathryn need to feel fulfilled? What do you need to be filled up?" I realized that the anchors that I thought I needed and food is one of them are no longer what grounds me. My anchor is from within me.
On your page, I could not see any of your journaling. I could only see the magazine images and the words. I guess my reaction was that I'm at a point that I think our media is absurd.
You are a brave women. Keep creating. Share only when you are ready. Know that you don't have to share anything you don't want to share. Keep making authentic art - it is what is good for the soul.
{soul hugs}
Kathryn
The internet world is no different to the real world, there are good and bad everywhere, having said that I cant imagine any of these nice art ladies would deliberately hurt your feelings.There are very few of us happy with our body image , you are not alone in your struggle and its great that you are beginning to accept yourself the way you are. I recently saw my stepdad die and what I learned from that is that the body IS just a container for the soul,no more no less,he looked like an empty rubber suit when the life went out of him.What is inside is YOU!And that is so beautiful its spills out everywhere in your art which is a reflection of you!
Lee
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