Goldsworthy, an artist who works intimately with nature, teaches us what it means to heal in accordance with what is and the kind of love it takes to do so. Richly red-coloured maple leaves are arranged serenely in still water; they illuminate the wisdom in accepting what is reality, in place of the oftentimes unfair and unrealistic expectations we have for our healing and growth in mind, body, and spirit.
Imagine the time taken to find leaves of exactly the right size, shape, vibrance, and strength, in addition to piecing them together into this meaningful form – whilst being conscious that all these efforts might, at the slightest breeze, float away in an instant. These natural inevitabilities do not deter him, though. By not relenting to nature’s constantly changing state, but accepting it for what it is, Goldsworthy makes what is – his.
While we heal, from physical wounds or psychological trauma, we should remind ourselves of how difficult it must have been to find each leaf, of the time required to do so, and of the fragile image this photograph has captured, which has mistakenly become ‘immortal’; it could never exist like this forever. We are likely to see this cycle of making and unmaking as one that is destructive, enamoured by this beguiling appearance and delicate structure. But, that is not where the beauty truly lies: this work will be washed away, but does that mean the effort to make it was not worth it?
The answer lies in Goldsworthy’s understanding that, when in harmony with nature’s majestic processes, our own journeys can be equally magnificent. Such work demands we remain at peace with not knowing how long it might take, nor knowing exactly – even letting go of – how the outcome of our toils will look. A fine balance exists between what is and what we do, and finding this balance is the healing process, but this takes time.
Patience with nature, the kind required for healing, is an acceptance, even love, of what is. That includes barriers and setbacks. It is a love of your nature, of what your body and mind are currently capable of, indeed it is a love and acceptance for the seemingly eternal time it takes to heal. When we embrace these truths, they can no longer hold us back. We learn to work with them, not against them.
It is fitting that a motif of Goldsworthy’s is a circle. Follow the edge of the circle with your eyes, and it could go on forever. Mirrored in this cyclical form, created by hands deftly intervening with nature at the right moment, is healing. Upon seeing his works swept away by nature, Goldsworthy reframes this seemingly infuriating reality, noting that ‘it somehow doesn’t feel like destruction’.
So too can we then reframe the healing cycle: whether it makes sense to you or not, when you accept what is, your healing process can be infinite – and so can the possibilities. The healing process is not liner, it’s supposed to be cyclical, full of knock-backs, challenges, and failures. It is supposed to be repeated, as there is no end when the goal is simply keeping the process alive. Have love for your nature and the work you are doing, because when you do, whether it leads to ostensibly unrelenting pain or a breakthrough, it will become clear that this is simply the next part of the process. It will pass – you already have the love and resilience you need within your grasp: the power to ensure your healing, naturally, blossoms into growth.
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Any of Goldsworthy’s works remind us of what it takes to heal, the beauty in that resilience, and liberation in accepting the universal law of constant change:
ART HEALERS 