Has “Purpose” Become Overly Individualistic?
Colombian Artist Patricia López Piedrahita thinks so, and is keen on reestablishing a more connected view of the word.
Above Left: Patricia with her cat Abril. Right: Patricia’s jewelry. Photographed by her husband, the illustrous Colombian Photographer Coque Gamboa.
From me to we
“This topic has been on my mind,” Pati says when I invited her to talk about purpose. And when we began our conversation, she didn’t come empty handed. She created a small mineral structure as we spoke - a mandala full of tiny crystals - to express how she sees purpose.
According to Pati, the mainstream understanding of purpose has overly-focused on the individual experience which can lead us to miss the point. She says, “we are so focused on how to improve our own lives. We only think of ourselves, that everything starts from ourselves, and in some ways this is true. But to be able to… live fully in our purpose, we need to understand that we are part of a whole that is bigger and more wonderful than ourselves. That, coordinated with balance and synchronicity, we could become great masters and enlighten ourselves in this world.”
“We only think of ourselves” Pati says, “but to be able … to live fully in our purpose we need to understand that we are part of a whole that is bigger and more wonderful than ourselves.”
shifting our perspective on purpose
If Pati’s crystal structure looks like the iris of an eye it’s not by chance. Pati emphasizes that the journey of finding our purpose depends on our ability to change our gaze or point of point of view. This shift in our perspective requires us to be self-aware, though not self-centered.
This is about understanding “where there are scars in our hearts… and to know.. when our pain governs us,” says Pati. She believes that deep self-awareness emerges when “we can shift the scars to fertile cracks, and perhaps as they do, sometimes [the scars] become new skin.” It is through this self-awareness that we can be compassionate towards our own healing and also act in solidarity with others.
Shifting our perspective from ourselves to how we are connected to something greater requires:
Mastering the art of opening our hearts to others (rose quartz)
Being clear minded (fluorite)
Welcoming new knowledge (smoky quartz)
Grounding ourselves when emotions run high (hematite), and
Broadening our perspective on what abundance may mean to us (citrine)
Pati's insights and the mandala she created serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of shifting our perspectives from self to solidarity. By embracing a more connected view of purpose, we can foster a deeper understanding and relationship with the world around us.
Watch Pati talk about Purpose and Meaning
A Conversation with Colombian Artist Patricia López Piedrahita - on Purpose and Meaning
Contact Pati
Patricia López Piedrahita is a Colombian artist whose work has taken her to the US, France, and Japan. Her handcrafted jewelry reflects her intimate knowledge of crystals and their symbolism. Connect with Patricia and learn more about her work through her Instagram page.
Work with me
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