"Shinzō no kodō" | Heartbeat

 心臓の鼓動

She began as “Heartbroken.”

At the time, I had decided to step away from teaching.
There was a quiet ache in that decision—
a loosening from something once held with devotion.

I thought I was making a figure about loss.

She is dressed in a vintage navy printed kimono,
layered with black silk organza—
cloth that carries history, softness, and restraint.

Her head is sculpted in clay,
overlaid with vintage damask linen,
shaded gently with chalk,
eyes painted open and present.

In her hands, she holds a heart that is not complete.
There is an opening at the base.

The heart is made of real rose petals, stabilized—
fragile, yet preserved.
The petals fall, or perhaps rise,
spilling along one side of her kimono.

At first, I saw rupture.

But as she formed beneath my hands,
I began to understand something else.

An open heart is not only broken.
It is breathing.

Shinzō no kodō — heartbeat.
Not a grand declaration.
Simply the pulse that proves we are still alive.

The opening allows movement.
The petals do not disappear; they continue.
What feels like loss becomes circulation.

This piece marks a transition—
from teaching outward
to listening inward.
From giving form to others
to shaping what is rising within me now.

She does not mourn.
She stands.

Quietly graceful.
Heart open.
Still beating...

Detail Images.

She stands in the space where the woman and the warrior meet—strength and softness held together. I may have stepped away from teaching, but the work itself continues to teach.
xoxo
Leslie

Please find me here:

ART -

website https://leslieolearyart.com/

art process https://fromthesehandsblog.blogspot.com/

gallery https://www.facebook.com/artleslieoleary

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER - Meaningful Life

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The Year of the Fire Horse

The Lunar New Year 2026 opens the gate to 

The Year of the Fire Horse.

The Horse carries power, stamina, independence, loyalty, and a natural current of prosperity. When joined with Fire — the most dynamic of the five elements — these qualities are brightened and enlivened. Fire does not only burn; it clears. And after clearing, there is space for growth.

This is a year that invites forward movement — not frantic striving, but purposeful motion. The Horse is aligned with yang energy: active, life-generating, vital. When the Horse arrives, momentum gathers. There is ambition here, yes — but also vitality, courage, and a deep pulse of aliveness.

The Fire Horse is rare. While the Horse returns every twelve years, the Fire Horse only circles back every sixty. The lunar calendar rotates through twelve animals and five elements — wood, fire, earth, metal, and water — creating a longer rhythm within the rhythm. When Fire and Horse meet, the energy is distinct.

And yet.

A healthy horse does not gallop without reason. In ancient China, the horse symbolized inner freedom — ease within strength. Fire, when balanced, is not chaos or thrill-seeking. In classical Five Phase understanding, balanced Fire expresses connection, maturity, calm joy, spaciousness, and a quiet brightness of spirit.

Seen this way, the Fire Horse year favors steady momentum rather than dramatic upheaval. It encourages clarity without haste. Movement with rest woven in. Care that strengthens connection.

Imbalance comes when Fire is overstoked or starved, when the Horse is startled or held too tightly. Then we exhaust ourselves — expending great energy without true progress.

Perhaps this year asks something subtler:

Can action arise without urgency?

Can your spirit remain settled even as the outer world quickens?

A wise Horse knows when to pause, flick away what irritates, lower its head to graze, and then continue — grounded and sure.

💮A Gentle Action Step

Choose one meaningful intention for this new year — just one. Not a list. Not a frenzy of goals. One living thread. Write it down. Then ask:

What would steady, grounded movement toward this look like?

Take one small step this week — without rush.

💮A Blessing for the Year

May your strength be paired with softness.

May you move with courage and rest without guilt.

May growth rise naturally from what has been cleared.

And may you carry both kindness and warrior within you — bright, balanced, and unafraid.

May your fire burn warm and steady, not wild.

Gong xi fa cai 

— May you be blessed with prosperity in all the ways that matter. 

Chúc mừng năm mới, dồi dào sức khỏe

 —  Happy New Year, wishing you great health.

Special Note! The Lunar New Year is primarily celebrated in several East and Southeast Asian nations—including China, Vietnam, South Korea, North Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines.