A Journey to Find My EssenceThrough the lens of Eastern elemental philosophy and personal experience, the artist reflects on discovering their core essence—refined metal illuminated by water—and invites others to explore their unconscious truth through intuitive drawing. When we are born into this world, we face these questions at some point. “Why was I born?” “How should I live?” When we are busy or wander around in a listless daily life, we suddenly realize that even though we know a lot and live our lives, we do not really know ourselves. What do I like? What colors, foods, and travel destinations do I prefer? Beyond such superficial tastes, What kind of person do I have as an essence? How does the energy inside me flow? Driven by these questions, I started studying Eastern philosophy. In the past, I considered fortune telling to be a superstition and did not believe in fatalism. I was independent and strong-minded, so I hated relying on something. However, this year, after experiencing a deep burnout, I began to look back on the things I had been missing. When people only look outward, they easily become exhausted, discouraged, and lonely. However, when we focus on our inner energy, explore and understand ourselves, only then do we recover, become stronger, and free. I felt this experience more clearly through the act of drawing. That is why I am still drawing, and I strongly recommend art activities as one of the most effective ways to recover your true self. The first clue to knowing myself: “My birthday” So where can I start to explore my essence? The answer is close by. It is my birthday, the time of my birth. The very moment we first connect with the world, The energy of that space and time forms our existence. Life after that is a journey to realize and harmonize that essence. So, I began a journey to find my ‘true self’ by looking at the essence contained in my birth date through the lens of Cosmic blueprint. This energy has the following characteristics: It is righteous and sensitive to essence, It has strong insight to distinguish between the real and the fake, It values principles and essence over emotions. It is delicate and pure on the inside, but it looks hard and sharp on the outside. People with this tendency often clash with the world or experience loneliness, But their essence is someone who tries to live a life connected to true values. Painting and Essence, and Me This painting I drew also symbolizes my spiritual essence. A lump that silently shines even in a dark background, It felt like an act of taking out my inner self and putting it in the light. It may look hard and heavy on the outside, but when the light touches it, the warmth and potential hidden inside are revealed. I unconsciously drew this painting before I explored this essence. Once we begin to understand our essence, we also start to understand why we are drawn to certain things-- whether it be a color, a piece of music, a place, or a person. We realize that these are not random preferences, but resonances with the energy that already lives within us. We begin to sense the vibrational patterns of our surroundings-- which environments nourish us, which people drain or empower us, and why certain dynamics either feel natural or deeply uncomfortable. Most powerfully, we start to understand the reasons behind conflicts with others. These are not always just personality differences or misunderstandings. They often stem from clashes between essential energies, from mismatched ways of processing the world. And as we follow the thread of our true nature, we begin to uncover the mission quietly hidden within it-- the reason we are meant to live this life. Knowing this brings profound clarity. Life is no longer a series of random events or external pressures, but rather a conscious journey toward alignment with who we truly are. That is why exploring our own essence and energy is such a vital process—especially for those of us who are exhausted from constantly looking outward, trying to keep up with the pace of other people’s lives. In a world that pulls our attention in every direction, this inward journey is not a luxury—it is a necessity. It is how we return to ourselves. How we remember who we are. And this is where art becomes essential-- as a practice of shaping, preserving, and releasing our essence into the world. Art is not merely about aesthetics or expression; it is the visible trace of an invisible inner process-- the way we translate energy into form, emotion into texture, and truth into line. This is what art is for me now: a quiet yet persistent act of meaning-making. A way of channeling who I am—through my hands, through color, through silence—into the fabric of the world. In a time when so many feel unrooted, reactive, and unseen, to know one's essence and live it through art is both an offering and a resistance. It is how I return to myself, and how I hope others might find themselves, too. As I explored my own elemental nature, I came to see how powerful it is to let the unconscious speak. So I encourage you, too-- try drawing your inner essence. Not with the intention to impress, but to understand. You may be surprised by what you already know, deep within yourself. Because sometimes, your hand knows your truth before your mind does. There is another, perhaps even more important reason why knowing your essence matters. When you begin to truly recognize and accept your core being, you come to a profound realization: you are already enough—just as you are. You are inherently valuable, not because of what you achieve or display, but because your existence itself carries meaning and weight. In that awareness, the need for external decoration begins to fall away. You stop chasing validation through appearance, performance, or perfection. Instead, you start listening more closely to what you truly need. Not what the world says you should want, but what your essence quietly longs for. To know your essence is to return home to yourself. It is the beginning of living—not from expectation, but from alignment. And when we truly reconnect with our essence, we no longer need to sparkle with artificial light. We don’t have to decorate ourselves with illusions or overcompensate for what we think we lack. Because when your energy aligns with your true nature, it begins to shine—not loudly, but unmistakably. In my own experience, even when I said nothing-- even when I tried to hide or downplay my presence-- someone would still notice. Because authenticity has a frequency. It cannot be silenced. When we are aligned with who we are, our presence speaks louder than our words. This is yet another reason why cultivating a pure, grounded vibration matters. Because the universe itself is a vast energetic field, constantly responding to the frequencies we emit. In such a world, the greatest act of influence is not what we say or show, but what we resonate. And beyond the personal, this realization carries a greater truth:
even though we are just individuals, we each have a responsibility to cultivate good energy. Why? Because like the butterfly effect, even the smallest vibration of kindness, sincerity, or presence can ripple outward and change the fabric of the world in subtle, yet profound ways. Our frequency is not confined to us. It radiates—through our words, our silences, our choices, and our presence. When we align with our essence and choose to hold a good vibration, we participate in the quiet transformation of the world. This is not idealism. This is energetic reality. In a universe made of waves and resonance, to be true and kind is to be powerful. And to me, this is the very essence of art—at least as I understand it as an artist. Art is not merely a skill or a product. It is a tuning process. A sacred act of aligning with the frequencies of the universe, and then giving form to what we receive. When we create from a place of inner clarity, presence, and honesty, we don’t just make things—we transmit something deeper. Something that speaks to others not through explanation, but through resonance. In this way, artistic expression becomes a form of energetic communication. It is how we listen inward, reach outward, and bridge the two. It is how we remember that beauty is not decoration-- it is alignment. I’ve always been drawn to the biblical metaphor of refined gold. Perhaps it’s because the creative process often feels just like that-- a raw piece of gold placed in the furnace. It doesn’t matter whether the world recognizes it or not. True art is forged in fire. It is the result of years of quiet endurance, pain, discipline, and unseen labor. Who can truly understand the artist’s solitude, the invisible cost of giving one's soul to a form, a color, a line? And yet--artists know. We know exactly what it means to be refined—not polished, but purified. Not for show, but for truth. Art, at its deepest, is not about being seen. It is about becoming. And in becoming, we offer something honest-- not glittering for attention, but glowing with essence. Like pure gold that has withstood the fire.
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