Hello everyone! Welcome to The Peace Stories. Today we have Swetapadma Mishra with us. Today, she will share her inspiring story of becoming an artist, defying destiny to rise above all odds, her experience of creating arts as a medium of meditation, and a lot more. Come, let’s know her peace story.

Let’s Know Swetapadma:

I am Swetapadma Mishra, a mandala artist from Keonjhar, Odisha. I completed my graduation in Botany, did my masters in History, and earned a B Ed degree. But I followed my passion of art as my career choice. Also, I pursue my hobby for writings poems themed on spirituality, resilience, love, creativity, life, and many more.

Swetapadma’s Journey of Becoming an Artist:

It all happened due to a tragic incident. After completing my graduation, I faced a serious health issues. From the past nine years, I am suffering from a rare neurological illness and had three times spine surgery.

A tube is fitted in my body from brain to stomach and that is my life support. Due to this health condition and consecutive surgeries in every two years, my academic life went down.

I wanted to become a scientist. But my health condition did not grant my dream, and this made me drowned in severe depression. Since childhood, the only aim of my life was to immerse myself into study and follow my aspirations.

Yet, my health issues couldn’t stop me from dreaming. I started thinking about my goals and realized that I have to find a new purpose in life. This time, art came as a blessing to me.

Soon, art became the healer of my body, mind, and soul.

Swetapadma Mishra

Swetapadma’s Healing Story:

I have been doing arts since my childhood. Before that tragic incident, art was only a hobby for me but now it is my life. It has become the most purposeful reason of my existence. I have found a new identity, a new horizon through art.

I have realized through art we can reach to the divinity within. Art is the medium through which I can touch the almighty who fills our life with love and light. Whenever I sit for creating a piece of art, I feel as if I am meditating. I am converting my sorrows and my prayers into art. Through the piece of art, I surrender myself to the divine power, the cosmic master.

And ultimately this brings me peace.

A Note on Peace:

When you find happiness in your work, you will find the peace within. Though we all are struggling everyday and gaining peace is far fetching, but I believe if we are happy with our work, we will find peace. Above all, if we find a purpose in life through the work we are doing, then it will bring peace to us.

Doing arts and writing poems give me peace.

Mandala Lotus by Swetapadma Mishra

The Journey of Self-discovery:

Thankfully I belong to a spiritually inclined family. My childhood spent with my grandmother by hearing the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Later, my dad introduced me to the world of books where I found different philosophy. I was amazed knowing the different concepts about life and the purpose of human existence.

My dad always gives me independence to find my own path. After that tragic incident, I focused more on my personal growth and thus I embarked on the journey of self-discovery. Finally, I am on my way to find my true self.

Mandala Radhakrishna by Swetapadma Mishra

One Beautiful Realization About Arts:

Art is meditation. You can feel the divine cosmos through it. And materially it gives you a purpose in life.

Mandala Krishna by Swetapadma Mishra

The Letters Connect:

Dear Swetapadma,

Study is not everything in life. It never defines a person’s life. Please be happy and enjoy your moments with family and friends. Securing top position in class is not the only aim of your life. Spend your time in outdoors, go outside with your family and friends. And be a more broad minded to accept everyone’s opinion.

(A Letter to the Younger Self by Swetapadma.)

Strangers Connect:

In hospital, a lady helped me selflessly. I learned from her how to love and care an unknown person without any expectations.

A Message to the World:

Health is the real wealth. And health means both physical health and mental health. So be healthy always because at the end it is only you who will be able to lift yourself.

Mandala Art by Swetapadma Mishra

A Quote by Swetapadma:

Every day is my first day
Every night is my last night
I am a phoenix.

(This is a few lines from my poem Phoenix.)

Swetapadma’s Gratitude Notes:

I am grateful to my family. More appropriately to my dad who never lose hope on me despite of my illness. He firmly believes that I will overcome from the sufferings and be able to create my own identity someday.

(We will add the gratitude notes to our Big Gratitude Jar, where we are collecting all the beautiful things we are grateful for in life.)

About the Storyteller:

Swetapadma is an Odisha-based artist and poet. She loves to dedicate herself to the feet of divinity through the medium of arts and explore her creativity as a tool for healing. She has received several awards and her arts have been a part of many exhibitions. Recently, she released her first poetry book Arka.

(Edited by Swarnali Nath.)

(All paintings are copyrighted by Swetapadma Mishra and this content is copyrighted by Swarnali Nath. No one is allowed to use them without prior permission of us.)

Read other peace stories here.