Hidden Needs: The Moment We Realize We’ve Been Pouring from an Empty Cup

Jasleni Brito
Aug 29, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Mar 4

There’s a quiet moment many of us know well.

The moment when you realize you’ve been taking care of everyone else… but not yourself.

That realization lives inside Hidden Needs.

In this painting, a woman sits holding a seashell close to her chest. Her posture is soft, almost as if she’s listening. Not to the outside world, but inward. Beside her, a pitcher has spilled water onto the ground, and a lizard rests quietly near her feet.

Nothing in the scene feels chaotic. Everything is still.

But the spilled water tells the story.

This piece became a reflection on the delicate balance between giving and receiving. So many of us are taught to be generous with our time, energy, and care for others. And that generosity is beautiful. But when it only flows in one direction for too long, something inside us begins to run dry.

The seashell she holds represents introspection. If you’ve ever held a shell to your ear, you know the way it invites you to listen more closely. In this painting, it symbolizes the moment we finally begin hearing ourselves again.

The lizard carries another layer of meaning. Lizards are creatures of regeneration and adaptability. They shed, heal, and grow again. To me, it felt like the perfect companion in this scene. A reminder that it’s never too late to replenish what has been neglected.

Sometimes we don’t recognize our unmet needs until something spills over. Exhaustion shows up. The body asks us to slow down. Life gently forces a pause.

That moment of awareness is what this painting holds.

Not shame. Not judgment. Just a quiet invitation to begin again.

This artwork later became the NEGLECT card in La Caribeña Oracle Deck, where it encourages us to look honestly at where we may be abandoning ourselves and where restoration is needed.

Because self-care isn’t a luxury.

It’s a sacred act of love toward yourself.

And the truth is, when we replenish ourselves, everything else in life begins to flow differently.

Woman holding a seashell beside a spilled water pitcher with a lizard at her feet, acrylic painting on natural wood symbolizing self-care, reflection, and restoring neglected needs.

This piece is deeply personal, reminding us that self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s a sacred act of love towards ourselves.

It asks us to pause and reflect. Here are some journal prompts you can work with:

What comes to mind when you see this painting?
Where have we neglected our own well-being?
How can you begin to nurture those parts of yourself again?

Let the medicine of the art inspire you to take those loving steps towards a balanced and nurturing self-care routine.

COLLECT THIS MAGICKAL WORK OF ART

Click here to check if the original piece is still available. If it’s already found a home, explore the available prints or bring home the La Caribeña Oracle Deck to connect with its powerful energy.