So far......

There is a lot of wall and I felt it was taking too much time yesterday. I think I was more concerned about the money angle of it, not wanting to charge too much.
I had to let that go. just enjoy the painting process and I realized I really haven't painted that long of a time. I tend to want to get into detail and am refraining from it to get the most coverage, especially since they now want the opposite wall painted as well.
The fun part of this process is listening to the kids. Why am I painting on the wall?
What are you doing? They take a detour while going to the bathroom to watch me. Some make suggestions (the mama bird feeding the baby bird a worm), a rabbit. A rainbow (which I'll paint in tomorrow)
I am only knowing it will be a garden, everything else is just happening as I go along. Keeping it spontaneous and fun.
I painted until 4:00 yesterday until I realized I needed to get ready to leave to teach yoga class.
This morning I woke in my "feel good" mood.
I think my "reset" button was painting and yoga!

Choices.
These two images at the house in Barranco got me thinking about the choices we make in life.
We can be tied to past beliefs, same old ways we have done things -over and over... Nothing changes.
Bound to repeat history.

Or we can learn to take flight from them. Be "light" and try something new.
Take a risk. Soar.
Seek out a new understanding, new perception, allow ourself to be lighter, more joyful.
See with new eyes.
Light.
Why do we repeatedly go back to those familiar ways even if they are heavy and bind us to the past... Repeating the same thing as if it would be different this time.

Cut the ties that bind you.
Put on some wings and travel to unknown regions.

Fly.

Happiest Me

I am at my happiest when I am out in Nature, exploring, adventuring and when I am creating.

Today I am painting at the Children's center all day. I am creating a mural for them in their stairway to liven the place up.

And yes Dorothy, I will use lots of COLOR! thanks.......

Nearing the end.........

Today is the first day since getting back, that I am feeling a little"blue". I even thought of changing my shirt (wearing brown) to help me bring my energy back up.
I am feeling a bit like this dog looks to me.
Laundry is done, clay for class is about to come out of the oven.
I'm tired for lack of sleep.
It's such a beautiful day outside too.
I think it is time for me to do some art, but it will have to wait for later, maybe during class with the kids.
I like this blue piece.
I am feeling a bit mopey.

This was my first sunset over the pacific ocean.

Discovering Barranco

If we walked to the right at the end of our short street, we would be in a quieter area. A church, restuarants and stores. Artists were selling jewelry on the street. (bought a piece :-) We walked around the plaza or square. The furthur away from it, the less we liked it. One restuarant we ate in also sold the ceramic tiles I had been looking for. They also had an english menu.
If we walked to the left, we passed some residental area before going into a more city-like area. Traffic, markets, school - very busy.
I envisioned it differently.
Most people stay in Miraflores area of Lima and that is a very upscale beautiful area, but if I would stay in Lima again, it would be here.



VERY large cactus.......

I could have spent more time here. I think I would have liked to just sit quietly in the studio and watch Mr. Delfin create.
I liked the energy of the place. I liked the energy of Peru.
Although I was missing John and was looking forward to going back home to be with him, I was jealous that Mai-Liis was getting an extra day.
I wanted more.
This place is called Second Home. I wish it could be my first. I would love to transport this place to here.

Dream Studio......

One of the paintings in the studio....
Outside the studio is this pool and again, surrounded by art.

A studio like THAT!!!

I love this studio. A view from above the studio. How about this bathroom?????

Lillian took us on a tour of the house and to see her father in his studio.

I am placing my order to the universe....

I love this place. I wish I took more pictures in side the room, but I was too taken by the whole experience.

Here I am with Victor Delfin. His work in progress behind us.

Lima tour

Veronica picked us up around 9am. First we needed our breakfast and she joined us along with Lillian. We did not want to tour museums and churchs and Lillian helped to clarify our desires. We went to the Indian market. I wanted to find some milagros and Mai-Liis was looking for pieces for her shrines as well.
Before going there, we stopped at a park where "quess who" had this sculpture.
I recognized Victor Delfin's work right away. This was called the park of lovers. They held a kissing contest here every year. Think the record was 30 minutes.
One thing I did find interesting was this temple ruins in the middle of the city. A road cut through the ruins. Older than Machu Picchu but I forgot how old. amazing. Interesting is how the bricks were laid. Upright like books. I kept thinking that Uncle Tony would like this trip.

We did stop in one church before our shopping adventure.
I was surprised we could take flash pictures here.
Lots of gold, lots of art.
One initially is overwhelmed by this kind of sight, but eventually the thoughts begin to slip in... How many mouths would this feed?
How much material wealth do we need before we say "enough" and begin to share the wealth with others?
One thing Peru has taught me, besides being grateful for what I have, is that I don't really need all this stuff to be happy. Intellectually I knew it, but seeing another culture live with such simplicity awakens the emotional reality of it. We are brainwashed into believing we need all this material stuff to make us happy. We don't. We need love and laughter and friendships. We need shelter and food and comfortable clothes. We need nature, fresh water and sunlight and clean air to breathe. We need to surround ourselves with beauty, honesty, a safe environment. We need to do what makes our hearts happy. Do what you do for the love of it.
And then what did I do next?
shop.

More art

Being in this house, we certainly did not have to go out looking for a museum. There was enough diversity here to keep me interested for sure. What would it be like to create all day long and have such a wonderful and inspiring place to work in... Yeah, I can handle that.
We did take a tour of Lima though. A short driving tour. I do not like Lima. There are parts of it that are beautiful like Miraflores. Upscale and where all the professionals live. A bit like Westchester in some areas.

Religion and Sex

Through his work, you "get" that Victor Delfin is a passionate man. His work sometimes sensual, sometimes sexual, sometimes lustful and even violent, and then there were some religious pieces.

Paintings

His paintings, triptyches were downstairs, some in a large room with just paintings.
Lillian said he always painted himself in the paintings as a man. My first impression of the woman was that it was probably his wife, but noticed a similarity to his daughter. Lillian later on said she felt he painted himself as a woman. She looks like her father.


I love how he incorportated the used tubes of paint into the painting.............

My bed was in the room with the tub. This is when I wished John were here. The place was definitely a place for lovers.
Another place to go back to.........

Barranco

After arriving in Barranco at Victor Delfin's house, Mai-Liis and I went exploring the grounds, taking pictures of all the artwork. Victor Delfin is very prolific in his work. He reminded me of Picasso. He used every material imaginable. Recycled art, bronze, clay, mosaic, wood, iron, stone, paintings graced the walls inside as well as sculptures inside and out.
Another piece of heaven.
This house sat high up overlooking the Pacific ocean. Our room was on the right side of the balcony (tree blocking it).

Leaving Cusco

I woke up, having to go to the bathroom. This was the view out the window. It was so ethereal with the lights moving up the mountain like stars and the statue of Christ in the distance (not in the photo) Not the best photo, but you might get an idea of what it was like.

We only had the morning in Cusco. We did some gift shopping. I bought an Andean cross for my mom and one for John.
I really enjoyed Cusco and we could have stayed longer for sure. Too many things to do and there just wasn't enough time. Therefore, I'll have to go back :-)
Kate picked us up around 12:30 to take up to the airport. We were flying back to Lima.
We had insisted on staying in Barranco, the artist's district of Lima.
Our flight was good and we were picked up by Mariel and a driver. Nice car too.
Lima stinks! I found it very difficult to breathe.
The drivers are extremely aggressive and would not like to drive there myself.
I was missing Cusco and Machu Picchu and not feeling so good about being in Lima.
Barranco is considered a suburb of Lima and as we got closer, the streets changed. We drove along the ocean. My first sight of the Pacific. Not real impressive. Beaches didn't look very nice at all. No sand. Dirt.
Finally we turned onto a short street that ended with a fence. Just before this fence/gate was a most beautiful door.
Oh MY GOD! Jackpot!
We were greeted and welcomed inside this beautiful courtyard filled with scuptures. Inside this tudor house, more art hanging on the walls. More sculptures.
We were staying in a museum!
Upstairs was our room. A room with a view. Large windows with the Pacific ocean view. We had two rooms. I took the smaller room next to the bathroom. Mai-Liis was used to sleeping in larger beds, and I didn't care. She deserved this for finding this gem of a place. I also figured being next to the bathroom, I wouldn't disturb her if I got up.
Outside the room was a sitting area and from there a balcony. Sitting on a couch looking through a large coffee-table book of art, I suddenly realized the art in the book matched the art in the house. We were staying in a famous artist's house!
I just LOVE my life!!!!!!!!!

Je'sus de Jairo

Je'sus has magic hands.
Now it was Mai-Liis' turn. Her aura was amethyst. He told her she was only using 5% of her power. He talked of her past lives - 8, but he could tell her of 4. I laughed at some of this. He said she was a large bird, a condor, a machismo man, a butterfly and a white witch. (I laughed at the machismo man one) This life was influenced by all of them - she was living out her karma.
I questioned him if he knew of my past lives because he hadn't said anything to me about them.
He said I was "pure energy" traveling around and that is why I sometimes feel places to be familiar. This got my attention. I sometimes feel "at home" or have some de'ja'vu moment - a familiarity about a place. I felt at home in Machu Picchu. I told him the dream I had of being on the mountain with the condor, looking down at my mother's home.
He pointed to Mai-Liis, saying she was the condor.
I don't believe in accidents. I believe we are meant to meet people in our lives for a reason.
Mai-Liis' talisman is more complicated than mine and he gave her a ritual to do for 10 full moons. At the 11th full moon, she will be healing for others. (The white witch :-)
I thank you Je'sus. It was a wonderful magical experience.
Blessings to you!

PS..In light of all the comments about Je'sus, I thought I would also add this link. It's interesting because there are a few colors with what they mean and in that light.. there are a LOT of crazy analytical women :-)
http://magichandscusco.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/magic-hands/#respond

Magic Hands

We walked around the sqare. It was a beautiful view from this restuarant. Cusco is higher than Machu Picchu. 11,ooo ft.
I always seemed to be followed by someone selling me artwork. As I walked along, this place caught my eye. I stopped to take some pictures of the sculptures in front, thinking of Jake. The young man, still by my side, repeated, "Magic Hands, Magic Hands". The store sign said open, but the door was blocked by the sculptures. He whistled to a man on the corner, and he quickly came over. Mai-Liis was ahead of me looking at another store. The man opened the store and I followed him in.
He locked it behind me. Not the most comfortable feeling, but it was quickly replaced with a feeling of trust and comfort as the man asked me my name and if he could take my hand.
He told me my aura was orange and green, and asked me if I was familiar with the chakras. I told him I was and he added that the Inca's have two more, one at the eyes and the mouth.
He asked me to repeat my name again. He spoke using my name. "Doreen needs to listen to her heart more. She is too much in her head" He called me a "crazy, analytical woman", laughing as he said it. He said he saw much confusion. "Sometimes there are two Doreens" ( Doreen, the indecisive one! I understood this only too well) "Sometimes, there are as many as 5 Doreens.
I think my eyes must have been wide in amazement and I'm sure my mouth was agape. He talked about the negativity sitting on my shoulders and along my neck. I thought about this. It is the block between my head and heart!
He moved his hand from his head to his heart while telling me I needed to be in my heart more. He said I take small problems and turn them into big ones.
This man knew the seat of my problems. I worry too much. I analyze things to death and blow things out of proportion. Things that are not necessarily so. I don't know them as truth, just imagine the worse. Sleepless nights filled with worry and for some things because I did not know for sure and only imagined them. Worry.
He came behind me and placed his hands on my upper back/neck area, showing me where I held this negative energy. Interestingly, it is the throat area. Unexpressed feelings.
He was a soft-spoken man. I felt at ease with him, although excited at the same time. We had found our Shaman! I was excited to tell Mai-Liis. He asked me to read something while he went into the back room. He brought out a printed sheet for me to read, but I was having a hard time focusing on it.
Mai-Liis came to the door but was unable to open it. I went to the door and told her that only one person could come into the store at a time.
Je'sus was in the back with my talisman and he came out, saying it was ok, she was an artist. I did not say a word about her. How did he know that? He opened the door for her and he went into the back again. Mai-Liis saw him in the back, doing some kind of ritual with my talisman. I know she had questions, but I was trying to read the paper he had given me, not knowing if it was important or not. It was a write-up about him. Telling about himself from this guys point of view and when I realized it, I knew I didn't need to finish reading the whole thing.
Je'sus came out with my talisman. He showed me the stone, the front being a fire opal for protection. The back of it was an image of various stone. The first was a magnetic stone, Ematus, placing a pin that held to it. This attracted only negative energy. The next two stones, Moonstone and Bullshorn, relaxed and transformed the negative energy and the next two stones, Lapis and serpentine expulsed it out and turned it into pure energy for me.
He told me that I would be clear in three months.
He mentioned that I was first affected by this at thirteen. At first I thought 13 years ago, but he said age 13. I could not think of anything at the time.
Later during lunch, I had a feeling of it being Laurie's death. I was 13 or 14. I was carrying around guilt for not seeing her before she died.
Since I have been back, I have felt wonderful. I have been having wonderful experiences and I have felt so happy and peaceful. There has been a shift in me and I cannot be sure if it is just from the whole trip or being with Je'sus. It doesn't even matter. I have been going around in love with life!

Hills of Cusco

This was the narrow street in the San Blas area of Cusco. Hilly streets and narrow so one would be wise to get out of the way when a car came.

We would go in and out of stores on the way up to the square.

The balconies were really beautiful and we noticed small wooden duplicates of them in these stores. Not the most practical to pack though.

Some of the areas would go deep into a courtyard area. The two children sitting drew my attention. We walked in looking at what was for sale. I almost bought a hat.

I think he got a kick out of me taking the picture.