Wellness Wednesday and Gratitude

This is St. Rose of Lima. It was the first image I saw as I walked into the church. mmm. didn't know there was a saint Rose of Lima...and she's holding a book. I love books...and you would know that by walking into our home. There are books everywhere!
Life has been really busy, limiting computer/blogging time. Even my art time.
I spent the day yesterday working with the kids, creating art, taking pictures and thoroughly enjoying myself. I was a bit late and they beat me to class. They were so filled with joy when they saw me coming and it picked me up to the point where I felt all their love entering my body. I love these kids. Aside from being so cute, they are so thoughtful and respectful. I really felt appreciation from them for being there. They love this and so do I. This is one of my blessings, to bring art to these kids.
Following this, I had a great adjustment from the best chiropractor and friend in the world....so good to talk to. So grateful to have her in my life!
Yoga followed that. A new student and as anyone knows who does yoga... it feels soooooooooo good.
And then, to put the icing on the cake, my husband and I spent a wonderful evening talking about lots of things from the wonder of life to my going back to Peru. Yes! He is OK with it.
You see that picture above. That is me at Machu Picchu. I visualized it before I went and it came to be. Now, I am continuing the journey - a sacred journey - to Lake Titicaca.
Grateful? oh yes... so very grateful. I love my husband dearly and the only difficult part is being away from him... but this is a journey for me.
Peru awakened something in me that I cannot ignore and it felt like it was just a taste... Now for another bite!
Life is so very delicious.
So much to be grateful for.
If St. Rose had anything to do with it.......thanks :-)

Taking notice

Now that I have the discovered the extra zoom, I need to play and experiment. Now I need a micro lens. The extra zoom is great, but can get very grainy.

Yesterday on my walk, I stopped by a church to take some pictures and that's when I really got the benefit of the zoom.

What else is on this camera that I don't know about? The funny thing, is that it is on the camera, bold red numbers 12x zoom and it never "clicked"... sheeeeeeeesh.

Good to go out for a walk.

It was a beautiful day.

Clears the head.

My sacredness of the day: being alone in the quietness of this church and really looking at things around me. Cameras have this magic quality about them that get me to really look.... really see what is around me.

Lesson: Pay attention

Be in the present moment more and maybe I'll remember things more often. I thought about this early this morning on awakening. Maybe I don't remember things (movies in particular) because I'm not "there", my mind has wandered off somewhere.

I do notice hearts alot.

Grateful Saturday

This morning the sun is shining. I did another heart meditation and came away from it with some more insight.
Thankful for that. I even picked The Sun card after that and it seemed to validate what I "saw".
I cleared off my desk and chair and started journaling again. Grateful there wasn't a lot to move.. That is what I need to do, keep journaling. As much as I like to blog, it is not the same with me. I need to write, brainstorm on paper, and even doodle a bit. Today it was a mandala.
Today, I am grateful I don't have to be anywhere at any specific time. No obligations.
Free to take a walk, do some art... whatever comes up, I'm open to it.
A new mural job came up. More gratitude :-)
Books. Dusted off Lama Surya Das's books last night. Good insight into fasting, chanting.. I'm grateful my apartment is like a library :-)
Although, I am looking for something to read. something uplifting, spiritual, artistic, traveling is good... nothing with violence. any suggestions???
Grateful to the blogging community. Thanks for sharing :-)
Go to link below this to join in some Thanksgiving - a continuation of being grateful.

Everyday Yogini: Notes from the Yogini~ The Practice of Gratitude

Everyday Yogini: Notes from the Yogini~ The Practice of Gratitude

Keep Thanking

It's so easy to remember to be thankful when You are reminded about it on days such as thanksgiving... but to make a habit of it is another thing.
Everyday Yogini has gotten me to commit to making it a daily habit. Others have joined as well. I have started Gratitude journals here and there and usually because my "meditation/journal space" either got cluttered or the book got lost in a pile somewhere, it ended with a large pause. My computer space never gets cluttered :-)

No work today, but I had a "mom" day. Took her to therapy, home, back out to have her hair done. She definitely got her exercise today and I'm grateful it didn't rain! It was actually quite nice out, although a bit cold. I dropped off the tiles that I finally finished. They are done!
I'm thankful I have let them go and created some space. I have some SPACE! I worked a little bit on a canvas and plan on doing a little bit more and tomorrow as well.
Thankful that I didn't have to go anywhere near a store!
I have the rest of the weekend to do some art. Art for ME!!!
No obligations.
Sometimes it is just the fact that I don't have to do anything that makes me so very happy and so very thankful.
Thankful that my husband is cooking :-)

THANKS!

Here's to the blogging world:


Thank you for sharing all your wonderful and inspiring art.


Thanks for putting your heart and soul out there for others to see and to realize that we are not so different from one another.


Thanks for your comments... it feels good to know someone out there is listening.


Through the internet and blogging in particular, the world has become so much smaller and accessible. Doesn't matter what you look like, where you live, or what you have or do... it's a joy to be able to get to know you. Amazing..............





A day to be thankful.. yes, MUCH to be thankful for. For my husband, always there for me, ALL WAYS and Always.


Thankful Jake has a job :-) and he is happy. That is all that matters. As long as you are happy.


Thanks Jessi, that you are there sharing it all with him. Thank you. Thank you. and of course for the Leonard Cohen obsession.......


Thankful for my friends. The special one's I can call for spiritual reflection, for art advice, to get it off my chest, and knowing I don't have to be perfect and you'll like me anyway :-)


Thanks for my family. I'm lucky to have a family so close and lucky to be able to spend the day with them today. And now I have the recipe for the best stuffing in the world, thanks to my mom..........


Thankful for those who give me challenging work, creative work, work that I love to do.


Thankful for clients who are friends and friends who are clients. It makes it easy to work and create for them. So many creative ideas........


I am grateful for my eyes and hands and what they are capable of creating and the beauty that I soak into my body through my eyes... so very grateful for these hands... communicating, creating, holding, grasping and then letting go......


arms to embrace


lips to kiss


tongue to taste (oh so many delicious foods!)


my legs to carry me through out the day.


Grateful for discovering yoga... thank you to all you yoga teachers out there. especially Susan.


Grateful for all those who write books to help us make our lives better... spiritually, artistically, and just for pure enjoyment.


thanks to the Dali Lama for being who you are... so peaceful to look at your face. How could one not smile :-)


Thanks for my camera and all those fantastic photographers out there. I could see parts of the world that I know I will never get to... at least not in this life time.


Thanks for paint and brushes.. another voice for me.
Mother Earth, Pachamama, who carries us upon her and provides for us, thank you, thank you.
Thanks to all you who help protect her.
Animals.
Flowers.
The sun.
Clouds when there is too much sun..


ART.


YOU.


GOD.


LIFE.


oh, so much more to be thankful for.....................................

Am I done?

Finishing touches......

I still need to add bees and a grape leaf or two, but I can "see" where I may need to touch up or adjust this a bit by looking at it on the screen.
For some reason, I can view it from a different perspective. I wonder why that is....
The stem of the bowl looks a bit crooked.
Now, where to put the bee.........

Being Present

from the daily guru...

Monday 19, November 2007

Be here now

"This moment is the moment of reality, of union, of truth. Nothing needs to be done to it or to you for this to be so. Nothing needs to be avoided, transcended, or found for it to be so."

-- Da Avabhasa

Creativity, connection, soul, inspiration and intuition are available only in the present moment for the present moment. We choose how actively we take part in the cosmic dance of life. We can become wallflowers, mere spectators to life, if we get trapped in the patterns and habits of the past. Or we can choose to dance by being present and open to the energies, the opportunities and the guidance available to us each moment.

"Each today, well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life."-- Sanskrit poem

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."-- Henry David Thoreau

Sacred Sunday

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

Opening up to possibilities.
Grateful for my eyes. Grateful for my senses. Grateful for my hands. This is what I need to feel when I don't feel so great.
When I woke this morning, I was in a bit of a funky mood. I didn't get any art done yesterday... and the "should haves" started creeping into my mind.
I ended up shopping, instead. Clay for class (had to use that coupon) and then some other things for the "home".
I went in for shower curtain liner and $98 later.......
I'm thinking it's the last time I'm hitting "the stores" except for art supplies.
I feel as if I've been bombarded with Christmas since Halloween. The stores put everything out so early... and let's face it. It's all about "the stuff".
This year, I want Presence, not Presents.
I want to be able to be in the moment, enjoying it, creating it, cherishing it. Sharing it.
I have enough "stuff" and actually would like to let go of more of it.
I went over to Masterpiece Framing to take a look at the progress of the new "studio" space I will be teaching in.
This is coming to fruition... when I saw it, my mind immediately said, "this is what you asked for" and this is what you are getting.
Thanks Universe :-)
Open to all Possibilities! The creative, peaceful and joyous ones. A studio space. Lots of storage!
Thank you, thank you , thank you................

Sacred and Well

It is the simple things in life that make us happiest.
Watching children discover the magic of color mixing is priceless.
It is one of the things in my life that is truly sacred and make me feel good.
Feeling good is what creates health.
We take so much for granted as we grow older, trying to stuff in as much as we can in a day, and often we go through the day unconsciously.
If I could stop, and be like these children, observing the wonder and magic of watching colors combine to create a new color...
Purple!
Orange!
Green!
To see as a child sees.
That is what constantly brings me back to "wow, this is all amazing! This planet. Animals. Us!"
I missed Sacred Sunday this week. I cooked up a delicious dinner for my brothers' birthday (born exactly 3 years apart).
Spending time with family.
Wednesday, I did this class. It makes me happy to work with them and that brings wellness into my life..

New Moon Intentions

Move past the fears that keep me from expressing my creativity to the world.
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
Yesterday as the moon began it's new phase, I was painting. This was my new moon intention last month and I did go back to painting. Coincidently, a group appeared, having to do with creating everyday for a month and I have used this as a jump start. (see other blog) This group is for a month, and my intentions are to just keep it up. Making it a habit.
This month my intention is to communicate more through my art. The moon, in my 3rd house of communications will be helpful and hoping to have some help and discipline from Saturn who happens to live here in my chart.
Being that it's in Scorpio, I'm sure there will be deep issues appearing, surfacing up from the depths, and that's ok. I'd rather they come up to see the light of day so I can better deal with them. Unearth them!
Today I chose a card, Earth Mother. Her message was that the key to abundance was self-love and love of the earth. Love of Life.
Nurture the creative forces in my life, cultivate the "fields" with love. Manifest my spirit into physical form - my creative work - my art.
Also, as a Mother, to nurture others, especially children and this I recommit myself to doing with each class I teach. Sharing the beauty and love of creating.
All with a compassionate heart.

Be Well :-)

I had the preschoolers today. We painted on some foamcore scraps and then embellished. It was towards the end of class when I remembered the camera... it was fun. I had fun observing what they come up with.
Afterwards, I came home to do some painting myself.
Now for a cup of tea and then off to yoga.
Wellness Wednesday. Time for me :-)
Painting (so far) here

One day later....

I received this from the Daily Om. It is part of my horoscope for today. In light of the meditation below this post, I was one day ahead of myself and right on track :-)
"You also may be ready to stretch yourself beyond your current limits. Another possibility is that you are tired of hiding and are ready to share yourself and your gifts with the world. You were given the skills and talents that you have so you could share them with others and make the world a better place."
Taking it as a validation.
The thought occured to me this morning getting out of the shower... "how can I exhibit in the library"... why I had that thought is that I am the person who runs the show in obtaining artist to exhibit there. Artists are juried and therefore this is a conflict of interests... unless I can get someone else to do it for me :-)
Or is there another venue?
Oh, Universe........

Heart Meditation- Shine

I did another heart meditation this morning.

After a few deep breaths, I go into my heart. I'm finding it interesting how I get in. This time, there was a slit in my heart and I just spread it open and walked in. It was more realistic this time, being in my heart, watching the walls throbbing and hearing it beat strongly. Soon I saw a drummer beating his rhythm on the drum matching the rhythm of my heart. His message to me was to keep rhythm with life, with the seasons, with nature.

I walked into the next chamber, lower right, and entered a garden. I went to an apple tree and began to pick apples, placing them into a basket. "Apples are good for your heart". Eat to cleanse the system. Time for a clearing out, getting rid of the old. Eat a cleansing diet.

I walked up a ladder, feeling my hands on each rung, pulling myself up through a hatch into my upper left chamber. It was filled with beautiful crystal chandeliers, a table set with beautiful china. It was overflowing with abundance of beautiful things, but they were in an attic. The message was to let the beauty out, let it shine rather than hiding it. All this is meant to be used and shared, not hidden away.

I walked into the right upper chamber, just stepping over easily into it. I saw a baby. A newborn all swaddled up, but it had a light, a halo around it. I thought it was Christ, but then more babies appeared and they all had halos. They kept multiplying and soon they were young children and we joined hands in a large and continuously growing circle, expanding and aging all at the same time. Soon we were all old and began to die falling to the ground like seeds.

It gave me something to ponder. Looking at humanity as seeds.

What kind of seed are you?

What will be reaped from your existance on Earth?

What fruits do you bring to the table?

Interestingly, I chose an angel card after this meditation and the card was "Light".

"Acknowledge the Light that you are. Share that Light with the world. Activate your own inner light and be aware of its uniqueness."

Imagine if we all shared the Light within us, fearless in sharing our true inner Self, sharing the gifts we have openly with others...

In the words of Buddha:

"Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds"

sacred sunday - dreams

I didn't want to go to bed without mentioning something I am grateful for or find sacred. Right now, being tired, I am thankful for my bed and the book I'll maybe read before falling asleep.

Actually, it is the dreams that I'm grateful for.

I love dreaming.

I love waking in the morning and journaling them, analyzing them, and taking what inspiration I can from some and create, whether it be a painting or shrine or just a sketch. I enjoy recording them in some way and then looking back months and years later.

I was reading a dream I had months before in a journal in a parking lot in Colorado. We happened to be stuck there, living in a Volkswagen bus. What I was reading was a description of what I was seeing around me, like it was some premonition and from then on, I never took my dreams lightly.

I still remember childhood dreams.

Lately, I've been inspired to paint from them.

Last night's dream will soon appear in some form on the canvas.

Sacred Sunday is about the dreams. The ones we escape to at night and the one's that live in our heart. Follow them.

Nope. Not here... go HERE :-)

My Sacred, Creative Life :-)

A day of painting. Grateful.

Cloudy. Chilly. Supposed to get some noreaster with a lot of rain, although we haven't gotten anything yet. Even though, a good day to stay in and paint. I've gone and put my daily art on the other blog, (look to the side bar please) playing along with another group of artists here.

So far, this is what I've done....... two 8x10's. When the Daily devotions group was active, I realized I really need a push and why, I really don't know. I can get pretty lazy. Thing is -if I love it, why do I not do this every spare moment I have? Mysteries of life...

anyway, it's day 3 and I've done something everyday because I need to be accountable to someone (?) or some group. When I participated in Daily devotions group, I did a lot of small pen and watercolors. My goal with this group is to paint on canvas again and maybe play with collage as well, but mostly paint, because that is the medium that speaks to me the most.

Back into the habit.... oh yeah.......