Where'd everyone go?

Most artists know that wonderful feeling of being oblivious to anything going on around you because you are so engrossed in the process of creating.
The other 22 children left. This child is always the last one, continuing to create. He told me yesterday that he loves art. I knew this. I can see the "acorn" in this child. Nothing distracts him from his work, except probably me. He looks up to smile every once in a while for the camera.
The Process of Creating!
This is when we are in touch with our inner self when the outside world falls away and we are in our bliss. Here is where I believe I am closest to that feeling of "enlightenment" which to me is that state of Being.
It is when the chatter has stopped. The inner critic is silenced. Time becomes nonexistent.
Creation is no longer in the mind, but rather moves lower in the body to the heart and into the soul, getting in touch with who we really are.
Good and Bad fall away.
It's only NOW and THAT is where I want to be.

Lunar Eclipse

I spent a good deal of time pondering that beautiful sight last night. The lunar eclipse.

I watched it slowly disappear in the comfort of my room until it was cast in the shadow of the earth. Here is where I wish I had a better camera, a telescope even to view this beautiful orb in our sky. Here's where I really got a sense of it's roundedness and what it must have been like for ancient one's to look upon this and wonder why it doesn't come crashing down on us.

So here is this moon in opposition to the sun. Moon in Virgo, still in my 12th house. The house of the unconscious, things hidden, secrets, the inner self, the spiritual, mystical side of life. Here is where the moon is.

Interestingly enough it is opposite my 6th house, where the sun is in Pisces. Pisces is the natural sign for the 12th house, but it is here where Virgo's house is. Virgo the analytical one. If the 12th is the unconscious, then the 6th is the conscious - out there in the world. It is the house of work. The house of service - service to others, also the house of health.

Here is the pull of the two, my analytical self wanting to know and digging deep into my subconscious mind, or trying to, to find answers.

All cast in shadow.

How symbolic.

I'm wondering what I did with my ring. A mindless moment? Did I subconsciously take it off and put it somewhere?

I'm wanting to know and I realize how much wanting to know things mean to me. There is a need to know.

As I was lying in bed, I was distracted from reading, because I had this theory that maybe the ring came off as I took the glove off my hand when I was cleaning... and John threw out the garbage! I entertained the thought of going out side and getting the bag, but it's way to cold and I'd have to get dressed and maybe the garbage men don't come tomorrow...... when in walks in wonderful hubby inquiring what was on my mind and told him.

"THIS IS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU"............ and goes out and brings in the garbage.

I didn't find it. I could have sworn this was the correct senario. Nope.

It made me think how attached we are to our ideas and theories about things.

It also brought to surface, into the light, how much it means to me to know. I need to know the how and why of things.

What hidden things need to come to light in order to know ourselves, reveal what makes us who we are....... what is hidden in the shadows that needs to come into the light?

(ps note my moon and forgot where i got it from)

I choose this...

THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE

You don't have to buy from anyone.

You don't have to work at any particular job.

You don't have to participate in any given relationship.

You can choose.

You alone steer the course you choose in the direction of where you want to be today, tomorrow or in any distant time to come.

You hold the tiller.

You can decide to alter the course of your life at any time.

No one can ever take that away from you.

You can decide what you want and go after it.

It's always your next move.

This came from the http://www.thedailyguru.com/ and it's a reminder that we ALWAYS have a choice. I choose my reponses, my thoughts, my beliefs.... yes, even those deep-seated beliefs that you would never thought to go away... even those, with enough work, can be changed.

Change in consciousness. It is something we need to do to evolve here on this planet. We need to make the necessary changes about how we feel about this planet and every living thing on it. But first we start with ourself.

You can go here to learn more about achieving balance and harmony between the conscious and subconscious mind.

I've started to read Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth and finding it to be a very worthy read.

Vision Mini Quilt class

My friend Mai-Liis has been creating these wonderful art dolls. I took a class online at joggles.com and fell in love with the process. I made two dolls with the intention of making a lot more and now she has moved into healing art dolls and now this one with a background for it.
Here is some information regarding this class. Go to her website to see some amazing dolls from her previous class with healing dolls. Sorry I missed that one!

This is a sample of the Vision Mini Quilt class I will be teaching through Joggles.com, beginning March 7. The concept is a take-off from the "Vision Boards" you may have heard of....a cross between fantasy and subconscious plans for the future. The doll will be made separately, and can be added to the mini quilt (16 x 20) permanently or by the use of a few bits of Velcro. The mini quilt, serving as an extension for the doll which represents the maker of the art piece, is an easy entry into the realm of art quilts. I will assist each student in expressing a personal vision. My own doll has feathered arms for flying, and is adorned with many power objects. She is both beautiful and "tribal", perfectly at home in an ethereal setting which contains birds and flowers.

Law Of Attraction

http://www.abraham-hicks.com/YouTubeLOA.php
This is a new video from Ester Hicks on Abraham... Law of Attraction.
Some great stuff. In 5 parts, so you can taste a little, but once you watch, you'll want to watch the whole thing.
Life is Good.

Peace Frogs :-)

I found this frog at Pier 1 and being that I LOVE frogs and yoga... well, now he sits on my meditation desk. John wanted a picture of him for some school project, so I set him up on the stool we use to climb into bed for a picture. I love his peaceful face.
Our Peru Itinerary is set.
We are going for 2 weeks and it is going to be quite an adventure!
I need to get through two major exhibits before that, so I need to FOCUS... but my head is already in the clouds.............
LIFE IS GREAT!!!

In the flow of things....

I woke this morning feeling extremely blessed!

I love those kind of days... feeling grateful for my wonderful husband, grateful for my work and grateful for BLOGS! The internet, ways to connect that in the past we couldn't have imagined, (although someone did :-)

I had a wonderful class last night. I'm feeling more comfortable and confident and I love the class and the people in it. 6 students with different perspectives and it is a joy! It's stimulating my own ideas and it is exactly the forward move that I needed.

Back to Blogs.... I was thinking how important it is to share with others our excitment about the blessings in our life. When we feel good, we want to share it, and sometimes no one is around to share it with, for whatever reason. Too early in the morning to call anyone, husband is off to work, people are at a distance, maybe it's something our family just won't get... but we need to share with someone! Blogs! Here to share with anyone interested........

I thought of my artist/healer/traveling friend Mai-Liis that I have met because of the internet. She was able to share some wonderful news here in cyberspace rather than open her doors to the neighbors and release her joy (although I did recommend she do it anyway :-)

And there is dear sweet Carmen who shares this sentiment with me. It is one of my favorite blogs because she is so uplifting and strong and caring... she has become a blogger friend :-)

It has opened up a whole new exciting world, with friends around the globe that I can visit anytime.

Feeling blessed, filled with love to overflowing... this is a perfect way to wake to a new day.

Life is good.

thank you Universe :-)

Life is full of surprises.
The Universe has such a sense of humor! and at times can be very accomodating.
This morning I woke up wanting a "do-over" - yes, too many should-haves on my mind.
Mondays are busy for me... ususally, starting with bringing mom to therapy, then it continues with 2 art classes back to back and yoga to end, coming home around 7:15.
It's snowing. (could have sworn they said 40 something and sunny)... anyway, thanks Universe for providing me with a partial Sunday :-)
Now I can go PAINT!!!!!!
This came in my mailbox and will take it's advice:
AQUARIUS (04 February US/Canada/UK/Europe - 05 February NZ/Australia)
The heavens are giving you permission to follow your heart, with every ounce of your being. Whether it's a romantic love affair or a creative passion, if it's fun and it gets you excited, then it's got to be your No. 1 priority. Life is too short not to put your needs first. Make this the year when your sense of play, fun and creativity is just as important as anything else in your life. Find the right balance between work and play.

2 paintings

This is the still life from class... (Painting 101 :-) Needs a little tweeking which I may do with the class on Tuesday. The one below is partly taken from an idea in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. I painted on a collaged background which is kind of interesting. Different.
"Preparing for Flight" is one of those ideas that starts as one thing and ends up as something else. And as it should be when painting or creating... Allowing Spirit to come in... Allowing that Creative Self to come, call her the Muse, but it is when one stops THINKING about the painting and just paints.
She is visioning her journey about transformation. I painted in the Macaw and hawk fluff feather that was given to me as a gift on my birthday. Parts of it will be "refined" as well.

Solar Return

Sun has returned to the place of my birth... Happy Birthday to me :-)
and it has been a happy one. Wonderful cards and gifts. I have the day off to create.
Life is Good :-)

Mercury In The Solar Return Chart
Mercury Aspects Neptune
Neptune in aspect to Mercury in the solar return chart suggests working with the less clearly defined psychological drives such as compassion, creativity, and spirituality. Your sensitivity to subtle emotional connections among all people increases your concern for certain individuals in particular and humanity as a whole. You are able to acquire information through intuitive and psychic insights. Dealing with these subtle themes can lead to some uncertainty and confusion in the thinking process. Increased intuitive or psychic awareness can precede the ability to weigh this information for its accuracy. It is sometimes difficult to discriminate between what is really psychic and what is more closely akin to worry, fear, or false hope. It is also difficult to find practical applications for idealistic concepts and inspirations which are represented by this combination. Therefore, stress can sometimes be associated with the more spiritual manifestations of Neptune-Mercury aspects.

I'm counteracting that "uncertainty and confusion" with
I AM CLEAR ABOUT MY PATH AND I KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I treated this statement like a mantra yesterday and noticed that my path was actually very clear as I drove yesterday... I call it a "green light" day.
I had given into the faith that I would know what to do for classes as well. Learning as I went along last night, I know now how I need to alter my approach. I'm finding my groove in this new studio, acclimating myself. It's new. It's exciting. I'm open to possibilities and I'm growing.
This is going to be a great year!

Seagull

Kate who left a comment also left a link to power animals. Over the weekend, while cleaning up, I came across seagull feathers I collected at the beach......
thanks Kate :-)

The Seagull
Joy Freedom Perspective

Take a deep breath and let the spirit of the seagull fill you.

Soar in joy. Soar in freedom. Feel your power. You are the seagull!

The seagull knows that freedom is a state of mind and of the heart. She can teach you to let your heart soar on the wings of freedom and joy, no matter where you are and no matter what you are doing. She will help lift you out of the sands of worry and petty concerns and into the soaring heights of being one with all that is: one with the ocean, one with the land, one with the vast and glorious sky.

The seagull will also teach you perspective. Whenever you care to, she will take you for a ride, up into the sky and across the vast ocean, where you will see that your cares are as small as the grains of sand on the beach. She will teach you that your power is limitless and unbounded and that all you need to do is stretch out your wings and let life carry you.

Feel the freedom in your heart. Smell the salt air as you soar across the vast ocean. Feel the wind beneath your wings lifting you higher and higher, endlessly higher. Fill yourself with all of this power, the power to be all that you truly are, fully and freely expressed. For you are the seagull, and freedom is yours!

Knowing

I spent a good part of yesterday cleaning and clearing the bedroom. This area, according to Feng Shui is my Fame and Reputation area as well as my Prosperity area. Both were cluttered.

I swept away the cobwebs and set the intention that I too was clear on my path. Knowing and seeing clearly my path.

Setting an intention is powerful, but it's pretty hard to set an intention if you don't know which direction to take. Knowing is key.

I had a conversation with my son the other night about "knowing". We are both Aquarius's and that is our key phrase, "I know". I recalled how he always said this as a child and whenever you told him something... he would say, "I know".

I tend to say it as well, when I do know, that is. But there is an issue of not wanting to know, which he sees in me. This is my LaLaLand syndrome of not wanting to know. But that is another story.........

Knowing something in order to pass it on, teach it. How well do you know something before you feel comfortable in teaching or sharing it?

In art, you paint and draw well those things you know. Knowing comes from experience, not from books or here say. It has to be in your muscle in order to pass it on.

How can I teach a yoga posture if I have not experienced it myself?

This is what I intend for myself: To clearly see my path and to know, which is to have confidence , that I am where I am supposed to be. To know my spiritual path, my creative path, which are tied up together... to know it in order to teach it.

To stay true to my path, listening to what is in my heart and not be distracted by "thinking" what someone else may want. I cannot teach what I do not know.

In walks honesty. Being true to one's Self. Being honest with oneself on what it is I know.

Anything is possible!

want a little inspiration?? Amazing how we adapt to situations that life gives us. This woman is amazing! http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=909829629&channel=687582926

Awarded!

A most wonderful blogger friend sent me an award. How cool! It's always good to know that somehow you contribute and make a difference in someone's life... someone out there is paying attention. Listening.

Sometimes just one comment, one word, one tiny smile or gesture, can make a difference in someone's day. One encouraging word. One kind action.

This blogging community has opened up an amazing world of friendships. Friendships with people I have never met face to face, but have become friends with just as if they lived next door.

One blogger friend became a traveling companion! We met online and traveled to Peru together and we are planning another trip. Without this internet and blogging, we may have missed that opportunity.

Life is so amazing.

You bloggers out there... YOU MAKE MY DAY!!!

I'm supposed to send this on.. I'll do it later, but for now, thanks to Carmen for my award... My first one :-)

Yesterday was my first class in the new studio!!

I'm back :-)

After a most wonderful yoga class, I continued with meditation. After class and a short relaxation, there is an option to stay and take the meditation class which is geared to suit our needs. Susan chose a meditation through the chakras where you would meet a "guide", be it animal, an ancestor, a saint... or whatever appears to you.
The images that came to me were mostly animals.
The first chakra, Snake came to me. His message was that I needed to move more. Walk. I move enough, but it is in and out of the car, short trips in and out of places. I found Snake in the jungle, which to me meant, Walk in Nature more. Walking clears the head and I have become lazy with this. I thanked him and said good-bye. I will at least go out for a walk, even if it's around the block.
We spiraled up to the 2nd chakra, where Turtle appeared. He seemed to be reiterating what Snake said. "You need to come out of your shell, your home, your comfort zone. If you want to move, you need to reach out, be courageous. Move. Act."
Hyena took his time to materialize at the 3rd chakra. He seemed unable to commit! But soon he was clear. "Don't take it so seriously. Laugh more!"
At the heart center, in the 4th chakra, what appeared first were large eyes, then moving away to reveal the side of a face. A lion's face. An image of a male lion appeared lying down. Maybe he had just opened his eyes. His message to me was, "When you need to rest, rest. Work when you have to work. Balance them".
I did not see an animal at the 5th, throat chakra, but a name, Peter, came to me. I only saw light, a sphere of light, more like "spirit". My message was to trust my own "Voice" - shine.
Eagle appeared in the 6th, third eye center. Take in the bigger picture. (I have been caught in too many details) Changing my perspective, my perception of things, I can view it from a different angle. I had an insight here about my whiny, resistant behaviour to clearing out the closets where I work. This was actually a good thing for me, but I fought it as hard as I could until I couldn't any longer. The Universe, through the use of Ron, said "enough". You need to move through this, clear out the old stuff (aka, useless crap). Now I was being grateful for this.
At the crown, was butterfly. "Be Light. Time for change and transformation."
The tools are there: move in order to act, but act with lightness, balance and in joy. Come out of your shell and shine. Be true to yourself. Play. Laugh, and it will transform into beauty and joy.
This is what happens when I give time to myself.
Take time for yourself.
Namaste'

The Middle Way

To be so engrossed in the moment as to not know what is going on around you. To be so absorbed that the past and future are no where to be found. There is only NOW.

This is where I want to be. Of course there really is only now. We are continuously only in Now.

Unfortunately, I tend to get stuck in the Now thinking about the future or past. Lately, it's the future and in more of an anxious state of "how it's all going to get done" than I care to be. It does all get done. That which doesn't really didn't need to be.

It is the path of the Middle Way I would like to walk. This morning I thought, "How can I just be content with myself without being influenced by outside circumstances?"

If something goes awry in my life, I am effected by it as it is with when something happens that is good. The pendulum is swinging hard.

Last week in yoga class, I was filled with doubts - not being 'good enough'. Am I on the right path?

Yesterday's class brought me an answer, or so I thought at the moment. One of the students came up to me after class with much appreciation and praise. I felt I was serving my purpose.

But why must outside circumstances dictate how we feel. It should come from within.

I wonder if that is what Christ really meant when he said we must become as little children in order to enter Heaven.

Children are in the present moment, not stuck wondering how they will approach something, worrying about the outcome or if they should have gone in a different direction.

They just do it. Then they do it again. They play.

We all know that feeling of being in the moment when we are playing or creating.

*Bliss*.

It's all there is. No self-conscious obsessiveness. We're in Heaven - a state of Being.

So today I'll attempt to be child-like. Placing one step in front of the other and enjoying to the fullest each moment. Each present moment.

Delight in checking off the list of things to do.

Make it a game.

Play.

Play Time!

"All is well, and you will never get it done. Life is supposed to be fun. No one is taking score of any kind, and if you will stop taking score so much, you will feel a whole lot better -- and as you feel a whole lot better, more of the things that you want right now will flow to you. You will never be in a place where all of the things that you are wanting will be satisfied right now, or then you could be complete -- and you never can be. This incomplete place that you stand is the best place that you could be. You are right on track, right on schedule. Everything is unfolding perfectly. All is really well. Have fun. Have fun. Have fun! "

The above quote is from Abraham and it is something I really needed to hear this morning.

What would it look like to have it all done? I wonder if even Death is having it all done. I mean, if we are energy and continue, then it never is done.

Back to the mundane....

All I really want to do is have fun with it all. I don't mind so much having 50 million things to do, but I don't like having the feeling that I might not get it done or that it crowds my brain so that I can't focus.

I just want to have fun with it. I usually have fun with something when I am in the moment, focused on the task at hand, oblivious to anything else around me. I love being in that "space".

I chose coffee and conversation with hubby today instead of yoga. I watched the clock tick away getting closer and closer to 9:00. ("Can I be ready in 20 minutes... 15.... no friggin' way can I be ready in 4 min., so just enjoy the coffee")

I woke up thinking about snakes and how this images is so strong in different cultures... The kundilini serpent from our Eastern friends and the snake from our friends south of the border, in the Andes. Reading Villoldo's book, The Four Insights, he referrs to the serpent as part of the four levels of perception. This is our physical world, our survival skills, how we can be effective in our every day world. Serpent is helpful in putting one foot in front of another to get us through the day. We need to pay the bills :-)

Don't much care to spend too much time there. I'd rather break out of this materialistic, survival mode into that of doing more creative and fun stuff. Create. Paint. Play.

That's where I would rather hang out. That's the place where your bank account really dosn't matter or what car you are driving. ( Do you really need that ------- Hummer?!?)

So this brings me to the above quote. Today I want to have some fun. Change my perception. It gets done when it gets done. It always does. Why stress over it!

Let the serpent rest and play. It's Saturday!

Intentions are set....

I am yearning for some time to get messy and do some creating. I did clean out on closet at the Rec where I teach art classes. Nice to see all this "stuff" organized. I still have 2 more closets to empty out and although they gave me only 2 new closets, I am hoping to obtain one more. Ok. The intention is set here. I have 3 new closets! All my supplies are organized so I can be more efficient in finding supplies and teaching. It must be the power of Virgo here.
For myself, I have decided to do some collages for the new year. Every New Year's eve, rather than go out partying, I stay in and journal my intentions of the new year and usually make art. This year I plan on a soul collage. Maybe a few. I have some wonderful new journeys coming up in the new year. Travel and work.
So today, my intention is to go through some magazines which I have been collecting, pulling out those images that reflect who I am and what I love and what I want to move towards. What I want more of in my life.
I feel we are moving into a lots of change this year. Good positive change.

Merry! Merry! Christmas :-)

Can't buy me love......

Somewhere in blogland, I came across this link http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Interesting, because we decided not to buy into the whole consumerism christmas deal. Yeah, I know it's nice to let others know that they are appreciated and I like receiving things as well, but there is a big difference to show appreciation with something like homemade chocolate covered nuts and going out to buy something just for the sake of buying something like it's an obligation.
Once upon the time my husband and I went nuts buying things for each other. It seems like that is what Christmas became - all about buying!
I meet people on the street asking me "if I'm ready for Christmas"... ready? ready for what? They want to know if I finished my Christmas shopping... Nope, not this year... not buying it!
(Making it maybe :-)
anyway, take a look at the link for an eye opening perspective.
Give someone a hug and tell them how much they mean to you.
P.S.
Crea8tiva had this link on her site http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8509.cfm
so don't forget the little critters either :-)
this inspired me with some ideas...............