Happy Halloween!

Hope you take the time to be a kid today!

Peace & Love.

Morning

I am a total morning person.

I love the smell of morning.

I love the way it feels, how it sounds, the beautiful way light crawls across the earth.

This photo was taken during morning,

as I sat on my patio, bundled in a blanket, sipping a smoothie.

Autumn is different in the desert. But it is still present just the same.

The air becomes crisper, the sun drips in sienna, burnt umber, and deep hues of amber.

I leave for work in a jacket, scarf, and gloves.

And during the day I dream of making hearty, delicious soups.

Autumn is all about change, about letting go, of going deeper within in.

Morning is about ritual, ceremony, and renewing vows to yourself.

I find myself in a sacred space, reaching softly for the sun, as she is waning from my touch.

Autumn mornings can be like that...so can the longings of our hearts.

It's ok not to be the person you were yesterday.

It's ok, to not believe the things you once held true.

Be kind to yourself when you discover the leaves of your heart are changing.

Listen closely to what the winds of winter soon will be saying to you.

Begin From Here

We spend a lot of time climbing the mountain.

A lot of time making life harder then it needs to be.

It's time to simplify. Time to be ok with not doing everything, but holding the things we do do closer to our heart.

I want what I do to be of quality...even if it means I do less then what my crazy mind expects of me. Even if it means I take longer to get where my heart is longing to be. Even if it means accepting my current circumstances and giving it the attention it needs instead of brushing over it as something that burdens me.

While I was gone I took time to sit on the couch and do nothing.

Time to roam aimlessly on my bike.

Time to watch sunsets on top of mountains with my honey.

Time to sip tea in the quiet of the morning instead of penetrating its peace with tweets and short and sweet FB updates.

I only have this life...Creative Juicy it sometimes may be...but I'm not going to let any moment slip me by anymore by planning, worrying, or over thinking what I want my tomorrow to be.

NOW it's time to make a few shifts, a few changes, welcome new perspective, and leave old habits behind.

This is a new beginning, Lovelies, to my Creative Juicy Life.

Peace & Love.

Space To Grow

I thought the best way to return from my bloggy break was with a little, new Art Journal LOVE for you.....feels good to be back....thanks for all the love and support while I was gone...now let's get this Creative Juicy party going again!!!

Peace & Love.

A Little Announcement & Some Art Journal LOVE!

Hey Lovelies!!!

MONDAY is a big day!! I'll be coming back from my bloggy break-- Please join me! Let's celebrate!!!

Peace & Love,

Connie

Are You A Love Goddess?

Drowning in Blue

Dreaming of Modigliani

Art Journal LOVE

Today begins another week of my Creative Juicy bloggy break...and for this week, I'm going to smother you in Art Journal LOVE babey!!! Enjoy!

Peace & Love.

Can't Sleep

It took me all day...but I finally made it to my destination in New Hampshire.

I hear where I'm staying is beautiful... but all I've seen is the greatest navy blue night sky...and stars.

Lots and lots of stars.

If this is what I know of New Hampshire...

then I'm completely satisfied.

I sat in two airports today...people watching at its finest.

Doodled while we taxied.

And now I can't sleep. Maybe it's the time difference.

Maybe because the beauty of the evening,

being with an old friend,

the energy of love all around me....

makes me miss my honey,

who would fall in love with the view from this angle of the country.

Traveling always reminds me how life is such an adventure.

How brave we are...when we decide to fly.

Peace & Love.

...now back to my bloggy break....

Be Brave

Still on a delicious bloggy break...so here's another dandy from the archives...originally posted on July 17, 2008. Enjoy!

For weeks now three big boxes have been sitting patiently in the corner of my studio. They are filled with old photo albums, journals, and sketchbooks that I sent via snail mail from Cleveland. They sit there because honestly I have no idea where to put the stuff. But something was calling me to open the top box. Inside was a couple old sketch books, and two leather bound, beautiful, big photo albums. These treasures house the photos I took six years ago when I went backpacking through Italy solo.

I understand now. I've spent the entire day today thinking about being brave and watching the world's most serendipitous moments reveal themselves to me, this is of course , why I needed to revisit these photos. I wanted to share some of them with you, and part of the story that lives embedded in the ink.

In 2002 I followed one of my dreams, and went to Italy. I had very little money, below basic knowledge of the Italian language, no experience traveling overseas, and no one to share the journey with. What I did have was a voice inside me that kept telling me this is where I need to go next.


When I finally arrived in Italy, all I knew is that I needed to get to Florence. My entire itinerary/ plan was to "take a walk around". I spent every night in $10. hostel rooms similar to the one above (I was bottom bunk!). Many of those nights I was the only chica. It was a fabulous experience staying that way....I met people from all over the world, with the most interesting of lives, doing the same thing as me...taking a walk around!
Here I am standing at the foot of the amazing Duomo in Florence. There are very few photos of me, since I was traveling alone!
Here's another...in the Coliseum. The funny thing is that when I got to Rome I was totally lost. Left my hostel and started walking around and became terribly lost in a shady part of town. Then bang--here's the Coliseum standing next to me. I was kind of disappointed. I don't know why, maybe too many gladiator movies, but I was expecting it to be out in the middle of a great field, and be empty and desolate inside. Not the case. But I had to ask someone to take my picture here...would have been a sin not too.

These are photos of some cool chicas I met on my travels. Almost every night I would go to some non-tourist Italian restaurant to eat dinner. I would get a table alone, which when you are a woman solo, you usually get shoved in some dark corner. I'd order, start writing in my journal, and then the instant I heard English conversation I would pick up my dish and belongings, walk over to the table and explain that I was traveling alone and desperately needed English conversation. Worked like a charm every time. I never dined alone. I met people, once again, from all over the world...and they were always so excited that I did such a bold move, they'd pay for my dinner! Ha!
During the day I spent a lot of time walking around and looking at art.

I even had long conversations with ancient sculptures. You can learn alot from a piece of artwork..if you just ask! And, a secret between you and I...when I was in Rome, I went to the Ufizzi. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the The Birth of Venus by Botticelli...I had no idea it was there...I was so excited to be in its presence that when no one was looking...I ran my hand across it...just so Botticelli and I could have our own moment together!

I learned in Italy that there are a lot of people out there that don't like Americans. And they aren't terrorists. And they are actually nice people like you and I.

I spent a lot of time noticing how different the light is in Italy. I was amazed how landscapes and everyday passing bys always resembled a Renaissance painting. When I was in Italy I emailed my old Art History professor. I told him that all the lectures, all those slides, all those damn articles he made me read...none of it prepared me for this. None of it prepared me for the pure magnificent beauty that is flooding every inch of Italy.
I learned what real dedication and passion is. I learned how each tiny piece is important for the best of the whole. I learned this through the mosaics I saw, and through the thoughts and emotions that were presenting themselves to me on this new journey I had begun.
I spent a lot of time watching people. Listening to the lyrical sound of the language.
Finding beauty in everything. Amazed on how everything I saw was completely new...

And completely old at the very same time.
I loved all the surprises that came my way, and I greeted them with open arms.
It rained almost every day that I was there. But each time it rained I happened to be inside somewhere. Two days before I left it started to rain when I was sitting in a cafe writing. I packed up and ran out the door. I walked through the streets, and got lost, and totally soaked!!! Complete strangers tried to offer me their umbrellas, but I refused. I was so full of joy that my body was soaking in Italian rain! I felt like I was part of a painting. Then, I turned the corner, and there stood a man, also soaking in the rain, playing a guitar and singing Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", and I knew that I was never alone in this world. Ever.
The photo above I took because I was so drawn back by the simple beauty. I felt like beauty was alive like a person and presenting herself over and over again only for me.

But its this photo that I love. I sat here daily, in this exact spot, for many hours, across a week span just staring at the beautiful city of Florence. It was here that I fully realized that this is my life. That I am alive and granted this beautiful gift of a life to paint in any way I desire. I sat here, and for the first time noticed my breath and how it was connected to the earth, and how the earth had so many stories to tell me. It was here that I decided to be really brave, not just go to another country by yourself kind of brave. Brave to live your own life kind of brave. Brave to have faith in your steps. Brave to listen to that voice inside you. Brave to be open to any experience that presents itself to you. Brave to believe that you are always safe, always connected, and always going in the right direction.
And it was in the Pantheon, when I looked up at the heaven's, that I understood why something inside me needed to go across the Atlantic, thousands of miles away. Just to prove to myself that I am truly brave.

I dedicate this post to all the beautiful women I've met here on Dirty Footprints, that remind me everyday, to be brave. There is great, great love here for you.

Peace & Love.

Goals Vs Intentions

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane! This post was originally published on January 17, 2009. Enjoy!

I took this photo around Thanksgiving '08 at the Artist Dale Chihuly's Nature of Glass show I went to with Hansel. You can check out more of this incredible experience HERE.

"What would it be like if you didn't measure the success of your life just by what you get and don't get, but gave equal or greater priority to how aligned you are with your deepest values? Goals are rooted in maya (illusion); the illusionary world where what you want seems fixed and unchanging but in truth is forever changing. It is in this world that mara, the inner voice of temptation and discouragement, flourishes. Goals never fulfill you in an ongoing way; they either beget another goal or else collapse. They provide excitement-the ups and downs of life-but intention is what provides you with self-respect and peace of mind.

Naturally, sometimes things go well for you and other times not, but you do not live and die by these endless fluctuation. Your happiness comes from the strength of your internal experience of intention. You become one of those fortunate human beings who know who they are and are independent of our culture's obsession with winning. You still feel sadness, loss, anger, and fear, but you have a means for directly relating to all of these difficult emotions. Therefore, you are not a victim, nor are your happiness and peace of mind dependent on how things are right now."

--Phillip Moffitt

Peace & Love.

What We Create & What We Tear Down

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. This post was originally published on October 27, 2008. Enjoy!

Just for today, I will not worry.
Just for today, I will be grateful.
Just for today, I will earn an honest living and devote myself to my work.
Just for today, I will be compassionate to myself and others.

---Reiki mantra.

Today something occurred to me. Like really occurred to me. You know, the light bulb moment--where you kind of stare into space, and something in your mind makes that "click" sound, then you and your perspective is moved into a different level of existence.

Yes...that kind of moment.

After school the Music teacher and I sat in her room talking. What started out as an upbeat conversation, fell into the usual drab and yuck that lines the walls of my place of employment. You got it...the N word: negativity.

I won't bore you (again) with the same details....I'll jump right to the juicy part....the part where the light goes on in Connie's brain!!

It fully occurred to me today that WE CREATE OUR OWN BARRICADES AND WE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN TEAR THEM DOWN.

Yep, period. End of story. But don't just read it...marinate in it...soak it up like a sponge, suck it down like a smoothie, swish it around your soul like it was Listerine!!! Seriously---this is the secret to our happiness...and the secret to our suffering...all in let me count....16 bold faced words.

We create barricades from our creativity, our heart, our dreams, loved ones, potential loved ones, our spirit, and from living our life to the fullest. We create them. Us. You and me. Now, I don't create them for you...how could I? I don't have time when I'm constructing my own. But here's the one thing we all have in common...we all share the same contractor for building these barricades...you would think with all the business he would be over booked...but no, he still finds time to work around the clock...24-7, no holidays or vacations! That contractor that we all employ is good ol' Mr. Fear.

Now, I go through my life thinking and believing that I'm pretty fearless. Until today. I realized that some of these barricades in my life were actually created by Fear...I just didn't know it...because I decided to stick a different label on it...like:

"I don't have enough money."

"I need health insurance."

"I don't know where to start."

"I don't have enough time."

"I don't have enough energy."

But after I pulled the little sticker away guess what I found? FEAR written all over it! The barricades in my life are all constructed completely out of fear.

Simple, right? We all get this. We all hear this alot...on Oprah, on blogs, in books, maybe even with good friends or teachers. But here's the thing that hit me. It all comes down to believing. Believing fully that something that is so much bigger then ourselves. Believing fully in that force that keeps thing in order, in line. How many of you go to bed at night in a panic if the sun will rise tomorrow? How many of you worry if we'll run out of air to breathe? If the grass will stop growing? If flowers will stop blooming? The universe takes care of things. We just simply believe without even doubting it. The universe keeps the planets in line, the atmosphere in tack...it takes care of the big things...then why can't I surrender my dreams and wishes...and believe it can take care of little ol' me too?

That's it. That's the juicy part..the pulp of the matter. Trusting that the universe will take care of little ol' us.

We just have to ask. Surrender. Put it out there. Really make our wishes and dreams a tiny star in the galaxy...and then let the universe take care of the rest.

Sounds to easy to be true? Might be. But today I got it...and I'm about to surrender...and see what happens next.

Peace & Love.

We Are NOT Our Thoughts

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. This post was originally published on August 21, 2008. Enjoy!

(Another beautiful photo from the awesome blog: Cleveland Daily Photo)

"By being clear about what you want and no longer contradicting it with opposing thoughts, you will enable the Laws of the Universe to do their work, and you will not feel a need to offer so much action to compensate for inappropriate thought. By offering deliberate thought, you will harness the power of the Universe, and it will require far less time for you to accomplish much, much more." -from The Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks

The above photo has found a way to tie itself around my heart and sing its essence to me all day long. You see that little speck of white that we can assume is a person? That at one time, was me. I know exactly where this photo was taken because I walked that trail almost daily with my beloved dog Nyla. Sometimes completely alone. But rarely with somebody else. What you don't see in this photograph, that is deeply carved into my heart, is that this landscape rests on the shore of Lake Erie. All the textured earth in the foreground is actually white sand. Looking at this photo I can hear the evening tide, I can feel the crisp breeze, I can smell the fishy scent of the Lake.

I miss her dearly, my beautiful friend Lake Erie.

As much as this photo provokes my senses linked to nostalgia, its the image of the lone person walking that draws me into this subtle composition. I can remember the way sand always found its way into my shoes and little spurs would gather in Nyla's paws. I can remember how water would accumulate on the trail just after rain. But most especially, I can remember my thoughts during those walks near the Lake.

I spent a lot of time imagining a life much different then the one I possessed at the time. I saw myself as a full time Art teacher, Artist, and writer, but more than that, in a life dedicated to service. I would walk and imagine my feet were touching a different soil, that somehow this new landscape would hold golden keys to the hidden doorways in my soul. I imagined many home cooked meals with Hansel, sunshine, a studio full of natural light, red rocks, and Yoga. I imagined a sense of wholeness that would move through me with the same power that generated the breathing of the Lake.

As I sit staring at the lone person in this photograph it only confirms for me that we are NOT our thoughts. No. No-no-no! We are so much more than that. So much more. Our thoughts are merely tools we were granted in this existence on Earth. We come from the same material as the sand and the sea. If you listen closely our breath matches the tide, our moods are always trying to impress the moon, our blood rushes like a river, our anger is as turbulent as a hurricane, our bones--so similar to branches on a tree. How can we ever think we are simply the thoughts we have sparking through our brain? Why don't we believe ourselves to be so much bigger?

I had no idea at the time, when I was the lone walker, that I was using my thoughts for the purpose they were intended for: as tools to create our desired reality. All I knew then was if I kept imagining the life I wanted, sooner or later I would believe it, or get bored of this story and create another one. I have moved onto another story in my mind, because I simply live the one I imagined years ago at the Lake.

From the moment we are born so much stress is put on our minds. Our parents want us to learn the words for their names, then they want us to get good grades, then society tells us to exceed in college and academics beyond. Our mind is told to stretch-expand-and cram! But I see so many young children at school already weighted down with worry from the inability to use their minds in the way the universe intended. It seems foolish to many to imagine a dream life and then to actually believe your thoughts can manifest this into reality. We are always skeptical of magic---told its all smoke and mirrors. But I'm here to tell you that its true and magical. And if you don't believe me, what hurt is there in trying it? Instead of repeating over and over why you can't live the life you really want--why not switch those thoughts into ones that explore what your dream life would look like? What do you look like in your dream life? What does your heart feel like? Is there worry when you wake? Are your days lighter? What occupies your new reality?

Our minds are like our feet and hands---here to help us travel and create our next reality. My life that I live now did not happen overnight. It started years ago, with the aid of my imagination and thoughts during my long walks near my muse- my sage--my lover the Lake.

Peace & Love.

The Four Agreements Revisited

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. This post was originally published on September 2, 2008. Enjoy!

(photo taken by me during out trip to Prescott yesterday!!)

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean.

Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others.

Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY

Nothing others do is because of you.

What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream.

When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the

victim of needless suffering.

DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.

Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstanding,

sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely

transform your life.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be

different when you are healthy as opposed to sick.

Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid

self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.

--from THE FOUR AGREEMENTS by Don Miguel Ruiz

Peace & Love.

The Beckoning of Lovely

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. This post was originally published on November 13, 2008. Enjoy!


I live across the street from a pretty huge desert park. Basically a concrete paved trail that snakes its way through a pretty vast landscape full of tumbleweed, some palo verde trees, and cactus. Nyla and I walk there daily. So do lots of other dog owners, joggers, and bikers. But recently, there has been a few homeless people living in the area. I noticed the one day there were five policemen arguing with one of the men that spends his days just sitting like a Buddha under a tree, with his huge, dirty backpack of belongings by his side. The policemen left and he ended up moving down the street and took up a home in a covered bus stop. Placed a blanket on the bench and everything.

Sometime last week I was walking Nyla pretty late across the street in the park. It was quite a cold evening--yes, it gets cold in the desert. It was dark out and suddenly we almost tripped over a man that decided to make the concrete trail his bed for the night. He too had a backpack of belongings, but he used his as a pillow, instead of a companion. Just laying there on the cold concrete under the stars.

Instantly I thought that this man needs something to sleep on. So I ran back home and grabbed one of my old--don't use anymore, ultra-pink, foamy, Yoga mats and headed back to the park. I placed the rolled up mat next to the man and softly said he should sleep on it. The man grabbed the mat and threw it at me.

Ok, not a Holiday Card moment. But I'm sure this man lives his life in constant defensive mode.

I walked away and went back to my warm, loving apartment. Grateful for the life and circumstances I've been blessed with.

I didn't go back to that park until Saturday morning. Nyla and I were walking our usual trail when I spotted the man. Then, out of nowhere he left his backpack behind and started running! I thought he was running from me, but when I turned around to look at what Nyla was getting excited about I saw two policemen running after him. I had to---I stopped and watched. I watched as this man, completely grey in color from his oily, long hair and beard, to his sweatpants, and sweatshirt--he was only holding my bright, ultra-pink, foamy Yoga mat in his arms as he stopped traffic running from the police across the crowded street. It was quite a sight to see...beautiful actually, if I may dare. Something about that flash of grey with the ultra pink. But no, something even deeper then that. He left everything behind...except the Yoga mat. I'd like to exclaim that that's the power of Yoga---but Yoga has very little to do with this.

Simply put---kindness.

All I did was be kind to another human being who was in need. I don't have a whole lot to give. I can't change his life. But maybe I helped him have a better night's sleep. Maybe, for once in a long time, he felt kindness.

Who knows.

But that man is gone. I haven't seen him since his appearance as a flash of color running across the busy street.

I initially wanted to keep this story to myself. I only told Hansel. But, I just viewed this video below and it got me thinking....thinking how important and HUGE the little things are in life. A simple gesture, a compliment, a nice word, a tiny gift of chocolate even. A smile. A Yoga mat you never use.

The simple things, the small things...they make a big difference in life. Think of if we all lived by this idea---how much more pleasant and peaceful life could be.

Peace & Love.

Japa

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. This post was originally posted on December 2, 2008. Enjoy!

Yoga Sutra 28, Book One: JAPA

To repeat it with reflection upon its meaning is an aid.

Be Brave--7 little letters to live by by PatchOfSky

"Here we come to the practice of japa. It is a very powerful technique, and, at the same time, the easiest, simplest and the best. Almost every religion advocates the repetition of God's name because all the prophets, sages, and saints experienced and understood its greatness, glory and power.

...We say it is the easiest because you need not go to a particular place nor have a particular time for it. It is not somewhere outside you, but always within. Wherever you are, your mantram is with you. To worship a form you have to have a picture or image and a place to keep it. But in mantra practice it is always in your heart, the most sacred place, because it is your beloved. And that's why your mantram is to be kept sacred and secret. You don't even reveal it to others, lest you lose the reverence for it."

---from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

translated by Sri Swami Satchidananda

Pack of 25 Trust Cards by jenlemen

This past weekend I began knitting my very first scarf. It is that time of year in the desert now that I rarely leave the house without one wrapped around my neck. My classroom at work is freezing, so I find myself wearing it all day long even.

Hope by wallwork

I've fallen in love with the whole process of knitting. And, I should add that I knit--but I don't pearl...and its looking pretty cool all the same!!!

Red Believe Glass Pendant by LittleKeepsakes

As I knit, I practice japa.

Every single row I meditate on a word or phrase.

Each stitch I repeat that word or phrase to myself and let it vibrate all the way into my heart.

Sure it's just a word. Yes, it's only a scarf.

But I like to think of it as energy, and that through the energy of my hands as I knit I'm transferring the positive energy of my thoughts into my scarf. Soon I'll be finished, and I'll wear that scarf around my neck--to keep me warm---to furthermore have the positive energy seep into my throat chakra as well as my heart chakra---a form of protection even, from the negativity that bombards me at my job-- in this world.

L-O-V-E 5x7 Greeting Card by AMomentAMemory28

I've been thinking alot about words.

I've been practicing japa other times, not only while I knit. But while I stand in line at the grocery store, as I wait in the morning by the bike rack at my school, while I drive home in silence, walking Nyla in the park, brushing my teeth, and even doing the dishes are a few to mention.

Think about it.

These mundane and silent moments are the times we can cause ourselves the greatest suffering, simply because we let our minds rehash the past, focus on negative story bits, or play out scenarios for the future. All this thinking and thinking causes us such pain, when in fact, we are simply and only doing something that has no great impact on our state of happiness at all. Sure, doing dishes or picking up dog poo might not be the most pleasant situation, but it is not worth suffering over. The suffering begins when we let our minds move into those dark crevices. This practice of japa helps that. Japa helps us from slipping into those black holes of our mind and as we do what needs to be done, or like in knitting, do what we enjoy, we use our words to serve us---to serve the universe.

Peace & Love.

(Silly) Freedom Dance for Erica

I am on a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. This post was originally published on Januray 3, 2009. Enjoy!

Peace & Love.

There Is A River Flowing

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane! This post was originally posted on Januray 6, 2009. Enjoy!

There is a river flowing now, very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and suffer greatly. Know that the river has its destination. The elders say we must push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open and our heads above the water. See who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves, for the moment we do that, our spiritual growth comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves; banish the word "struggle" from your attitude and vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred way and in celebration. We are the ones we've been waiting for.

---a Hopi elder

Peace & Love.

Art on Walls

Yes, I'm still on a delicious bloggy break...but I thought I'd take a break from my break and share with you this ultra cool video!!! I've been thinking alot about Art...well, more then usual I guess......and, well, I've been thinking alot about Art and walls...and Art as big as walls...and wallpaper that's pretty and how I wish I could paint the walls of our apartment.....then all this thinking led me to this cool site: The Wooster Collective...that's all about Art on the streets...you know, Art on walls basically!! That's how I found this ultra cool video above. It completely inspires me....how about you?!?!

Peace & Love.

Conversations With Paintings

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane. Here is a post originally published on February 11, 2009. Enjoy!

Music dropped a box of old magazines off in my Art room this morning. I picked up the Smithsonian on top, and leafed through it---there, on a two page layout was the above painting--a self portrait of the mid-19th century Artist Gustave Courbet. I froze. Then I laughed a little and tore the picture and the article out. Funny as it may sound, this painting is simply an oracle right now--and I glued it immediately in my journal.

The first time I saw this painting, I was a freshman in Art school...sitting in a large auditorium for an Art History class. I walked in, and there on the movie screen was this intense painting staring at me. It moved me incredibly...I fell in love with Courbet...I left that auditorium that day and headed straight for the library. I took out every book on him I could hold in my backpack and headed to the park across the street. I read a little...but I drew. I copied parts and pieces of his works--his compositions--all the little nuggets that pulled me into his paintings.

I think that painting changed the course of my young life.

From there, I became deeply enthralled with "Art History"--with learning how Art has shaped culture, civilization, the world, science, religion, mankind, womankind, children, history, present, and our own personal stories. As much as I wanted to paint and create Art, my new love and interest in Art History sparked a flame in me to learn as much as possible about Art--Artists--the continuum of ideas, the development of styles and trends in Art...and its rebels, like Gustave Courbet.

I found myself reading, writing, and asking questions. I started talking to paintings, a weird habit I still have. I found myself changing courses, adding double major to my list, and stacking up more school loans so I could suck up as much information on Art and Artists as possible.

I never planned this going in. I went to Art school to be a painter. I went to Art school, cause I thought I would move to LA or NYC one day, and try it--a life as "an Artist". I snubbed the idea of teaching. I possibly tossed around the idea of working in a museum forever and writing long drafty papers on women Artists and modernism. I never planned early on I would fall in love with words just as much as pigments...that I would long to know other Artists as much as I longed for them to know me one day. That writing would simply be important to me.

Seeing this painting today, reminded me of the journey. The journey of life. How unknown, unplanned for, unprepared we are for our own lives. How ideas come out of nowhere..and you have a choice to follow and obey its call...or stay on the road you already began paving. When I was younger, I always obeyed those whispers...never thought twice. A painting could change my life. A conversation could throw my perspective into a radical shift. A poem could ignite a love affair. A long drawn out dinner could lead to minor revolutions in relationships and sinister coups of one's heart.

We become too cautious with age. Like the things around us can break us. Like the road before us is golden and only in one direction.

What would Courbet's painting say to me now? After Music left the room, I sat and had a conversation with it. And he didn't appear to me by coincidence. This box of magazines was more then a gift.

I'm going back to listening to oracles.

Going to take time for conversations with paintings again.

Going to stop ignoring the whispering...and start being a rebel to the life my mind has pre-subscribed to.

Thank you Courbet.

Peace & Love.

Seeds & Weeds

I am taking a much needed bloggy break and thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane! This post was originally posted on April 8, 2009. Enjoy!

Rebirth by LindaMonfort

My Yoga teacher Eric told us a great little nugget of wisdom yesterday that really changed my perspective on things.

Eric told us that we all have seeds in us---these tiny, little, invisible seeds. Under the right circumstances...they will grow into weeds. Example: traffic. How many times have you been stuck in traffic, or the bozo next to you cut you off--creating frustration, anger, possibly even a fit of road rage in you? That traffic incident did not create this frustration/anger/road rage, but rather--it was the nutrients that made your seed grow into a weed. That frustration/anger/road rage has been with you all the time--just waiting for the right moment and environment to sprout. Now, what you are actually encountering is this weed in your mind, not the circumstance itself.

So, you have a choice. What do you do with this weed?

You can feed it with more thoughts, causing the weed to grow and spread rapid in your mind. Or, you can ignore it---refuse to feed it with the sunshine of your thoughts, the fertilizer of your energy, the water of your mind. Instead--you starve the weed. Sure, you note that it's there---you observe how a certain circumstance has shown you this seed that exists within you. But you do not need to feed the weed that it has turned into.

Easy concept, huh?

The wonderful thing about Eric--is he serves us these nuggets of wisdom then creates a Yoga practice that challenges us to practice what we just learned. For me, this practice was invigorating...I literally felt like weeds in my self were being burned right there on my charcoal gray mat. Eric put us in poses that seem comfortable and nothing out-of-the-ordinary, but had us there for quite an extended period of time. Enough time to start watering seeds that exist within us--when our muscles start to ache, when we are unable to hold a pose as gracefully as the Yogi next to us--or even as beautiful as the image in our mind, when we start to get uncomfortable, bored, frustrated thinking why did I come to this class!

But as I stood there in three legged plank, or in a long, breath of warrior pose, he told us to ignore those weeds that were beginning to sprout in our minds. Ignore that the mind is telling us to cheat a bit---to pretend a cramp and take a time out---drop to your knees and act like you were suffering from the greatest of thirst. He explained to us to listen carefully and work to decipher the difference between our bodies speaking to us because we have gone too far from our minds telling us to flee because it is uncomfortable and unhappy with the current situation. Most of the time---our bodies can handle the circumstances, it is the mind that acts like a real diva.

Sure, I will be honest and state that I was so happy that I could last through these poses (even my pride is a weed, you see). But that was only second to the pure joy I found in this challenge--in the ability I gained to control my mind--to actually ignore the weeds and experiment with staying relax and finding my bliss in circumstances that were not the most agreeing with the agenda of my mind.

Now, the real challenge is to apply this to my Yoga off the mat. Can I ignore the weeds that begin to sprout when I am at work and a middle schooler is bluntly disrespectful? Can I ignore the weeds when I have to sit through another two hour meeting that has nothing to do with my position? Can I ignore the weeds when my neighbors don't live up to my expectations of consideration?

I found through my practice on the mat, that when I start to ignore those weeds--something happens. They begin to dry out so drastically that they burn. I felt cleansing happening in this practice, by simply being completely in the moment. By being so present to what is real---the sensations in my body, the way the sweat poured down my brow, the feel of my fingers on the mat, the air from the fan above, my breath. These sensations connect us to our life---those weeds sprouting and spreading in the garden of our minds--are just that--weeds to the beautiful landscape of our life.

Peace & Love.

A Little Yoga Secret To Staying Healthy This Season

I'm taking a much needed bloggy break Lovelies...so, just for fun I thought we'd take a walk down memory lane for awhile! This blog post was originally posted on November 12, 2008. It's perfect for staying healthy during the change of seasons. Enjoy.....

Viparita Karani

Translation: Legs Up the Wall

Legs Up the Wall is one of the greatest Yoga secrets there is!! I swear by it!! Even if you have zero experience with Yoga, think it's some strange religion or cult (gasp), or think its only for gaining flexibility----you need to be doing this posture!!

Why?

Well, first, let me tell you that I do this posture EVERY night before I go to bed for at least 15 minutes...sometimes up to 30 minutes. It seems a little strange..but it is extremely relaxing. When Hansel can't fall asleep I insist he do this posture and it always works like a charm!!! But furthermore, recently Hansel was really sick. So sick, that he had to go to the doctors--and found out he had ear, sinus, and throat infections pretty bad. I got sick too--but a minor cold for only a couple days...and I swear, my defense against this virus had to do with my dedication to Legs Up the Wall. I did it every night and every morning for at least 20 minutes while Hansel was sick, and I feel it kept my immune system top notch!!

All you need is a wall. Here's what you do:

1. Sit sideways against the wall with one side touching.

2. Lean back, while you swing your legs upward against the wall.

3. This is when you'll need to skoot closer or wiggle till you find that sweet spot.

4. If you have a sensitive lower back or hips it would be best to place a folded blanket under your bum before starting..this extra cush will really help.

5. Now you just relax and let the posture and gravity work on you. This is soooo good for your body...it flushes out your organs--because the blood in your legs is working with gravity now, instead of against. If your feet start to tingle, that is normal. Just put your legs into a V shape for awhile or bend your knees with your feet resting on the wall.

6. Keep your arms out to the side or at a slight angle like I did above. Do not put them over your head, because that causes your blood pressure to rise. This posture is all about relaxation.

I usually set the alarm clock on my cell phone before doing this posture, and keep it near...because many times I doze off. It's also nice to add an eye pillow if you have one.

Just recently I received an email from Yoga Journal singing the praises of this posture, here is an excerpt:

"Many yoga teachers believe that Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose) is good for almost everything that ails you, including anxiety, arthritis, digestive problems, headache, high and low blood pressure, insomnia, migraine, mild depression, respiratory ailments, urinary disorders, varicose veins, premenstrual syndrome, and menopause.
Not only that, but it's also one of the most relaxing yoga postures there is—and all you need is a wall to take advantage of its healing benefits."

This is the time of year when people start getting sick...and a little prevention can go a long way!! What's a few minutes...and everyone has walls!! Try it for a week...you'll notice the difference.

(The painting above my feet is by Erica from BluJayStudio).

Peace & Love.