I just heard the musical theme to the Twilight Zone as I was looking up the meaning of one of the symbols I was given for this, the 4th Enter the Mandala Project painting, the Law of Correspondence. I know that tapping into my intuitive process to generate a better understanding of the Twelve Universal Laws is tapping into the mythology of the world through Divine Oneness – but I do enjoy a good confirmation of the new normal. Here’s what happened.
The last symbol I Googled to write this post was the pinecone (that I embarrassingly kept calling an acorn in the recording. Even English teachers make mistakes when verbally translating the array of visions appearing and disappearing inside visual journeys. Trust me though – it was a pinecone).
As I was painting this central element to the Law of Correspondence, the core within, I loved its symbolism as the seed from which all things grow. I saw it as a representation of the mind. I understood that the world as we see and experience it emanates from our thoughts and feelings. I also understood that the community barn-raising spirit that I was shown inside the pinecone meant that the more we nurture and cultivate our inner world, the more our outer world will match our true essence.
“As above, so below, as within, so without…” Hermes Trismegistus
I also got that the light switches that appeared in my vision and that I painted on the wedding band – the union of the inner and outer world – represented our moment-by-moment choice of light or darkness – of love or fear.
Here’s where my jaw dropped. When I looked up the pinecone online, I found a website that described its symbolism and history.
“Our “Pine”al Gland, shaped like (and named after) the Pinecone, is at the geometric center of our brain and is intimately linked to our body’s perception of light. … It is considered by many to be our biological Third Eye, the “Seat of the Soul,” the “Epicenter of Enlightenment” — and its sacred symbol throughout history, in cultures around the world, has been the Pinecone.”
How cool is that! I don’t remember learning this in my Sacred Codes classes at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, but I’m sure the pinecone was used as an example of the perfect Fibonacci sequence in our Sacred Geometry class.
All I know is that what I learned on the website above and another on the pinecone in art & architecture affirmed my connection to the Universe, Source, and my team of Divine Helpers in the co-creation of this series.
I’m human… this was comforting!
Once again, I started with a Spirit Calling Card reading to open the intuitive process. At first, it seemed to speak more about the process itself than about the Law of Correspondence.
If you think about it though, it really does relate to the Law of Correspondence. It’s asking us as a community to open to what is happening in our minds as a gateway to transformation. There we have it – as within, so without. As above, so below. This is as true on an individual as on a collective level.
As usual, there was a lot of symbolism provided through this visual journey. The feeling, however, was simply matter of fact. That in itself is revealing to me – there was no judgment, just a simple mirror. If there was celebration and growth in the inner ring, it was married with growth and building in the outer ring. If the world was barren in the inside, it was dry and crumbling on the outside. Just a fact – no drama.
As you listen, please remember that when I’m saying acorn, it was actually a pinecone. There are no accidents though…. an acorn would have been just as symbolic.
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Law of Correspondence Symbolism
This is how I interpreted the symbolism I received. Feel free to add your own in the comments below. This is a community effort!
Let me add to what I’ve already said in my introduction.
Whatever is growing within our inner being spirals out into the world.
Our current reality, therefore, took roots within our minds.
The gold wedding band represents the union of the inner and outer worlds.
How do you like my glorified stick people?… 🙂
I chose to represent the barn-raising spirit, the child with the reflection bowl, and the light switches on the ring instead of in the pinecone, where I originally saw them.
What kind of activity is happening within your mind today? Are you flicking that switch on or off?
The roots pass beneath the wedding band, underlying the union of the inner and outer worlds.
They spread into the world like a web, extending beyond the limits of our perceived reality into the fabric of all that is – the invisible – the Universe.
As I was painting them, remembering the vision of the eyeball, they also felt like veins. These are a symbol of Life Force – the roads by which we feed ourselves and our vision.
Now, as I look at it, I sense a 2-way direction to the movement in this mandala – from the inside out, but also from the outside in. What does this mean for you?
The Pine Trees in the Ring:
In my vision, I saw the minerals from the wedding band leaching into the world, nourishing it with its goodness. In addition to the larger roots, I chose to represent this by painting pine trees, their roots firmly planted inside the ring and their branches extend into the outer ring.
What we sow in our inner world takes root and spreads into our outer reality.
Pine trees are always fully present in the pinecone. Similarly our full potential in this world already lies within us. By tapping into our true essence and nurturing our growth, we too can evolve as we were meant to do / be.
The Tree of Life:
The tree of life often represents life, hope, truth, and healing. It’s a mystical tree, symbolic of the connection between our human and spiritual being-ness -inspiration (in spirit).
As a mandala, these paintings can be contemplated from any direction. Depending how you look at it, the fruits of this tree are hanging off the roots. What could this mean to you?
The Pine Trees in the Corners:
These two pine trees are barely visible, outside the perceived limits of our reality.
Yet they grow and bear fruit, fed by and feeding the roots or veins that circulate through our full and mysterious existence.
I’d love to hear your interpretations on these.
Since my time living in South Korea, I’ve accepted cranes as symbols of longevity. They have a very long lifespan.
They’re also associated with a successful marriage, very appropriate here.
I wasn’t aware that cranes were also symbolic of the family tree. This adds a further element of time to the root system of this mandala.
In terms of divinatory meaning, one website says:
“If you see a crane flying, it may be drawing your eyes to the heavens, lifting your spirits, and inspiring you to trust in the universe.”
Beautiful message!
Those active little people inside the pinecone were seen sending out paper airplanes into the world. They’d written down their orders and instructions based on what was happening in the inner world. I liked the lighthearted playful energy of the mind / inner world I witnessed in this vision.
Then came the delivery trucks and construction machinery, answering to the guidance from the inner world.
We’re constantly placing orders and receiving – on a conscious and subconscious level. That’s definitely something to think about…
The Law of Correspondence
The entire mandala can been seen as a giant eye, but I also chose to paint an actual eyeball, looking straight up, as I saw it in my visual journey.
The eye is often seen as a window to the soul. It’s also a symbol of focus, vision, awareness, presence and intelligence.
For me, this eye is a reminder that we live in a dream, an illusion. Nothing has meaning but the meaning we give it. How we perceive the world is based on our inner reality. The eye here represents a passageway from consciousness to enlightenment.
What does it mean for you?
Circling the extremities of our perceived world are the cycles of the natural world.
First, I was shown the tides and waves, moved by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the earth.
Then I was shown sunsets turning into sunrises, a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Their colours are reflected around the 4 main elements within the mandala.
Everything is in motion. The momentum we create at our core sets the pace for what we experience here in this lifetime. Yet, with every new day, we are given another opportunity to re-create a world more aligned with that golden essence that lies within us – the one that may have been covered with the dust of time.
What other messages have you received as you’ve entered this Law of Correspondence mandala?
How do you dust off the cobwebs of your mind and shine your golden light into this world?
I’d love for you to share in the comments below.
Enter the Mandala: The Law of Correspondence
/in Enter the Mandala: The Twelve Universal LawsThe last symbol I Googled to write this post was the pinecone (that I embarrassingly kept calling an acorn in the recording. Even English teachers make mistakes when verbally translating the array of visions appearing and disappearing inside visual journeys. Trust me though – it was a pinecone).
As I was painting this central element to the Law of Correspondence, the core within, I loved its symbolism as the seed from which all things grow. I saw it as a representation of the mind. I understood that the world as we see and experience it emanates from our thoughts and feelings. I also understood that the community barn-raising spirit that I was shown inside the pinecone meant that the more we nurture and cultivate our inner world, the more our outer world will match our true essence.
I also got that the light switches that appeared in my vision and that I painted on the wedding band – the union of the inner and outer world – represented our moment-by-moment choice of light or darkness – of love or fear.
Here’s where my jaw dropped. When I looked up the pinecone online, I found a website that described its symbolism and history.
How cool is that! I don’t remember learning this in my Sacred Codes classes at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, but I’m sure the pinecone was used as an example of the perfect Fibonacci sequence in our Sacred Geometry class.
All I know is that what I learned on the website above and another on the pinecone in art & architecture affirmed my connection to the Universe, Source, and my team of Divine Helpers in the co-creation of this series.
I’m human… this was comforting!
The Co-Creative Process
Once again, I started with a Spirit Calling Card reading to open the intuitive process. At first, it seemed to speak more about the process itself than about the Law of Correspondence.
If you think about it though, it really does relate to the Law of Correspondence. It’s asking us as a community to open to what is happening in our minds as a gateway to transformation. There we have it – as within, so without. As above, so below. This is as true on an individual as on a collective level.
Listen In
As usual, there was a lot of symbolism provided through this visual journey. The feeling, however, was simply matter of fact. That in itself is revealing to me – there was no judgment, just a simple mirror. If there was celebration and growth in the inner ring, it was married with growth and building in the outer ring. If the world was barren in the inside, it was dry and crumbling on the outside. Just a fact – no drama.
As you listen, please remember that when I’m saying acorn, it was actually a pinecone. There are no accidents though…. an acorn would have been just as symbolic.
From the Inside Out
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Law of Correspondence Symbolism
This is how I interpreted the symbolism I received. Feel free to add your own in the comments below. This is a community effort!
The Pinecone
Let me add to what I’ve already said in my introduction.
Whatever is growing within our inner being spirals out into the world.
Our current reality, therefore, took roots within our minds.
The Wedding Band
The gold wedding band represents the union of the inner and outer worlds.
How do you like my glorified stick people?… 🙂
I chose to represent the barn-raising spirit, the child with the reflection bowl, and the light switches on the ring instead of in the pinecone, where I originally saw them.
What kind of activity is happening within your mind today? Are you flicking that switch on or off?
The Roots
They spread into the world like a web, extending beyond the limits of our perceived reality into the fabric of all that is – the invisible – the Universe.
As I was painting them, remembering the vision of the eyeball, they also felt like veins. These are a symbol of Life Force – the roads by which we feed ourselves and our vision.
Now, as I look at it, I sense a 2-way direction to the movement in this mandala – from the inside out, but also from the outside in. What does this mean for you?
The Trees
The Pine Trees in the Ring:
In my vision, I saw the minerals from the wedding band leaching into the world, nourishing it with its goodness. In addition to the larger roots, I chose to represent this by painting pine trees, their roots firmly planted inside the ring and their branches extend into the outer ring.
What we sow in our inner world takes root and spreads into our outer reality.
Pine trees are always fully present in the pinecone. Similarly our full potential in this world already lies within us. By tapping into our true essence and nurturing our growth, we too can evolve as we were meant to do / be.
The Tree of Life:
The tree of life often represents life, hope, truth, and healing. It’s a mystical tree, symbolic of the connection between our human and spiritual being-ness -inspiration (in spirit).
As a mandala, these paintings can be contemplated from any direction. Depending how you look at it, the fruits of this tree are hanging off the roots. What could this mean to you?
The Pine Trees in the Corners:
These two pine trees are barely visible, outside the perceived limits of our reality.
Yet they grow and bear fruit, fed by and feeding the roots or veins that circulate through our full and mysterious existence.
I’d love to hear your interpretations on these.
The Cranes
They’re also associated with a successful marriage, very appropriate here.
I wasn’t aware that cranes were also symbolic of the family tree. This adds a further element of time to the root system of this mandala.
In terms of divinatory meaning, one website says:
Beautiful message!
Ordering & Receiving
Those active little people inside the pinecone were seen sending out paper airplanes into the world. They’d written down their orders and instructions based on what was happening in the inner world. I liked the lighthearted playful energy of the mind / inner world I witnessed in this vision.
Then came the delivery trucks and construction machinery, answering to the guidance from the inner world.
We’re constantly placing orders and receiving – on a conscious and subconscious level. That’s definitely something to think about…
The Eye
The entire mandala can been seen as a giant eye, but I also chose to paint an actual eyeball, looking straight up, as I saw it in my visual journey.
The eye is often seen as a window to the soul. It’s also a symbol of focus, vision, awareness, presence and intelligence.
For me, this eye is a reminder that we live in a dream, an illusion. Nothing has meaning but the meaning we give it. How we perceive the world is based on our inner reality. The eye here represents a passageway from consciousness to enlightenment.
What does it mean for you?
The Cycles
Circling the extremities of our perceived world are the cycles of the natural world.
First, I was shown the tides and waves, moved by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the earth.
Then I was shown sunsets turning into sunrises, a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Their colours are reflected around the 4 main elements within the mandala.
Everything is in motion. The momentum we create at our core sets the pace for what we experience here in this lifetime. Yet, with every new day, we are given another opportunity to re-create a world more aligned with that golden essence that lies within us – the one that may have been covered with the dust of time.
Your Turn
What other messages have you received as you’ve entered this Law of Correspondence mandala?
How do you dust off the cobwebs of your mind and shine your golden light into this world?
I’d love for you to share in the comments below.
Journey Into the Law of Action – Enter the Mandala
/in Enter the Mandala: The Twelve Universal LawsThis is it! The 3rd of the Enter the Mandala Project paintings – The Law of Action.
When fuelled by the fires of purpose and passion, each inspired step towards your dreams will lead you to the doors and tools you need to achieve them.
The Law of Action is not about aimless busy-ness. It’s about the continuous process of tuning in, communicating to the Universe, staying open and receptive, and following through on guidance. It’s this kind of action that creates the necessary momentum to manifest your vision.
So take the steps, open the doors, collect the right tools, navigate the brainstorm web, send your smoke signals to the Universe, allow, receive, and create the reality you wish to see in the world. It’s all possible through the Law of Action.
Read on to find out more about how I tapped into the symbology for this painting.
Spirit Calling Card Message
First, I used my Spirit Calling Cards to invite my Divine Helpers into the intuitive painting process.
You’ll hear me chat about these cards at the beginning of the recording below.
What a great reminder that “reflecting on the fruit of our purpose”, or visualizing our desired results and focusing on the WHY we do things, is a crucial part of the Law of Action. It’s also the initial step in changing how we see, feel, and experience the world – our truth.
It was also a reminder that action which isn’t sourced from within won’t lead to an inner or outer reality that is aligned with our true essence.
What does this mean to you? I invite you to ponder on this message and share your insights in the comments.
Listen In
These readings, especially the Divine Storytelling Times, raise my vibration to such delightful levels. This one was so much fun!
The symbology was so rich that my mind wanted to jump ahead and start interpreting as the story was evolving. Active listening skills apply to intuition as well… best not interrupt Source, my Guiding Spirits and Angels while they’re speaking 🙂 ….
Although these visual journeys aren’t new to me, tapping into them as part of my painting process is! I’m so grateful I was guided to create this series – for both artistic and spiritual growth.
Go ahead, listen in (17 min). The mini-movie description starts after the Spirit Calling Card Reading.
Reflecting on the Journey:
When I think of volcanoes, I’m reminded of what a medical intuitive once told me. She commented that my eczema (skin condition) was like a volcano. The internal pressure of not listening to my inner guidance was causing stress on the system. If I only took care of the symptom on my hands, it would simply erupt elsewhere on my body. I needed to recognize and honour its core message. I needed to listen before the pressure of holding my purpose, passion, and emotions deep inside created irreparable damage.
The volcano in this reading felt like our purpose calling us upwards into the Light. It’s the creative fire that lurks beneath the surface, brewing and bubbling. It’s inspiration percolating. It’s the source of own powerful brilliance. It feeds our dreams, which then feed our actions.
In this vision, the spinning merry-go-round (think of the symbolism of that word!) sent celebratory sparks that ignited the volcano, creating a glass tower that reached upwards towards that Light, leading us to the bigger picture with every step. Both the tower and staircase were manifested from the pressures of this same inner world. By tapping within and taking each step, our actions then manifested the doorways and tools necessary to create our landscapes.
You’re advised to stay grounded while connecting to your Higher Vision. Let the smoke signals rise up from the platform of your goals. Don’t block the mouth of the volcano and don’t wait until the pressure mounts to an insupportable level. The price of ignoring our Spirit Calls can be high indeed. Eczema is but a minor reminder when I am off my path … Luckily, I eventually listen, heeding that warning.
What are your warning signals? Are you listening?
The Layers
As with many of my intuitive paintings, this one evolved in layers. Each new one inspired the next. There was little planning involved. I simply took action, trusting that the next step would reveal itself.
1. The Inner Fires of Creativity and Passion:
Fire and water mixed to include the earth and air elements all present in volcanoes.
2. Guided Action – Collecting the tools:
You may not know how all of your guided actions fit in the big picture, but trust that layer upon layer, this will reveal itself to you.
See the slideshow above to witness the evolution of these many layers.
3. Momentum:
I used ground up pumice (volcanic glass) to create the raised surface of the merry-go-round/tower and the rim of the volcano. Pumice energetically helps us rise above our challenges by giving us the insights necessary to move forward. Perfect!
I represented the inspiration / action cycle through the brainstorm web I saw in my intuitive journey as well as in the arrows pointing inwards towards our dreams/goals.
4. Allowing:
Allow Dominique! Allow! This is the area where I’ve repeatedly been told I need to practice more.
Coming from a military family and with decades of professional education and experience in recreation and teaching, I have become very good in the left brain areas of planning and implementing. The more anxious I get, however, the more controlling I become, wanting to force things into being. Then I start spiralling into fear, losing my inner peace. That’s when I become so goal focussed that I forget to enjoy the journey. Sounds familiar?
Luckily, life has taught me that the more I trust my intuitive guidance and the power of manifesting, the more my dreams are achieved with ease and grace. This is not about sitting back and passively waiting. It’s about doing things when moved to do so, and paying close attention to what is being called for next. One step at a time.
My six months of fundraising to go study art overseas for a year is a perfect example. I worked intensively, but it was so strongly guided that I not only succeeded in letting go of the fear around my project, but exceeded my fundraising goals.
My time painting in Austria, Bali, and Italy is proof to me of The Law of Action. First, I sent smoke signals to the Universe about wanting to get over psychological blocks to drawing (sometimes unknowingly). This was fuelled by my passion and purpose as an artist. I then received unmistakable guidance about the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art. Once I accepted the call and affirmed my intentions, the action steps revealed themselves through messengers and inner work. I opened a lot of doors and worked with lots of tools. Some stretched my comfort zones and some were criticized by other artists (like auctioning off all my artwork starting at the cost of materials). I went against the social norm, but that didn’t phase me because I was tapped in to something greater. I trusted the inspired process full-heartedly and my dreams became a reality. No regrets!
Can you think of a time when this was true in your life?
Start with baby steps. Listen and trust your intuition. The more you do, the clearer your Spirit Calls will be and the easier it will be to create your dreams.
Your Turn
What would you like to achieve? What first step could you take today towards that dream? Please inspire us with your stories or share your impressions of this painting and process in the discussion below.
Journey Into the Law of Vibration – Enter the Mandala
/in Enter the Mandala: The Twelve Universal Laws, PaintingsHere it is – the second of the Enter the Mandala Project paintings – The Law of Vibration.
As an intuitive artist, journeying into the Law of Vibration has meant riding the sinuous waves of energy throughout space and time as well as skipping from one God Particle to another within all things.
What a trip!
I’ll do my best to share with you the wonders of both the creative and spiritual processes here.
The Spirit Calling Card Reading
As you know, my goal in this series is to explore and express the Twelve Universal Laws.
It’s part of my own spiritual journey, using my intuitive gifts to generate a better understanding of the concepts on a body, mind, and spirit level.
In addition to the initial interpretations I share in the audio below, this Spirit Calling Card reading affirmed that by answering the call of my Angels and Spirit Guides to create this series, I am planting seeds on all levels. By using intuition and colour as my mediums, I am evolving and opening a gateway for those interested in journeying with me.
Thanks for coming along!
Listen In
I love the visual journeys I take when I channel a Divine Storytelling Time! Whether I’m doing one to source information for myself, a painting, or as part of an intuitive reading for a client, they’re such rich sources of experience and symbology.
You get to join me on this short journey, which starts right after the Spirit Calling Card reading.
I invite you to listen as you explore the meaning of The Law of Vibration through the photos below.
The Creative Process
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Up Close
It took me about 75 hours to create this 30″ x 30″ painting. I spent about 16 of those dot-making … a very meditative process.
As it was the last week of the Hay House Summit 2015, I also spent many of those hours listening to inspiring podcasts. While my left brain was listening, my right brain entered the mandala, riding the waves of creativity and energy.
The Spiritual Process
It’s amazing to think (and know, and feel) that absolutely everything is pure energy vibrating at different frequencies.
I’ve long accepted this when it comes to the things we can see with the naked eye – be it people, plants, man-made objects, etc. I was paying attention in science class!
I also knew that this was true of what we can perceive with our other senses, such as sounds and smells. It even made sense that dog whistles, which we can’t hear, are vibrating at an imperceptible frequency.
I remember being fascinated, however, when I was introduced to the fact that thoughts, beliefs, and emotions are also vibrations. Even consciousness is vibration! These aren’t only spiritual concepts, but quantum physics ones as well.
If you haven’t seen the movies “What the Bleep Do We Know!?” and “What the Bleep: Down the Rabbit Hole” yet, I recommend them. They do a great job of explaining parts of this.
MOST INTRIGUING:
I don’t remember hearing or reading anything about it, but what has intrigued me most through this intuitive painting experience is the idea that time and history also vibrate at specific energetic frequencies. Is that why repressed emotions from this or past lifetimes get stored in our bodies and psyches? Is that where the idea of time travel came from? The fact that my visual journey through the Law of Vibration took me from cavemen to Columbus to modern times fascinates me.
The more I painted and the more I listened, the more I understood. Teal Swan, one of the Hay House speakers who was born with extrasensory perception, explained how she doesn’t see negative space like most of us do. For her, there is no empty space. Everything is vibrating in waves of energy, including the wind, the air, etc. There is no clear separation between things.
LINKS:
My experience journeying through this mandala also reaffirmed the link between the Law of Vibration and the Law of Attraction. By vibrating at a certain frequency, through the power of our emotions, we attract what is also vibrating at that same frequency.
As Abraham (channeled by Esther Hicks) explained in a great interview by Dr. Wayne Dwyer, we have 17 seconds after having a negative thought to get off that vibration frequency. Esther herself, when she notices such thoughts, simply starts counting backwards to unhook from that frequency. It stops her from spiralling down the chain of negative thoughts that remind her of related negative thoughts, etc. I also like Abraham’s description of sleep as a reset button. That’s why it’s so important to spend the first minutes upon waking on the higher frequency vibrations instead of instantly checking emails or listening to the news. I don’t listen to the news, but I do jump onto the computer a little too quickly …
As spiritual beings here on earth to have human experiences, we are bound to vibrate at various frequencies during our lives, our chapters, our days and even our minutes. The importance of our roles as vibration managers though, is an interesting one to think about. Are we following the leadership of our Guides and Higher Selves or are we so caught up in the details that we’re spinning on the lower frequencies – stuck until we remember to reconnect to our true essence?
I could go on, but you get the picture. The Law of Vibration is as it is. There are many ways to understand it, including the various spiritual and metaphysical teachings I’ve been studying for years. This was simply another way to explore and express it, helping me perceive and experience life and the world in a much more unconditionally loving way.
Your Turn
I’d love to hear from you. Let’s get a community discussion going. Scroll down to leave a reply.
What does this painting or post bring to mind? to heart?
An Energy Painting Commission in Action
/in Paintings, Soul Energy Portrait ExamplesLife by Design: Stop and Smell the Flowers
/in Life By DesignWell, this post is all about letting go of those shouldas, wouldas and couldas...
Plus, it just didn’t feel right to use “roses” in the title when sharing photos I took at the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa last week.
I was there to reconnect with family and to force myself away from the computer. I needed to get out of overdrive.
Focus is good. Driving oneself to burnout, however, isn’t.
The road signs were clear. I was heading that way. It was time for a change of course before it was too late.
I’m sharing my story here in the hopes that it inspires you to take care of yourself as you create your Life by Design. There’s no use killing ourselves in the process.
The Mind and Body in Overdrive
When I bought my plane ticket to Ottawa, I knew it was a good thing.
The thought of slowing down before my e-commerce website was up and running, though, also had me in a bit of a panic. Earning a sustainable income as a full-time artist depends on it. But the thought of being forced to slow down for reasons out of my control appealed even less. I wasn’t interested in making myself sick.
I had been pushing myself too hard for too long.
As a full-time student in Marie Forleo’s B-School, I was learning and implementing so much. It’s an intensive, exciting, and soulful business program! Although one of Marie’s slogans is “there’s no behind in B-School”, I created all sorts of self-imposed pressures and deadlines. I made that worse with fears of failure and over-exaggerated concerns about the consequences.
I’m happy with the website I’m still building. My e-shop is also coming along, but it’s not quite ready yet.
Working through my technophobic tendencies had me stretching my comfort zones daily. I’ve had to push through fear, panic, overwhelm, perfectionism and impatience to get where I’m at.
My months of 12-16 hour days in front of the computer had not only put my brain into overdrive, but my body also. If you haven’t heard, they’re linked…
I’d wake up with subtle energy and sometimes physical tremors from the constant anxiety. My dreams were filled with to-do lists and related fears.
Yup! I was stressed!
My body was talking to me. I didn’t want to wait until it was screaming to listen.
It was time to stop and smell the flowers.
I grabbed Dr. Gabor Maté’s book “When the Body Says No – The Costs of Hidden Stress” off the shelf and headed to Ottawa. The book was given to me last summer, but I hadn’t made time to read it.
Luckily, I have trained myself through my intuitive and spiritual practices to be aware of what is happening in my body. I also knew of the emotional connection to dis-ease. It still took time, however, to take action on those signals. That’s so common in our go-go-go society.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
With Ottawa in full bloom, it was hard to ignore the call to stop and smell the flowers.
When I left Newfoundland, the trees were barely budding. Nature was slowly coming out of its necessary hibernation.
By lifting myself away from my computer and changing the scene, I was surprised to see a world in full and luscious bloom.
I got my nose out of my own little story to be with loved ones, to help, to re-connect, and to re-create.
When I returned to Newfoundland 11 days later, nature had undergone the effects of divine timing – progressing at its own natural rate. Little tufts of green had started appearing on the trees.
Trees are such great teachers – they don’t stress with self-imposed expectations and judgements. They don’t hang on to stuff from the past or worries about the future. They have no shouldas, wouldas, or couldas – no comparisons with the speed of seasons in other parts of the world. There’s just perfection in being what is.
I’m back at work full-time now, but I’ll take these body, mind, and spirit lessons to heart, so that I that I may better explore and express my love of beauty and the beauty of love. After all, that’s what being an artist is all about for me.
Your Turn
Is it time for you to stop and smell the roses? How about the tulips, or lilacs?
What are your favourite ways to decompress? Feel free to join the discussion below.
Adding Love, Light and Colour to Local Nursing Home
/in Events, PaintingsAs an artist, I receive several requests to donate work to charity auctions and events every year. It simply wouldn’t be feasible for me to say yes to all of them. So, like with many things, I go with my gut feeling and assess whether the project is aligned with my own mission.
When I heard about the Masonic Park Art Project back in February, I lit up. What a great idea! This project vibrated with the love of beauty and the beauty of love.
Lorna Yard, the organizer, put out a call for 40 artists to help bring joy and colour to the rooms of residents at the Masonic Park Nursing Home. Her own father, Cyril, is a resident at the nursing home. When he moved in, Lorna lovingly decorated his room, but many of the other residents didn’t have anyone to do the same for them.
In her words:
She had no trouble signing up 40 crafts people, painters, photographers, etc.
A couple of weeks ago, we each received a short biography of the resident we were paired with.
This was mine:
I really enjoyed creating this piece especially for her. It was made with many layers of acrylic paints, love, and prayers.
The painting was inspired by the idea of a stained glass window and the radiant love of God / The Universe that shines on all of us. That’s why I named it “Shine On” (9″ x 12″).
I’m really looking forward to our June 13th mini-exhibition of the artwork and kitchen party at the nursing home. That’s when I’ll get to meet my recipient and the other participants in this heart-warming project.
What a beautiful way to create connection in the community and transform a space. I’m honoured to be a part of this effort to add love, light and colour to this nursing home. Thanks Lorna! May your initiative inspire many others.
There are so many ways to be of service by matching our love and passions with the needs of the community. How do your favourite businesses give back? Are you involved in a volunteer project that warms your heart? Please share in the discussion below, knowing our stories will inspire others.
Trees, Trees, Transformational Trees
/in Photography ProjectsAre you a tree hugger? Have you ever tried it? Trust me, it’s transformational.
The next time you’re feeling frenzied, worried, or stressed, hug a tree. They have the amazing ability to suck that right out of you. Just visualize your troubles being shot right down, deep into the ground, where that negativity gets transformed into something useful.
Trees also appreciate it when we give them our love and attention. Next time you walk among these standing people, tune in to see if any are calling for your healing hands, gratitude, or simple greeting.
Like with any relationship, a little mutual caring, or give and take, works best.
Glorious In Every Season
Trees are so beautiful in all seasons. I’m equally drawn to their spendour when they’re bare of leaves as when they’re in full bloom or radiantly green.
They’re always true to their nature, never aspiring to be anything else than present in the moment. What great teachers.
Believe it or not, it snowed here last week in St. John’s. Yes, it’s May, but weather does what weather does. I don’t mind. It simply is.
We also had a couple of sunny days, when I went walking without my jacket, hat, and gloves. I’ll admit, that was great!
I’ve started taking my neighbour’s dogs out for walks – a true win-win. They motivate me to leave my computer and connect to nature on the nearby trails.
I have yet to see a bud on a tree, but it’s exciting to know that the treedom is waking up. After a long and necessary dormant phase, they’ll soon be singing again.
Inspiring My Heart & My Art
As you know, I often paint trees.
“On the Forest Floor” – 12″ x 36″ – Acrylics, tar gel, gold and pearl mica, stone, on gallery-wrapped canvas (no framing necessary) – $845
Well, I spent a whole day this weekend choosing and editing photographs for my Treedom Photography Collection that I’ll soon be adding to my online shop. They’ll be available as prints on canvas, fine art paper, and metallic paper. Can you imagine some of these as large canvases in your home or office?
I may not have been walking through the forest this weekend, but I sure felt the transformational power of trees through these photographs.
I look forward to helping bring that energy within the concrete walls of cities everywhere.
Daily Inspiration on Facebook
Not surprisingly, many have been inspired by trees.
I also created a series of inspirational image slides this weekend with quotes from other tree-huggers (I’m assuming). I’ll be sharing one a day on Facebook in June.
With Facebook’s new algorithm, however, it’s important to Like, Share, and Comment for these to regularly show up in your News Feed. Out of my nearly 700 fans, only about 30 get my posts.
What do Trees Mean to You?
Until then, I’d love to hear from you in the discussion below. Do you have any uplifting tree-hugging stories? What do trees symbolize for you?
Journey Into Divine Oneness – Enter the Mandala
/in Enter the Mandala: The Twelve Universal Laws, PaintingsThis is the first painting of 12 in the Enter the Mandala Project. I’m so excited to share The Law of Divine Oneness with you!
What a journey! Here’s what I’ve learned through the co-creation of this mandala.
Sourced from Divine Energy, all that is seen and unseen comes from the field of infinite possibilities.
Together, we move as Divine Oneness in a spiralling web of interconnectedness. As to one, so to all.
The Intuitive Journey
Visionary artists receive their inspiration in many ways: through dreams, meditation, mind altering substances, etc. I’m one of the rare ones who’s never even tried drugs. That’s not a good or bad thing – it just is.
For this series of paintings, I decided to use my intuitive journeying process (which I call my mini-movies) to dive deeper into the Twelve Universal Laws.
As you’ll hear, I first asked Source and my team of Divine Helpers to guide me.
I then travelled through worlds of imagery to collect messages and symbols related to the Law of Divine Oneness.
Since I asked on behalf everyone, you get to play detective with me as we decipher these messages. Have fun with this. I did!
Listen In:
While listening to this 15-minute audio, take a look at the Spirit Calling Cards below and the Creative Process photos. See if you can find how I incorporated the symbols I was given. I’m not much into realism, so some symbols are, well, symbolic.
There’s no right or wrong way of doing this. If you’d rather just close your eyes and experience the journey that way, go for it.
The Spirit Calling Card Reading
These are the Spirit Calling Cards that acted as a doorway into the intuitive visual journey.
The Creative Process
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Click on an image if you want to go through them larger – it shouldn’t stop the audio.
The Spiritual Process
I’m sure you’ve heard that spiritual growth isn’t always smooth.
Have you ever decided to work on an issue only to start having opportunities to do so hit you in the face? This form of “ask and you shall receive” can be challenging for sure! But the rewards are worthwhile.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that having asked to understand the Law of Divine Oneness, I got to do so – not only through my intuitive journey and painting, but in every day life. Immediately!
Right after a very absorbing painting session, I went to the kitchen, where my housemate presented me with a huge mirror (no, not literally). She helped me see that I was not only disconnected from her, but also from the here and now. I was still in my head and in my painting, reflecting on the meaning of Oneness. Wow!
After a few seconds of shock, we both recognized that we were being offered a wonderful opening for connection, unconditional love, and understanding. I suddenly realized on a cellular level (as my entire body was vibrating) how true it is that what we do to one person affects everyone and everything everywhere. At first, I could almost sense the shockwaves traveling around the planet. But then, because we chose to lovingly deal with the situation, I could see this having a much greater effect that reached far beyond the borders of our kitchen and even our world. I was grateful to my Divine Helpers for showing me that.
There have been quite a lot of shifts in my personal world since I started this exploration into the Law of Divine Oneness.
I’m coming out of hermit mode after a winter of diving more deeply into my Self and my art/business. I’m feeling called to being of service at a greater level. I’m reconnecting to the infinite possibilities, to gratitude, and to people. I’m letting go of fear, of judgment, of limiting beliefs. Great stuff!
Your Turn
I’d love to hear what this post/painting inspires in you. Please share your perspective, insights and comments in the discussion below. Your contribution is a valuable part of this community process.
What will your journey through this first Universal Law open up for you?
You are such a beautiful and important part of the Divine Oneness.
What you and I do to raise our level of consciousness will help us all.
We are all interconnected.
Introducing the 12 Universal Laws – Enter the Mandala
/in Enter the Mandala: The Twelve Universal LawsTransform your life from the inside out!
Become the conscious creator you were meant to be.
Enter the mandalas to journey deep into the 12 Universal Laws that govern our lives.
The more you understand them, the happier you’ll be.
Come on in!
*Note: The full collection of originals is now available for purchase. Learn more here.
A Universal Spirituality
Enter the Mandala is an invitation to open up to the Divine Energy that is in everything and everyone everywhere. It’s also an invitation to go deeper into both your Self and All That Is.
The Universal Laws go beyond religion – they govern all our lives.
Mandalas
The word “mandala” means “sacred circle” in Sanskrit. These have long been used as spiritual tools in many cultures and religions.
Mandalas help focus attention, provide guidance, and establish sacred space for meditation. They’re a portal into the Universal Energy Flow.
This spiritual and artistic project began when I received intuitive guidance to create a series of 12 mandala paintings based on the Universal Laws.
Some of the Laws were already familiar to me by name or essence. But this was the first time I’d studied them directly with my team of Divine Helpers (Source, Guides, Angels, Higher Self, etc.).
The symbolism in these mandalas was pulled from an intuitive reading that began the process of inquiry into each Universal Law.
The Twelve Universal Laws
Many are familiar with the Law of Attraction, made popular by the movie The Secret and the channellings of Abraham Hicks. I’ve shared stories on stage of how this law has worked in my life. It’s truly amazing.
But it’s not the only Law. There are 12.
Click on an image to enter the mandala and its lessons – delivered in words, images, and energy.
1. The Law of Divine Oneness
2. The Law of Vibration
3. The Law of Action
4. The Law of Correspondence
5. The Law of Cause and Effect
6. The Law of Compensation
7. The Law of Attraction
8. Perpetual Transmutation…
9. The Law of Relativity
10. The Law of Polarity
11. The Law of Rhythm
12. The Law of Gender
The Inquiry Process?
The creative process into the 12 Universal Laws as you see here lasted 10 months. It included:
This project is part of my own transformational journey. But it’s so much more than that.
The mandalas have become teaching tools. They’re a chance for you to:
May these mandalas empower you on your journey, in whichever form you choose to bring them into your life.
The creation of the Enter the Mandala Project artwork was supported in part by the City of St. John’s.
Life By Design: Embrace Your Weirdness
/in Life By DesignAlas, society has been good at training it out of us.
I remember my Discourse Analysis professor in the early 90s saying that everyone could be diagnosed with a mental disorder if secretly observed for a period of time.
Funny the things from school that stick, eh? That stuck. I found it strangely comforting.
Freedom To Be
I’ve had several sets of housemates in the last 5 years. In most of those situations, I hadn’t felt safe or comfortable enough to fully be myself. Fear, “consideration”, divergent lifestyles and philosophies – I just kept myself quiet and small. Like many times in my life, I chose to walk on eggshells.
Can you relate? It’s no fun!
It feels so good to be weird again!
Let the Weirdness Blossom
During my walks this week, I’ve observed little spring flowers pushing their way out from under the remaining snow and packed down grasses. Thank goodness they made it through! They add such colour to the world.
It’s the same with us.
There is such freedom in being who we are. It takes courage. It takes heart. It takes pushing through both real and perceived barriers to fully bloom. It takes being in the right environment.
Is your environment conducive?
Loving the Weird
More than that.
Being authentically who we are is the only way to truly feel loved.
If people love us because of the masks we wear, than it’s not us that they’re loving.
It’s only when we are seen for who we truly are, in all our weirdness, that we can feel seen, accepted, and loved.
Sure, not everyone will love you, or even like you. That’s OK. Find those who will.
It’s so important to seek the nourishing environments in which you can grow fully into who and what you are – to blossom in all your weirdness.
There is absolutely no one on this planet like you. You are unique. You are the weird wonderful you!
It’s time to unwrap the gift.
You are the Gift.
How do you express your weird wonderful you?
Join the discussion and comment below.