Tag Archive for: intuition

Tune In #7: Want Inspiration For Connection?

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Tune In 7-Pick your favourite photo and get inspiration for connectionPeople connect to their Higher Self and Spirit in many ways. That’s why my Connection Collection includes such a variety of photographs.

Want to find out what your heart and soul might be saying to you? Tune in!

Which of these 4 photographs attracts you most today?

Then, scroll down to find out how you might best get inspiration for connection this week on your Path to your Highest Good.

Remember, my suggestions come from what I was experiencing at the time of co-creation and what these images are saying to me now. But feel free to add your own interpretation.

You’re truly the best to figure out why you feel called to a particular life-enhancing energy-infused image.

Go even deeper into your intuition with this free 26-minute guided visualization mp3. You’ll also get my art & inspiration newsletter.

I want this!

#1 – Being

"Being" from the Connection Collection

Swimming with wild dolphins in Hawaii was profoundly connecting.

I got to witness their healing powers as they rallied to help the planet after the earthquake in Japan created a tsunami that swept through our retreat house (we’d been evacuated). Their geometric swimming patterns were unlike what local experts had ever seen.

If you’ve chosen this photo, it’s because you need to find peace to help you cope with the busy-ness or chaos around you. Nature is your answer.

Don’t focus on the overwhelm. Focus on peacemaking – in your own heart first and then in the world around you.

Are you a water person? Find a lake, ocean, or swimming pool.

Are you a mountain person? Go hiking or watch a nature show on the great peaks.

Are you a tree hugger? Go sit in a forest and ask Mother Earth to help ground you.

Do colourful blooms uplift you? Find a garden where you can stop and smell the flowers.

Are you an animal lover? Get yourself some pet therapy. If you don’t have your own, go to a friend’s or to a shelter to cuddle the kitties.

Do whatever you need to connect to nature in ways that are aligned with your soul. Your recipe for wellness is there this week.

* Need more guidance? Find out about my intuitive readings, custom guided meditations, and Soul Energy Portrait Experiences. Just click on the words.

#2 – Teaching

"Teaching" from the Connection Collection

Mudras are body and hand positions that have an influence on the energies flowing through your body, mind, and spirit. They’re often used during meditation.

This photo features the Teaching hand mudra on a Buddha statue.

Is there something you’re learning that you’d like to spend more time on this week?

Are you feeling called to teach others? How? When? Where? Why?

What physical or spiritual practice has taught you to connect to your True Self and live in right livelihood? Can you add more of that to your life this week?

Perhaps you simply need to slow down and listen to your heart.

Meditation is a great tool for that and has so many benefits. The trick is finding the style that’s right for you – there are so many (learn more).

If you’ve chosen this photo, you’re being called to focus on what influences the energy flow in your life and in your being.

If nothing comes immediately to mind, brainstorm a few ideas and feel which of these creates a greater sense of expansion in your body as you contemplate it.

* Need more guidance? Find out about my intuitive readings, custom guided meditations, and Soul Energy Portrait Experiences. Just click on the words.

#3 – Rockface 2

"Rockface 2" from the Connection Collection

You love ease and grace.

But you also love giving yourself entirely to a project and working hard at it.

You thrive through challenge.

You’d rather chip away at a block of stone than mold a lump of clay.

Is there’s a project you started a long time ago that’s waiting for you to get back at it?

What is it?

To give yourself fully to it, you had to accumulate more layers of life and experience. Now you’re ready.

Connect to your True Self by working full-on at what you love.

This is likely not about building something new, but working with or changing something that already exists.

Does this resonate?

If this project doesn’t immediately come to mind, ask your team of Divine Helpers to reveal it to you.

Then pay attention to your thoughts and to the signs in your environment today.

* Need more guidance? Find out about my intuitive readings, custom guided meditations, and Soul Energy Portrait Experiences. Just click on the words.

#4 – Spirit Call

"Spirit Call" from the Connection Collection

This gorgeous lens flare was created in Gros Morne National Park as I pointed my camera directly into the sun over Western Brook Pond.

This sent scattered rays and orbs of light onto my sensors and into my soul.

Truly, if you raise your face to the sunshine, you will not see the shadows.

Where is your focus these days?

Are you making uplifting choices in terms of what you’re listening to, looking at, eating, etc.

Fill yourself with Light.

Choose entertainment, learning material, company, and activities that help you connect to your True Self and Source.

How can you best receive The Universe’s Light into your own life?

What helps you project your own Light into the world?

You are a lightworker. By your very being and choices you make a difference.

Feed your Self, your soul, your body, and your days with Light and then have fun sharing it in your very own unique way – in both your being and doing.

* Need more guidance? Find out about my intuitive readings, custom guided meditations, and Soul Energy Portrait Experiences. Just click on the words.

Did you resonate?

Feel free to share how your image choice spoke to you in the comments below. I’d love to hear.

Surround Yourself with Beauty.

It’s so important to surround yourself with objects and art that support you on your journey to your Highest Good. Does your artwork raise your vibration and inspire you to connect to your True Self?

I invite you to visit my online shop for:

P.S.  Sign-up for my bi-weekly e-newsletter and receive a free guided meditation to help you tune into your intuition at an even deeper level.

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When the Body Says No

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photograph of bridge to garden

“Bridge of Contemplation” from the Connection Photography Collection available in my shop.

Are you happy? Truly happy?

My grade 6 teacher didn’t think that “being happy” was an appropriate response to “What do you want to be when you grow up?”.

My answer remains unchanged, however, and the Dalai Lama agrees:

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy”.

So how do we do that? The answers, I’ve often been told, are within.

I thought I fully understood what that meant.

I considered myself a good listener when it came to my Spirit Calls, living a life of passion and purpose.

As I’ve written in a previous post, I’ve followed my intuition around the world, constantly growing and stretching my comfort zones.

When the Body Says No

In 2015, however, I realized that my listening skills weren’t as good as I thought.

Although I’d followed my inner guidance, devoting all my time to building my website and artist career, I was still operating with the beliefs and emotional coping patterns learned in childhood.

I pushed myself too hard and became the toughest boss I’d ever had.

My self-imposed expectations, pressures, and judgments were taking their toll. I could physically feel the anxiety and stress. Fear started running the show.

I became too busy to listen to the gentler voices inside, so my body became the communication channel. It protested.

As Dr. Gabor Maté writes in his book “When the Body Says No – The Hidden Costs of Stress”,

“What has happened is that we have lost touch with the gut feelings designed to be our warning system… (T)he salient stressors in the lives of most human beings today – at least in the industrialized world – are emotional. Just like laboratory animals unable to escape, people find themselves trapped in lifestyles and emotional patterns inimical to their health. The higher the level of economic development, it seems, the more anesthetized we have become to our emotional realities.”

Fortunately, years of mindfulness training helped me recognize the energetic tremors and physical stress, but childhood conditioning kept me pushing longer than was healthy.

I was determined to be good enough, strong enough, perfect enough, etc. Sounds familiar?

Re-Aligning

The cost of repressing, denying, avoiding, or overreacting to our emotions, is high. We’ve been paying it all our lives.

As children, we learned to fulfill the conditions of everyone around us, trying to make them happy and ignoring our own emotional guidance system.

The result is that many have lost touch with the messages of their bodies, minds, and spirits and end up in a state of physical, mental, or spiritual dis-ease.

We end up unhappy and unhealthy.

Luckily, I stopped denying what was happening before I burned out. Instead, I chose to re-establish harmony, balance, and alignment.

This wasn’t easy – leaving the computer for even a day initially made me more anxious. It’s pretty scary jumping off the hamster wheel when you think it’s going somewhere…

As Abraham (a group of evolved spiritual teachers channelled through Esther Hicks) explains,

“Until the stakes are really high, most of you are … chronically holding yourselves away from the vibration of alignment that is so natural to you, so a little bit of attention to how you feel as a determination to feel better more of the time will take an effort.”

Hearing the same message from spiritual and medical experts helped me accept that I was still hanging on to beliefs and emotional coping patterns that no longer served me.

“A major contributor to the genesis of many diseases … is an overload of the stress induced by unconscious beliefs. If we would heal, it is essential to begin the painfully incremental task of reversing the biology of belief we adopted very early in life. Whatever the external treatment is administered, the healing agent lies within. The internal milieu must be changed. To find health, and to know it fully, necessitates a quest, a journey to the centre of our own biology of belief. That means rethinking and recognizing – re-cognizing: literally, to “know again” – our lives.” Dr. Gabor Maté.

My career choices may have been aligned with my purpose and previous intuitive guidance, but the anxious vibrations I was putting out into the world weren’t bringing back the results I wanted – either in my business or in my being.

I was off track. I had to get back on. As Abraham says,

“when you relax and get back on track, you can feel the clarity, abundance, your worthiness, fun, vitality, eagerness, and passion, and life feels good.”

So that’s what I did. I got off the computer, traveled to see my family, connected to Source through nature, painting and inspirational podcasts, and I’ve kept a better balance ever since, even if I’m currently participating in another online business course while also reviewing last year’s course.

But I’m much happier and healthier now.

Hearing Aids for Your Transformational Journey

We have access to Divine Guidance all the time – we simply have a tendency to listen more when dire circumstances cause us to stop and pay attention.

Why wait that long? The answers truly are within. They’re in the stored emotions calling to be healthily expressed and released as well as in our moment-by-moment emotional gage.

For your sake and all those around you, listen. And seek help when you need it.

There are many empowering tools available to help you on this transformational journey. I offer 3 (see Custom Services in the menu tabs). Think of these as hearing aids.

In selecting tools that resonate with you, you’re creating the necessary expectation of healing that enhances their benefits. You create the intention and open yourself to happiness.

As Dr. Maté and Abraham both teach, whichever modality of treatment or empowerment tools people choose, the key to healing and happiness is your willingness to ask the questions and make informed choices in alignment with your true essence.

Active Listening

It’s important to remember though, that alignment with your Higher Self -happiness – is a moment-by-moment process.

It takes time, patience, practice, and unconditional love.

It’s worth it! You’re worth it.

What is your body saying? How are you feeling? What hearing aids do you believe will best help you?

Please don’t wait until your body says no to start listening.

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Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

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painting "Guardian Angel"

“Guardian Angel” – original and prints available in my online shop.

Wouldn’t it be great if we got phone calls from Spirit or text messages from angels with detailed instructions on how to live in alignment with our Highest Good?

Back in 2013, I would’ve loved an email from God saying:

“Dear Dominique: It’s in your highest interest to study visionary art in Vienna for six months, and here’s exactly how we’ll make that happen. … And don’t worry about the EU visa issues that come up because you’re meant to go study in Bali for a month before returning to Europe to continue in Vienna, but also in Italy where you’ll be artist-in-residence for a couple of weeks. We’re taking care of everything, so just keep listening for further instructions and have fun. It’ll all happen with ease & grace.”

Although our souls don’t come with explicit directions, Guidance is always available through signs, and “reading” them is a skill that improves with practice.

Learning to Read the Signs

Intuition is something that’s often driven out of us at a young age.  As I explained in an earlier post, I kept my Connection alive and so my intuitive antenna stayed up.

I’ve experienced many kinds of intuition, or what some call psychic abilities.

  • clear seeing: visions, dreams, premonitions
  • clear feeling: empathy
  • clear knowing: thought download
  • clear hearing: hearing guidance with the inner ears

But I still got a lot from reading and listening to teachers like Laura Day and Sonia Choquette.

The exercises in their courses or books helped me to better understand and use my innate skills. I remember stunning my skeptical brother in the late 90s when he asked me: “So what did I get you for Christmas?”

The beauty is that intuition is  innate to all of us. Anyone who’s successful in life is using it. They just might not call it that.

I’ve been revisiting stories of my past for a business course I’m taking.  And so I’ve decided to share my Bali story again to help you recognize the various ways intuition speaks to you.

Decisions Decisions

My decision to study in Bali for the month of April 2014 serves as a good example of following the path of intuition.

My original plan was to study 3 months in Vienna. But when my fundraising exceeded my original goal , I assumed I was meant to stay for nine.

But delays in the school’s certification affected my legal ability to stay in Austria that long. I was stressed. My reservation for a housing extension required a financial commitment.

Desperation, it turns out, is like static on the line. It was only when I prayed and surrendered that I started recognizing the signs.

Feelings / Happenings

Imagine saying “yes” or “no” to a decision and tune in to how each feels in your body / mind / spirit.

The answer that leaves you feeling higher on the Emotional Scale is right for you.

This is why I cancelled my housing-extension reservation in Vienna, but still extended my travel health insurance until June.

It made no sense, but it felt good!

Also, pay attention to occurrences that bring you joy.

Here’s what I mean.  One day in class, I immediately felt uplifted when I heard a song that had been the soundtrack from a painting e-course I took with Flora Bowley eight months before. This association led to my exploring Flora’s website for live workshops. But nothing fit into my spring timeframe. Not yet anyway… 

Keeping Your Antenna Up

Have you ever needed or gotten a haircut only to start paying attention to everyone’s hairstyles?

The same is true with intuition – if you ask for guidance on something, you’ll start noticing the signs.

That’s what happened when I looked at my inbox a couple of weeks later and Flora Bowley’s Bali workshop announcement grabbed my attention.

I knew not to skim over it.

Non-Attachment

The email got me so excited.  But making a hurried decision about Bali overwhelmed me.

I had nothing to lose by applying.  Participants would be handpicked based on their application answers, and full refunds were possible.

So I decided that if I were accepted, that would be a sign to keep exploring this option. If not, that would be an even clearer sign.

Whatever happened would be meant to be: non-attachment.  I gave the Universe another way of speaking to me.

Premonitions and Happy Accidents

Three weeks later, I woke up thinking about Bali: “If I am accepted today, I’ll commit.”

Ten minutes later, I heard the familiar ding of incoming mail. It was from Flora! Yay! I was one of 14 chosen out of 80!

But wait… it was for the “wrong” workshop – the one in April, not the March one I’d asked for as my primary choice – the one that between trimesters at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art.

I quickly emailed back, but two days later, received an automated bounce-back – for some “odd reason”, my request to change workshops had never reached its destination. Coincidence? I think not.

During those two days, I came to the conclusion that the April workshop (which included a possibility for extension and was close to a very affordable yoga ashram) actually felt much better than rushing in and out of Bali for a week before doing a third trimester in Vienna.

So what first appeared as a “mistake” turned out to be a “happy accident.

Messengers

The whole time I was trying to make a decision about going to Bali, I wondered “If I could get an Austrian visa, would I change my plans?”

One of my teachers served as a “messenger” when she asked me why I was bothering to learn oil-painting techniques if I had no intention to continue after the program.

This pointed question reminded me of my original goal: learning to draw, so I could integrate that into my more intuitive abstract style of acrylic painting.

My messenger helped me refocus on my goals to make the right choice for me. I’d done 6-months of drawing as part of the curriculum and I could keep doing that as well as intuitive painting in a new exotic setting.

Also, one of my classmates told me about another visionary artist teaching a workshop in Bali the month I’d be there.

Perfect. I ended up spending my first week at the ashram, week 2-3 in my intuitive painting workshop & cultural tourism extension, and the last week in a visionary art workshop – all in the same town.

Tools

Collecting signs from our environment is fun, but it means staying in a hyper-aware state for indefinite periods of time.

Tools can act as instant hearing-aids. They help you hear your inner guidance and messages from your team of Divine Helpers (whatever you call them).

When used properly, pendulums will give a trusted “yes”, “no”, or “maybe” – very helpful.

I’ve also long used divination cards as a communication tool. My sold out Spirit Calling Cards (a crowdfunder for my studies in Vienna) are my current favourites. You can work with them every morning on my Facebook Page until June 7th.

And although I’ve long used creative visualization meditations as a way to tap into guidance, I’ve only recently started using my visionary gifts to lead others in ways to empower their own intuition. I co-create these with your Divine Helpers and the recording becomes a tool you can use for years with ever changing experiences and guidance. Click here to learn more about my Custom Guided Meditations or try a free one here.

Then there’s my Divine Storytelling Time sessions (intuitive readings).  These are like a treasure map to your soul. Unlike many psychics, I don’t tell you your future. I believe we’re the best ones to translate our own intuitive clues to make important decisions. I present you with a story that comes to me through your Guides as a “mini-movie download”.  They’re meant to empower you in your own intuitive development as you play detective and decipher the symbolism in your recording. These come with two visual gifts and worksheets that support your interpretation.

What About You?

Believe it or not, I’m not a natural risk-taker. I resist change.

I’ve learned, however, to follow my heart and trust my intuition – it’s stronger than fear.

As the Five Man Electrical Band sings, there’s a “Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign” and the more I pay attention, the clearer they get.

May you also find clarity in your life.

What decision do you need help with? Try asking your Source of Guidance and keep your antenna up. It’s a great way to live!

And if you want, I can help you gather these signs . It would be my honour to serve you through a custom-guided meditation, intuitive reading, or Co-Creative Soul Energy Painting.

Either way, know that you can access the intuitive keys to live a happy, successful, life – whatever that means to YOU!

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I Was Bullied, But It Didn’t Stop Me

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painting of tree spirit and Guides

“Lighting the Way” -prints available

I’ve often talked about the role of art in my life. But I haven’t really shared my story as a visionary – one who stayed Connected despite all odds.  So here goes.

I believe we all come into this world with a strong memory of and connection to God / Source (whatever term you’re comfortable with). We also come in with our own support team.

Then starts the process of dis-connection – either because it’s driven out of us by society, or we become so caught up in this world that we forget.

I was lucky. First, I was an introvert. I spent a lot of time playing on my own (or what appeared to be on my own) and my parents respected that. It also reduced the effects of peer pressure.

My mother said I’d wake up singing in my crib and keep it up until she came to get me. I figure I must have known I was never alone. When I was old enough, I spent hours on the backyard swing, singing and communicating with my guardian angels.

Second, my dad was in the Air Force, so we moved 4 times in 5 years by the time I was 10. This meant that I never got overly dependent on one group of peers. I wasn’t molded into my “place in the pack”.

Still, I wasn’t a big fan of people. I vividly remember the day I learned that I had to shut up about my visions and “invisible friends” unless I wanted to be laughed at. I became super aware of the rampant conditional love in our society. I was what you’d call a hyper-sensitive child. It often hurt to be around people. So I preferred the company of my team of Divine Helpers. I also read about Jesus and the lives of Saints… as well as the Smurfs and other European goodies.

Thankfully, we lived in areas where it was safe to let your kids out to play all day without supervision. I’d spend a lot of time in nature alone or with a neighbour’s dog, communicating with God, the elementals, totem animals, forest creatures, and my team Guides and angels.

I wish I could remember more specifics, but I can’t. I just know my family had to send out search parties to find me at dinner time.

My relationship with my team of Divine Helpers got tested though when I was 11. We’d moved back to Ottawa where I re-joined my kindergarten group.

I was bullied for my naivety (I was much more sheltered growing up in Germany than my Canadian peers), for doing my homework, and for the attention I was getting from boys and teachers.

I had to choose – peer pressure or stay true to my Self and my Guidance.

I tell ya! I was terrified. I didn’t want to go back to school the day after I was followed by the whole class and beaten up by the “top girl”. It actually took me years to get over it and forgive.

But I’m glad I remained true to my values and endured the “goody goody two shoes” sing songs for a couple more years until I could go to a different high school than the rest of my class.

The lesson to remain true to my Higher Self served me well. I now knew that those who liked me truly like me, not some pretend-me I’d show up as to please them.  I was seen, appreciated, and loved… mostly.

But the greatest gift of all was that I remained connected to my Guides – mostly while walking or being alone in nature.

When I finally found a painting medium that helped me express my Self (liquid acrylics), I realized that the studio was just as good a channeling space than being in nature.

The more challenging life became, the more I painted. I relied on my friendships with all forms of Spirit to channel the love, healing, teachings I needed to cope with “the real world”.

When healers started taking notice of my work, I knew I’d found my tribe. There were others who’d kept the channel open and were using their connection to serve others.

I couldn’t have put a name to my visionary skills before I started energy healing workshops of various kinds in the 90s. The healing modalities I learned didn’t include visions, but they naturally flowed and I felt safe to share them with my practice buddies. To me, they were entertaining. To others, they held symbolism-filled messages that enhanced the energy work.

It took over 20 years to add my visionary services to my public offerings. Before that, I focused on my energy-based intuitive paintings and inspirational photography.

Now it’s all coming together – the energy-based art and intuitive / visionary services.

I may have kept silent about it for years … bullying can do that.  But I didn’t lose my Connection, which helped me along my Path.  Now I’m here to help you on yours. And for that, I’m grateful!

If I can help mirror to you  your Light and the amazingly beautiful flow of unconditional love supporting you on your path, then it’s my honour and my pleasure. Be it through my art, intuitive readings, or guided meditations, you too can re-connect to your Source and team of Divine Spirits. You too can learn to live intuitively through your very own Connection.

May it be so. Aho. Amen 🙂

P.S.  It took guts to speak up about this a year or so ago, but I’m so glad I did. It’s time to get rid of our camouflage. What’s yours?

P.P.S. I have 3 services which put my visionary skills to work for you.

Custom Guided Meditation
Intuitive Reading PKG
Soul Energy Portrait Experience
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Ireland, I hear you calling…

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I got another intuitive hit while I was in Ottawa visiting family this holiday season – this time it has something to do with Ireland.

Ireland

I’ve learned to pay attention and nourish those intuitive seeds. Following inspired action leads to great things.

If you remember, during the 2014/15 holiday season, a seed was planted in my heart/gut that led to the creation of the Enter the Mandala Project. I’m glad I acted on that one! I wonder where this one will lead…

The timing was the same. Maybe it’s because my routine is different, and I manage to slow down in Ottawa.

By the time I landed back in St. John’s, I’d started my research and followed-up on a few leads.

On my way home from the airport, I stopped by the public library to pick up a couple of books I’d reserved online. Celtic knots, spirals, symbolism, and illuminated texts… why are they calling me? They’re like an ancient mix of symbolism, zentangles, sacred geometry, and more. All the math and precision involved in learning to draw these knots on grids doesn’t appeal to me right now, but who knows what it will lead to. I’m just following my flow.

I’ve also spent hours online looking at artist retreats, spiritual tours of Ireland, and artist workshops. I’ve made some initial contacts and have a 3-month dream-itinerary shaping up.

Was it because “Roam Around Ireland” chose to be on my vision board? It’s the second year in a row that Ireland shows up for me in that way.

Or is it my Irish ancestry pulling me across the seas? I’ve been to France and Germany – both flowing inside my veins. But I’ve never been to Ireland … even with a name like Hurley.

Flying there costs the same as flying to Ottawa – thanks to Westjet’s direct seasonal flights from Newfoundland. But spending several months there (or even a week at these retreats/tours I’m looking at) is expensive, especially with the state of the Canadian dollar.

Finding a permanent home for the Enter the Mandala Collection would finance the trip. But I’m not attached to specifics right now. If I’m meant to go, the funds will manifest through art sales or some other means. Who knows!?  I may even be hired to bring my art there.

Our job is to tell the Universe what – it figures out the how. All we need to do is listen and act on our intuitive guidance. Take inspired action.

Right now, I’m in the listening, dreaming, following inspired action, and paying attention to signs mode of manifestation. So I have nothing else but an intuitive nudge to report.

The Law of Action mandala

The Law of Action

But I’m sharing this with you now in case it inspires you to pay more attention to what’s calling you.

What guided actions can you take right now to aim you in that direction, even if you can’t see the whole picture yet?

One inspired step at a time, the doors will open and the resources will be given you. That’s the Law of Action.

 

 

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You’re Not Alone – Letting Go of Loneliness This Holiday Season

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“Angel of Mine”

It’s sad but true. Lots of folks are lonely during the holiday season, even when they’re surrounded by people.

Have you ever felt alone at a Christmas party? You may even be married or have a large extended family, yet feel invisible. The good news is that you can let go of loneliness this holiday season.

All you need to do is be seen – truly seen – first by yourself and then by others. To do that, connect to Source and your team of Divine Helpers and look at yourself through their eyes. Then be real! You’re a divine being on this earth for a human experience. What’s not to love?

It may be hard to come out of hiding after years of being an Academy Award winning actor in your own life. If you’re like most, you learned at a young age to be what others wanted you to be to fit in. Or, like me, you chose to spend most of your time on your own because those around you weren’t equipped to accept the real you. But if you don’t risk being yourself, the cost of disconnection is high: loneliness and depression.

It’s worth looking at the protective mechanisms we adopted at a young age to see if they still serve us.

Last week, I went to a Christmas party for local business women. I left feeling energized and happy. Trust me, that’s amazing! I used to feel drained and lonely at such events.

Why the difference? I brought my Self to the party and we had a good time connecting to those who chose to do the same.

A year ago, I wouldn’t have even considered going.  When I first joined the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneur in early 2015, I cringed when my advisor mentioned their several networking events.  I visualized a room of energy vampires trying to “get” from each other.

But this year, I’ve learned I can be authentic in business situations. I wasn’t laughed at or rejected for my gifts. So now I don’t only take my True Self out to play when I’m with close friends or on my own. I had no problem talking about the mini-movies in my head when answering questions about my intuitive readings. Not everyone is open. I can see that right away and redirect the conversation towards them.

But to my surprise, many light up and start talking about things they too wouldn’t have felt comfortable talking about. Forget the chit chat about the weather! Let’s get real. Then we all leave feeling truly seen and accepted. 

I confess. It took courage. I’m accepting and loving myself at a much deeper level because of the inner and outer work I’ve done this year. I’m blossoming because of it.

This is my first year not camouflaging my intuitive gifts behind my art – either on my website or in person. It’s given those gifts a chance to grow and serve others.

I was scared when the idea first surfaced in B-School of publicly offering my Guided Visual Journeys – the unique type of intuitive reading I give. I was rejected and bullied for speaking my Truth at a young age. And I’ve no doubt been burned at the stake in previous lifetimes.

But I’m so glad of how far I’ve come. I’ve got God, my Higher Self, my angels and guides to thank. The more I joined with them this year, the more I felt supported to journey this path of authenticity.  And the more connected I felt – to my Self and everyone else too.

When you allow our Light to shine and then share that Light with others, there’s no way you can feel lonely.  You’ll feel so connected to the Divine Consciousness in All That Is no matter if you’re alone in a room for a week painting or out and about socializing and networking.

So let us see you – truly see you. And if you don’t know how to do that, ask your Divine Helpers to show you. They’re always there to help. You’re never alone. All you have to do is ask. Their unconditional love is always flowing your way. You only need to open up to receive.

I also recommend the Real Love books.

And don’t worry if some people don’t accept you for who you are. It’s better to know that right away than 2 years later. Keep showing yourself and soon enough, you’ll find like-minded and like-hearted authentic people to hang out and do business with.  It all starts with you.

So let go of loneliness this holiday season. Happy re-connection!

If you feel inspired by the paintings I’ve used to illustrate this post, you can get the originals and prints in my online shop. For more information on my intuitive readings (or to get a gift certificate), click here.

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How Inner Guidance Talks. Are You Listening?

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This is an article I wrote for the latest  NL Wellness Expo newsletter.  Mark your calendars St. John’s. I will have a booth there.  Sept. 19-20, 2015
 
"Life by Design" – original and reproductions available.

“Life by Design” – original and reproductions available.

Are you well? Are you happy? Are you living a life of passion and purpose? These questions are all asking the same thing: are you listening to your inner guidance? 

 
This isn’t an easy thing to do, especially in this day and age when our inner and outer worlds have become so noisy. We’ve learned to turn a deaf ear to both our intuition and signals from our bodies. From the time we were born, we’ve been trained to please each other, taking on the conditions of our parents, teachers, and society. We’ve rejected our own emotions and developed a gamut of unhealthy coping mechanisms.
 
When the Body Talks:
 
As Dr. Gabor Maté writes in his book “When the Body Says No – The Hidden Costs of Stress”,
 
“What has happened is that we have lost touch with the gut feelings designed to be our warning system… (T)he salient stressors in the lives of most human beings today – at least in the industrialized world – are emotional. Just like laboratory animals unable to escape, people find themselves trapped in lifestyles and emotional patterns inimical to their health. The higher the level of economic development, it seems, the more anesthetized we have become to our emotional realities.”
 
If we ignore the whispers of our emotions and intuition, however, our Higher Selves may feel the need to shout – creating a state of such discord or dis-ease that we finally stop and listen. As Abraham, a group of evolved spiritual teachers channelled through Esther Hicks, explains:
 
“If you were more unwilling to put up with negative emotions, your lives would go a whole lot better for you. You have trained yourselves to be willing to endure misalignment and then you make decisions without clarity…. after a while, you get really tired of feeling bad.”
 
When You Start to Listen:
 
"Exaltation" - reproductions available.

“Exaltation” – reproductions available.

Luckily, there’s a huge shift happening. People are waking up to the costs of living a life that is disconnected to their heart’s callings.  They’re choosing wellness. They’re choosing happiness.  They’re choosing healing, which simply means aligning with their true essence, with Source.

 
How do you do that? Your emotions will act as your guidance system as you ask and listen. How can you truly be your Self in the world? What are your governing values? What are your passions? What’s your perfect fit in terms of diet, fitness, creativity, work, hobbies, lifestyle, etc.?
 
This is the time to create your Life by Design – a life that is as unique as you are. It’s not selfish. To be who you truly are, in all your love and beauty, is the Greatest Gift to all. As Marianne Williamson shares,
 
“Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one.”  
 
Hearing Aids for Your Transformational Journey: 
 
Transforming your inner and outer realities isn’t easy. It takes courage to let go of beliefs, patterns and choices that no longer serve you.
 
There are many empowering tools available to help you connect to your true essence on this transformational journey. It’s not necessarily the choice of tools that matters, but your intention. In selecting tools that resonate with you, you’re creating the necessary expectation of healing that opens yourself up to their benefits.
 
It’s important to remember though, that alignment with your Higher Self is a moment-by-moment process – one that takes time, patience and unconditional love.   You deserve it!

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Life by Design: When Symbolism Speaks

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birch tree layers photoI thrive on the power of symbolism.  It’s how my intuition speaks to me.

My job as an active listener is to first spot those symbols. Then I can interpret them as they relate to the questions I’ve asked the Universe.

Some symbols, like the butterfly, are universal in nature – common for people of various ages and cultures.

Others, however, are quite unique to our life experiences. That’s why we’re the best ones to truly know what a symbol means to us. Learning to trust that is very empowering.

Heres’ an example. A trail of breadcrumbs will mean something quite different to someone who grew up with the horrific fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel than to someone who used to spend every Sunday with their beloved grandmother taming the ducks with them.

When I do an intuitive reading, I basically take you on a recorded 30+ minute guided visual journey through a mini-movie filled with symbols that your Guides give me. Because the story and symbols are unique to you, it’s your job to interpret them, using my worksheets. This is fulfilling transformative work if you’re willing to do it.

Find Out More About Intuitive Readings

What Symbols Speak to You?

It’s also helpful to add the power of symbolism to your home and work environments.

Take a look around. What are your walls saying to you? Does your art support you in this chapter of your life? Does it inspire you? Does it keep you stuck?

If you’re experiencing a time of transformation, for example, what would help you?

How about the birch tree above?  Does it remind you to accept the natural cycles of life? Does it invite you to let go of what no longer serves you? Does it encourage generosity and  non-attachment?

Or would you resonate more with a colourful butterfly  – celebrating freedom and beauty after its challenging stage as a chrysalis?

Explore the power of symbols in my new online shop. Which paintings speak to you right now, in this chapter of your life? As you look through the galleries of images, pay attention to your feelings and your energy levels?

 

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Life by Design: Flexibility

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Human nature-Dominique HurleyI can’t help but laugh when someone reacts to one of my comments about following my intuition with something like: “That’s easy for you! You’re a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow kind of gal!”.  I laugh because that feels so far from the truth at times.  I may be learning to be more and more so, but change still freaks me out at times.  I just feel the fear and do it anyway, especially when it feels guided. I’ve learned to trust that.

Before: Rigid Black & White Thinking

There’s a reason I chose “flexible and adaptable” for my yearly motto back in 1992. After reaching my career goal within a year of graduating from university (after working towards it since the age of 15), I found myself without a goal and in a job that eventually wasn’t fulfilling anymore.  (As an aside, that’s also when I dove into my painting big time – I needed my weekend creativity marathons for my body, mind, and soul!)  Four years after joining the National Capital Commission as cultural programmer and visual arts representative, I had to make a change.

After 2 weeks of intensive praying and listening for guidance through dream analysis, talking to people and paying attention to signs in my environment (including a message on the radio about a twin-city program looking for ESL teachers in the Czech Republic), I went out on my first big adventure on my own.  I was terrified, but thoroughly excited.

It was a good thing I adopted the “flexible and adaptable” motto for the year as nothing went as planned. The teaching program in the Czech Republic fell through while I was on the plane, and although everything worked out wonderfully in the end, it required a level of flexibility I simply wasn’t used to. It’s true though – Life / God never gives you more than you can handle.  Everything simply fell into place as it was meant to, thanks to some amazing people I am honoured to still call my friends today.

Still, I had very clear ideas of what was right or wrong at the time and how things were simply meant to run. I was a black & white thinker. My way was the right way – of course.  I may have already been on a spiritual path, but my ego / fear was so very strong that you could have called me rigid.  I was a perfectionist and such a hyper organizer with a mind geared to details that anything that didn’t meet my expectations met harsh judgement.  Trust me, that’s no fun for anyone, including the inflexible perfectionist involved.

“Perfectionism is the root of so many illnesses.”

~ Dr. Christiane Northrup

Please – have compassion for such people.  An excessive need for control (at least in my case) was just a protection mechanism against the uncertainties of life itself.  There’s little room for Love when Fear takes over. Don’t take it personally… (Having said that, I was also a really fun and loving teacher in the classroom…. I am not a stranger to contradictions, but I was trying to make a point.)

Yielding-DominiqueHurleyI’ve come a very long way since then (thanks to Life and my commitment to unconditional love (for myself and others).  I’ve come to accept that

“The only thing constant is change”- Heraclitus.

Still, when people hear about all the places I’ve lived and my switches of career from Tourism/Recreation/Arts Administration to Teaching ESL, to business assistant, to artist, they can’t imagine that I’m not a flexible person. As I’ve said, I’ve been learning and following Spirit for a long time. The more I do, the more I trust and the big picture – the connection between all the chapters of my life – is becoming clearer all the time.

Let Go and Let God:

I still wouldn’t describe myself as a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow person when it comes to my inner-reality, but I’m learning to ALLOW and to love the mystery.  And the more I trust my intuition and follow the Guidance I receive, the more my internal and external realities match.  I’m glad to say that I’ve had enough loving, open, trusting experiences – and a willingness to be more flexible – to manifest the kind of life that then gives me the courage to believe in the power of letting go (of control) and going with the flow.

As the guide Abraham says, channeled through Esther Hicks:

“Everything that we want is downstream…  And you don’t even have to turn the boat and paddle downstream, just let go of the oars, the current will carry you.”

 

How does that work in business planning?

Just last week, however, I saw that the “either or” thinking is still present in my mindset.

My biggest question this month as I’ve embarked in a business-planning mode is how to find harmony between the action-oriented left-brain super planner and the intuitive right brain.  I couldn’t figure out how or why to work on a business plan when the past few years have taught me how wonderful it is to simply let Spirit guide me towards opportunities and opportunities towards me – like when I was contacted to teach intuitive painting across the province last fall – something I couldn’t have done if I had filled my schedule with too many plans.  Thankfully, I had listened to my intuition when it guided me to do things very differently than usual – i.e. not plan.

So as I start working with NLOWE (see a previous post) to work towards a business plan and am participating in all these online summits on entrepreneurship and thriving arts careers, I experienced inner conflict (or questioning, which sounds better although it doesn’t always feel better).

questions - Dominique HurleyTeamwork: Left & Right Together

I have given public presentations on the importance of letting intuition lead and then getting the left brain to jump in there and implement the necessary steps to help things along. Just as in ballroom dancing, you need a strong leader and a strong follower. At that point, I had concluded that Spirit/the Right brain was the leader.  But the upcoming business planning exercise itself had me at a loss. I simply assumed this was a left brain only exercise and that felt like starting on the left foot (get it?). So I raised this conundrum with Gary Montalvo, the organizer of my latest leadership summit.  Here’s part of his answer:

“When it comes to setting goals, creating structures, and setting a game plan, obviously your left brain is in charge. … that’s needed for your business to have direction, consistency, and build momentum. Now when you are in front of a client, in front of a room giving a talk… Let your right brain connect, have fun, be with people and play…”

I could understand that.  What made me smile though was his next comment –

“Adjusting course is part of the game. You may have a perfectly laid out plan, and there may come a time that your right brain is saying… No we have to adjust course here. This isn’t working, or my heart and intuition is saying go this way… That’s OK, if it’s about what’s going to work best, and not about avoiding or not wanting to be responsible for something. You can let the left brain set the course, and the right brain can course correct.”

I smiled because I realized that I still have limiting beliefs here.  The whole idea of not sticking to a plan once it is set is still something I find challenging to accept. Last year’s visa situation in Europe should have released me of that belief…  I had to change my plan of spending a whole year in Vienna to spend a month studying / meditating/ playing in Bali and then a week being artist in residence in Italy – pure blessings! Gary’s comment helped me realize, however, that I still associate changing plans or wavering from a set schedule as some sort of failure or weakness.  Yikes!

The best though was when Gary passed my question to one of the speakers, Richard E. Oceguera, whose talk I had strongly resonated with. Here’s how he answered:

“In my view, there’s a fine line between the two. I personally live in both worlds. I create my plans because I believe structure sets us free. And then I constantly check in with Spirit to see what is needed, or not, as I go. It really is not complicated unless we make it so. You have a gift of being organized. Use it. Benefit from it.

Do you invite your Higher Council in to your planning meetings?  So rather than using your own logic and personal experience, how about inviting your Higher Power and Guides (Higher Council) to be a part of the planning process? That will feel a lot better than pitting the two concepts against each other.  The ego will not like this idea one bit. It wants to be in control. But you get to say how this goes!”

Wow! Now we’re talking! That’s just what I needed to hear from someone who understands my language and has obviously mastered this in his own very successful business.  It’s not either the Left or Right, but both together from the get-go – not one after the other.  I get it now.  Have both work on the plan and be flexible to adjust and go with the flow around that. This may seem so simple to some of you – but I just couldn’t see beyond the either-or obstacle I had created in my way.  Now I can.  Yay!

It is true, I still need my yoga-of-life classes to help me become more and more flexible with the years (instead of getting more and more set in my ways as some folks say they do as they age). I’m grateful that the opportunities and teachers I need always show up when I ask the questions.

evolve-Dominique HurleyFinal words:

Just like in yoga, the more you practice, the more flexible you become.  Every-body is different, and so to get the most benefit from any exercise, you should choose a practice that matches your current flexibility level, as well as your personality and goals. Whatever you do to become more flexible in your life, however, the results will be a release tension in your body, a quieting of your mind, and a relaxation of spirit.

What areas of your life could use a little more flexibility? What practice will best help you achieve that?

No matter what your current condition is, may you become even more flexible in order to allow the Life by Design that you are creating through your vibrational frequency.

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Your Guide to Intuitive Vision Boards – 7 Easy Steps

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2015-Vision-Board

Do you want to connect to your Higher Self Guidance?

Are you looking for a way to include the sacred in your day? 

Would you love a meaningful activity to do on your own or with friends?

You’ll love vision boards.  They’re easy and fun and take little planning, especially if you choose my favourite kind: the intuitive vision board.

What Is It?

It’s a spontaneous tool to tap into your intuition for guidance, direction, manifestation, and fun!

It’s a way to actively engage with your Higher Self to find answers to a question that’s important in your life.

EYS_IMG_2132

Materials Needed Per Participant

  • a pile of magazines (5-10 each – ask around for contributions)
  • 1 pair of scissors
  • 1 glue stick
  • 1 poster board (usually 50 cents at dollar stores).
  • markers, stickers to decorate (optional)

7 Easy Steps To Creating Your Intuitive Vision Board

  1. Choose a clear open question to focus on (e.g. “What is in my Highest Interest for the next year”, “What do I need to get ready for my time overseas”, etc.).  Write it on the back of your poster board.
  2. Do something to ground and connect:  I get my groups to dance/move to a song without words to help them become present in their bodies and in the moment while formulating their question.
  3. Put a timer on for 20 minutes and quickly tear out as many pictures/words that attract you, exchanging magazine piles as you go – don’t judge or analyze. The time pressure is to help the right brain (intuition) lead and not give the left brain a chance to kick in.  Work fast!
  4. Then, take about an hour to cut and place your images/words while listening for messages /answers from your Higher Self about your choices of pictures and words.Everyone’s will look different – clean and orderly, or messy – it doesn’t matter. Do this quietly – allow others to dive into their own process.You may not understand all the guidance now – it will reveal itself with time as you look at your board daily or as something happens in your life to reveal why your intuition guided you to include it.
  5. Journal about it (like a letter from your Higher Self, God, etc. – “Dear _____________, …..”
  6. Share your insights with someone. More stuff will come up and their questions may help you focus on things you may have overlooked.
  7. Hang it where you see it every day and let it continue to guide you!

Another great way to connect to your Inner Guidance is through one of my guided meditations. Sign-up for my bi-weekly art & inspiration to download yours free.

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Examples

vision board3

Intuitive Vision Boards are not only a visual representation of your inner guidance, but also a highly practical manifestation tool. 

Here are a few examples:

– Years ago, my intuitive vision board helped me decide to invest in camera equipment and take a photography workshop in New Brunswick with masters I had long admired – an amazing summer fun experience that fully satisfied my creative and inner child needs!  If I remember well, one of the leaders had actually written the article “Speaking to the Eyes of the Heart”, whose title I had used.

Some of the pieces below encouraged me to sign-up for another life changing event in my life – Flora Bowley’s 5-week online intuitive painting course called Bloom True.   I had no idea that I was going to study art again when I chose those images. I didn’t think I could manage it while teaching 2 ESL classes at university, but it reminded me to make time for myself as well.

 

The other pieces of my January 2013 board were instrumental in my going to study in Vienna for a year.  The one with the pelicans taking flight with the words “Now I invent instead of predict; I am a visionary” held absolutely no meaning for me when I made the board.  The expression “visionary art” wasn’t one I was very familiar with at the time.  But when I later received intuitive guidance to go to the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, I looked up and saw those words, which served as the first confirming sign to what became a blessed decision in my life.  The fact that the school had a loving approach to art education certainly meshed with the second piece I’m showing here.

I have countless other examples, but you get the idea. 

As for all intuitive tools, the images and words you choose have meaning for you, and perhaps only you.

Have confidence in your own interpretations and stay open to the mystery if they don’t speak to you past the moment when your heart exclaimed “tear this out of the magazine and add it to your vision board”.

Other Kinds of Vision Boards

There are lots of other kinds of vision board.  Two others that I’ve done in the past are:

  • Wish boards:  collect images as you go through your days and paste them up on a bulletin board as you go, or collect them in a file and make a poster once in a while.
  • Whole Self Intention Boards:  Make a poster with words to remind you of your intentions for the year. Divide your Board into emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental aspects of your life. Consider your Inner World and Outer world (environment, relationships, community).  Such boards
    • helped me make major decisions
    • reminded me to use the tools at my disposal to reach my goals
    • ensured that I maintained balance through intense times
    • and visually assisted me to live my life in line with my life purpose.

When To Do Them?

There’s no bad time for vision boards.

My preference is at at transition times such as Solstice, New Year’s Day, Summer Equinox, etc. 

Some years, I’ve needed quite a few. Others, I’ve only made one.

When I’m on the road, I use my digital images and make one for my computer desktop so that I can see it whenever I boot it up. There are also online tools you can use such as Design Wizard with its own library of images for you to use.

There are all sorts of ways and times to do these.  Have fun exploring and expressing!

Would you like to try my guided meditation for even more guidance? Sign-up to get my art & inspiration in your inbox every week to download yours free.

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