In the Quantum Field

In a recent post 'You are Enough,' my friend & fellow Color of Woman teacher Heidi Sequoia Moondancer wrote, "Here’s the thing about not-enoughness. It’s BS. Have you every stopped and questioned it? Where/who did this message come from? Are they a credible source? What would make you enough? Enough what exactly? Who is holding your imaginary measure stick….and whacking you over the head with it every chance they get (hint, look in the mirror)?"

This is a great time of year to ponder this concept, as it's a time that we often resolve or intend to do 'better' at something than we have in the past. What if we embrace the 'who' we are as enough, and shift our perspective a bit - what do we wish to spend our life force on? What do we value about ourselves, just as we are?

What will best serve us, as we journey through this year? If you work with a journal, this is something you may wish to explore a bit more. 

•  What challenges have I overcome to get here?  
•  What are some of my accomplishments over the last year?
•  I'm happiest when _____________
•  If I could do a couple of BIG things this year __________________
•  My values include _______________ (often related to health, spending time with loved one, how you interact with your community ...)
•  If I could be remembered for one thing, it would be ____________ 

As I assimilate the teachings of the last year, & sit with who I'm becoming as a Color of Woman Teacher & Coach, I am working with some of these questions as well. And basking a bit in the glow of completing the training, & actualizing several of the items on my January list. 
I've taught a class, updated my website, had a couple of artist 'play dates,' journaled, (I'm thinking of following some of the prompts from Journal 52, as it's a free offering, that dovetails with the work I'm already engaged in.) I've spent time with my kids and grandkids, & even played a bit in the garden, in this Warm January weather.

Through Quantum physics, we realize that simply the act of observation changes what is being observed. What if we change our self perception?  What are some of the ways you are 'enough?' 
Happy PPF!

Sharing Community

The Way of the Red Thread

Our lovely new pastor, Erica Marksbury invited several of us to share stories related to the texts or that week during church this month. Earlier in the month, my daughter spoke about adopting her 'two beautiful daughters' (not a dry eye in the house!) & I was invited to speak on being 'called' by my community.

This dovetails beautifully with our Red Thread community's philosophy that we are 'called' to share these teachings by our beloveds, who seek what we have to offer. I brought several of my Ladies, (Mary of Magdala, Sisterhood of the Red Thread, & my 'thesis' painting: Priestess of the Cosmic Portal)& told of the Russian Orthadox tradition of Mary spinning a red thread for the Veil of the temple, and the Chinese legend that we are connected to those we're destined to meet bay a Red Thread. I read Shiloh's Poem 'Remember Me' at the end of my talk. 

Red Thread Ladies & Nadya

Saturday I'd attended the Art & Wine walk opening, visiting with other artists and guests at Current's Gallery, where my 'ladies' are hanging. I'll be offering my first class in the 'Back Room Studio' at the Gallery mid-February! We'll be painting the 'Queen of Her Own Heart!' 

Atelier - clean up and paint cart

Yesterday I woke up with the idea of moving this wheeled kitchen cart into my 'dining nook' atelier for storage - yea!! And doing a general (much needed!) mucking out - after the months of focus on painting & Color of Woman & #intentionalcreativity !

What's on your easel today?

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Commencement

Our final project for my Color of Woman Teacher Training was to group all the blog posts from our Online Classroom into our Initiate books! I had done a good job of keeping up with the posts, and had saved most of them as files. My son, bless him, has a good document assembling program, so we played tag team to assemble it. I'd convert to pdf format, & email them, generally in order; and got together a couple of times (while he & his kids were in town for Nutcracker rehearsals), to format it. And finally, to add page numbers to the table of contents. Whew!

Priestess of the Cosmic Portal

One of our final assignments was to offer a two day workshop, then continue to work on our demo painting for several more days, completing it 'on our own' (rather than following Shiloh's lead & videos) for our 'Visionary' painting. 

My workshop (in November) was Medicine Woman, & the lady who emerged is: Priestess of the Cosmic Portal. The Compass on the bottom left includes totems from each of the paintings in our Color of Woman Compass - the Dragon dancing in the center from Legend, Rose in the N: Muse; Hummingbird in the East: Talisman; Owl in the South: Soul Fire; & Raven in the West: Visionary. There are words collaged around her heart which came during the journey I led; one is 'Raven's Gold' - the Sun is in the upper Raven's beak!

We needed to identify and document our 'Soul Work,' the work we're called to cause & create in the world; & develope our 'action plans' for 2016. Like many of our projects, this was done both Rt brain 'doodle,' beginning with December & working back, & linear from January on.


Here's my entry for January:

• Jan. 2 Visioning 2016 Red Thread event

• update website – new format? Host? Work on print materials – business cards, menus, format for flyers, photos of paintings for cards & prints, work on email list, put known dates on MeetUp, update FB artist page
• Meet with youth and childrens' coordiators at FBC (First Baptist Church)
• formalize plans for February workshop & advertize (MeetUp, Facebook event, flyers, e-mail list) coordinate with area alumni
• attend Work Week Winedown at Walnut City Wineworks Jan 29, take cards\
  
  

  

  Siren Song

  I also have several personal ongoing goals - to blog more regularly (!!), a paint day (minimum) each week, and to do some of the things I've neglected while engaged in Color of Woman (including a good general de-thug of the house)!
  
  
  We're halfway through the month, & I've facilitated the Jan 2 Visioning event, & helped with 'Faith & Watercolor' at Church last Sunday; took down my show at Walnut City WW November & December, and entered a couple of pieces in Currents Gallery's January Show - "Myths & Legends," Elen Star-Path & Siren Song; which were accepted & hung! 
  Not bad! 
  I've also been asked to speak this Sunday on the support of the Art Community during this past year, and signed up to be part of the newly begun Intentional Creativity Leadership Circle. Our first Circle call was Thursday, & today there is a group painting experience, Weave, another exploration of dreams for 2016. 
  So though I feel I'm still integrating the training, I also realize I've not been as 'lazy' as I've felt! 
  My friend Sepha, who has helped with several of the workshops & the Vision board session, is enrolled in this year's teacher training!! Woo hoo! She is already an artist and teacher, and has a lot to offer, & we love sharing studio time. Weaving dreams, community, creativity!
  
  
  Happy Paint Party Friday