February Reset

 This is the third year some of my artist friends are offering a month of inspiration for "Reseting Our Spaces as Living Altars" and creating cozy corners, and I'm joining in. Each has her own focus - Angie on clearing clutter, Katy on setting sacred space, and Iréne on sharing tips from Feng Shui, and all three engage creativity. 

As I've written before, I go back and forth with more and less order, and like many of us, these last couple of years with fewer visitors has not helped! It's quite time for a reset! 

Breema and morning practice

I participated in Breema week in January, and have continued with the online self- Breema classes most mornings. For my first cozy nook, I rearranged some things, pulled out the clothes for give- away, and made room for my felted Breema rug in my little upstairs.

Some inquiries as I embark: 

• Why do I want to dethug and reset?
• What an I creating space for? 
• What blocks my process/progress? 
• Who - what matters most to me about my space?
• Who (what items) am I 'renting space' to - do I like the 'tenants?'
• When - what time will I designate, and how much?
• How - what strategies will I employ, and
• Where will I begin?

I already began with the Breema nook, starting small with an easy win always works well for me! I set a timer for 20-30 minutes, and then take a break or reset it - short focuser sessions help prevent overwhealm. 

My goal is a clearer space with more cozy, inviting nooks, and curating items that resonate with my current interests and life. 

As a Virgo, I can get finicky about fine tune cleaning, and ignore the big picture, so I'm saying saying Ø to perfectionism, and 'yes' to progress! 

Assistant testing a cozy space

My LMT friend Kira is also a professional organizer, and I've been enjoying her new podcast, What's Up With Your Stuff? 

For general tidying, she suggests to ponder your own baseline - what matters to you (and your partner/ housemates) Work from that to develops and fine tune your daily routine. 

I make my bed when I get up, wash the dishes and wipe down counters after breakfast, and aim for at least one 20/10 a day (20 minute tidy/ clear, 10 minute break)

We start where we start, and each bring our personal stories as well as stuff to our Spaces - do you know yours? 

Creative Path

"This is where the door is opening, will you peek through?  

"The most regretful people on Earth are those who felt the call of creative work, who felt their own creative power restive & uprising, & gave it neither power nor time." 

- Mary Oliver -

My friend Brenda posted this quote several years ago, & went on to write "Sums up my feelings after lots of soul searching earlier this year & the realization that my one regret is that I never went to art school. I looked at schools & prices, and none of it really resonated in my soul. Then I started looking at teachers I admire, classes that inspire, souls I love. ... 

"I realized the classes I love the most are the ones that are intuitive, access the soul, invite inner listening, etc." 

My friend Jeanette wrote "We are all Creative Beings. This is our birthright, regardless of our circumstances, talents or beliefs. The invitation is to discover how your creative gifts will be used to create a reality that is worthy of your Soul's incarnation."  

In 2015, I enrolled in Shiloh Sophia's Color of Woman teacher training, a potent 9 month course that empowered my creativity, and converged with my own healing arts and teaching pathway.

I was the kid who drew in the borders of programs, and drooled over paint by number kits, and got blank canvases to use the leftover paint. In grade school, I was asked to draw a camel for some Christmas art project. Later, I was frustrated in my HS art class during our pottery unit - in 50 minutes, my clay was usually too dry, or too wet! I took a few classes art both in college, and later at our local Community College, and doodle sketched in meetings ....

Since graduating from Color of Woman, as a Teacher and Coach, I've opened the door to creativity for many others, shine wounded by college art trainings; encourage others as they complete the IC training, and as they begin sharing their own offerings. 

I love collaborations with SiStars from our local community, including our bimonthly Red Thread Circles with Linda, and with our international SiStars. 

Wherever you are, there's likely an Intentional Creativity® or other intuitive art teacher near you, or available online.

Sedna - stone Cairn

As we head into 2021, many of us are committing to daily practices, whether on paper or canvas. Most days I with in my journal or on cards. Last spring, I began exploring the NW Inuit Legend of Sedna, in a painting journey with my Austrian SiStar Tania McGinnis, and am stepping through that portal again.

While some in our broader community are moving into a degree program, others of us are on an independent Soul Curriculum path, focusing on both our own offerings, and as Brenda said, exploring classes which pique our curiosity, and are "intuitive, access the soul, and invite inner listening;" and like Jeanette, "discovering how our creative gifts will be used to create a reality that is worthy of your Soul's incarnation."

  
Have you opened the door to your own creative path; will you step through the portal?   

Happy Paint Party Friday!    

Daily Practices

For over thirty years I've worked closely with clients as an energy worker and healer. Over that time, I've seen thousand of individuals, and as many shifts of mood, energy, emotions and physical aches and pains. I've also had the opportunity to study with some awesome healers and learned a number of methods to help keep my own energy clear and available. 

Some individuals are very sensitive to energy, and find being in a crowd extremely difficult, while others seem to float through energetic «muck» with little disturbance! If you are in the former group, learning and issuance some of these practices may help! This is ment as a reference and jump off for building your own favorite set.

AM: 

• Ground yourself. Stand with a tree, and practice sending your "roots" through the soles of your feet down into the center of the earth.
• Aura (the biofield around your body) imagine this as an egg shape, stretch your arms out, and turn in a slow circle, to define the boundaries of your bubble. You can imagine the outside of your bubble as gold, your true essence color (or silver) I like to imagine a rainbow of iridescent, like a soap bubble!.
• Have tea or cafe with your Musé and your journal
• Invite any angels or guides to be with you as you move through your day.
• Choose a story card affirmation for the day, and put it on your altar or carry with you.

Throughout the day: 

• pay attention to how you feel, what thoughts flit through your mind, etc. Notice where old stories arise, and feel into how it tells address to your affirmation
• Activity: qigong, Tai chi, a walk, yoga, put on music and dance... even if you take just a few minutes for conscious movement, it will build your energy. 
• Remember to breathe! And take breaks throughout the day.
• Drink water, batteries need water to hold a charge, so do we!
• Treat yourself to fresh flowers, bodywork, creative practices, lunch with a friend, find ways to bring more joy into your daily life.

In Public:

• Make sure you're grounded (stand by a tree for a few minutes if you can) and refresh your Aura bubble. 
• You can experiment with the color violet around your Aura, which transmutes energy, both yours and that of others.
• Sit facing the door if you're in a group (place of power) if you can, especially in your own office!
• Invite anyone else's energy to be processed in your field, not your body, and released. You can imagine "vacuuming" your energy field with a giant rose.
• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for herbs, with cool water for an energy clearing.
• Imagine bracelets of light around your wrists and ankles, if you feel like your energy is being drained. 

Food: 

• whole food, including lots of vegetables in season are most nourishing. Different bodies have different needs, so observing yours can be a great ally.
• Bless your food before eating, and invite your body to use it well. 
• My African teacher Erik Vormanns suggested beaming "rainbows" into our drinking water.
• If you drink tea, sofa, cafe, or wine, remember to drink water as well..

PM:

• Receive and embrace what the day has brought, and receive the gifts into your heart
• Journal a bit, and notice anything that came up for clearing, insights, something you'd like more insight on.
• Reflect on your word/affirmation, any insights about it today?
• Take several deep breaths, imagining your cells and DNA expanding into the new vibration.
• Express gratitude for the blessings of the day

Before sleep: 

• Thank your angels and guides for their support and blessings
• If you wish, invite insights while you dream, or to attend "dream school"in the Green Jade temple or other favorite place
• Imagine a beautiful gold or blue bubble around your bed (or whole home)

These are the bones of daily practices; I'd love to hear which you find useful, and ones you use!