6 Tips on How to Get to Where You Want to Be

 Autumn Whispers Poster

“There is no sugar-coating this theory because the time for pandering this issue is over.  “

For those of you new to the Law of Attraction (LOA) – read on.  For those who understand the LOA — it’s of great benefit to recap what you already know to glean information that may have previously not been taken on board.

Get With the Law of Attraction Program!

Simply put — the LOA states that like attracts unto itself.  Whatever you think about the most you attract into your experience.

“You must take responsibility for what you have created in the past so that you can start creating a better future.”

Autumn Whispers Poster 2There is no sugar-coating this theory because the time for pandering this issue is over.  We have got to get real and face the consequences of our unconscious creations.

I have been practicing this concept for a good few years now and it is REAL.

When I look back into my past and ask ‘what I was thinking?’ — creating such chaos — I soon find that there definitely was a train of thought that led to certain events (albeit undesirable events).

You must take responsibility for what you have created in the past so that you can start creating a better future.

Get Your Good Vibrations Dial Tuned In

We co-create everything in our experience.  Not only through thoughts but through vibration — what we feel.

What we feel sends out a strong signal or frequency and that is mainly what the LOA works with.

It can’t decipher words as such — only the vibration or feeling behind the words.  So, to think that you don’t want something only reiterates that which is unwanted.

Huh?

Are you Holding your Fat Rolls in Discontent?

When you think about losing weight, for instance, you are most likely concentrating on how fat you are not how thin you want to be.  You are probably looking into the mirror holding your fat rolls and sending out a frequency of self-loathing and discontent.

“The first step to creating the life of your dreams is to get real about your ‘head space’.  “

What then happens is the Universe picks up on that which you are thinking about  — the fat — and sees to it that you receive more.

Choosing From the Cosmic Menu

This is what I know:

  1. We are living in a Universe of abundance.
  2. The Universe holds the building blocks to everything.
  3. The Universe is continuously expanding to our every whim.
  4. There is enough abundance for all.
  5. The Universe is manifesting according to our will but it can only deliver that which it sees as being called into existence by us.
  6. We need to seriously filter our thoughts and emotions in order to project what we want to manifest in our lives — if we don’t do this, we still end up creating our experience through our random, unfiltered thought streams and feelings.

The Taming of the Mind

The first step to creating the life of your dreams is to get real about your ‘head space’.

  • What is going on upstairs?
  • Is it a continuous loop of worried thoughts or random streams of mindless pap?
  • Can you devote some time in your day (only 5-10 minutes is required to get you started) to meditate?

“Meditation is allowing your self to just exist with no distraction.”

Meditation, in essence, only means sitting still in a quiet area and blanking out your mind.

Not thinking of anything and just being.  You don’t have to sport a lotus position or hum and chant if it does not resonate with you.  Meditation is allowing your self to just exist with no distraction.

If you find it hard to meditate then seek help, guided meditations or classes.  This is a paramount step to decluttering your mind and clearing the way for positive thought streams.

Jump in the Drivers Seat, Take Your Life for a Spin

When you can apply the breaks to your negative thought streams, you are in control.  When you have this capability, you are on your way to manifesting your dreams.

Pick up a glass and toast to your new co-creator abilities!

Read Part 2‘HOW TO MANIFEST YOUR DESIRES’ HERE

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this matter.

Abundance ecard

Here’s a free ecard for you to download and use. Click on the picture, then right-click and ‘save as’ to your computer. You can then upload it to your e-mail.

Read here

Other articles you may enjoy:

12 Things Successful People Do To Excel

5 Easy Steps to Get Your Life Back on Track

The Secret to Excellent Living

How Can Wishing For Your Rivals Success Make You Successful?

Are You Surfing on Good Vibrations?

Something Blue…

Today is going to be a visual blog.  I have taken some of my favourite paintings/artworks with a boisterously, blissful blue hue/theme.

Come take a journey with me, let’s waltz through the world in blue…

I hope you enjoyed this trip with me.

What colour do you like to see in monotone art?  What is your favourite general colour?  Is there any colour you tend to wear more or have the inclination to paint your walls with? Spill those colourful beans!

And I’ll end it off with a blue t-shirt design…

Armageddon — is it the End of the World on the 21st December 2012?

2012 and the Hype

Green Planet lo resWe are counting down the days to 21-12-2012, the date that the Mayans set as the last date on their calendar.

This is how I see it — definitely not the end of the world.  I don’t think the Mayans ever meant for it to be interpreted that way.  It is a reset button.  And it’s about bloody time!

Resetting the Consciousness

All these portals that we have been going through, like the 10-10-10 and the 11-11-11, are influxes of energy to help us transmute energy for redefining ourselves and our lives.

Huh?

Oh, never mind about the portals business, if that’s freaking you out a bit — just try to understand that change always begins with you.  If everyone turned within and not without — ie. looked outside of themselves for answers — we would have had peace on Earth a long time ago.

But, as is appropriate, we are making that great leap forward now.  Thank goodness for great miracles!

“The people are stepping up and are being heard”

The Lighthouse IIThis time we are living in, is a cause for tumultuous celebration (even if we are celebrating the ‘unknown’) — it should not be interpreted as a time for doom and gloom.  We are sitting on the precipice of global evolution — worldwide change.  You see it in the press every day — not all of it, granted (due to the media being ‘screened’ and a lot of good stuff left out, whilst lower vibration news is left in to create fear and worry that doesn’t serve you), but a lot of the news being reported can be read into and there is definitely global change afoot.

We even see our Mother Earth shake and rattle about preparing for the shift.  The microcosm reflecting the macrocosm and vice-versa.  We all need to bring up some unwanted stuff to transmute and move on from before we can truly step into a new reality.

“The word is being spread at a remarkable pace and we can all join in on this ride and lend our support”

We are seeing new leadership, uprisings, economic protests and so much more.  These are the signs of positive change.  The people are stepping up and are being heard.  It is not easy but it is being done, country by country.

Can you feel the sense of unity?  Especially through the wonders of the internet.  The word is being spread at a remarkable pace and we can all join in on this ride and lend our support.  We are seeing unity consciousness in action, a pace that even the global elite can’t keep up with, as they see the power slip through their fingers.

Be the Change

Gandhi said ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’.  This is a message for us to pull finger NOW.  If you are going to buy into all the ‘end of days’ scenarios then that is what you are going to create in your reality.  You will tread the path of chaos.

“See yourself in this new world and see others there with you, equally enjoying their creative gifts and living their best life”

Believe in your heartIf you master your thoughts and prepare for a world of infinite possibilities where you are the co-creator of your life and reality, and every other living soul is the master of their destiny, then you are preparing yourself — manifesting your dreams as well as the dreams of the collective.  See yourself in this new world and see others there with you, equally enjoying their creative gifts and living their best life with ALL of their basic needs met.

What do you want to see happen in the world?

What would your ideal world look like?

Find this out for yourself, then meditate on it.  Hold that vision.  Your thoughts are mighty and powerful and, if you give this new energy we are being bombarded with a chance, it can give extra potency to your visualizations and manifestation process.  So see, in your third eye — your minds eye, the change you want to manifest and hone in on that every day.

Be clear about what you want.  Focus on living in that reality and change the tracks to your New Earth.

“We set the clocks back when Jesus Christ was born.  Perhaps we need to reboot this system/reality and explore a new age…this so called Age of Aquarius

2012 is about resetting time (or perhaps doing away with it altogether).  It’s not that far-fetched.  We set the clocks back when Jesus Christ was born.  Perhaps we need to reboot this system/reality and explore a new age…this so called Age of Aquarius that everyone was banging on about in the 60’s.

It is upon us and it is exciting.  Pop the champagne cork and manifest Heaven on Earth!

Other articles you may enjoy:

Finding God and a Reason for Being Here

‘Love and Light’ — What Does it Mean?

5 Easy Steps to Meditating (No Lotus Position Required)

 

Finding Humility Through Wisdom

 

6 Ways to Alleviate Stress Now

Mapping your way out of stress

We seem to be living in tumultuous times.  If you don’t take a moment out of the ‘rat race’ it can consume you.

If you feel like you are running around on a hamster wheel or wonder when the light is going to be seen at the end of this future tunnel — then please read on…

Practical steps to take:

You cannot be fully productive if you are running on empty.  There are a few things you can do immediately that will relieve you of any immediate pressure.

  • Breathe
  • Drink lots of water
  • Fresh air
  • Exercise/stretch
  • Write out a plan or strategy
  • Take frequent small breaks

Now, let’s take a closer look…

Breathe

It is very important to breathe correctly.  Most of us do what is called ‘shallow’ breathing. When you breathe properly, you are breathing into your diaphragm and better still, to really oxygenate your body (which will make you feel more awake and alive) — take a deep breath into your stomach.  Let your stomach fill up so that you look like you are pregnant. Whilst you are breathing in — count to 5.  Hold it for 5 and then release it to the count of 5. Do this 3 times.  If you can do this every hour it can help immensely to keep you awake and in tune with your self.Here is some more information with regards to breathwork:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breathwork

Water

Drink lots of pure, clean water.  This will flush out unwanted toxins in your body and keep you flowing.  You will be able to have more clarity of thought and the health benefits of drinking water are too numerous to go into.  Suffice to say that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain in doing this.Too much coffee intake can do more harm than good, so instead of reaching for the java juice — have a glass of water.

Fresh Air

Breathe

We were not meant to be crammed in doors all day, especially if you work in a shop or office.  Go outside, when you can, even if it is for a minute or two and do the breathing exercise.

Even better, whenever you can, take a stroll in a forest or on the beach (if you don’t have access to any of those — go find yourself a tree to sit under).  It does wonders for the body and mind.

Exercise and Stretching

I know those of you who are most stressed probably feel you don’t have time for this step. But even if it is for a couple of minutes — something is better than nothing.

Get up and stretch — if you know a few yoga stretch moves then do that.  If you feel too embarrassed to do it in front of your colleagues then go to the bathroom and stretch.

Stretching releases built up energy and allows it to flow through your body in a balanced way instead of accumulating and being stagnant.  You will feel brighter and more alive.

You should take at least 30 minutes of daily exercise.  Go for a walk on your lunch break. You need to plan for exercise, especially for those of you on a strict schedule.  If you plan for it, you will allow it to happen.  There is always time for something important.

Strategies

If you are stressed out, the likelihood is that you have far too much on your mind.  One of the best techniques for de-cluttering the internal mind chatter is to get it out of your head and onto a whiteboard or diary/notebook.

This way you can see what needs to be done.  You can prioritize it and then  you can start to implement it.  When you do this, it will give you a sense of relief because you will not be stressing over things that you might have forgotten.  All you need to do is consult the board or notebook and then tick it off once it is done.

This really helps to keep your sanity and a clear vision of what needs to be done and in what order of importance.  You will truly start to see the light at the end of the tunnel if you do this.

Breaks

TelephoneYou were never meant to be glued to a computer screen or meant to be shut up in any environment, so, when you can — get up and take a break.  Go walk around the office or walk to the water cooler (don’t forget to have a cup!) and back.

Even little breaks can mean greater success.  They can lessen your chance of developing migraines and headaches and they can lessen your stress when you take a break from a problem.

Sometimes even taking a break can allow you time and space to sort out a problem that you would not have done if you were never removed from it.

Life is for living not stressing

Finally, I would like to end off by saying — life is for living and not stressing out.   What can be done — do.  What can’t be done should not be stressed over.  Worry never solved a problem but clear thinking and planning has.  Shelve the worry and create a space for solution by following the above steps.

Please share with us any tips and tricks you have learnt or discovered about relieving stress.

Other articles you may enjoy:

Serenity…Your Passport to Peace

5 Easy Steps to Meditating (No Lotus Position Required)

Some More of My Best Selling Art Prints

If you want to see my top selling art prints then click here.

These are some more of my best selling art prints online.

I love doing the backgrounds for these paintings.  Many people have asked me if it is a stencil – definitely not!  This is all done by hand and no pattern is ever the same.  It is like a fingerprint.

White Poppies

The Poppy Collective was a huge painting, the first large one I ever did of poppies.  It was definitely a challenge to do, especially the background as you can well imagine.  The painting measured 760mm x 920mm.

The Poppy Collective

Sunset Reflections was purchased by my sister and hangs in her bedroom.  It was a marriage between the poppies and the sunset/landscape.

Sunset Reflections

Another poppy painting has made it into the best sellers list ~ Poppies in the Rising Sun.  This particular one was featured on the RedBubble homepage.

Poppies in the Rising Sun

And there you have it — some of my Best Selling Art as Prints and Posters via RedBubble.

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What is the Importance of 11-11-11?

Lighten Up!

So that much-anticipated date has come and gone…what now?  What was that about?

For those of you who don’t know, in a nutshell, the number 11 in numerology means illumination or ‘light-bearer’.  It is a master number that cannot be broken down (ie. in numerology if you get a 12 it needs to be broken down to 3 – 1+2=3).

When you have a triple date it is like a holy trinity for this number – triple potency (see ‘Why  3 is a Magic Number’).

11:11 on the Clock 

Have you been glancing at the clock or computer screen (or anything else like a till slip or number plate) and seeing the number 11:11 a lot?

“If the collective give it a positive meaning then it becomes potent.  So even if this number is a man-made phenomenon, that is great! “

It is a sign or a wink from spirit saying ‘we are here, we love you’ – a reminder that you are never alone on your path to enlightenment.  It is also a wake-up call to those who are still in the dream of reality.

There are some skeptics who would say, ‘just a coincidence’ or ‘you are giving it meaning’ and the answer is a resounding ‘yes!’.  You are the creator of your experience, so whatever meaning you give this IS.

If the collective give it a positive meaning then it becomes potent.  So even if this number is a man-made phenomenon, that is great!

We are co-creating a beautiful thing and that is how this works.

Nothing Happened!

Nothing much will be experienced in linearity but there was an influx of cosmic energy on this date.

Symptoms were as such:  heart palpitations, anxiety, nervousness, excitement, nausea, buzzing (no not from the coffee) and the list goes on.

When you look at these symptoms you have to realise the significance of the conditions when you are relating them to an energy surge.

Chaos Theory

What we are supposed to do with this ‘energy’ is to transmute it for the highest good.  When you are co-creating in this reality, everything you do is felt as a whole as we are all connected.

So when you use this energy for purposes that are not beneficial to you or others, you are spreading a ‘chaotic’ energy.  You are the hurricane.

“It is your choice if you want to be in the chaotic form of this energy “

When you are using this energy to spread love, harmony and compassion, you are in alignment with your higher self and the good of all – you are the butterfly.

Butterflies and Hurricanes

It is your choice if you want to be in the chaotic form of this energy and use it to create disharmony (the hurricane) or whether you want to elevate yourself and create a world of love, joy and pure freedom (the butterfly)…

There is an awesome song by Muse called ‘Butterflies and Hurricanes‘ give it a listen here.  It’s sure to kick-start your day!

Hop on Board the Roller-Coaster (Regrettably, Not Optional)

This NOW moment might feel like a roller-coaster ride and it is.  What you have to determine is, would you like to enjoy the ride or be petrified?

Fasten your seat-belts because either way it’s going to be a blast!

Use this energy to create what you want to see in your life.  Set your goals and focus on that.  If you don’t want chaos in your life then take your focus off of that.  Do not give chaos a thought – blank your mind and start visualizing what you do want.

Spill Your 11:11 Beans…

Let me know about your experiences on 11-11-11 or the build up thereto…I’d love to hear them.

My husband saw 2 flashes of light across the sky at about 13h00.  He said it was like someone was taking a giant flash photograph and it only lasted for about a second.

Turning a Grim Fairy Tale into a Love Story

This is the continuation from Part 1 which can be read here.

The Fear of God Myth Debunked

When you put a stopper in the illusion that is fear, you allow the love to pour through.  We are prime examples of how we love unconditionally when it comes to our children/family/friends and how, especially in the case of our children, we would never want anything to happen to them.

“God is the ultimate parent and we have put our limited and linear way of rationalizing upon this Force.”

Now, how could we even entertain the notion that God would send any one of us, God’s children, to hell?

Can you see how silly this is and how thin this illusion truly reveals itself to be?

Can you contemplate the idea of your child being in an eternity of pain and anguish?  Now, can you imagine putting them there!?!  God is the ultimate parent and we have put our limited and linear way of rationalizing upon this Force.

I feel this is a great insult and we should look towards remedying this repulsive idea as quickly as possible.

Man-Made Limitations 

The condition that is the fear of God is man-made.  It was never the will of God.  It would go against all logic to assume so.  So please,  instead of thinking with your heads, feel with your heart and ask for the truth to be felt there.

Your child can do nothing to stop the unconditional love that you have for him/her.  This is the framework of the analogy of God as the ultimate parent as this principle of unconditional love for a child works the same way for the Creator.

Your behaviours may not be acceptable in certain situations but you, as an entity – a child of God, will never be discarded, as in ‘sent to hell’.  Be very careful though, because YOUR powerful intent and will may put you there…in other words, you may create your own version of hell.

Unconditional Love

Let’s take an example:

Your child does something wrong, something really bad – we’ll leave it to your imagination as to what wrong is in this instance – would you want to see them eternally punished for this deed or do you have space in your heart for reprieve?

Would you want to see your child repent and be given a chance to elevate themselves from that particular incident where they slipped into a lower vibration of thought and acted upon it?  Yes?

So, why some people expect God not to have the capacity to forgive (as they would) is a complete mystery!

Hell is a Grim Fairytale

The vision of hell keeps us trapped in fear not to serve Gods will but mans will and want for power.  Power is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand it is a beautiful gift when used from the heart but on the other extreme, if used with the head or ego,  it is a destructive force.

“…there is a darker side which seeks to control and overpower with teachings of separation and fear.”

The game of power being played at the moment derives its power from fear – fear of hell is just one example of entrapment in this web of illusion.

The truth is that we are not damned, we are a part of God – a shard of the Divine.  Not all religions are necessarily bad, many do indeed touch on the truth in their metaphors of unconditional love but, as with everything, there is a darker side which seeks to control and overpower with teachings of separation and fear.

You can still belong to a certain religious denomination and feel the connection to God and all that Is but try to steer yourself clear of any vibration or teaching that induces fear – especially fear of God.

Spreading the Light

It is everybody’s free will and choice to believe in whatever they will. All I am saying is that when you do subscribe to something, you do it out of love and not out of fear.

Nothing is black and white, there is so much gray area in life. We are so used to labeling everything in this world and we seldom have the time or inclination to look past the labels.

The Every Day Miracles we Seldom ‘See’

Try to take the time to see the world as it is – a pure miracle of creation.

“…a given reality cannot be set as different perspectives mean a variation of what is being perceived as reality.”

A tree is much more than it’s label as is a flower as are you.  When we start seeing the world with a fresh approach we can start to see past the trappings of labels and we will start to rediscover and reform our ideas or concepts of certain things, situations or people.

It is vital to see things from a different perspective or angle as there are many perspectives to a given reality, so therefore a given reality cannot be set as different perspectives mean a variation of what is being perceived as reality.

What this means is, if we all have a different take on something, that thing cannot be labeled as our different views will give it different attributes or meaning.

Alice Adventuring in Wonderland

This always reminds me of Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole and finding herself in a completely different version of reality.  A world where the characters seem bizarre, if not completely mad, and the world they live in seems utterly discordant to her.

“When we unravel the illusion that is fear, we will be cast into great doubt and will go through a process of rediscovery…”

Alicing AboutShe can’t see past her own labels and finds herself in an enormous pickle until she gains a broader perspective of what is really happening.  When she starts to quieten the constant voice in her mind (her ego) telling her what to think and what to ‘logically’ do (we see a brilliant example in Alice of how ones mind/ego can control ones reality through being over critical of everything and extremely judgmental), she starts to unravel the metaphor of this seemingly parallel reality.

When she ‘awakens’ in her version of reality she gleans a certain knowledge from her undertakings in Wonderland that she can successfully use in her life to make ‘sense’ of her experience.

When we unravel the illusion that is fear, we will be cast into great doubt and will go through a process of rediscovery, just like Alice, this will take us on a journey to the truth.

This truth is found within — as is God.

To Truly Love God You’ve Got To Love Each Other

Here is where I will wrap this up by saying that God as the parent is likened to the human parent in as much as we are more willing to think out of the box with our own children or loved ones.

In other words, we are far less judgmental in the case of the people we know and love as opposed to ‘the others'(the illusion of separation). This is simply because we feel we know them.

“…God sees all of us in the same light”

So we are not judging them rather we are judging the action with a knowing that we all make mistakes and that our mistakes do not always represent the being behind the mistake.

This is why we always seek to blame another or the situation for our loved ones actions because we think we know them so well.  But if everyone thinks this of their loved ones/children, you can now see how God sees all of us in the same light.

There is no ‘us’ and ‘them’ we are all one big family  When we take this approach and apply it to all our human family we learn what it is to be compassionate and to see things from a different perspective or just from another persons point of view.  When we do this we will move closer to our natural state of divinity.

Do not fear God, question who or what  is behind the fear.

Related Articles:  

Finding Humility Through Wisdom

The Secret to Excellent Living

Is Fear or Love Winning in Your Life?

‘Love and Light’ — What Does it Mean?

My Best Selling Art as Prints and Posters

What the Public Want

I’ve strung together some of my best selling art prints (taken from online sales) over the years.

I thought it was quite interesting to see what was popular in my collection and perhaps, you the viewer, will get a kick out of seeing what people are buying to beautify their spaces.

Heck, maybe one of them will even tickle your fancy!

To visit the print store — where you can buy not only framed and mounted prints of all the art below but an array of other products from canvas prints to skirts (select ‘Available Products’) — just click on the pictures below.

Let’s Get Started…

Number 1 is ‘Raw’ (painted to the music of Jeff Buckley) and is part of my Rock Art Series (read more about that HERE). At the moment, this painting is hanging above our bed and I’m in love with it.

No. 1 ~ Raw (Rock Art Series – Jeff Buckley)

Jeff Buckley --- Raw 24 x 36 LR


Number 2 was also somewhat of a surprise as it has turned out to be not only a best-selling print but also the most viewed item on my RedBubble portfolio, clocking up a whopping 15 254 views as of December 2015.

No. 2 ~ Tree Silhouette

The next one was inspired by the Lord of the Rings trilogy and is called ‘My Precious’.

No. 3 ~ My Precious

Frodo by Cherie Roe Dirksen

My Tree of Life Series watercolour called, ‘Dusk’, is in at no. 4.  It’s currently clocked up more than 14 000 views.

No.4 ~ The Tree of Life Series – ‘Dusk’

Tree of LIfe by Cherie Roe Dirksen

In at no. 5 is ‘Zebra’ — a macro painting of a zebra’s face.  I just happened to sell a poster of this one today!

No.5 ~ Zebra

And here is Three Pink Poppies.  I must admit that this is one of my favourites as well.  Just because I loooooove poppies so much! 🙂

No. 6 ~ Three Pink Poppies

Pink Poppies

Number 7 on the list is my reproduction of Starry Night.  Vincent Van Gogh is my all-time favourite artist and I wanted to re-create this work.  This does come as a surprise for me as one would think that if you were going to buy a print of this, you would buy the original as a print.

However, I am flattered but have to give all recognition to the original artist for the beautiful rendition of the night sky.  The original was never sold as my husband did not want to part with it, so I gave it to him and it is in our bedroom.

No.7 ~ Reproduction of Starry Night

This painting was the first I did in my Rock Art Series and it was painted to one of my favourite bands, Radiohead. This is now hanging in my hubby’s new music studio.

No. 8 ~ Escapism (Rock Art Series — Radiohead)

Escapism - Rock Art Painted to Radiohead by Cherie Roe Dirksen

And, again, another one from my Rock Art Series makes it into the top selling prints — ‘Metamorphic Dilatation’ (The Beatles). This one is quite funky, vibrant and colourful and also hangs in the music studio.

No. 9 ~ Metamorphic Dilatation (Rock Art Series — The Beatles)

Beatles Rock Art by ©Cherie Roe Dirksen

The next one has a similar theme to the previous painting but was a mural I did on the wall of my husbands music studio in our previous house. Alas, we had to leave it behind but at least I have the photo!

No. 10 ~ Musical Mural

musical mural hi res

I would love to know which of these stands out the most for you?

Thanks for looking!

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Man on a Cloud — Fear Factor or Fiction?

I am going to be addressing a difficult and tricky topic — God.  Yes, very ambitious, I know, but very necessary.

“Our natural state is unity consciousness not separation…”

For those of you who don’t know me, I suppose you could interpret my beliefs as ‘spiritual’ as I do not subscribe to any religion.  I am not opposed to any said religion if it is perpetuating love, compassion and understanding — I just don’t like to label myself.

I don’t want to offend anybody, that is not my intention, I would just like to discuss an alternative view of God.

With that out the way, we can get on with the juicy stuff…

Our Perception is Paramount

What idiot, with his head firmly planted up his backside, came up with the all-too-familiar saying “put the fear of God into you”?  It seems like an absolute dichotomy to me and here’s why:

I don’t believe for a moment, and, I would bet my life in saying, that we are most certainly not supposed to fear God — I think that is a very human interpretation.  God, as Jesus Christ put it, is our loving ‘father/mother’ (parental analogy). A ‘parent’, nonetheless, that can be viewed from both sides of the scale.

Leave Personified Concepts of God at the Door, Please

I feel that the word ‘God’ has become overused and totally abused.  It can come with some unwanted ‘baggage’ due to a long history of the ‘us against them’ attitude and not forgetting that white bearded old tosser dishing out punishment, sitting atop a fluffy cloud.

God for me is everything and can’t be solely personified (that is just our human brains trying to grapple with a difficult concept).

Unfortunately, a lot of people still get hung up on the personification of God but for you more broad-minded readers, I will continue…

Is God Really About Love?

Inspiring Life QuoteLove is the root/prime emotion of the positive scale and fear is the root/prime emotion on the negative scale.

So, if you want to interpret God as something to be feared, I believe,  you have the freedom of choice to do so.

However, always remember that you are making this choice and it has got pretty much nothing to do with God and everything to do with your perceptions.

“God would not ever need to judge…”

God is omnipotent and you can interpret God as both the Yin and the Yang, the light and the dark, the fear and the love – but it is all down to your choosing not Gods’ judgment — in my opinion God would not ever need to judge.

Please remember that judgment is different to discernment.  One needs to discern (the act or process of exhibiting keen insight ) but one does not need to judge (an opinion or conclusion).

God just is.

A Parent Without Unconditional Love?

Let’s take a closer look at God the parent.  Would you prefer that your child love you or fear you?

” To want someone or somethings fear is a resounding alarm to your own feelings of insecurity and vulnerability”

Look to GodIn fact, would you want anyone to fear you instead of love you?

If you do prefer being feared as opposed to being loved, then I suggest you take a serious look into why you feel weak.  To want someone or somethings fear is a resounding alarm to your own feelings of insecurity and vulnerability.

As with the school bully  – the bully is usually seeking to feel powerful because he/she is being bullied by a parent or older sibling, etc. This is not a satisfying way to gain love and respect.

So why do people fear God?

What a slap in the face for this omnipotent entity.  We need to take a long and hard look at why we were taught to be ‘God fearing’ people.

But here is where things get a little more fruity…

The Word

Words are our greatest power.  We have the ability to sway masses with speech, we can cut deeper than a knife with our tongue and we can make amends with an apology.

“…when we think rather than feel, we can easily be misled by the word.”

We are touched with our hearts and the language of the heart knows only love but when we move out of our ‘heart space’ and into our heads, in other words, when we think rather than feel, we can easily be misled by the word.

I am certain that if you put your faith in your heart, you would feel an amplitude of love for God and fear would not feature.  But religion has taught us to fear God.

For what purpose, you might ask?

To keep you a slave to the system.

Nuts and Bolts

With the fear of hell and an eternity in a burning inferno looming over our heads, we are tethered to God through fear and in order to keep on the straight and narrow we hand over our control to religious institutions and the powers that be.

“Not only has this been the most dis-empowering act of all time on humanity but it has literally kept us in servitude and, for the most part, disconnected from God and all that Is.”

HeartThey in turn and with the aid of our allegiance, blind faith and money, will make sure that our souls are not damned and that we neatly fit into society.  Not only has this been the most dis-empowering act of all time on humanity but it has literally kept us in servitude and, for the most part, disconnected from God and all that Is.

Unite!

Our natural state is unity consciousness not separation.

This great split among people over religion and whose God is right has divided humanity and kept us in a perpetual state of warring factions — the old ‘us against them’ mindset.  This suits the people ‘in charge’ just fine.

We are handing our power over to others when we buy into the fear of God.

I’m going to step off my soapbox for now.  This is going to be continued…(or CLICK HERE to go to Part 2)

Other articles you may enjoy:

The Secret to Excellent Living

Is Fear or Love Winning in Your Life?

Finding Humility Through Wisdom

‘Love and Light’ — What Does it Mean?

Is Fear or Love Winning in Your Life?

No More Unconscious Creating

We are now firmly rooted in the dawning of a new age and new consciousness on Earth. However, there is one major topic we need to address – fear.

In the absence of love we are left with fear.

When we no longer trust our instincts we give in to fear.  You can see fear as an illusion and only becomes a perceived reality when you let it become manifest.

Illusion versus Perceived Reality  

To illustrate this point, lets take the illusory nature of assumption (for more about assumption, CLICK HERE).

When you assume something  you do not possess all the facts or truth of the matter at hand.  When you form an idea of what is happening you are assuming (which is an illusory concept).

Then when your assumption has rooted itself in your psyche as the truth, you give it form and this can lead either to the creation of your assumption or the suffering of your ego based on the assumption.  And all this was made possible through an illusion.

“When you worry about something you are future-projecting a negative outcome. “

Fear works in much the same way.  Worry is a form of fear that most of us are altogether too familiar with.  When you worry about something you are future-projecting a negative outcome.

Sometimes the situations we worry about never come to pass.  Worry is an illusion.

When we talk about the NOW or present moment awareness, we are referring to the point of acceptance that one arrives at when there is an absence of fear.  There are many roads that take you to fear such as worry, anxiety, stress, panic, anger, resentment, revenge, etc but they all are rooted in fear.

So, succinctly, fear is the root on the scale of negativity.  The opposite of fear would be love.

Good Ol’ Gushy Love

The emotions that lead you to love are joy, happiness, elation, bliss, mirth, laughter, etc and these are all rooted in love.  The ultimate root on the scale of positivity.  The light and dark aspects of existence.

Without either of these perspectives we would live a very dull life.  We need a basis of comparison, in other words, how would you know not to put your hand in the fire if you had never been burnt.

How would you know just how perfect your body felt if you hadn’t had that painful Thai massage?

“If you choose to let fear take a back seat you will see the world open up to you in ways you never imagined.”

We need comparisons to ascertain what we do want.

Fear is generally not wanted but it certainly gains momentum.  It is a tricky little blighter.  The thing is, and always is, are you aware?  When you can become aware of your fears you can deal with them.  If you are playing the victim role, then perhaps you are quite content to be in a cocoon of misery – the choice will always remain yours.

Do you want this?  Is there a better way?  There is always choice and we are always co-creating our lives.  If you choose to let fear take a back seat you will see the world open up to you in ways you never imagined.

When you can master how you spend your energy and who you spend it on, you will not be sucked into the various dramas that people create.  When you no longer fear living, you will begin to truly live in a way that embraces every moment and does not fear death.

The Dirty ‘D’ word — Death

Death is probably the biggest fear of all.  Death is a gateway to another experience.  Experience is the key to existence.

So instead of thinking of death as a finality, think of it as the ultimate experience and see how you can drop the illusion of fear that is crusted around death.

As I once said to an atheist science teacher, what have you got to lose?  If there is nothing after death, then you would never know and would just be snuffed out, with no after thoughts.  No problem there.

“True freedom can only be found on the path that leads to the root of love — the knowing that all is well and the trusting that the universe is organized and you are a part of that.”

However, if there was an ecstatic afterlife with a soul group orientation, my God – what a bonus!  Now I say that very tongue-in-cheek but in all seriousness – we are energy, ask any scientist.  Energy cannot be destroyed, only transmuted.  F

ear around death is truly scary as it acts like a net that traps you.

Have you ever noticed how some people transcend this life with a smile on their face and how some leave truly terrified?  Which one do you want to be?

Be Free

True freedom can only be found on the path that leads to the root of love — the knowing that all is well and the trusting that the universe is organized and you are a part of that.

“We all need to have our eyes wide open to what we are manifesting and creating on a day-to-day, if not minute-to-minute, basis. “

Look out into the universe.  Can you see how there is structure in everything out there?  There is the cycle of life, death and even a bit of chaos thrown in-between but there always seems to be an order and organization to the universe itself.

Planets aren’t shaped like bananas or cubes, they are round (or at least they were when I wrote this).  Most of them are in orbit around a sun.

There are, of course, some free-for-alls that do not have a sun to orbit and drift through space but what a wonderful metaphor for how some of us feel!  You know, the macrocosm reflecting the microcosm and vice versa.

Bashing Fear on the Nose

Fear is something that we all deal with daily.  No matter what label you put on the emotion – if it is negative or coming from a lower vibration, it boils down to fear.  We now need to march straight up to it and bash it on the nose.

“Everything you experience is a manifestation of your thought.”

There is no more time for unconscious creating in this world (for more about consciously co-creating your life, CLICK HERE).  We all need to have our eyes wide open to what we are manifesting and creating on a day-to-day, if not minute-to-minute, basis.

Everything you experience is a manifestation of your thought.  Everything from the bird in the tree that is singing to the cup of coffee that sits next to you.

Most people just think about manifestations as being on the bigger scale.  ‘Oh, I know I manifested that really needy relationship’ or ‘Yes, I acknowledge that I my anger could have caused the accident’ but do we really consider even the smallest of creations.  If not, you should – because there is no chance in our world – everything is co-created and manifested through collective or individual consciousness.

Hard pill to swallow?  Good!  Nothing worth knowing comes to you on a silver platter.

Fear not, all is well.

Related Article:  

3 Silver Bullets to Eliminate Fear

Christmas Gift Ideas…Part 3

A Recap

In the past 2 weeks I have discussed great sites such as RedBubble and Zazzle for creating your own gift designs, whether it is from photographs or your own personal artwork.  See Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

Need inspiration?

Today we are going to go behind the scenes and discuss getting inspired.  It’s not an easy thing to obtain if you are stuck for motivation or ideas.  This is where perusing other artist, designers and photographers websites or works on sites such as RedBubble is such a great way of seeing what other creative beings are up to.  Not that you want to copy their ideas but it does, more often than not, lead you to do something that is triggered by someones idea but made completely different by your creative style.

A lot of these gift ideas use captions along with images that can really have that added ‘wow’ factor touch.  So, to get you going on some inspirational visuals, I have been introduced to a site called Pinterest and I want to share this wonderful site with you.

Pinteresting…

For those of you who are not acquainted with the site, it is a really great visual social network.  Displaying not only art, design and photography but also captions, short quotations, illustration, fashion, home decor designs, food and a whole lot of other fantastic things to stir up your creative juices.

“Set aside some good quality time for this as I guarantee the candy feast your eyes will be lapping up is going to make time fly…”

It is a fairly easy site to navigate and it allows you to ‘pin’ any image you like, adding it to your pin board on the site where others can have a look too and repin if they desire.  You also get to check out what other people have pinned on their boards, whether it be their personal creations or other images they have nabbed off the web.

Again, these pictures do fall under copyright laws — so obey!  But have fun getting inspired and motivated to start your own creations.

Set aside some good quality time for this as I guarantee the candy feast your eyes will be lapping up is going to make time fly out the window…next thing you look at the clock and hours have passed as you have perused the many visual delights!  Enjoy and, most of all, have fun.

Future projecting

Can you imagine how impressed your family and friends will be when you present them with a gift of your very own design?!

It is a great way to express yourself, feel a sense of achievement and to get that Christmas list looking good.

If you still feel like making your own gifts is just not for you, here are some more gift ideas from my store:

  

10 Ascension Tips You Need to Know

Cosmic Dance

As tongue-in-cheek as this article title intended to be — there is something to this biblical concept of ‘ascension’ but it may not be what you think.

To Be or Not To Be…What Was the Question?

Who am I?  

If this has been your question, then I would like to officially welcome you to the human race.

What needs to be clarified is that you know who you are.  You are the I Am that I Am.  This is not just some new flavour caption or the latest (or possibly, oldest) spiritual declaration of the times. This is a statement that holds no ego, no space and no time.  This is your true identity.  When you question your identity, you believe that you are less than what you are.  You are never this — you are only stuck in the illusion or the dream that you are lacking in some way or another.

Your Personal Spiritual Path

Now to find true meaning behind the saying is your spiritual path — your journey to enlightenment.  To say the words with no meaning or context is useless and is as effective as saying any prayer like a parrot and not feeling the words being said.

“You do not need to ‘find’ yourself because you were and are never lost.”

We so often miss this vital point.  Your ‘homework’ is to give juice to this phrase.  You do not need to ‘find’ yourself because you were and are never lost.  You need to rediscover who you are because you have forgotten – that’s all.  How you get to this point is entirely up to you.  Every soul takes a unique path to their spiritual awakening and this can be fun and daunting at the same time.  Now, this brings me to ascension – the latest hot topic.

Don’t Be Fooled by the Rapture

EscapismWill some be beamed off the face of the Earth (possibly like the Mayan civilization – disappeared never to be seen again) or will we all die and move on to the wondrous 5th dimension that has been promised by so many prophets and soothsayers?  Will the religiously righteous be taken up to heaven while the rest are left to fight out the apocalypse?  Is this all just one big hoax or money-making scheme?

They do seem like rather strange questions, don’t they? But believe it or not, they are being asked. We are looking outside ourselves for answers and we want them fast.

Some were even led to believe that the 21st December 2012 was going to be ‘the date’.

Now here’s how I understand this cosmic rapturing conundrum.

Could Love Be Key to the Ascension?

Ascension is a state of elevating yourself into a different level of consciousness and, in my humble opinion, is not a physical event.  This is a lateral and not a literal experience.

What has love got to do with it?  Let’s examine this more closely.

Firstly, fear is the catalyst for being in an eternal drama.  I say eternal because if you don’t break the pattern of fear it will lead to the inevitable cycle of karma – cause and effect.  You will be doing it again if you don’t learn this time around.

“You incarnated with the intention to overcome the illusion and fear is the root cause of all illusion.”

This is not some form of punishment – this will come from the will of your over soul – your higher self. You incarnated with the intention to overcome the illusion and fear is the root cause of all illusion.  Love is the reality and love will cancel out all fear.

So your job is to examine fear – not to push it aside like most of us are guilty of doing but to take it out and look at it.  We need to face the fear and walk through it.  You can take this literally or metaphorically, the choice is yours and will fit the situation.

Trust Your Gut Instinct

Your discernment is the key factor in outing your darkness.  Only you know what cobwebs are lurking in the deep caverns of your soul.  Only you can dust those corners and expose them to the light.

If some fears need facing head on, then do it!  If some need therapy, then do it!  If some need deep reflection and meditation, then do it!  No more excuses.  If you are making excuses, for whatever reasons you have, be very sure that you are fully aware that your excuses ARE your choices.

“No-one else is responsible for you.”

If you choose to excuse yourself from your lessons then you will be in for another round on the karma wheel – your choice.  Some people take longer to pull finger than others – this applies to lifetimes too, you know.  So it is appropriate that some will not achieve full enlightenment in this lifetime, there will be other lifetimes to battle this out – your choice.  If you are a go-getter, then why not make it this lifetime?

As Yoda said, ‘Do or do not – there is no try’.  But the bottom line to this bollocking is that you must be responsible for your choices.  No-one else is responsible for you.  If this is your mindset you are in for a rude awakening!  No pun intended.

I Am that I Am

Now let’s get back to ascension. Ascension, for me, is embodying your experience here on earth by:

  • knowing at a deep soul level your ‘I Am’ presence (being resolute about who you are),
  • accepting what is and always knowing when to take appropriate loving action when there is something you can change,
  • understanding that unconditional love holds the answer to all problems,
  • finding the compassion in any situation and forgiving freely,
  • giving freely with no attachment,
  • seeing divinity en-masse, with no exceptions,
  • knowing, at all times, that there is divine order,
  • knowing you are a part of the entire system called ‘life’ therefore stepping into unity consciousness,
  • honouring all life — in whatever shape or form, including self,
  • being comfortably in the world but not of it.

We need to face everything with resolution that all is in divine order.  Whatever is just is.  There is a peace that comes with this acceptance.  If you are fighting this phrase you still need to accept that there is divine order and that you are divine.

If you do feel this then when you are faced with a fear based situation, be the calm presence.

“There simply is no ‘ceasing to exist’ – even if you do leave your body behind.”

Even if this situation means death – all you have to do is state I AM THAT I AM.  If you die in fear you will generate a lesson that you will have to walk through again…yup, the good ‘ol wheel of karma.

If you die stating and knowing in your heart that you ARE the divine, you have accepted mastery.  You are in dharma or nirvana.  There simply is no ‘ceasing to exist’ — even if you do leave your body behind.  If you ascend with or without your body —state the I AM THAT I AM.

Your only job is to make sure you know what you are stating and that it is felt in your heart.

The Heart Chakra

When you are faced with fear, try to concentrate your energy on your heart center.  Feel your heart swell with love and gratitude for whatever brings you these feelings in your life – whether it be your children, grandchildren, pets, friends, anything that brings you joy and feelings of elation — this is how you will elevate yourself into a different frequency.  Now expand that feeling.

Practice this over and over again until you can switch on the sensation of immense love whenever you have to.  When you send out love and light to the world or to anyone or anything, make sure you are feeling the love in your heart centre (chakra).  This makes it more potent and it will bring more of that feeling back to you – so it’s a win-win situation.

When you love, there simply is no space left for fear.  You will be on a different vibratory plane.  Fear won’t ‘fit’ anymore.

Truth Be Told

I read a channeled message saying that we need to speak our truths.  If you don’t speak your truth for fear of what people may think of you, you are not ready.  That resonated with me and I am now fully motivated to stand up and say it like it is and if people think I’m a nutter, well, why the hell not!

I am proud to stand up at AA (abnormal anonymous – although not quite so anonymous anymore) and say, ‘Hi, my name is Cherie and I am completely abnormal.  But hey, I Am that I Am.’

The ascension is the awakening to your divine self, the knowledge that you are a part of God and the acceptance that everything has divine order and purpose.  In order to do this, you must also see this divinity en-masse — in everyone and everything.  How can peace and love not arise with this attitude?

Other articles you may enjoy:

Are You Being Challenged Today?

How to Get and Maintain that Positive Attitude

The Secret to Excellent Living

Finding Humility Through Wisdom

Taking Responsibility For Your Co-Creative Abilities

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John Cleese – Pushing Boundaries Through Comedy

WARNING:  PG 13 – Foul language used in this blog

I was fortunate enough to be able to go and see John Cleese‘s new show ‘Alimony Tour’ in 2012.

“Without these ground-breaking, side-splitting writers and actors we might never have broken the barrier of vulgar, fowl and completely insane comedy”

I have always been a huge fan of Fawlty Towers and Monty Python, not to mention A Fish Called Wanda and the latest triumph, ‘Spud’ – a movie made from the South African novel of the same title by John Van De Ruit.

The childhood memories of Basil Fawlty and the ‘deceased parrot’ skit are some of my fondest.  This so-called ‘black/dark’ humor has been my life-line in many occasions and it is all due to the genius of pioneer comedians such as Cleese and the Python team, as well as Connie Booth (Cleese’s first wife and co-writer and star of Fawlty Towers).

Without these ground-breaking, side-splitting writers and actors we might never have broken the barrier of vulgar, fowl and completely insane comedy.

Pushing Boundaries

Cleese mentioned that he was the first person to say ‘shit’ on the BBC and consequentially went on to be the ‘first’ person to say ‘fuck’ at the church memorial service for his fellow writer/actor/friend, Graham Chapman.  A tribute, Cleese declared, that his friend, Chapman, would have wanted him to fulfill at Chapman’s expense *grin*.

“With their light of humor, they shone laughter and mirth into the hearts of millions who needed to be uplifted from their daily grind.”

The Python team went on to push all sorts of boundaries with their completely zany comedy skits and movies.  The one thing they did achieve through this was a world-wide fan base and some of the best and most diverse comedy to hit the screens ever!

This opened up new avenues and diverse channels for finding humour in the mundane and darkest of places.  What’s life about if we can’t take the Micky out of everything!

Comedic pioneers, with their light of humour, shone laughter and mirth into the hearts of millions who needed to be uplifted from their daily grind.

On With the Show…

Mona Lisa grinThe show was about Cleese’s personal and professional history and what a journey it was!  From the humble beginnings in a one-horse town to the moment David Frost called him up to be on telly – the show takes you through the trials and tribulations of this mans extraordinary life.

Mother Cleese

I loved the story of his mother.  In a nutshell, she lived to be 101 years old – being born in 1900 and passing away in 2001, she experienced a centuries worth of tumultuous history – living through WW1, WW2 and the cold war – just to name a few major events.

However, according to Cleese, she never really noticed any of it due to her incessant fears, worries and phobias.  Something he later turned around when he offered to hire a hitman to ‘take her out’ if it made her feel better.  This made her laugh about her situation and from that moment onward they shared a special bond through his talent of ‘black comedy’.

The Effect on the Masses

What stood out for me during the performance was how all the thousands of people in the audience responded to some of the clips he was showing from his various shows.  The crowd was applauding, giving standing ovations and laughing merrily.

“When you have the ability to laugh, you have the ability to heal.”

This brought me to think:  How wonderful is laughter?!  It can unite so many people under its umbrella.  It can make us look at situations and find the humor, no matter how diverse in nature.

Laughter is the Best Damn Medicine

The human being has this wonderful gift – to laugh.  And, more importantly, to laugh at ourselves.  So many times, we take ourselves and situations too seriously.  When you have the ability to laugh, you have the ability to heal.

Be lighthearted and find something to laugh about every day.  You will reduce stress and you will be a fantastic person to be around.

Go on – have a laugh!

A Parting Word of Thanks (Just Don’t Mention the War!)

Thank you, John Cleese, and all the other comedians who pushed the boundaries and gave us all something to laugh about!  The echoes of laughter will linger long after you have moved on.

You leave this planet a much more jolly place to be in.  You all deserve medals for your contributions to pant-wetting.

Other articles you may enjoy:

What is Free and Priceless in the World Today?

Why Weird is the New Cool

The Dummies Guide to Awakening

7 Proven Tactics to Spread Joy Around the World

Does The Sun Shine Out Of Your Bottom?

Dare to Be Who You Are

A Practical Guide to Feeling Good

Christmas Gift Ideas…Part 2

A little bit of silliness never went astray!

Over the past couple of months my husband and I (no, I am not the queen) have been trying to plant our own vegetable garden.  This is not as simple as it would usually sound as we live near Cape Point and have baboons for neighbours.  And as you can surmise, baboons eat vegetables.

So the plan is to build frameworks with chicken wire around our vege garden to protect it from our hairy adversaries.  A challenge to say the least.

So what has this got to do with art?

Well, during our spates in the garden, we have come up with some witty vegetable ‘catch-phrases’.  I was wondering how to incorporate this new avenue into my art and have come up with a bold solution.

The vegetables have given rise to new unfounded inspiration…(picture opposite – ‘Can you handle me?‘:  Warning!  I come with many different layers…and I can make a grown man cry!!!).  This has led me to create the….*drum-roll*…

The Vege-Tate Gallery

In a moment of pure silliness I invented a joke shop, which I have named The Vege-Tate Gallery, that hosts a number of incredibly cheesy vegetable quotations accompanied by my digital artwork of these tasty morsels.

I wanted to make the designs simple yet effective.  At first I contemplated freehand drawings and then scanning and cropping them into a T-shirt design but decided to go the digital route.

This involved my hand, the mouse and the simple paintbrush program that most Windows packages come with.

I then transfer these crude drawings into Photoshop, where I can put them on a transparent background and ‘clean’ them up.  Finally I add the text and upload it to the site (at the moment I am using RedBubble but you can also do this on Zazzle – see my previous article for all the goodies you can create there).

Voila!

Another gift idea for Christmas in the (shopping) bag…

How can you do this?

If you struggle with the graphics side of things, you can use photographs instead.  Ever taken a funny photo of a child or pet? – well, use that! Everyone has at least one crazy catch-phrase they can use as an excellent and unique gift idea for that someone special.

The wonderful thing about both these sites is you can have the gift sent directly to the person, so it is simply fantastic for those relatives and friends overseas!  No excuses.

Can’t be bothered?

Visit my ever-growing store and have the hassle taken out of Christmas shopping.

This is my first batch of vegetable produce:

Feel free to post some of your creations here for others to see and get ideas from.

Are You Being Challenged Today?

It is what it is…

When I feel challenged by outside or external influences or situations, my favourite phrase to bring me into the present moment is ‘it is what it is’…

Such a simple, yet effective phrase. In it’s simplicity it offers you a gateway, a bridge to cross from potentially being swept away with unhelpful emotions to being in a realm of acceptance – which ultimately brings with it, peace.

Accepting What Is

When you accept what is happening, you are offering up no resistance to any given situation. It is not always the easiest of practices but if you can be present enough, in the moment, you will remember this phrase and be able to accept and cope with whatever life throws at you. From the small things in life to the more challenging things.

“…ultimately, you have a choice to make it a neutral situation or a big disaster “

Let’s Explore This Through Examples:

One bright and sunny day, I ventured outside to have my morning cuppa.  I carefully positioned myself to sit so that I wouldn’t knock the table and spill the contents of my mug. I succeeded in doing this until I bumped the table with my leg as I crossed it which tipped a whole lot of water, that had been accumulating in the center of the table after a nightfall of rain, into my lap and spilling the coffee I was so desperately trying to keep from spilling.

For a few seconds I sat there observing my very wet trousers and the table full of coffee then I remembered my favourite phrase and began to laugh.

This could have gone horribly wrong as I have a bad temper but, ultimately, you have a choice to make it a neutral situation or a big disaster (which by the way always starts to snowball out of control until you are having a thoroughly bad day).

“To fight against a situation and to ask ‘how could this happen to me’ will bring nothing but grief and despair”

Even with the bigger things. I recently lost both my parents to cancer in a span of 5 years and even though I miss them terribly at times, I know that they are with me always and that this situation is what it is.

The relationship I have with them now has taken on a different form. I have no doubt that they are happy in the dimension that they are in and I can make peace with that. This is what it is.  To resist this would bring a lot of unhappiness which would not benefit anybody.

Don’t Judge the Situation

Try to apply this to your situation, see events as not being either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ but simply ‘being what they are’.

To fight against a situation and to ask ‘how could this happen to me’ will bring nothing but grief and despair. Any situation you find yourself in, is as it is and all things will pass – this is a fact.

“There is always light, even in the darkest of places”

So whenever life throws you a curve ball, throw it back and say ‘I accept that this is what it is’. This does not mean that you don’t care, it simply means that you are not resisting what is and cannot change.

If you can change it then by all means do and then accept that situation for what it is.  You will find that there is always light, even in the darkest of places.

It is up to you to seek it out and to focus your intent on always seeing the good in everything.

If you can truly live like this it will make your life a lot more peaceful.

  • Do you have a story to share?
  • How do you stay grounded in this seemingly chaotic world?
  • Do you need help in trying to see the forest for the trees?

Other blogs by Cherie Roe Dirksen you may enjoy:

Warning: 4 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Venus Fly-TrSubscribe Iconaps

Why We May Be Feeling Disenchanted

It’s About Time This Blog Was Written!

How to Use the Void to Manifest

Why You Should Strive to be a Nobody

3 Crucial Steps to Self Acceptance

Self-Empowerment Books by Cherie Roe Dirksen:

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Table Books of Art and Inspirational Teachings by Cherie Roe Dirksen:

Creative Expression        Art Portfolio

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How to Get and Maintain that Positive Attitude

Turning a Negative into a Positive

Facebook Header SpectacularWe all know about positive thinking and the Law of Attraction but do we really put it into practice?

I have so many friends who say they completely understand the Law of Attraction but I find these very same people asking me to join groups on Facebook with very negative connotations, such as ‘Stop Child Abuse’ or ‘Fight Cancer’ . They still don’t quite get it.

So how do you phrase with positivity then?

It does take some getting used to and it can be thought-provoking but it is possible. Mother Theresa said something very profound to demonstrate this premise, it went along the lines of: You’ll never see her at an Anti-War Rally but you will find her at a Pro-Peace Demonstration.

“When we harp on negative words or phrasing we are actually calling them into existence or perpetuating their existence…”

Let’s take the ‘Stop Child Abuse’ campaign, this can be rephrased as the ‘Love and Respect our Children’ or ‘Joyous Childhood’ campaign. ‘Fight Cancer’ can equate positively to ’Complete Physical Well-being”.

What Happens When we Focus on Negativity?

Pink PoppiesWhen we harp on negative words or phrasing we are actually calling them into existence or perpetuating their existence. Feeding the problem, making it recur over and over until we change our mindset.

Let’s try to think a little differently and see what a world of difference we make.

When I talk to most people about this they nearly always tell me that it is far to difficult to alter ones thoughts.  It is not — it just takes time, awareness and patience.

How to Stop Negativity 

The first step is to put your awareness on your thoughts and try to stop the negative ones in their tracks.

At first, some of these thoughts will slip through the cracks and you’ll find yourself in a fear induced state of panic of what might be or what has been and might happen again (isn’t this conducive to how most of us think?).

This is actually quite a normal state of mind in our society – one could even say a collective state of mind. Don’t give up on it though, with repetition things will change and you will find it easier and easier to stop your train of thought when you want to.

One by one you will slowly begin to eradicate these unproductive thought processes from you mind.

Patience is a Strong Virtue

Blue BirdsEverything takes time and a bit of getting used to so the best is to be patient with yourself and gently usher in the new positive thought process.

Do not judge yourself if you fall of the track every now and again – you just pick yourself up and get back on track.  Before you know it, you will be identifying negative thought patterns more and more easily and you will be able to alter the pattern to positivity.

“Just remember the ‘what if’s’ usually never ever happen anyway – how much time have we wasted on this?”

I know this for sure because I practice this and find it to be very effective. It has taken me almost a year to be at a point where I can change negative thoughts midstream and reverse it to a more positive scenario.

What if I Lapse?

Believe me, I also have my lapses but more often than not it can be stopped before one gets carried away in the stream of ‘what if’ scenarios.

I was very good at the ‘what if’ scenario – I’m sure we could all win Oscars for that but how about changing the ‘what if’ into a ‘what is’ because only what is happening now is of true importance. Just remember the ‘what if’s’ usually never ever happen anyway – how much time have we wasted on this?  Read more about how to stop worrisome thoughts HERE.

Easier said than done? Most definitely, but anything of great importance is worth the persistence. Persist with this and, I promise you, you will reap the rewards of a clear and positive state of mind.

Positive thoughts can pull you out of the darkness.
Positive thoughts can heal a sick body.
Positive thoughts can help eliminate our biggest obstacle, fear.

You are in Control 

PoppiesPositivity will alter your perception of the world you live in – the choice is, and always will remain, with you.

You create your life experience, you are in control.  What you see reflected in your life circumstance is what you have projected, consciously – or most of the time unconsciously.  Be clear about this and move on to filtering your wants and don’t wants.

Live your best life – you can only do this when you take responsibility for your actions and thoughts.  Take control of your life and truly live!

Have Your Say…

  • Are you a positive person or do you feel yourself slipping into the negative realms before you can stop it?  Share your thoughts and experiences…I’d love to hear from you.

Other articles you may enjoy…

How to Manifest Your Desires

Do You Need To Meditate?

7 Ways to Lift You from Depression

9 Truths About Letting Go of Opinions that Taint Us

Are You Letting the Wonders of the World Pass You By?

How to Add Spectacular Drama to Your Life!

How Trust Can Bring You Abundance

How J.K.Rowling Helped Inspire My Books

Are You Bottling Up Your Feelings?

5 Fundamental Steps to a Thriving Relationship

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Gift Ideas for Christmas…Part 1

Part 1 – Getting an Idea

As unbelievable as it is, Christmas is starting to loom over the horizon.  I don’t even want to go into the fact that time is definitely speeding up because it is of no actual help to us when we start to think of the panic and mayhem of the ‘silly season’.

So, this weeks art blog is going to be one of many, leading up to Christmas, on getting creative with gift ideas.

Feel free to post/comment anything that you have discovered that is of help in the great gift ideas department!

Today I am going to be talking about the wonderful idea of designing your own products.  There is a great store called Zazzle, that allows you to customize designs that are already available or, if you are feeling creative, to design your own products.

Zazzle Dazzle!

It is easy to open an account with them and only takes a few minutes to get started.  They also offer tutorials on how to make a start.  Click here to go to the store.

The excellent thing about Zazzle is that you can send the product directly to the person you are making it for and you can add a personal message with the gift for them.  Nothing could be simpler!  Just the click of a button.  This makes it so easy for those loved ones overseas that you want to send something to.  Zazzle also offers affordable products – there is something to suit every pocket.

All that you need to do is upload a photo onto a mug, T-shirt or any one of their massive product selection.  Or you can really get creative and start working on your own masterpiece (maybe you already have some art or sketches ‘lying around’ gathering dust from yester year).  All that needs to be done is to get a good quality digital image of the desired picture and you can start designing your own product.

Sounds easy?

Well, it is!  Get creative – design your heart out (you can even slip in a bit of doodling at the office while no-one is watching…although I don’t want to get you fired – perhaps leave it for your lunch break).

There is no excuse for not finding some idea that will work and that is yours…this is your chance to show your family and friends at Christmas how innovative and productive you really are.  And besides a little head-swelling, you are giving them something from the heart.  Your personal creation.

Right, this all sounds really fantastic but I have no ideas – where do I start?

To get you started, here are some useful tips…

  • What are you passionate about?  Horses, dolphins, flowers, a great sunset, anime, stick art, collage, patterns?  Start from here and brainstorm…
  • What style do you like?  Simplistic, photographic, 70’s retro, digitally enhanced images, hand drawn?  Figure out how you are going to implement the design…so for instance you have a great photo of a flower but you like impressionist style painting – well, most computer programs offer special effects that you can apply to your image.  Play around with different effects and most important, have fun!
  • Do you have a great photo of someone that you can use to create a personal gift with – this has to be the most simple way to give a unique gift.  Just remember to make sure that they also like the photo – there is nothing worse than getting a beautiful photo framed for someone only to find out that they think they look ‘hideous’.  If you do this you may have to redirect them to my article on yesterday’s blog ‘Do you take things personally?’…just for a laugh. 🙂
  • Try recognizable signs and symbols if you are having a tough time figuring out what to do.  Peace signs, hearts, stars, emoticons…there is a wealth of stock available for you to use.  Just make sure you add your personal touch to it.
  • If you are really stumped then do a Google photo search for images that you are interested in and start to work out a plan from there.  Be careful not to use someone elses work for copyright reasons.  You can get ideas but don’t be a copycat.

If you truly don’t feel like going to the effort of creating your own masterpiece then here are some unique gift ideas from my store that you can personalize (add a name or phrase to)…

    

Or you can visit the store here

Remember that you can personalize these products when you are in the store (click on the ‘customize’ button at the bottom right hand side of the product).

Stay tuned for more gift ideas in the weeks to follow and don’t forget to share your comments and inspirational ideas for the festive season.

Taking Things Personally Could Be Ruining Your Life

Caught in Blue by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Framed Prints Available – Click Here

Be Honest With Yourself

Are you easily offended? When you take something personally or are affronted, you are — in a claustrophobic little nutshell — agreeing with what has been said about you.

Does this ring true or are you shaking your head profusely?

When you feel offended you are agreeing with the offender because it has touched a nerve. Let’s try unravel more of this…

Nerves Weren’t Always Twisted, You Know

If someone tried to hurt you, or perhaps even inadvertently, says something to you that you don’t agree with – no problem – you usually shrug off this kind of ‘offense’ because it really doesn’t bother you.

For example: You are happy with your appearance and feel you are a fine specimen, someone passes by in a vehicle and shouts out ‘hey, freak!’

Here is your moment; do you agree with that or not? If you are 100% confident that you are a perfectly chic human being then you would most likely shrug the comment off and have a good laugh.

Why? Simply because you don’t agree with the statement.

“Who get’s to be the judge and jury on what is deemed beautiful accepted or hideous? The tabloids? Hollywood?”

Now, if you think you are ‘okay’ looking but there could be room for improvement, or, in the extreme, if you are someone with downright low self-esteem, this statement would be devastating because a part of you, or perhaps – most of you, agrees with this. You are shocked that someone else has found you out!

You thought if you could keep your head down no-one would notice you but here someone has clearly seen your faults. This feels like a low blow and you become all knotted up in your stomach (solar plexus area).

The Illusion of Appearance

The ultimate fear of imperfection and/or of not being accepted is, of course, an illusion.

Who get’s to be the judge and jury on what is deemed beautiful accepted or hideous? The tabloids? Hollywood? Just spare a thought as to who you give your power over to, that which dictates what beauty and normal is, and try to see that it is all fake.

True beauty and acceptance is in the eye of the beholder. So anyone claiming to know what beauty or normal definitely is needs very close examining if they are not including every member of the human race in their synopsis.

To agree with anyone over anything stemming from feelings of lack would be disempowering.

“The person doing the insulting is only reminding you of something that needs to be taken on within yourself to have a good, long and hard look at – and to either change or accept.”

The same could be said over someone slighting your intelligence. If you don’t feel stupid then any snide remark over your competence could be easily overlooked but if you are worried about what others think, a dig at your IQ could mean the world to you.

Are You to Blame?

This is not truly the fault of the insulter (although they will have to deal with their contribution via their karma) – it is actually your fault.

Yeah, it sounds harsh and it is. But if we are going to get real about this we need to dive right into the core of the problem and bring it up for close scrutiny.

The person doing the insulting is only reminding you of something that needs to be taken on within yourself to have a good, long and hard look at – and to ultimately change or accept.

Although you probably won’t want to give them a gold medal for their efforts at the time, I assure you that some people are in this life to push your buttons — in a seemingly unloving way — to actually give you the opportunity to reconsider your belief structures.

This may be on a level that even they are not aware of.

If there are no buttons to push, then you can walk away head held high knowing that it is something you have overcome or never had a doubt about in the first place.

It is the slights that leave us feeling wounded that mean that we have a program still running within us that wants to be ended, a cache that needs clearing.

What Insults You?

You have to be cruel in examining these beliefs in order to be kind to yourself.

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We all face difficult, dark moments of self-realization, when we see the agreements we have made about ourselves and have to try to turn it around. When you can out these undesirable contracts you can begin to repair them.

We have to discover why we felt the lack and how we are feeling now about the same issue. Then we must align it to our higher self by breaking down the agreement piece by piece and offer it up to the light to be cleansed.

What do I mean by this?

This simply means to shed light on a problem. When it has come to our full attention we can dissemble it and make a new beneficial agreement about ourselves.

We need to look at ourselves and find the beauty inherent in us, not always trying to fish out our perceived faults. When you treat yourself with loving kindness and nurture your self-esteem with positive thoughts, you will begin to shift into alignment with your higher self.

“However, we must consider that some things are said in the heat of the moment and not really meant by the offender, so we really need to see why we made the agreement.”

Some of these agreements we made at a very young age. When we are young we have no inhibitions and sang at the top of our voices, danced our hearts out (whether someone was looking or not) and thought we were princesses and superheroes.

Then one day someone came along and made you feel less than what you felt about yourself. You may have paused to take it in – then you made a crucial decision.

Making the Agreement

Either you agreed with what they said or you didn’t. That is why some of us can still dance freely and not be bothered whilst others cringe at the thought of dancing in public – this could be due to an earlier experience of being made to feel like you were ‘no good’ by someone who was only giving you one piece of the puzzle.

What Puzzle?

When I said that the person was only giving one piece of the puzzle I mean that they have a preference based on their version of reality.

That is one person’s perspective in a sea of other possible candidates – ones who may have loved your form of expression.

This person could have also been a child, an acquaintance, a stranger or it could have been someone you trusted and loved deeply. The latter is often the case and can make the hurt twice as strong.

However, we must consider that some things are said in the heat of the moment and not really meant by the offender, so we really need to see why we made the agreement.

“We sometimes tend to disregard the ones who encourage us, leaving only space in our thoughts for the ones who hurt us.”

You also need to know that you can never have universal appeal with absolutely everyone.

You or your talents may not be one person’s cup of tea but what about all the other people in the world who will resonate with your particular brand of uniqueness.

Neither being important though because it is ultimately you who needs to please you. When you do this then you are immediately accepted and no outside influence can make you feel anything other than what you know yourself to be.

“Without diversity in hair colour, body shapes, talents, voices, tastes, etc we would be tantamount to sheep running around in a field day in and day out – bah-bah-boring!”

We sometimes tend to disregard the ones who encourage us, leaving only space in our thoughts for the ones who hurt us.

Why is this, I wonder?

Everyone has the urge to be liked and accepted for who they are. This is normal. But what we need to redefine is what is normal?

Every soul is special and has equally unique attributes, abilities and ways of expressing themselves creatively. There should be no judgment.

What do We do About That Sheeple Judge?

When there is judgment on this, we must question the one doing the judging.

Without freedom of expression this world would be a very dull place. Without diversity in hair colour, body shapes, talents, voices, tastes, etc we would be tantamount to sheep running around in a field day in and day out – bah-bah-boring!

Love your difference, embrace yourself.

Begin to discover, on the deepest level, who you truly are and what you have done – not only in this lifetime but in the countless life experiences you have had. Draw on the wealth of talents you have that you haven’t even begun to extract from your being.

Know Thyself!

As the oracle in the movie The Matrix had written above her kitchen door: ‘Know thyself’ (a long-established ancient Greek aphorism).

When you do, there is nothing anyone can say or do to you that would ever hurt you because you will be resolute as to who you are and nobody can take that away from you, unless you allow them to.

 “Empowerment comes from fearing no-thing and facing every day with courage and love in your heart.”

Don't Take Things Personally - Find Out How...

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When you are living with the statement ‘be the best you can be’ and you are doing this with all your integrity and might then you have nothing to fear.

Empowerment comes from fearing no-thing and facing every day with courage and love in your heart. Strive to be the best and do the best you can in every situation and you will be living in your integrity and you will know yourself.

Then words or energy that does not fit with your frequency or vibration will not even penetrate your field of self. You have become the master of your life and your reality.

Something worth looking into, wouldn’t you say?

Do you have something that you just can’t not take personally?  What is it and can you perhaps trace when you made the agreement?

Other articles you may enjoy:

7 Things I Wish I Knew when I Was a Teenager

12 Things Successful People Do To Excel

6 Tips on How to Get to Where You Want to Be

Painting Dolphins

As promised, in my previous blog about whales (read here), this art blog is going to be about painting dolphins.  As I explained in the ‘Why you have to love whales’ blog – I live in Cape Town and am privileged to see these beautiful mammals expressing their joyous souls on a regular basis.

I have not, sadly, swum with them (yet) – as was the case with the whale – but I have seen pods of dolphins in the False Bay area and what a sight and fuel for inspiration they are!

I have no fantastic tales (or tails) to regale with today so I am simply going to stick to the technical aspects of painting underwater scenes…

The technical side of painting underwater (and no, not physically!)

Dolphins - Cherie Dirksen original paintingPainting underwater scenes are quite involved as they require a lot of layering.  This ‘wash’ of blue that needs to be repeated until the desired effect is achieved, needs time and patience…and I paint in acrylics – for those who paint in oils the process takes even longer as the drying time is slower.

  1. The first layer consists of getting the basic blue background started – then I apply the subject matter.
  2. When that is done the watered-down blue paint wash layering begins until the right monotone colour is produced and ready to go out into the world.
  3. The most rewarding part of this journey is in the varnishing.  As soon as you apply that coat of gloss varnish the painting comes alive and the water looks wet again (like it does when the paint is first set to canvas).

Magnifique!

Perhaps this can give you a better appreciation of how much time and effort (or in some cases, curses and tears) goes into these deceptively tricky aquatic scenes.

Inspiration

With every work of art comes the inspiration behind it.  With this painting, as with the whale painting, I have put it down in the form of a poem.

The Poem 

‘Dolphins – The Spirit of Freedom’

You never let us forget how to love
How to laugh
How to smile
How to be light-hearted

You never let us forget how to be
In the moment
In this space
In this time

You never let us forget about beauty
About simplicity
About friendship
About sincerity

You never let us forget about fun
Being in the heart
Playing with each other
Soaking up the bliss

You never let us forget why we love you so
Why we feel connected
Why you are important
Why you are here

You never let us forget
Who we are
Why we are
When we are

Please never let us forget

If you also have an affinity for dolphins and would like to splash out and have this original painting gracing your wall – click here for details.  I also have a wide variety of products to choose from with this specific dolphin design – for prints, posters and greeting cards click here, for gift ideas click here.

For those of you who still need convincing about how wonderful dolphins are, please do yourself a favour and watch this incredible short video – your heart will melt…go on, you know you want to. 🙂

Anchoring the New Energy

Take care of my heart by Cherie Roe DirksenToday’s blog is going to be a simple one – a prayer for love and peace where you will anchor the new energy.  If prayer sounds too ‘religious’ then use it as a meditation or an affirmation.

This can be done as you read it from your computer screen or it can be said during your ‘quiet time’.

If spoken out loud it is more potent as your words carry a frequency and/or energy.  Please say it with feeling – without feeling the words will be meaningless.

“…it is a great thing to do whenever you are feeling low and want to raise your vibration”

The easiest way to truly feel the love is to go to your heart chakra (middle of your chest) and imagine yourself swelling with love in this space.  Think of someone or something that makes your feel joyous, blissful, loving or any one of the positive spectrum of emotions. Work from there and expand that feeling so that you are in a state of love or bliss.

Don’t worry if you can’t do it at first, this exercise takes practice and repetition but it is a great thing to do whenever you are feeling low and want to raise your vibration.

Here is the prayer/affirmation:

“I hold the vision of love and peace here on Mother Earth (HOME)
I see Her folded, safely, within the wings of a White Dove
I clearly picture a blanket of love and peace wrapped around the Earth and Her inhabitants
I feel the love sweep over me and know that it is felt simultaneously everywhere by everyone and everything
I sense the smiling faces receiving this love and I tingle with the presence of peace and joy as it vibrates throughout my body
My heart chakra opens even wider to receive the universal gift of this new love energy
I see all my earthly brothers and sisters embrace each other with warmth and compassion
They have lifted the veil of illusion
The smiles reflect an inner knowledge – they can all stare into the eyes of their enemies and see the mirror of self reflected back
They are relieved that they are no longer on opposing sides
They revel in the discovery of Oneness and can’t believe it was
so long forgotten
Arms (weaponry) are laid down
Arms (human) are linked
We are One

Thank you for taking the time out to do this, you have made a difference!

Afterthoughts…

Please share with us how this affirmation/prayer made you feel after you did it.  Your feedback and input is invaluable.

Why You’ve Got to Love Whales (and Paint Them!)

Whales - Cherie Dirksen original painting mammals marine life cetacean

Today’s blog is going to be about the mammals of the world beneath the waves and what inspired me to paint this picture (left).

I live in Cape Town, in the False Bay area.  We are privileged to get the annual migration of whales to our seas every year round about July/August.  It is such an inspiration to be able to watch these majestic creatures from the shore as they play and parade their beautiful bodies for us to take snap shots of (I do believe that some of them definitely ‘work it’ for the camera!).

“After much coaxing, my father got me to come down off his shoulders and reach out as this tremendous toddler swam by…”

An Real-Life Encounter with a Human Toddler and a Baby Whale

I was only about 4 years old when I got to touch my first free-range whale.  My father and I where swimming at the notorious Fish Hoek beach (recently been in the news for shark attacks) when a calf – wanting to ‘play’ with another baby (me) – casually made its way towards us.

I was initially terrified, even a baby whale is the size of a small car!

After much coaxing, my father got me to come down off his shoulders and reach out as this tremendous toddler swam by, allowing me to touch it’s back before it swam away back to its mother.

An experience I shall never forget and one that has led me to feel a great bond with them.

“I often get a flipper coming out of the water in recognition (or perhaps telling me to stop)”

My husband often raises an eyebrow when we are out walking along the coastline and I start wailing like Dori from ‘Finding Nemo‘ (you know, the fish character played by Ellen DeGeneres who can ‘talk’ to whales) but I tell you now – it works!  I often get a flipper coming out of the water in recognition (or perhaps telling me to stop).

Inspiring Grace 

But on a more serious note – how can you not be inspired by such creatures?!

My first painting of a whale was a creation of the pure love I have for these amazing mammals.  I am not going to go into too much semantics about them because I put my feelings down in this simple poem…oh go on – have a read then!

Whales – Beloved Cetacean of the Deep

In the depths of the ocean you reside
Anchoring the light for all
Majestic and graceful
You help us from afar
Your song passed down through generations
You never lose sight of your goal
Determined in purpose
Showing the way
Amidst the adversity of lower vibrations
You carry on your star mission

Some of us feel your presence
And we love you and thank you

Like the pod, we are all one
Unity consciousness will prevail
And contracts will be fulfilled 
Our gratitude is yours
As are our hearts

My next blog is going to be about…you guessed it – dolphins.  Well, we can’t leave them out you know.

Related Blogs:

Painting Dolphins