Tag Archives: cherie roe dirksen

3 Motivational Tips on Getting Back into the Artistic Arena

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I am back from my trip to Egypt and what an adventure it was!  More about that on my Thursday blog though.

Inspiration and Chaos

It was a whirlwind of events, inspiration, emotion and culture shock but inevitably, on the plane home, I started processing my experiences and began to drift into the abyss of ‘what am I doing with my life?’.

You know the feeling, right?  You go on holiday and then you have to come back home to the same old same old…

“Go full throttle or go hide under a rock!  Instead of grabbing the bull by the horns, grab it by the balls…more risky but you will get an infinitely more intense reaction.”

Not me!  I made a firm decision not to climb back into my safety box — Oh no!

Time for Change

So what changed?  3 things spring to mind:

  1. More Risk — I decided I needed to take more risks.  So what if I fail, at least I tried!  This can be on the artistic front and dabbling more in multi-media projects;  trying out new techniques and new marketing techniques.  In fact, a few days before I left, a good friend of mine and NLP/Reiki coach (www.soulworks.co.za), did some Reiki on me and said that when she approached my throat chakra, she sensed that I was not sticking my neck out enough.  How right she was!  The trip made me see even more clarity in that statement.  Go full throttle or go hide under a rock!  Instead of grabbing the bull by the horns, grab it by the balls…more risky but you will get an infinitely more intense reaction.
  2. Simplify — My day-to-day life and schedule was a bit ‘all over the place’.  My big toe was in this venture and that.  I needed to get real about my goals and to simplify my agenda.  This took me one afternoon to sit down and write out my new set of goals and ambitions.  Now I have a clear intention about where I am heading and it is much more flexible than my old agenda.  I have a lot more free time to just be.
  3. Be Authentic — Find out what you are about. What sets you apart from others?  What is your true passion?  What can  you do differently?  How can you incorporate all your multi-faceted uniqueness into one ball of creativity?  Brainstorm these questions and come up with your own set of rules for riding out the next wave of your life.  Surfs up!

The last thing I’d like to add is — don’t sweat the small stuff.  We often get so hung up on the finer details of life instead of looking at the bigger picture.

“You will be amazed at how other people don’t really care about your failures, it’s more about your damaged ego than their perception of you…”

Everything will be alright if you are in your integrity and walking your path of power and purpose.  Trust in that and enjoy your life to the fullest.

If you fall off the bike, dust yourself off and get back on again.  Who’s looking anyway?  You will be amazed at how other people don’t really care about your failures, it’s more about your damaged ego than their perception of you, so what have you got to lose?

Finally, what are you doing to increase your creative stamina and keep the flame alive?

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What Ancient Egyptians Can Teach Us About DNA and Cloning

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A Fascinating Theory About DNA

Todays blog is not going to be an article as such, just a theory that I am going to put forward to you.  So let’s put our thinking caps on and take a swim back over the tides of time to ancient Egypt, a lost culture that I believe to have been about more than slaves and self-righteous, pyramid/tomb building Pharaohs.

Resurrection vs Cloning

Let’s stretch our imaginations here and try to see this with different eyes.  The ancient Egyptians used to mummify their corpses, with, what we think, to be a thought to the soul being resurrected in the same body at a later stage.

“What if they never meant to ‘re-embody’ their existing dead selves but to mummify their ‘blueprint’ (as in DNA) for future cloning of themselves…”

I don’t think this is the case, or not at least initially.  The vital organs were also taken out of the body and mummified in jars.  Strange, it may seem, if the soul were to awaken in its former body minus a few vital organs?  But let me play devils advocate and say that maybe a few temple priests would be on hand in such an event and quickly be able to reassemble the organs in the body.  That is quite a stretch though, wouldn’t you say?

Bear with me, I’m getting there…

The Book of the Dead

I am reading the Egyptian Book of the Dead by E.A. Wallis Budge (published in 1895) and I came across something that interested me.

Mummification or DNA Preservation?

He said that the Egyptians had a very clear concept of death and that there was no dispute that they believed the soul to journey to heaven whilst the flesh decayed in the earth.  So why mummification?

Here’s where my theory gets interesting.

What if they never meant to ‘re-embody’ their existing dead selves but to mummify their ‘blueprint’ (as in DNA) for future cloning of themselves, on the off-chance that their soul may return to the Earth plane and they had the choice of re-existing as a previous form?

Even Thoth in the Emerald Tablets of Thoth stated that his soul passed through the Halls of Amenti numerous times for different incarnations on the earthly plane.  What I feel he suggests is that each carnation saw him in a different vessel but with full memory of who he was previously.  Something that we fail to do upon reincarnation, or most of us, at least.  It is very rare indeed for us to remember a previous lifetime, why is this I wonder?  Are we a species with amnesia and why?

“..ancient Egyptians went to great lengths to mummify their dead whilst seemingly fully aware that the soul went on without the body, the body was left to decay.”

Wallis Budge mentioned that it is a perplexing dilemma in the world of Egyptologists, that the ancient Egyptians went to great lengths to mummify their dead whilst seemingly fully aware that the soul went on without the body, the body was left to decay.

New Information Provides New Answers

No offense to Wallis Budge, but what would he have known about DNA in the late 1800’s?  Never mind of cloning!

He goes on to say, which just anchored this concept for me, that and I quote:

‘They believed in an incorporeal and immortal part of man, the constituent elements of which flew to heaven after death;  yet the theologians of the VIth dynasty had decided that there was some part of the deceased which could only mount to heaven by means of a ladder.’

Ha!  A ladder?  Have you seen the structure of a DNA double helix?  It sure as hell resembles a spiralling ladder to me!  And, again, Wallis Budge did not have this information back in the 1800’s, so how could he compare it to DNA?

They even go on to call this ladder the ‘Ladder of God’ which strikes a remarkable resemblance to Gregg Bradens theory in The God Code which states:

“God eternal in the body”

Which was an encryption (much like the binary codes of a computer matrix) that certain open-minded scientists have found embedded in each strand of DNA.

So, I have stated my case but

  •  what are your thoughts on this?
  • Does it change the way you see ancient Egyptians or even ancient civilizations as a whole?
  • Have we forgotten some kind of long lost culture and spiritual science?
  • Is humanity experiencing divine amnesia?
  • Are we a species in galactic quarantine trying to rediscover our routes and potential?

You be the judge.

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Photo credit:  DNA by Sheelamohan

What Ancient Egyptians Can Teach Us About Balance of the Sexes

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I Want My Mummy!

Interestingly enough, ancient Egypt did have some roots in matriarchal living.  Akhenaton, the recently discovered father of Tutankhamun (as proved through DNA samples), tried to bring this ancient teaching back during his reign — which was short, only lasting 16 years — and did  so until his untimely death and the orders of the new pharaoh wiped out any mention of its existence, knocking down temples and palaces and using the rubble to build new sites, re-establishing the old religions.

Akhenaton (or Amenhotep IV, 18th Dynasty) is also said to have been the predecessor of modern monotheism, the belief in only one God — Aten.

Back to Egyptian Matriarchy

What I love about this concept is that it is not the extreme sway from a male-dominated society to a female-dominated one, no — it is the balance between the two.  The divine counternance of yin and yang.

In many of the statues, the women is depicted with her hand on the mans shoulder.  This  is alleged to symbolize that he belongs to her, a kind of ‘ownership’. The Happeh Theory suggests that this has got to do with energy or the ‘chi’ of the yin/yang principle — a linked energy.

The wigs that the Pharaohs/Rulers wore also have an interesting theory.  When a Pharaohs wig became longer (leaning towards looking more feminine) it denoted that he was a more balanced, wise and spiritual leader — it was a high rank bestowed upon him.  They clearly revered their women and the part a women has to play in balance.

Photo (Egyptian Family) taken by my grandfather, Harry Roe, during his service in Egypt in WW2.

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How To Branch Out — Painting Scenes With Trees

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Here is a step-by-step visual guide taken whilst painting one of my latest pieces called ‘Mysterious Unknown’.

You will see, further on in this blog, that I decided to try my ‘upside-down drip technique’ on the trees — I was branching out (yup, I had to say that!).

Specs

It is an acrylic on canvas — 30″ x 36″.

Inspiration Behind the Art

I wanted to create a feeling of excited but anxious anticipation with this piece. A feeling of not knowing what lies ahead because you just can’t quite make it out but also being curious and elated about what might be there…the air of mystery that hangs in front of us, just before we step into change.



Mildly interesting note:  Even when I am painting the background layer (as seen above) I am mindlessly doodling circles and spirals.  My hand just can’t stop the motion of the universal ocean (I’m a poet and I don’t know it…yeah, yeah).



Fancy This On Your Wall?

The original has found its home in Australia but, if you click on the photo below, you can purchase greeting cards and prints.

If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy these too:

Art In The Making — A Step-by-Step Guide on Painting Landscapes

A Look Behind the Scenes — Painting an Abstract Landscape

5 Tips on Getting Back In The Groove


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4 Things Travel Can Teach Us About Avoidance

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Talk About Denial!

After last weeks blog,”Mirror, mirror on the wall — who’s in the most denial of us all?”, I am literally going to be in de-nial — or rather ‘de Nile’ — this time next week.

It’s my first trip to Egypt and I am both excited and extremely anxious.  My husband keeps reporting the daily news from Cairo, which adds to my nervous disposition towards the tension and build-up to the new presidential elections in Egypt this month.  However, I keep on reminding myself that I have wanted to do this since I was a little girl.

By the way, the picture above was taken by my grandfather, Harry Roe, during World War 2 (he was stationed in Egypt) — quite remarkable, isn’t it?  There’s another picture further down, taken from the banks of the Nile.

Back to the article.

The Last Minute

So, this trip was booked spontaneously about a month ago and I thought I had a lot more time to sort things out than I actually do.

Now that it comes to the crunch, I have actually been putting a lot of stuff off.  Of course, I have been doing all the nice things like buying new sandals and planning my trip to the salon for some heavy-duty waxing but when it comes to the more pressing details, well, those are on my ‘to do’ list in my head.

Realizations and Deadlines

Without having to drag you through the nuts and bolts of my checklist, I am going to get straight to the point of this blog and go for the jugular — the things we don’t want to face but inevitably have to.

Besides having to purchase sunscreen and alert the neighbours of my departure, what have I been putting off?

  • Drawing up a will — yeah, I know, a tad bit dramatic?  Certainly, but also necessary.  I don’t have a will in place and if, God forsake, my husband and I should not return, we will have left our family in a bit of a pickle with regards to who gets what.  We don’t have children or debt (thankfully) but we do have pets, which I would like to see well looked after, etc.
  • Financial Planning — Yup, that old humdinger — and let’s face it, who wants to think about that?  We are both self-employed and a 10 day vacation also means a 10 day unpaid vacation.  So we need a game plan to see us through this month and to re-enter a new month when we get back.
  • Care-Givers — With pets (and for many of you who can’t travel with your children) this step of the process is sometimes the hardest.  Having to leave your dear ones in the care of others and planning for their needs while you are away.  I, thankfully, have a good friend who house and pet-sits for me but it is still one of those things that you only face or start to think about closer to the time and pray that all goes well.
  • Documents — I’m not even going to go into this one because it’s red-tape boring!  You know the type, visa’s, passports, itineraries, blah blah…

Can you see why I have been experiencing a tiny little bit of denial?  Most of these things aren’t easy to face or think about.  Not that I advocate dwelling on anything that doesn’t make you feel good but, inevitably, some of these things do need to have a strategy or plan in place for your peace of mind.

Putting Things In Place

Like the thought of leaving your pets, I wish I could explain to them that I will be back but, alas, you can’t.  The last time I went on holiday, my cat sulked at us for days!

Or the thought of who you are going to leave things to in  your will.  The truth is that if you don’t, your loved ones will be left to sort this out and surely you don’t want to instigate squabbling on your behalf.

Setting your finances straight really is a drag but, again, you will have peace of mind whilst you are away — isn’t it worth it in the long run?  Work a little harder now to have time to put  your feet up later.

And, lastly, documents — just do it.  No use griping about it.  Accept what is and you’ll find it is finalized before you know it.

Right, now that I have got that off my chest, I will leave you in peace to enjoy the rest of your Thursday…just remember, tie up those loose ends so you can get on with the joy of living!

Motivating Update:  I set aside my weekend to start ‘wrapping’ these things up.  You won’t believe how quick it was to tie up all these loose ends!  It literally took me a couple of hours and I had most of it done.

I’m now starting to feel the anxiety slip away and a sense of excitement taking its place!

Question Time

What is it that you put off until the last-minute when you go away?

What, in general, are you putting off now that you know will make an improvement on your life if you did it?

What is stopping you from setting your affairs in order?

Come on, be honest.

UPDATE:  I am back from Egypt, you can see my blogs here:

Come Journey Through Picturesque Egypt With Me

Bizarre Contrasts: McDonalds and Karnak Temple, Egypt!

What You Need to Know About Desperation and Manifestation

 

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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…Who’s in the Most Denial of Us All?

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The Smoky Mirror

This is a concept that most people at first feel a strong repulsion with because they do not quite understand the concept. I discussed it briefly in my book ‘Divine You’ but, for those of you who have not read it, I will recap:

Our Actions Reflected — The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

When we find ourselves annoyed or upset with someone it is usually because we are mirroring the same behaviour in some way. It doesn’t have to be wrapped identically in the same package but it is something we have to look out for and go into when it is necessary or you could be fudging or avoiding a certain issue within you that needs to be addressed.

Deep Cleaning or Surface Cleaning?

Just remember, when you sweep your rising issues under the rug, you are not solving the problem merely postponing it.

” When you own up and take the responsibility to steer your life in the right direction, you will find that life becomes a grand adventure.”

The choice is yours whether you would like to finally look it in the face or save it for another day. But be aware, when you put it away for another time, it tends to grow and start manifesting as dis-ease in your body.

We all came to earth for personal growth and to walk through our karma. You chose this. When you own up and take the responsibility to steer your life in the right direction, you will find that life becomes a grand adventure.

When we continuously do a ‘patch-up’ job or play games of dodge-cars — we are side stepping our problems or issues and this will never solve them.

This is why, in our present-society especially, there is so much avoidance going on.

What’s on the Telly?  Who Turned the Radio Off!?!  Where’s my iPod?…No!  Not Silence, Please…

We have so much to distract us.

“You must face the consequence that you may be left behind in an evolving world.”

When we don’t want to face the silence, which usually gives rise to inner questioning, we turn on the TV, surf the internet or put on the radio.

This has to be curbed in order for us to evolve to the next level of human design. If you choose to stay in the current paradigm of white picket fencing and two and a half children, then that is your decision to make. You must face the consequence that you may be left behind in an evolving world.

Time For Reflection…

So, with the mirror, we gain reflective insight. Notice how you feel when someone gets your back up. Is there something in them that you may not be addressing in yourself?

Be honest with yourself.

For example: there is a certain someone who seems to trigger anger in you because they always assume who you are and what you are about.

  • Are you assuming something about them or others?
  • Are you judgment free?
  • Do you seldom see things from a different perspective or point of view?

When we can be honest with ourselves, this is everything!

When we can look at our own behaviour, without judgment — just assessment — we are on the path of least resistance.

Be Honest, Keep Assessing

Then the next time you feel this emotion rise within you, you can step out of yourself and assess why it is that you are still feeling this:

  • Is there still room for improvement,?
  • How can you better stop yourself from taking the same action with another?

With this knowledge in tow, you have the ability to notice when you are stepping off course with your better judgment.

Close That Book and Study Yourself

When you are aware of your own flaws you are better equipped to notice it when it rears within you.

Even if you have already done the deed but noticed it afterwards, this is a step in the right direction. You cannot change something if you are still not accepting or acknowledging that there is a problem.

Every person that engages in this dance of life with you, has a teaching for you.

Remember this and accept the teaching next time it is presented to you — no matter what package it comes in.

When you practice this it will enhance your life with the addition of peace in any circumstance. You are in control at all times. Reaffirm this daily.

  • Is there someone in your life who pushes all your buttons but you can’t seem to see the same in yourself?
  • What has been your most surprising moment of realization with seeing yourself in others?
  • Are you able to freely assess yourself when you feel annoyance arising within you when you are in the company of another?

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‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ is now out at all leading bookstores worldwide — don’t forget to order your copy:

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Art In The Making — A Step-by-Step Guide on Painting Landscapes

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I decided to photograph my latest abstract landscape project as I was about to try something new — ‘dripping’ technique…you’ll see later on in this blog.

The Making of The Layered Landscape

But enough chitter chat, let’s get to the pictures…the first one was taken ‘the night before’ the painting was actually going to commence.  This is what is called the ‘first coat’ stage.  It is the application of the first layer of paint in the background and pretty much looks like a dogs breakfast:

Now with a good nights sleep in the bag, it’s time to do the second layer:

Yes, it still looks like a dogs breakfast!

Now you can sort of see where this might be going…

Adding some details to the background…

Adding a bit of palette knife work…

This is the ‘new’ technique of letting the paint drip down the canvas — I rather like the effect of this…

This is the final stage, nearly there…just need to add some final touches…then, voila — the finished product!

The original got sold the very next day but this is available as prints and greeting cards — click on the picture below to take you to the store:

The Layered Landscape by Cherie Roe Dirksen

Thanks for joining me on my painting journey…

And just remember:  The Earth without ‘art’ is just ‘eh’…


Don’t forget to claim your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration….’ (along with other bonus free gifts)

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Taking Responsibility For Your Co-Creative Abilities

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It Always Starts With Choice

You may have noticed a theme in this life called freewill.  Everyone is free to make up their own minds and act accordingly.  This can also be said on an energetic level.  We may say one thing but mean another, our true intention is usually emitted via our emotional body or frequencies that we give off.

You can say that you are feeling fine but your energetic signature could be telling a very different tale.

“That is why the old adage ‘the world won’t change only how you view it can change’ is so true.”

You cannot fool yourself into the truth, you can only accept what is and try to find a space to feel good within that.  To see past the sometimes limited view of what is happening in our current experience and to turn it into something positive or to try to view it from a new and clear perspective.

That is why the old adage — ‘the world won’t change, only how you view it can change’ — is so true.

When you choose to view something from a higher perspective, you are giving yourself an extremely powerful tool.  Most people never get to use this handy God-given tool and go their whole life giving into the illusion that the are a victim of circumstance.

Victim of Circumstance — Don’t be Just Another Statistic

The attitude of victim or ‘poor me’ syndrome is one that too many people use to justify their lives and what is happening to them.

 “Life doesn’t just randomly happen to you, you are the one happening this life into fruition, or, as the case may be, into decay.”

It is used as a crutch to get you through life and to never take responsibility for your cause and effect actions.

Life doesn’t just randomly happen to you, you are the one happening this life into fruition, or, as the case may be, into decay.  If you take responsibility for this fact, then you are well on your way to creating your destiny and not falling victim to your so-called ‘fate’.

Are You Displaying Salmon-Like Tendencies?

However, if you are wading through life as if it is a torrent, pushing and struggling against it and getting swept away with it, then you are in a victim mentality.  You are pushing your way upstream, and, seeing that you are not a salmon being called back to  your mating grounds, this is not going to serve you.

” There is usually some kind of pay-off with any situation, figure out what yours is and how you can now change it to better suit where you want to be.”

This may have benefitted you up until now, by allowing you a loophole to get out of facing your choices, actions and inactions.  There is usually some kind of pay-off with any situation, figure out what yours is and how you can now change it to better suit where you want to be.

Holding on to any thing or situation that keeps you comfortably tucked up in a blanket of deceit will eventually come around to bite you in the butt.

You Matter, Your Life Matters, Quit Ostriching About!

If you truly want to be a co-creator of your reality then you must step out of the illusion that you do not have a say in the matter.

Extract your head from the whole in the ground.  Only you can’t see what is happening around you when you do.  To everyone else, all they see is a big black and white bird with its head stuck in the ground.  They can’t understand why such a big and powerful avian has to try to conceal itself in the midst of danger — why not face the world and exercise your powerful muscles of choice, action and manifestation?

Your life matters, you matter. Ruffle those gorgeous feathers, bat your luscious eyelids and do the dance of joy!

Choose your experiences and be mindful of when you feel you are in a situation that is ‘out of your control’.  Think again.  Try see the lesson;  Try viewing it from a different perspective.

  • What do you feel is out of control in your life?
  • Do you feel like there is no way that you can control your destiny?
  • Or are you someone who has stepped into their power?
  • What do you do differently now to how you reacted before?

Enjoy!

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New Beginnings…Building up an Art Collection from Scratch

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Faith Repaid

A couple of weeks ago I had a buyer who practically cleaned out my stock of paintings.  This was great as I was still trying to source funds for a trip to Egypt I had already booked.  My theory behind booking the holiday before I had the funds was:

  1. I am using the Law of Attraction and you must have faith that what you need is on its way
  2. I will procrastinate about going for the rest of my life if I didn’t make a move NOW
  3. I had finally convinced my husband that we NEEDED to go (lol) after many years of begging and never being able to be on the same page about this particular destination.  He had a bad experience going through Cairo on his way to Israel many years ago.  So, again, I felt the time for action had finally reared its persistent head.

Manifestation Elation

Right, so with all that said, I licensed some of my art to a home goods chain store in the US and sold most of my art collection after I had put my trust in the manifestation of the money process and had gone ahead and booked the holiday.  Fancy that?!

Now What?

Now here I sit.  My site where I sell my work is looking very bleak at the moment and I am pressed for time with mustering up another collection as my trip is literally around the corner and the paperwork is still being processed, which leaves me anxious about wrapping up the details.

A New Perspective

But then my dear partner pointed out that this is a whole new beginning for me — a clean slate to start afresh.

“I know about the law of least effort (thanks to Deepak Chopra) and I am applying it to my life.”

No matter how long it takes to build this up again, I get the chance to truly go further into what I want to paint and how long I take doing it is entirely up to me.  There should be no pressure with the creative process, only enjoyment and true expression of what needs to come out and manifest in this reality.

So with that in mind, I will be starting this new adventure by going out into the big wide world and seeking the beauty and inspiration I need to get this new collection on the go.

The ‘old’ me would be frantically running around like a headless chicken trying to paint and build up some stock but the ‘new’ me knows better.  I know about the law of least effort (thanks to Deepak Chopra) and I am applying it to my life.  I have given myself no time limits and will now let it flow naturally…

I promise to document the process, so look out for this in my Tuesday Art Blog.

Thanks for looking!

Don’t forget to claim your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration….’ (along with other bonus free gifts)

My Art Portfolio book is also available as a glossy paperback (click on book to take you to the bookstore)

 

 

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Are You Using Your Heart Properly?

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Listen to Your Heart

hand on heartTo avoid the cheesy violin strings and perhaps the urge to start singing a Roxette song, I’m going to get straight to the point of this blog.

Your heart centre tells you where you are heading.  Your gut instinct is a great thing to follow and that usually tells us when we have strayed off course.  You know, the butterflies in the stomach or sinking feeling felt in the solar plexus (stomach area).

When you can shift the feeling of surety up into your heart centre and feel an overwhelming confidence for what you are doing, then you are working from your heart and you can trust the process.

If you feel a strain in this area when you move your feelings up into your heart centre, then you need to reflect on your decision, something is still amiss.

The Importance of Feeling

Why is it important to feel things?  Our emotions are our internal guidance system, much like a GPS trying to steer us onto the right course, if only we pay attention.

“…we reconnect with our soul and can realign ourselves to our purpose.”

DisconnectedIf you are working with a GPS in your car and you keep ignoring the signals then you will be in a state of chaotic driving, going nowhere at every turn.  Feeling lost and disconnected whilst at any point in time, you could have just listened to that voice on the GPS to get you back on track.

This is why meditation is so useful, we reconnect with our soul and can realign ourselves to our purpose.

Are You Lost?

It seems like a no-brainer but we often decide to just ignore our gut instincts or turn off the voice of reason in the head.  That is when we wander from our path and get lost in the forest of uncertainty.

Do You Know You Have a Compass in Your Pocket?

So take time out to meditate, realign and trust the heart.  You have an internal barometer — use it.  Trust yourself more.  You do know everything, it is all there at your core and when you tap into that, you are tapping into the knowledge of the Universe or what is sometimes referred to as the Divine Matrix.

You just need to learn to be still, patient and to listen.

Blogs you may find useful: 

Taking Responsibility For Your Co-Creative Abilities

Letting Go For Your Own Good — Detaching out of Love

6 Techniques to Stop Worrying

 Is Your Past Tripping Up Your Future?

12 Things Successful People Do To Excel

 

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Finding Yourself and Your Purpose

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Here are some quotes and pictures from my book ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration…’ (download the entire book FREE here) to help kick-start your week and ignite your passion and zest for life:

Pushing the envelope of creative expansion breaks down any illusion of limitation.  Once you step out of the box, infinity beckons your every whim.

Bask in the knowledge that existence is infinite, as are all possibilities.

We create in a field of pure energy potential.

“God is omnipotent — in everyone and everything…”

To know the mind of God is to know your own mind.  Dissolve the thoughts that do not serve you and nourish the ones that will blossom into your unique experience.

God wants to experience through you and you will benefit greatly from the experience of God — who resides in the stillness, the place between thoughts.

Why is creativity important?

Thought leads to inspire.  Inspiration gives rise to creativity.  Creation gives form to manifest reality.  Without creation there would be no reality to experience.  Ergo, creativity is as necessary to our souls as energy is to sustaining the Universe.

And all of this is birthed by the most powerful force — love.

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All the artworks above, as well as all artworks from the book,  are available to purchase as prints, posters and greeting cards at RedBubble.

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You may also enjoy this article:  Ignite Your Creative Flame! 

Letting Go For Your Own Good — Detaching Out Of Love

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Bluebird

What is Detachment?

Detachment is letting go of worldly dramas and living in true peace.

To still be able to love your ‘neighbour’ unconditionally but to not get involved in any kind of drama whatsoever.

Every emotion you experience in this life is a choice.  As soon as you feel resistance to someone or something or a pull to engage in conflict, you have re-entered the world of drama.

How can I truly Detach?

There are two different types of detachment, that I know of.

1.  Detaching with Love

white poppyWhen you detach with love you have a feeling of being in exquisite peace with the world.  You bear NO resentment, anger or aggression to anyone or anything.  You are in a state of allowing and you are working with your heart centre.

“To detach with love means that you are in the understanding that there is always more than meets the eye to any given situation.”

When you work with your heart centre you see the divine in everyone and everything.  You can see past the ‘drama’ of circumstances and situations.  You can see right to the very core of conflict and feel compassion, even for those whose opinions and actions differ from yours severely.

To detach with love means that you are in the understanding that there is always more than meets the eye to any given situation.

“Never assume to know the ins and outs of another souls journey.”

You are only observing a surface reality to a much deeper library of events that have led up to this scenario.  ‘Scenario’ in this case could be a life situation or even a certain person.  You see, we have no clue as to another souls journey, you can make assumptions and piece certain bits of information together, but, ultimately, you are not seeing the entire multi-layered picture.

Never assume to know the ins and outs of another souls journey.  This must be respected and a person who is truly detached in love, knows this and let’s it be.  Even if this soul is someone very close to you.  Every soul that incarnates here has their own life lessons to learn in their own chosen way.

We all come into this life with freewill and the ability to choose what we want to experience, even if this means we make the wrong choices.  Sometimes this has to happen for you to learn and grow.

Some people don’t learn their lessons in time but you have to respect that souls journey and choices.  You are not responsible for any adult human being but yourself, all you can offer is your unconditional love (even if it is from afar) and your support when it is needed.

Judgment is never wise, always try to find the compassion in any situation.

2. Detaching out of Fear

The other form of detachment is that of letting go out of exhasperation.

You feel cornered and frustrated, so your reflex is to detach to protect yourself from further hurt.  This must not be mistaken for detaching out of love, which is heart centred. Detaching out of fear is a lower chakra energy.

“Going within is not easy but nothing of true importance ever really is.”

You may even be experiencing negative lower chakra symptoms such as constipation (not being able to let go) or stomach upsets (solar plexus signal of anxiety/worry).

If you feel that you are detaching out of fear, then it is best to go into it.  Give yourself some space and time to meditate.  See meditation blog HERE.

The worst thing you can do is carry on and sweep whatever is bothering you under the rug.  Going within is not easy but nothing of true importance ever really is.  You need to do this inner work to truly gain closure for yourself.  Without this closure you will not be ready to move on to the next stage of development.

Forgive

BeachedA lot of the time, people tend to hang on to their past hurts.  This is not self-serving.  To forgive another for something will not only affect that person positively (and if you don’t want them to be affected positively, this is another sign that you need to see the divine in others to be able to detach with love) but it will liberate you.

I have devoted a whole chapter in my book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ to forgiveness.  If you are having trouble with letting go then I suggest you read it.

Trust

So if you feel that you are clinging onto something or someone, isn’t it about time to let it go?

Trust that the Universe will cushion your fall into the void of unconditional love.  You are the only one responsible for holding yourself back.

What are you still holding on to that you cannot let go of?  

Are you able to see how detaching with love could be a viable solution?

Do you feel that you may be detaching out of fear?

‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ is now out at all leading bookstores worldwide — don’t forget to order your copy:

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A Look Behind the Scenes — Painting an Abstract Landscape

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Photographing the Stages of Painting an Abstract Landscape

I photographed the process of painting one of my big landscapes.  I thought it would make an interesting pictorial blog.

I have done a detailed description at the end of this blog outlining the inspiration and details that went into the piece, along with the title and measurements.

The original is sold but it is available as prints, posters and greeting cards.

 Here it goes:

And then finally, drum-roll please, the finished product:

Cosmic Dance by 

Acrylic and textured acrylic on Canvas — 40″ × 30″

INSPIRATION BEHIND THE ART:

It probably goes without saying that I love the work of Van Gogh. I had a dream the night before I embarked on this painting.

I was in a field and was looking up at the night sky and the stars. I’m not sure if the spirit of Van Gogh was with me or if he was standing by my side, but I was being shown how he saw the night sky. How the stars looked like wormholes and were dancing and twinkling. When I woke up I knew exactly how I wanted to paint this picture and this is the product.

This painting was also done to the sounds of Tchaikovsky. I was also burning lavender and vanilla essence which is very calming and soothing, and vanilla is said to be an aphrodisiac — so this painting is one for the bedroom!

(PS.  No, I don’t paint in my Sunday best — this was taken the day after I finished)

Thanks for looking!

Don’t forget to subscribe and receive your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration….’

My Art Portfolio book is also available (click on book to take you to the bookstore)

You can follow me on Twitter and Facebook for daily inspiration and articles:

    

Don’t Let the World Get You Down!

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How to be in the world but not of it

As things stand now, you are most likely reading this blog from a computer somewhere on planet earth.  My marvelous skills of deduction are quite remarkable, I know.

We seem to all be in the same boat, paddling around in circles, paddling against the current or drifting out to sea.  How can we be in this beautiful world but not let it get us down?

Let’s face it, there is a lot of stuff that can, and does, lower our spirits and dampen our whetted desire to be on this planet.  But then, when we look around, we see that this planet is an exquisite paradise, filled with beauty, intrigue and adventure.

Why is it that life can be so damn tough when there is also so much fun to be had?

Heaven on Earth?

There is a simple truth to life.  We can create heaven on earth but we can also create our own personal form of hell.

Our very thoughts and actions will determine which destination we end up in.

Are you living in fear?  Meet Jack Soap…

When you live in fear you are perpetuating fear.

Let me give you an example.  If Jack Soap listens to the news constantly on the radio (which primarily reports bad news and how terrible the world out there is, along with all there is to be fearful of), he will be in a conscious or even unconscious negative frame of mind.  His preset to life will be tainted with a neuro-linguistic programming of doubt and fear.

You may even find that Jack has a preconceived idea that he should trust no-one.  He may even not like to venture outside his own home, let alone comfort zone, for fear of being attacked.  He may even cringe at the thought of an overseas holiday, he’ll think you mad if you were to suggest such nonsense, what with all the potential terrorists on-board planes these days!

Poor Jack may not even realize that there is a sunny and bright side to life.  It is as if he could be living on a different planet to John.

Are you living in love? Meet John Doe…

Meet John Doe (yes, alright!  I know my pseudonyms leave something to be desired).  He enjoys listening to uplifting music rather than put on the news.  He enjoys walks in the park and getting in touch with nature.

He sees the beauty that the world has to offer.  He smiles at people as he walks along his path and they smile back.  He is certain that there is goodness in everybody because that is his experience.

John is living in the world and enjoying it.  He is not letting the world dictate his experience, he is dictating his own experience.  He is detaching from potential drama because he knows he has the choice to only focus on the positive aspects of life.

When John does this he is in control, he is mapping out his destiny according to what he wants to manifest.

He is not a victim of circumstance and he is certainly not an unconscious creator.

Jack vs John

Jack, on the other hand, is in the world and of the world.  He is getting trapped in the lower vibrational frequency of negativity and he is letting the world dictate his experience.

He is unconsciously creating an undesirable life.  He may not even be aware that he can change this at any time if he so wishes.

Jack was blessed with freewill, just like John.  Jack, however, can’t seem to see it.  He can’t take responsibility for his life choices because he feels he hasn’t made them.

But he has.

Whether he chooses to accept that or not, he has made his bed and he is tossing and turning in it.

Can you see the message behind the metaphor?  Be in the world not of it.

Freewill and Choice

Choose your experiences.  Choose what you expose yourself to.  Choose to engage in drama, or choose to love from afar and lend your support whilst creating strong, effective boundaries.

You do not have to get involved and bogged down in drama if you don’t want to.  You can always help those in need but you can do it with detachment.  This means that you can still help in this world but you are fully aware that it is not required that you get involved with a problem — most certainly not to the extent that it encapsulates you in drama.

Detachment

Detachment is not a word that describes the state of not caring.  Quite the opposite.  You care enough to help and you care enough about yourself to remain neutral.

Think of detachment like Switzerland — the neutral zone.  You can lend a hand but you are not getting hooked into anything.

You can live in this world, enjoy it and be mindful of the ‘drama’ and/or the negative aspect of life.  This will give you the freedom to pick and choose your experiences and know when to help and when to say no.

Do you feel that life is taking you for a ride?  Or are you in the drivers seat of your experience?  Share your stories…

Related Articles:

Are You Clinging on by Your Fingernails?

What Freddy Mercury Can Teach Us About Detachment

 

Don’t forget to subscribe and receive your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration….’

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‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ is now out at all leading bookstores worldwide — don’t forget to order your copy:

Painting the Windows of the Soul — Eyes

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Look into my Eyes

There is nothing more captivating than looking into the eyes of a living creature.  So much can be said without words when you look into someone or somethings eyes.

They are said to be the windows of the soul and for good reason — eyes are so expressive.  And it is every artists desire to captivate the onlooker, with a pair of fixating eyes.

“Sometimes I could swear I see the eyes ‘flicker’ or move.  He says I definitely ensnared a bit of his soul in there.”

Look at the Mona Lisa — her eyes follow you around the room.  What a fantastic genius Leonardo was!

Below, you will find a painting of my husband — this one really creeps both of us out a bit.  It is hanging in our bedroom and it is so much like Mike that we both feel it has a certain ‘Dorian Gray’ feel to it.  Sometimes I could swear I see the eyes ‘flicker’ or move.  He says I definitely ensnared a bit of his soul in there.

The Egyptians and Kohl

The ancient Egyptians used to burn Frankincense and make kohl from the ash using water.  They would then paint it around their eyes,  supposedly because they wanted to carry the protection of the Gods with them — most likely a tribute to the God Horus.  Very interesting to ‘frame’ your eyes.  They seemed to think it was an important feature, enough to highlight it anyway.

Back to the Art…

Here are some of my paintings that have the ‘captivating eyes’ theme:

Thanks for looking!

Don’t forget to subscribe and receive your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration….’

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CAUTION: God’s Gonna Kick Your Ass!

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The Prodigal Son

We all know the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son (if you don’t click here).

Long story really short:  Two sons are given their inheritance before the father dies.  One son does the ‘right’ thing and works for his father, the other son squanders his lot and comes crawling back to the father.  The father takes him in as if nothing has happened and celebrates (much to the discontent of the other brother who feels it isn’t fair).

Well, is that fair?

I think so…

God’s Gift of Freewill

This is a great analogy for God.  I don’t think God’s going to punish anybody for taking a detour on the path, or even if you completely stray off this path.

“I don’t think God is going to kick anyone’s butt in heaven for missed opportunity or bad behaviour.”

God gives all of us many gifts, whether they be in the form of talents, love or friendships, etc.  What we do with them is up to us but I don’t think He is going to be upset if we don’t use them.

I don’t think God is going to kick anyone’s butt in heaven for missed opportunity or bad behaviour.  God gave us freewill and this is the one gift we do use whether it is deemed ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

“Our choice is our gift to ourselves, we bring to our own table that which we experience.  “

We have this blessed gift of choice.  We will be our own judges and our misgivings will be our remorses.  God is that parent who does not judge, only accepts what is.

Please read my blog Does God Love Us Unconditionally? HERE

Choices

Our choice is our gift to ourselves, we bring to our own table that which we experience.

Nobody can tell you what to do but you can take advice.

My advice is this:  Take responsibility for your life.  If you feel you are in alignment with your integrity then that is great!  Whether someone else is not in alignment and you notice this, it is none of your business unless you are asked by that person for help.

You should not judge them for the path they are taking.  You don’t know where that path may inevitably lead them.  That is why you should not interfere.  If you are asked for assistance by them, then that soul has made a choice.  That is why you may help when you are asked to help.

Take Responsibility

In taking responsibility for your life, as in the honourable son from the Prodigal Son parable, you are not being a burden on anyone else.  This feels like the noble thing to do, doesn’t it?

“We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and focus purely on how harmonized we are with our purpose.”

It doesn’t really matter if your sibling is doing the opposite to you in their life and your parent still welcomes them back with open arms.  The father in this parable was right and his son should have rather rejoiced to have his brother back instead of feeling hard done by because all his efforts weren’t rewarded.  I think his reward far outweighs the ‘lost’ son in that he got to spend more valuable time with his father.  The other brother may regret this for the rest of his life.

We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and focus purely on how harmonized we are with our purpose.  Replace judgment with compassion and understanding.

Have you ever felt resentment?  Are you still feeling that way?  Can you perhaps choose to see things differently now?

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‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ is now out at all leading bookstores worldwide — don’t forget to order your copy:

 

Going Green in the Art Studio

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No Soapbox Today…

Now before you think this is a blog about eco-friendly tips for artists, let me assure you now — this is actually about diving into the delicious green hues of the paint-pot.

Green is an unusual colour for monotone painting but I have fished out some of my art that has at least 60% green coverage (see below).

Gotta Love the Green

I love the colour green, I find it so wholesome, energetic, alive and vibrant — also somewhat comforting.

 ” One of my friend’s son once walked in the front door, paused to look around and then boldly stated that my house looked like a jungle.”

If you were to see my home, you would notice that I have a forest green sofa and plants popping out all around my house.  One of my friend’s son once walked in the front door, paused to look around and then boldly stated that my house looked like a jungle.  I loved that!  🙂

What is your favourite colour to paint in?  Or, if you don’t paint, what hue are you more partial to, especially when viewing a monotone piece of art?

Interesting note:  Did you know that green is the colour of your heart chakra?

Don’t forget you can kit your home or office space out in green and purchase any of the above pictures as prints, just click on the photo to take you to the store.

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How to Stay Grounded in 2012

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Energy Influx

How have you been feeling lately?  This year, as exciting as it is, comes with a price.

“You even may seek medical advice because your body is doing the fandango and you ain’t dancing!”

The price we are paying for our spiritual upgrade is sleepless nights/insomnia, waking up at 3:00 in the morning (not again!), feeling lethargy/exhausted for no good reason (except the sleepless nights, of course), headaches and migraines that leave you feeling incapacitated, mood swings that knock you off your feet (with no sign of PMS in sight), strange eating patterns, loss of lustre and, probably the worst of all, the dark night of the soul.

We are experiencing a massive wave of cosmic energy hitting us from all directions, from planetary alignments to solar flares and gamma rays.

The Dark Night of the Soul

What is this?  It is the feeling that you could sink no lower.  When the earth seems to literally have been taken out from under your feet.  You wander around in a daze, not knowing if you are coming or going or even if you want to be here to participate in the first place.

“No-one understands you and you certainly don’t understand anyone else.  You want out!”

It is a feeling of great depression, possibly the worst you have ever experienced.  And mostly, and this is the really irritating part, you don’t know why you are depressed, you don’t seem to have a good enough reason.

You feel like an alien on your own planet.  No-one understands you and you certainly don’t understand anyone else.  You want out!  You even may seek medical advice because your body is doing the fandango and you ain’t dancing!

This happens to even the best of us.  You are not alone and this feeling will pass in time.  I know this because I have had several ‘dark nights of the soul’ periods over the past 2 years and, even though you feel like it will never end, it does.

This Too Shall Pass

You have been through a lot in your lifetime.  Cast your mind back to all those events that you thought you would never get through.  Well?  Did you get through them?  The answer is probably yes.

“When you can find the middle ground — where you are satiated, at peace and have found contentment in the moment — you have found your source of power.”

When we are faced with depression, worry and anxiety — just to name a few — it is very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  However, it is there, it is always there.  You are not alone and you are never abandoned.

Just remember that everything is fleeting and all things will pass.  The good and the bad.  This is not meant to make you feel uneasy, especially if you are in a good place.  It is just a bridge to help you to cross to a peaceful frame of mind.

You have most likely also been in vast amounts of joy and happiness in your life.  The feeling of elation also doesn’t last.  You may not feel unhappy when it passes but the elation does pass.

Where Your Feet Touch the Ground and Your Head Floats in the Sky

When you can find the middle ground — where you are satiated, at peace and have found contentment in the moment — you have found your source of power.

A great exercise to help you to ground yourself is to go out and be in nature.  Sit under a tree or feel the grass under your bare feet.  There is nothing like nature to draw you into the present moment.

We do live on a beautiful planet in an extraordinary point in time — don’t forget that.  Try to remind yourself of it as much as possible, especially when you are feeling low.

Your choices determine your life, you chose to be here.  Enjoy the bumpy ride and hold on for your dear life — the roller-coaster has only reached the summit!

My latest book is out now at all leading bookstores:

5 Tips on Getting Back In The Groove

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Lost your Mojo?

This can apply to any creative endeavour.  When you feel like you have done all there is to do or that you just don’t know where to turn next, you have lost your groove!

“I was selling out and painting what the public wanted.”

I was feeling really stifled a while ago (actually, it was only about a month ago) with my art. I felt like I was selling out and painting what the public wanted.  I really wanted to get into my own style and flavour of art.  But I was holding myself back.

I wrote quite a few blogs on the process that you can read here:

The Space Within Series — Inner Art

Going Deeper…Inner Art Expression

Got It! Inner Art Expression Expressed

Digging even deeper…Inner Art Expression

I just want to outline a few steps that you can take to find your creative space.

5 Tips for Getting Your Groove On:

  • Quiet Time — Meditate on the problem and the solution.  Give yourself some time-out to reflect and to plot your new course of action.  You can’t just pile one idea on top of another, this will make you feel scattered and all over the place.  Lay to rest what you have been doing that no longer serves you and make way for the new.
  • Space — Give yourself a proper working space.  Your very own creative space where you can go to when you are feeling inspired or to get inspired.  A place that will trigger your creativity.  If you already have one but it doesn’t work then look around you, does it need a clean up?  Can you make it a working space?  Are you holding yourself back by dumping things in your creative space and cluttering it up so that you won’t have to use it?  Or worse,  you use this as an excuse for why you can’t get anything done.
  • Creative Time — Allocate yourself time for your passion.  It can be an hour a day or a week.  Whatever is realistic to you.  Hold yourself accountable for that time.  Get a whiteboard and plot out a schedule on it, put it somewhere where you will see it everyday.
  • Freedom — Allow yourself to express whatever needs expressing.  Give yourself the freedom to step out of any box you may have built around your unique talents.  Do what you feel like doing.  No matter how bizarre it may seem to you in the moment.  These things have a way of unraveling themselves with divine perfection and timing.
  • Plan — When you are in the zone it feels amazing.  What happens when you are finished with this project though?  This is the process of life, we usually get nicely wrapped up in the journey but when we arrive, there is a sense of disappointment.  Give yourself a game plan to work on for the next creative explosion.  Mark out on your board when you are going to begin, what you need and where you will take yourself to find the necessary inspiration.  Even if the original idea morphs into something completely different — it is a starting point.

Paint on Canvas

Using the techniques above, here are my last 3 projects that have given me so much satisfaction.  I have been using acrylic, textured acrylic and spray paint and it has been a blast!

Let me know what you think.  I have also included some photos of me with the paintings, so you can get a feel for the size of the paintings…

I am happy to say that the originals have found new homes but they are all available as prints (click on photo’s to take you to store).

The 2 above have been purchased by the same client, so they are sharing a home which is kind of nice to know.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and inspired?  Please share your tips and secrets with us.

If you are feeling stuck with inspiration, why not subscribe now and get your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration…’ — no strings attached!  Click on picture below to sign up, you will receive your copy in the welcome e-mail:

Creative Expression

The Zen of Art

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What better way to gift yourself than to spend some quality time creatively expressing your inner feelings?

 “The Dreamers Night Sky” by Cherie Roe Dirksen

I have only recently allowed myself to truly ‘let go’ and I found my form of expression which is more abstract than traditional (see above).  It has been a liberating experience to finally have the freedom to do this and no-one was stopping me but me.

“My first step was awareness of the deep need for my true expression to come through.”

When I discovered this, it was my call to action.  My first step was awareness of the deep need for my true expression to come through.  I then took responsibility for blocking myself and learnt the lesson behind why I was doing that.  The final step I took was action —  to bring about a new timeline or creative direction for myself.

A Call to Action

Free up some space this weekend or in the evening to tap into the inner child that just wants to finger paint and get mucky, cut out colourful pictures and make a collage or just do some ‘mindless’ doodling.

Why is this important?

When we give ourselves time out to practice creativity we are:

  • Honouring ourselves by allowing time for ‘play’
  • Tapping into the right hemisphere of the brain and our source of creativity
  • Setting a scene of tranquility and ‘time-out’ from the noise of our left brain
  • Allowing ourselves freedom of expression
How will this benefit me?

Expressing your creative flare is priceless but here are some key factors for why allowing yourself time and space for artistic endeavour is good for you:

  • De-stressing
  • Calming
  • Personal Fulfillment
  • Integral Time for Inner Reflection
  • Inner Balance
Try creating a tranquil, serene place where you can retreat to when you feel like you are in the ‘zone’ for artistic expression.
Is there anything stopping you?  Please feel free to comment on any of these questions or others that may arise…

What has been blocking your creative flow?  

Are you feeling constricted by the lack of artistic expression you are allowing yourself?  

What practices do you use to overcome creative blocks?  

What things do you tell yourself are more  important than expressing yourself?

Dont forget to SUBSCRIBE and get your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration…’ SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE 100% FREE and you can opt out at any time.

If you would like to read more about my journey to finding my inner expression, please click on the links below:

The Space Within Series — Inner Art

Going Deeper…Inner Art Expression

Got It! Inner Art Expression Expressed

Digging even deeper…Inner Art Expression

20 Ways to Set Your Spirit Soaring (and they’re all FREE)

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Getting in touch with your innate sense of well-being can be fun, inexpensive and easy.

Here is a list of things that life has to offer that are 100% free — no strings attached (except in the case of playing with kittens):

  • Friendship — Connect with real people (not just social networking), make new connections and rekindle old relationships, if appropriate.
  • A smile — Dish them out!  You have nothing to lose.  Pass them around.
  • A heart-felt hug/embrace — It never goes astray, have you noticed?  Making physical contact is extremely important for any living creature.
  • A compliment — Be impeccable with your words, let only kind, well thought-out words roll off your tongue.
  • Fresh air — Yes, it is free and beneficial.  Be grateful for a deep breath of oxygen.
  • Cloud spotting — This is preferably done on freshly mown, green, lush grass.
  • Swimming — A swim in the ocean or a lake, or even a pool.  The feeling of being weightless and carefree.  Priceless!
  • Humour — Share a good joke, get laughing — it’s the best medicine.
  • Smelling — When was the last time you literally stopped to smell the roses? Use your senses wisely…
  • Children — Watching a baby or a child/children play is one of the most uplifting past-times.  It’s free and it usually puts a smile on your dial.
  • Kittens — Have you ever watched a kitten or cat play with a piece of string?  Another priceless activity that will get your heart-strings all in tune.
  • Dogs — One of my favourite things to observe is witnessing a dog disembarking from a car to see he is at the beach!   If you don’t have pets, go sit in the park and watch animals frolicking.  Just remember joy is contagious — anyone’s or anything’s joy rubs off, did you know that?
  • Mountains — There they are, just standing there looking pretty…go climb one!  It’s an amazing feeling.
  • Walking — Strolling through a meadow on a sunny spring morning, watching butterflies dance their way through the sky in front of you.  When last did you do that?
  • Napping — Having an afternoon nap in the sun or under the shade of a tree.  Bliss!  For anyone who’s been to South Africa, you would have noticed that people do this all the time — during lunch-breaks, coffee breaks, etc.
  • Sand castles — Building a sandcastle is just terrific.  Getting down and mucky in the sand.  Free and liberating!  Note to the beachless:  sorry about that, perhaps it’s time to take a trip to the nearest coast or plan that next tropical holiday?
  • Stomping — Once you’ve built the sand castle, jump on it and smash it into the ground.  Do you remember doing that!?!  Pure elation and freedom from attachment. Release the joy of your inner child.
  • Music — Play your favourite songs and instantly lift your vibration!
  • Be grateful — Make a list of all the things going right in your life and you’ll be surprised at just how well you are manifesting your existence.
  • Creative Expression — The last FREE thing on my list is my book ‘Creative

    How to find your inspiration…

    Expression — How to find your inspiration…’  It is available on this site as a FREE download once you subscribe (subscription is also 100% FREE).

How freeing is it to know that there is so much to do that doesn’t come with a price tag attached?

Sometimes we need to concentrate on being in the now, focus on the little joys of life to squeeze the ultimate bliss out of every day.

What things do you like to get up to that are free and priceless?  Please share your stories…

Here is a blog that you may find interesting:

How to find happiness without buying it

Help Others.org: On Passing Around Smiles… — A Kindness Story.

No Free Handouts — You Have to Work for your Happiness

How to Surf on Good Vibrations

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Please recap on part 1 HERE (What Frequencies Are You Sending Out?)

Moving the Energy

When you are feeling stuck in your solar plexus (stomach area) you can always choose to move it up a notch into your heart chakra (chest area).

“…you can move it up on the emotional scale.”

When you are feeling down or depressed or even stressed, angry or frustrated (any ‘negative’ emotion) you can move it up on the emotional scale.

Butterflies and Pits

When we feel those butterflies in the tummy or a pit in the stomach, we are experiencing the negative scale of the solar plexus.  I’m sure you can relate to this feeling.

Expansion and Bliss

When you move it up one, you are moving the energy or frequency/vibration into the heart center.  To experience the feeling of love, joy or bliss we must put ourselves into this frame of emotion.

How?

Observe how you feel when you think of something wonderful.

It could be:

  • Holding your child for the first time,
  • Getting your first puppy,
  • Watching a magnificent sunset,
  • Lying in a warm, snug bed,
  • Getting a promotion or bonus,
  • Eating Italian ice-cream…

…whatever coaxes that warm, fuzzy feeling in you. This is the trigger you need to get you to feel ‘bliss’ and this is usually felt in your heart chakra.

” It is empowering to know that whenever you are feeling out of alignment with your true state, which should be bliss, joy and/or love, you can use a memory to help guide you back into your center.”

When you find the one thing that can immediately make you feel all cozy and gooey inside, you have your trigger to activate the heart centre/chakra.

This is extremely important as it is a tool to help you to elevate yourself and your well-being.  It is empowering to know that whenever you are feeling out of alignment with your true state, which should be bliss, joy and/or love, you can use a memory to help guide you back into your center.

Practical Steps to Feeling Good

Practice this whenever you can.  Just sit quietly, close you eyes and think of that one thing that brings you joy, feel it, observe it, expand it until your whole chest is tingling and opening.

Can you feel that the more you expand this feeling, the more it permeates through your entire body — every cell seems to ‘vibrate’.

Congratulations!  You have found your good vibration!

“…you can start your heart chakra meditation and start redirecting your cosmic vibration to match your desires again.”

Now you can use this to steer your life in the direction you want to see it sail into…have fun!

Just remember, if you fall overboard, you can throw yourself a life belt by either moving it up a notch or reminding yourself that ‘this too shall pass‘.  Then when you are feeling a little better, you can start your heart chakra meditation and start redirecting your cosmic vibration to match your desires again.

Let me know how this works for you.  If you already are in touch with your chakras and how to align yourself, let me know what works best for you.  Let us share our knowledge and experience and please feel free to ask questions.

Other articles you may enjoy:

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

7 Proven Tactics to Spread Joy Around the World

Finding Yourself and Your Purpose

6 Techniques to Stop Worrying

Anchoring the New Energy

How to Stay Positive

Digging Even Deeper…Inner Art Expression

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Please read the past articles relating to this blog HERE (Going Deeper…Inner Art Expression) and HERE (Got It!  Inner Art Expression Expressed).

The Cosmos on a Canvas

A couple of weeks ago my hand, brush, paints and right brain hemisphere took my canvas on a journey into a very colourful cosmos.  Here is the outer manifestation of this inward expression:

‘The Bridge’ — Acrylic on Canvas — 18″ x 24″ 

I hope you like it.

If you are an artist, what are your biggest stumbling blocks?  What do you still wish you could do or want to achieve?

If you are an art lover, then what do you like to see in a piece of art?  What get’s you going?

I would love to hear from you…

What Frequencies Are You Sending Out?

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Are You Reading Me On FM?

It’s a kind of magic…not only does this Universe work on energy and everything in and of it is read as energy, which by the way, cannot be destroyed only transmuted or reshaped – but we are also working primarily with vibration or frequency.

Quantum Tongue-Twister

Quantum physics has a wave-particle duality phenomenon that states that all particles have both wave and particle properties….and behave, in accordance with the observer, in either fashion. When a camera observes, they act as particles. However, when there is no equipment  used to observe, they acted as waves and particles simultaneously.

“…the tree falling in the forest with no-one to hear it makes no sound but also dances the fandango if it feels the urge?”

Does this mean that everything in the Universe is guided into manifestation based on what or who is observing it? Does this mean that not only will the tree falling in the forest with no-one to hear it make no sound but also dance the fandango if it feels the urge?

So What?

So everything!

” Whatever you are thinking you are calling into creation.”

Every thought pattern that you conjure up in your mind has a certain frequency. Is it lower or higher? Are you thinking ‘good’ thoughts or ‘bad’ thoughts? Whatever you are thinking you are calling into creation.

Huh?

You can master your life experience with just the information that whatever you project emotionally or whatever frequency you emit, is shaping your life experience.

For Example:

Your girlfriend leaves you. For weeks you are feeling a pit in your stomach (solar plexus chakra) and you can’t eat, sleep and feel depressed. This is a ‘grieving’ period and it is appropriate.

“…you have a choice to move that feeling…”

But sooner rather than later (or never at all!) you are going to have a choice to move that feeling from your solar plexus to your heart chakra (middle of the chest).

How?

You need to master the transmutation of energy. Sounds difficult, doesn’t it?  It really isn’t.

I will dive into the transition of bad feelings into good feelings in my next blog and will continue with practical steps to activate your heart chakra.  You can READ IT HERE.

Other articles you may enjoy:

Why is Gratitude so Important When Creating Abundance

Making a Commitment to Creativity…Do You Lack Self-Worth?

The Universe is Expanding – Are You?


Got It — Inner Art Expressed!

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Please recap on last weeks article HERE.

I left off with saying that I still felt something was wrong.  An inner imbalance, something was crying out!

What Could Possibly Be Amiss?

I sat on my couch looking at my painting, still feeling that something was out of alignment.  Do I still have to dig even deeper?

“If you don’t try, you’ll never know…”

A voice seemed to be asking me questions in my head.

Higher Guidance from my Higher Self (HS)?

HS:  What are you feeling?

Me:  Constricted.

HS:  Why?

Me:  I want to paint bigger.

HS:  A-ha!  You’ve been wanting to do that for the past 2 years now.  What is stopping you?

Me:  Big canvas is expensive and it means more paint and materials — I also want to experiment with different materials and it is all costly.

HS:  If you don’t try, you’ll never know.  Take the expense risk just for one week and see how it goes.

Me:  OK.

Stepping Out of the Box

It dawned on me how I put myself in a box.  I subconsciously and consciously limit myself by talking myself out of something for whatever reason.  And usually, they are not good reasons.

“You’ve got nothing to lose except living with regret for not trying.”

If you don’t try, you’ll never know.  So try and at least you can say you have taken that step.  If you succeed — great!  If you don’t, well then just see it as feedback.  You’ve got nothing to lose except living with regret for not trying.

So with that in mind, I came up with this:

I have called it ‘The God Code‘ after the revelations that Gregg Braden has discovered that we possess a code in our DNA that literally translates, in Hebrew, to ‘God Eternal, in the body’.

I also had an epiphany to use all 4 senses whilst painting, I mean why not?!?  Before I started I got the distinct message that I was going to paint something that was healing and enlightening to the observer.  So I wanted to incorporate smell, touch, spirit and sound (I left taste out, for obvious reasons — unless you want a tongue full of chemicals!).

So this painting has been infused with:

  1. Rosemary and Lavender (I instinctively chose these two out of my garden.  When I later looked up the properties, you guessed it, lavender is for healing and Rosemary is for remembering — which you could say would be ‘enlightening’).  I made a tea out of it and used it in my brush water.  I also lit myrrh incense which is apparently good for tranquility.
  2. Prayer for the observer to obtain healing and enlightenment through the art/visual resonance (trying to emulate Dr. Masaru Emoto‘s fine work with water and the effects that positive words and emotions has on it).
  3. Bach.  I played my Bach CD on repeat until I was finished with the painting.  So it is infused with sacred, cosmic sound.
  4. Different textures.  I used a great granulated paint that is awesome to touch.  I also used a glass liner to add some raised pattern effects.

Let me know what you think?  What comes up for you when you look at this painting?  Come on, let me have it — the good and the bad.

Aliens — How Close Are We To Disclosure?

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Since the early twentieth century aliens have fascinated us with the stories of UFOs and tales of abductions. Fanciful books and movies about aliens have circulated since the great hype of the 1950s.

“What if, through science fiction, these films were made to prepare us for the inevitable ‘close’ encounter?”

Our imaginations have run riot, and we have invented and perhaps correctly, documented many various adaptations of what alien beings may look like – some scary images and some rather pleasant ones.

What if, through science fiction, these films were made to prepare us for the inevitable ‘close’ encounter? A slow and methodical, calculated adjustment to the truth that lies out there in space.

Whether you believe in aliens or not – as the movie Contact so eloquently put it through Jodie Foster’s character. ‘I’ll tell you one thing about the universe, though. The universe is a pretty big place. It’s bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamt of before. So if it’s just us… seems like an awful waste of space. Right?’ 

(The above passage has been taken out of my new book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’, which is AVAILABLE NOW.)

After really wanting to have a tangible UFO experience, I am happy to report, my husband (Mike) and I witnessed a UFO.  It was a truly awesome experience and I am ecstatic to have had him with me and to have seen exactly the same encounter.  It was a reddish-orange orb (Mike said he saw a light within it) and it was flying in a straight line that eventually tapered up and out into space.  It was also morphing slightly as it was flying and it made a very soft droning sound.

I obviously know what an aeroplane looks and sounds like and this was not an aeroplane.

The most intriguing part is that I was lying in bed with the window and curtain open.  It was about 23h00 at night and Mike was lying next to me, asleep.

A voice spoke inside my head and said, ‘Look out the window‘.  I did and saw this orb floating past my neighbours roof.  Well, I got such a fright that I literally pushed Mike out of bed and we both hurried downstairs and outside to take a closer look.

How bizarre!

Have you ever seen or experienced a UFO?  Would you like to?  Do you believe in aliens?  Please tell me about your encounters…


Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth by Cherie Roe Dirksen (List Price $8.99)

This book outlines the practical steps you can take to become the master of your life.

It addresses outdated core beliefs and challenges you to rethink preconceived ideas about love, forgiveness, fear, religious doctrine and many other emotive topics that we face in our lives.

Step into the new world within the pages of a book that offers you the opportunity to live the life of your dreams and to truly experience what it means to be a part of God – the Divine part of you.

NOW AVAILABLE AT: USA — Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Raider, Alibris UK —WHSmith, Amazon, Waterstones  SOUTH AFRICA — Loot, Kalahari  

Photo credit:

“Aliens” by Africa

Going Deeper…Inner Art Expression

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Please read last weeks art blog HERE to recap on this interesting new artistic expression I have discovered in me.

Boring…

This week I started off doing my usual weekly art schedule.  Painting pretty pictures (you know, the ones that ‘sell’) and when I got to the end of the day this one popped out.

It truly took me by surprise as I didn’t know I had it in me.

What Sparked It?

I was listening to a talk on Project Camelot by Compton Rom Bada from ascendedhealth.com (do check it out — quite remarkable!).  In a nutshell, it was about how our body is made out of 90% microbes and while I was listening and painting — what I thought was going to be a cosmos painting — started automatically painting what looks like the ‘inner body’.  The microcosm cosmos.

Let it Flow

I love how my hand was just running over the canvas and splashing and doing all sorts of ‘things’ that I don’t normally do.  I just went with the flow and enjoyed the process.

Quite interestingly, the painting only took me about half an hour to complete.  I usually take about 2-3 hours for this size.  So there we have the law of least effort in place and working.

I sat on the couch after this episode and looked at the painting.  I liked it — it was different and different is good for me now.  Something was still wrong though…

The Missing Link by Cherie Roe Dirksen

I will let you know in next weeks art blog the epiphany I had!  And, hopefully, will have some tangible evidence thereof….

Is Humanity Divine?

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Is it really a surprise that instead of searching outside of yourself for a saviour (someone else to come and save you) that, indeed, you are that saviour?

“If we are to take back control of our destiny and life as we know it on this planet, we must never hand our power over to anything or anyone outside of ourselves.”

The cliché that everything you’ll ever need is within you now appears to be an absolute truth. In fact truth is better defined as integrity, which is an undivided completeness and/or a state of totality with nothing wanting. It is a much easier, and if I may say, lazier route to hand over the job of spirituality and the understanding of the ‘God’ concept to someone or something else outside of yourself.

This is what has happened through the various religions and even some of the ‘new age’ practices. You are handing your power over to someone else. If we are to take back control of our destiny and life as we know it on this planet, we must never hand our power over to anything or anyone outside of ourselves.

We are powerful Divine beings.

The above passage has been taken out of my new book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’, which is AVAILABLE NOW.

How are you making a difference, no matter how big or small?  

Do you feel the God Presence within you?  

How do you express yourself?

Are you feeling ‘the call’ to action and finding your Divine purpose?

You may also enjoy this article:

Finding Humility Through Wisdom


Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth by Cherie Roe Dirksen (List Price $8.99)

This book outlines the practical steps you can take to become the master of your life.

It addresses outdated core beliefs and challenges you to rethink preconceived ideas about love, forgiveness, fear, religious doctrine and many other emotive topics that we face in our lives.

Step into the new world within the pages of a book that offers you the opportunity to live the life of your dreams and to truly experience what it means to be a part of God – the Divine part of you.

NOW AVAILABLE AT: USA — Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Raider, Alibris UK —WHSmith, Amazon, Waterstones  SOUTH AFRICA — Loot, Kalahari  WORLDWIDE (other) — bol.com (Holland), SuperBookShop (Croatia), CDON,no (Norway),Bookplus (Finland), fishpond, Indigo (Canada)

Photography credit:

‘Buddha Statue’ by Napong

How Can Wishing For Your Rivals Success Make You Successful?

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Is There Enough?  How to Wish for Abundance for Others Too…

This is the part that most people don’t get and it is such a wonderful thing to do.  It is a great test of your faith and just how much you want to see others happy and successful too.

“…would you only want one of your children to succeed in life?”

This principle works on the visualization of other people succeeding, especially those you deem your competitors.  It is a hard concept as we are taught that there is not enough for everyone and that we must win and in order to do that, someone must lose.  This is utter nonsense as the universe is abundant.  This is another ploy in keeping us on opposing sides – the ‘me’ versus ‘them’ theory.

“We don’t all want the same thing anyway, so stop feeling threatened by others…”

Let’s take the ‘Parent Analogy’ – would you only want one of your children to succeed in life?  Of course not, you would want them all to succeed.  We don’t all want the same thing anyway, so stop feeling threatened by others and the wonderful idea of everyone experiencing abundance.

If you believe that the Divine is behind the Law of Attraction then it makes perfect sense, yet again, that we all manifest abundance.  Just like  parents wanting all their children to have happy and prosperous lives.

“Is it not a thrill on its own to see other people happy and excited?”

So, whatever situation you want to bring into your life, be it a successful career or a successful relationship, see others enjoying the same benefits.  If it is a raise in your salary you desire then see all your colleagues happy faces as you visualize them all receiving a raise.

Is it not a thrill on its own to see other people happy and excited?  This vibration is also extremely powerful and will make you a magnet for success, especially as all those around you will be experiencing good times through your visualizations as well!  How about that for a win-win situation?

If you find yourself having trouble with this exercise, then it might be prudent to question, deep within yourself, why you are feeling this way.

This exercise will help you to see the Grand Design – a world of joy and creativity where everyone’s a winner.

Above photo image created by Grant Cochrane

Part of the above article has been an extract from my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ which is available now through all good bookstores.



The Space Within Series — Inner Art

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Artistic Frustration

I am experimenting with what I like to call ‘inner art’.  I have always been intrigued with abstract art and especially art that explores patterns, sacred geometry, space, shapes and colour.

“This series is going to be a reflection of how I feel inside, what is desperate to come out.”

But, professionally, I paint more traditional art and cater to ‘the market’.  This series is going to be a reflection of how I feel inside, what is desperate to come out.  Don’t get me wrong, I love painting the things I do, it’s just sometimes I want to ‘break free’ of the conformity and do something purely for myself.

“Whether we are looking through a microscope at the inner workings of our bodies or whether we are looking through a telescope at the cosmos — I can see a notable link.” 

The colours and shapes are all a mix of the inner space coming out into the material world.  I love the theory that we are a microcosm for the macrocosm, as within so without.

Our bodies are made up of omni-central atoms, everything is circular and has the sacred geometry formula.  Whether we are looking through a microscope at the inner workings of our bodies or whether we are looking through a telescope at the cosmos — I can see a notable link.

Unity Principle

The Universal Unity Theory — for me — is the certainty that every one and every thing is connected on some level and I hope this comes across in my art. 

‘A leap of faith’ (painting above) represents the push into the unknown.  This is something I have been battling with recently and decided to express it through painting.

I want to be free to do what I want, paint what I want, say what I want — a leap into integrity, I suppose.  Wouldn’t the world just be a wonderful place if we could all express ourselves freely and without judgement or fear?

What are your thoughts on freedom of expression and the fear of ‘exposing’ yourself?

Left:  A close up of ‘A Leap of Faith’

Do You Love Yourself?

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The Love for Self

Most of us have the biggest problem of all when it comes to loving ourselves.

Try this as an exercise: 

Every time you see yourself in the mirror, give yourself a wink and say (you don’t have to say it out loud if you don’t want to) ‘I love you’.  I know, the first time I tried this I laughed, it is hard to take yourself seriously but try it over and over again and see the change in how you perceive yourself.  I noticed that instead of picking out my flaws in the mirror, I started to see and admire the positive attributes of my body.

“…see past your perceived imperfections and look at the magnificent being you are.”

This is not an intention to be Narcissistic but an attempt to acknowledge yourself and the deep connection you have with your body and consciousness.  So, look at yourself in that mirror and fall in love with yourself, see past your perceived imperfections and look at the magnificent being you are.

The love for self is the glue that will bind you together and the strength of the adhesive you use will determine your longevity and health whilst you are in form.

“You need to accept compliments as if they were a gift…”

Try to also receive compliments gracefully.

Can You Receive a Compliment?

A lot of us feel uncomfortable with compliments and either resist the gifting of a compliment or deny it completely.

When you do this you are inadvertently telling yourself that you are not worthy.  You need to accept compliments as if they were a gift, you need not take them personally (as in identify with them which is your ego at play) but just acknowledge them without rebuttal.

You are worthy of praise and should accept it in kind.

The above article has been an extract from my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ which is available now through all good bookstores.

The Versatile Blogger Award

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I was so delighted to open up my mail the other day to find this message:

“Dear Cherie, I have been following your blog for several months and find your posts always filled with meaning. They always make me think beyond my usual thoughts and bring me new and inspiring ideas. Your blog is created with love and honesty, and is extremely well-written! For this reason, I am nominating you for the Versatile Blogger Award!”

Thank you so much to the blogger of lOveOutlOud for the nomination.  Here is a beautiful quote from the Love Out Loud blog ‘About Me’ section that, I think, encapsulates the wonderful message that is being put across through this inspiring site:

“…Love is the most important thing on earth, yet we rarely mention it, we often forget to show it and a lot of us never listen to it. Some don’t even believe in it at all! Love makes the world go round; it’s an invisible force that brings us our best moments in life.”

It is a blog full of heart and soul, a positively inspiring and uplifting read! Don’t forget to check it out HERE.

After accepting the Versatile Blogger Award, the winner must:

1) Thank the person who gave the award and link back to them in your post.
2) Share 7 things about yourself.
3) Pass this award along to 15 blogs.

Right, now to divulge these 7 tasty things about me…here it goes:

1.  I love to hula hoop (yes, the ‘inner child’ will out!).

2.  Back in the late 90’s early 00’s I was the bass guitarist in a band called ‘The Bends’. I guess it will go without saying, that one of my favourite bands is Radiohead (our band was named after their second album).

3.  My first book took 5 months to write (Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth).  I started it In June 2010 and finished it in November 2010.

4.  I have a double jointed pinky (small finger) and love to whip it out at parties to freak people out.

5.  I grew up watching Star Wars and I love Science Fiction.

6.  My parents wanted a boy so badly after having 3 girls, that they pre-named me Jason.  Of course, they had the decency to rename me Cherie when I was born.

7.  I married my school sweetheart and never looked back!  :).

Right, now that I have aired out my not-too-dirty linen to the world, I feel a lot lighter.

I would like to nominate the following blogs/sites, in no particular order, that I find interesting, informative, creative, inspiring, entertaining, uplifting, helpful or just innovative.

Watts Up With That? — “The world’s most viewed site on global warming and climate change”

Daily Good — “News that inspires”

Templeton — “Ambient Rock”

Peas and Cougars — “If real life were a cartoon, I would be a triangle, which is probably better than being a square.”

RiseEarth — “Only together we can make a difference”

Sam Adams Photography

Life Lift — “The Oprah blog”

2012 The Awakening

Ellis Vidler’s Unpredictable Muse — “Thoughts on writing, grammar, the moon, andfriends–whatever comes up.”

The Extinction Protocol: 2012 and beyond — “2012 and Earthchanges News events”

The Chopra Center Blog — “Balance. Heal. Transform”

Awesomely Awake — “Honoring the sacred moments of motherhood, writing and life.”

Sandrine Pelissier’s Blog — “Watercolour, Acrylic, Mixed Media, Demos, News and Juried Competitions”

Love and a Six-Foot Leash — “One family’s quest to open minds, win hearts, and save lives through dog fostering.”

Sarah Forshaw’s Blog — “An aspiring photographer’s journey through life.”

I hope you get to explore all the sites/blogs above and find something new, funny and/or exciting!


Why is Gratitude so Important When Creating Abundance?

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To recap on the previous article about abundance, please CLICK HERE

Set Your Emotional Dial to ‘Vibrate’

Feeling gratitude for what you have brings with it its own vibration.  For those of you who are at a loss to what the word vibration truly means, I will give you some dictionary meanings that I think encapsulate this vitally important word:

 Vibrate –  (def) experience a rush of emotion in response to something;  a distinctive emotional aura experienced instinctively;  feel sudden intense sensation or emotion;  to resonate:   be received or understood;  oscillation.

This vibration of gratitude seems to attract more positive things into your life.  The more grateful you are for what you have the more you will have to be grateful for.

“…give thanks even before you have received…”

It seems like a good deal for such a pleasant feeling, gratitude.

Bypass Gratitude and Say Goodbye to Abundance

Gratitude is therefore a very important aspect of the Law of Attraction and should not be bypassed.  Besides, it feels good to be thankful and to remind ourselves of all the things in our lives that are going great.  We so often only think of our lack.

When you want to manifest a desire and you can picture what you want, don’t forget to give thanks even before you have received it.  This process brings it to you even quicker, as the matrix has to ‘hop to it’ because you are already feeling emotions of gratitude and it will have to align with that vibration or frequency.

The above article has been an extract from my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ which is available now through all good bookstores.

Other blogs related to this topic:

What is Thanks Giving?

Are You Creating the Life of your Dreams?

Top of Blog Photo credit:  ”Thank You” by Felixco, Inc

My Top Art Picks for 2012

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I’ve had rather a busy beginning to 2012.  What with my book finally being released whilst  keeping up on the art front to hold the fort in place.

For today’s art blog I thought I’d show you my favourite 6 painting picks from January’s busy and tousled easel.

I hope you enjoy them.

Red Poppies in the Forest

Zebra Love

Blue Poppies in the Meadow

Vase of Poppies

Rhapsody in Blue

Blue Poppies — Finding Beauty in Chaos Series

All the paintings above are sold but they are available as greeting cards and prints (just click on the image to take you to RedBubble).

Have a happy and productive Wednesday!

FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY

Get your FREE copy of ‘Creative Expression’ HERE

Or, alternatively, it can be purchased as a paperback at lulu.com.

“Bite size teachings on how to express your creative flare and how to ignite your passion for life.

Learn how creativity is food for the soul and that the world is just waiting to be shaped and moulded by you – the co-creator of your reality.”

My art portfolio book is available HERE to purchase or just to browse through (click ‘preview’ under book icon at lulu.com)…

What is Abundance and How Do I Get It?

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Now Don’t Just Think of Money!

When we think of the word abundance most of us jump straight to material wealth.  However, abundance, like the word ‘wealth’, does not only mean physical treasures.

Wealth can be measured by your physical wealth or health.  Without your health you could be the richest person in the world and it would mean nothing.

“…the umbrella of wealth covers so much more than money.”

Wealth can also refer to your mental frame of mind, as in the case with health, if you are mentally ill all the gold in the world won’t help you.

Having meaningful relationships, whether romantic or otherwise is of great importance.  In other words, you have a lot of money but no-one to share it with – not much fun either!

“…you could be the poorest or the richest person in the world and still suffer a huge amount of pain if you feel that everything is worthless and your life has no meaning. “

Then there is of course the financial wealth which we all think will solve our problems but as you can see from the list above, this is not always the case.  Of course, it is wonderful to have no money worries and to be able to buy anything you desire or go any place in the world or just to have enough to pay the bills – I am not denying that.  But the umbrella of wealth covers so much more than money.

The most important of all is the wealth of spirit.  Without this you will be searching your whole life for meaning to it all and you could be the poorest or the richest person in the world and still suffer a huge amount of pain if you feel that everything is worthless and your life has no meaning.

The Distortion of Wealth 

Unfortunately, through most media outlets we are being pumped with the need for greed.  This is another clever ploy by the ‘elite’ to keep us in a cycle of want and ‘tunnel vision’.

“We are being manipulated on a massive scale to keep us from seeing certain truths about our reality.”

Be very careful of the need for riches and try to assess why you want all that money anyway.  Always try to see the root of the desire and be mindful and appreciative of the trees in the forest instead of not seeing the forest for the trees.

We are being manipulated on a massive scale to keep us from seeing certain truths about our reality.  This is being done to keep our minds preoccupied with meaningless pursuit.  This is what I mean by being ‘mindful’ of your desires.  Are they really yours?  Or are you having the wool pulled over your eyes?  So be clear about what you want and why you want it.

How Can I Feel Abundant When I Have Nothing? 

A good starting place, to manifest your dreams, is to start with being grateful for what you do have.   That which you consider being of wealth to you.  This could be having a close family or a special talent or even the fact that you have a roof over your head and food in the fridge.

To be continued…CLICK HERE for part 2

Thursdays Blog will look at the importance of gratitude in receiving true abundance.  To follow my blog, please click the ‘follow’ button in the right-hand sidebar.

The above article has been an extract from my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ which is available now through all good bookstores.

Here is another article, about abundance, that I found helpful from the Deepak Chopra Center Blog —

Are You Ready for Abundance? A Letter from David Simon, M.D. – The Chopra Center Blog.

Photo credit:  “Green Dollar” by Scott Chan

Other articles you may enjoy:

How to find happiness without buying it

Art Commissions — The Soulworks Project (Part 4)…The Finished Product!

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Please read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 to recap.

Let’s Pick Up with a Hiccup!

So I left off last weeks blog with a slight hiccup…

My client came to see the painting and she liked it but I could sense something was bothering her.

“I had misinterpreted her want for silver, black, a hint of green, pink and purple tones to mean that was all the colours she wanted in the piece.”

When we got into it she divulged that she had wanted more of an orange/pink glow in the sunset and that the whole painting was a bit monotone.  I had misinterpreted her want for silver, black, a hint of green, pink and purple tones to mean that was all the colours she wanted in the piece.

This turned out not to be the case.

What to do next?

I listened to her requests and told her that I would first come up with a digital overlay of what she was asking for.

“It is important to listen to the needs of your client…”

I do this to see what the painting will look like with the changes and if it actually suits the painting.  Here is what I came up with:

What I did here was take the photo of the painting and use the ‘airbrush’ feature in my Ulead programme (most photo editing packages have an airbrush feature) to paint in the required adjustments.

I saw that it actually brought the picture to life.

It is important to listen to the needs of your client but it is also important to stick with the integrity of the painting.  What does that mean?

Integrity Check

Well, if I feel that the changes that the client wants do not fall in line with the artwork then I will let them know.  If I feel strongly that it will ‘take away’ from the artwork, then I try to explain the potential hiccups in changing the piece.

However, in this case, the changes my customer wanted actually enhanced the artwork and I had to agree with her in the end, that it was for the betterment of the piece.

Once we had discussed all the little changes she wanted, I went back to the drawing board (or easel, in this case).

The Finished Project

After implementing the final adjustments to the painting, the Soulworks Project was complete!

Here is a picture of the finished artwork.

Available as cards and prints – click here

My client was thrilled it now hangs in her office/consulting room and she now uses it on her business cards and brochures as well as her website.  Check out her site at www.soulworks.co.za.

Don’t forget your FREE copy of my book ‘Creative Expression’ — GET IT HERE

How to find your inspiration…

Do You Understand Unconditional Love?

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Playing with Words

Now let’s cast aside all cheesy connotations of the word and let’s have a closer look at it…LOVE.

L  O  V  E.

Yes, but what does it mean?

Now I like to play with words and I think it is fascinating that word like disease broken down are ‘dis-ease’ and ‘remember’ is to ‘re-member’ (become a part of the whole again), so love backwards begins to spell…evol – ve?  Maybe…evol – ution…could be.  Just a thought…

Aren’t we all progressively trying to evolve in one way or another?  Could love be the catalyst for evolution?

To Love Unconditionally

Love is more than a word or chemical reaction in the brain telling us how we feel.  Love is the Universal language of emotion.  It can even be called the ultimate emotion.  Or going out on a limb, the only true emotion – the one that leads back to Source.

“We say we love unconditionally but in reality our love always comes with conditions attached.”

There are of course ‘different’ types of love.  The love a mother has for a child, the romantic kind of love, brotherly/sisterly love, love for thy neighbor, and the list goes on.  You get the picture.  But what does it really mean?

Love is unconditional.  Another word that most people roll their eyes at…what is unconditional?  We say we love unconditionally but in reality our love always comes with conditions attached.  Think about it.

Do you love your partner unconditionally?  No, I hear you say.  Okay, why?  Well, because there is the fear of them leaving or, even worse, leaving me for someone else.  Fear, another wonderful concept that I delve into in my new book ‘Divine You’ (now available at all good bookstores!).

Understanding Love

Heart IITo love unconditionally is best likened to the parental type of love.  Even though it goes to say that even some parents love with attachments — this is most typically found in Western and even in Eastern cultures where parents tend to live through their children and do not let the children experience their own desires.  But typically a parent loves their child (ren) unconditionally.

” A parent will love their child even if that child does something unspeakable…”

This is the closest we are going to get in this 3D realm to what unconditional love really looks like.  A parent will love their child even if that child does something unspeakable.  Even if your child were to commit a serious crime.  You wouldn’t just stop loving your child if they were to murder someone.

You might be devastated but you will still love them.

Turning off Judgment to Experience Love

Love is something you can’t switch off.  But judgment is.  Judgment can be switched off, it just takes time and practice.  I say this because our need to judge continuously clouds our need to love unconditionally.

“We judge in others what we don’t like about ourselves.”

Isn’t that what this is really about?  We blind ourselves through judgment of others.  Why?  Because everyone is mirrored back to us.  We judge in others what we don’t like about ourselves.

I will continue more on this topic in Thursdays blog (please click the ‘follow’ button in the sidebar if you wish to be instantly updated when blogs are released).  This has been an extract from my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ which is now available.

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Why 3 Is A Magic Number

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This is an extract from the second chapter — about The Trinity — in my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ now available through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, WHSmith and Waterstones Bookstores.

The Power of 3

The number 3 is a metaphor for the catalyst — it is the number of action.

“Father, Son and Holy Spirit are an expression for the Divine within you, your true, raw and, in most cases, unrealized potential.”

In this case, the action required to bring about Heaven on Earth, or HOME (Heaven on Mother Earth) as I like to call it, through a massive awakening in us and our ability to merge this sacred trinity together — within ourselves — to embrace and be one with the Divine. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are an expression for the Divine within you, your true, raw and, in most cases, unrealized potential.

The concept of mind, body and spirit is a powerful trio and trinity in itself. When closely examined, it could be considered as a metaphor for the sacred oneness of the Divine, duality (our embodiment), and the unity of consciousness (the realization that we are all One that makes up the Whole again). A closed circuit of continuous Divine energy.

The Splinter In Your Mind

When you realize that the ‘splinter’ in your mind, that one thing that you sense is out of kilter but you can’t seem put your finger on, is the remembrance of your true state of existence then you can begin to piece together the memories of your Divine self.

“What a wonderful representation of the trinity when it is symbolized as the triangle – it will never change its shape, unbending and durable.”

The splinter is that part of you, the true self, trying to come out and manifest in this 3D plane of existence. Yes, there it is again – the 3 even crops up in reference to the dimension we infer ourselves to be most present in.

The triangle is a perfect example of the 3, the sturdiest shape possible. The only ‘perfect’ figure which if all endpoints have hinges will never change its shape unless the sides themselves are bent. What a wonderful representation of the trinity when it is symbolized as the triangle – it will never change its shape, unbending and durable. This is a remarkable example of our uncompromising totality.

Tune in for more…

Over the next few weeks I will be taking some more juicy extracts from my book to give you a taste of what Divine You is all about.  So please stay tuned as I tempt you with more teachings on reclaiming your innate Divine power…press the ‘follow’ button on the sidebar to get e-mail notifications of new blogs.

This book encourages the reader to re-examine some fundamental qualities to living a happy and content life.  It looks at the importance of forgiveness, why it is imperative not to judge, how to use the Law of Attraction, present moment awareness, what unconditional love really looks like, how to vanquish fear, awakening the unity that is the christ-consciousness seed within you and lots more.

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF ‘CREATIVE EXPRESSION’ HERE

Art Commissions — The Soulworks Project (Part 3)…Painting the Picture

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Please read Part 1 and Part 2 if you wish to recap.

Let The Painting Begin…

So with the prelim sketch having been accepted, the real work starts.  You will see, in the photographs below,  just why I never show the client the process.

Layering

Art is done in stages and layers and, usually, only the artist can see where they are going with the process.  If someone were to step into your studio, say, whilst you were busy with your first layer, they would — no doubt — think you were an amateur.

“The reward for any artist is seeing the process evolve into your visualization of it.”

Paintings are built up layer upon layer until the desired outcome is realized.  The reward for any artist is seeing the process evolve into your visualization of it.

Here are the beginning stages:

The canvas is good to go…

The first layer begins…

The second layer starts and you begin to see where this is going…

And then, drum roll, the finished product (or is it?)

Just to recap, here is the prelim sketch that I worked from:

I was very clear with my client that the prelim sketch would not show the intensity of the acrylic paint colours.  The sketch is always just an ‘idea’ of the colour scheme.

Next…

The next step in the process is to e-mail a photo of the painting to the client.  In this case, my client came to see it in person.  

The Plot Thickens — Hitting Unforseen Snags

This is where things get interesting.  Next week I will give the final stage in this commission and divulge what to do if your client has a slight change of mind or vision for the project.

Read  Part 4

How Can Everyone Be Divine?

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This is an extract from the first chapter in my latest book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ now available through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, WHSmith and Waterstones Bookstores.

Are We Really Divine?

Is it really a surprise that instead of searching outside of yourself for a savior to come and save you that, indeed, you are that savior?

The cliché that everything you’ll ever need is within you is now appearing to be an absolute truth. In fact, truth is better defined as integrity which is an undivided completeness and/or a state of totality with nothing wanting. It is a much easier, and if I might say, lazier route to hand over the job of spirituality and the understanding of the ‘God’ concept to someone or something else outside of yourself.

“…we must never hand our power over to anything or anyone outside of ourselves.”

This is what has happened through the various religions and even some of the ‘new age’ practices. You are handing your power over to someone else. If we are to take back control over our destiny and life as we know it on this planet, we must never hand
our power over to anything or anyone outside of ourselves.

We are powerful Divine beings.

What It Really Means To Be Christ-Like

The parables of Jesus Christ always felt like he had a greater understanding of people and the way this world should be experienced – especially when he spoke of our innate divinity (being the sons and daughters of God).

“Words are powerful tools of both positive and negative vibration.”

This is why I feel that the stories of Jesus Christ were tales of spiritual morality that encompassed compassion, empathy, non-judgment and love.  When someone speaks his or her truth there is always a resonance within the words being said that will affect you positively. Words are powerful tools of both positive and negative vibration.

So, when Jesus spoke his truth, it resonates within because fundamentally we know what it sounds like as everyone has this form of integrity inside them and that is how we recognize it.

Our truths are buried deep inside and the whole process of enlightenment is to shine a light on it and to bring ourselves into complete clarity and wholeness.

More Tasty Tit-Bits To Come…

Over the next few weeks I will be taking some more juicy extracts from my book to give you a taste of what Divine You is all about.  Please stay tuned…

This book encourages the reader to re-examine some fundamental qualities to living a happy and content life.  It looks at the importance of forgiveness, why it is imperative not to judge, how to use the Law of Attraction, present moment awareness, what unconditional love really looks like, how to vanquish fear, awakening the unity that is the christ-consciousness seed within you and lots more.

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF ‘CREATIVE EXPRESSION’ HERE

Your World, Your Life

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I would like to share with you the outro of my book (‘Divine You’).  It is a poem I wrote just before I started the endeavour that was the undertaking of writing this self-empowerment guide.  It encapsulates the journey of this book and I hope it will whet your appetite.

So for now, I’ll leave you with this…

Your World, Your Life…

Your world begins and ends with you
You are in control, the master of your destiny

You are the constant observer of your world
You are the choice maker
Your choices create your world

You will know the crossroads when you see them
Think hard about who you are and what you want
Your decisions are never wrong unless you don’t learn from them
And are grateful when they are the right decisions

We make mistakes so we can learn
We have to make mistakes so we know what we want from life
It is never too late to alter your destiny or to right a wrong

Forgiveness is vital along your path
To forgive helps you to extinguish anger
It is not designed to indemnify the perpetrator
It is there to help you move on

To forgive yourself is a difficult task
It is also a most vital task

You were made perfect
You doubt yourself through the eyes and opinions of others
Be mindful of what you say to others and what is said to you

You know you are Divine, you know you are perfect
Compliments or criticisms from others should be taken lightly
Only you know your soul
Only you can evaluate yourself

If you let criticism into your heart you are agreeing with it
You will pick up a lot of this kind of ‘baggage’ along the way
Just remember it is easy to break the agreement if you do not concur

Only you know who you are
Only you can make the agreement

Never assume anything, assumptions only cause confusion
Make sure you know the facts

The world is your oyster, you are never to young or too old
Your dreams will become reality if you believe it
Thoughts are the second most powerful force in the Universe
Love is the first

Love yourself and you will have endless love for others
Hold love in your heart and the world will open up for you
See everyone in the world as a part of you, a collective Oneness
Treat them like you would treat yourself

Love begets love, fear begets fear
Again, the choice is yours

This is it

Choose

                                                      ~  Cherie Roe Dirksen

 

My book ‘Divine You — Redefining Love in the New Earth’ is now available at Barnes & Noble Bookstore.

This book encourages the reader to re-examine some fundamental qualities to living a happy and content life.  It looks at the importance of forgiveness, why it is imperative not to judge, how to use the Law of Attraction, present moment awareness, what unconditional love really looks like, how to vanquish fear, awakening the unity that is the christ-consciousness seed within you and lots more.

Don’t forget that you can also download your FREE copy of

‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration…’ HERE

or click on the link below to order your paperback copy for $19.99:

Art Commissions — The Soulworks Project (Part 2)…the Prelim Sketch

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Please read Part 1 HERE

The Sketch

The next step of the commission process is to provide the client with a rough colour sketch of the proposed artwork along with a detailed description of how you got there.

With all the specs my client gave me (please see Part 1), I came up with this sketch and then gave her an explanation of how I got to this stage by providing her with the inspiration behind the piece.

INSPIRATION BEHIND THE PIECE.

The trees represent mankind/womankind with their arms (branches) stretched out to the heavens and the feet firmly rooted in the earth.  However, to the left of the painting are a couple of souls who are still turned to the darkness – the illusion of reality and who they are – not being able to turn to the light (sun) yet.  There is one soul making her way to the river to cross it and join the others (she has her branches stretched out to them) on the other side who have fully awakened to the light of the dawn that is upon them.

I have subtly put various branched protruding from the trees turned to the dark to show the obstacles they still have to clear (branches to be pruned)…the trees on the other side of the river are streamlined and facing upwards.

The sun represents the light and the new dawn in one’s life.  The ‘enlightened’ trees are gravitating more toward the sun/light.

The river will reflect silver tones of the light (reflections of the sun/dawn) reaching every corner of the world through the stream of ever flowing energy that can’t be stopped.  It passes the lavender field, nourishing it and causing the flowers to bloom (carrying the theme of flowers being the manifestation of a plant’s enlightenment).

The lavender to the left are swaying in the direction of the right – where the painting is being directed – the blossoming of full consciousness.

The wash of butterflies heading toward the flowers begin as a mixture of hearts and butterflies, putting across the concept of love and loving yourself enough to let yourself be free and fly in the beauty of creation.  The conclusion of the painting is the 2 butterflies alighted on the flower – they have found the piece/peace of beauty in this world.  That will be the focal point of this painting.

I also liked the concept – for you Tracy – of the female trees being on top of mountains to represent a little personal touch that you can relate to with your climbing and reaching new heights.

Please also note that this is a very rough sketch – it is A4 in size.  You can imagine that the canvases will be a lot more detailed as I will have a lot more space to ‘do my thing’.  This is really just an idea of content and colour.  The real thing always is far more impressive.  For instance, the butterflies will be a lot more detailed – I would like to incorporate some silver swirly design in their wings and want them to perhaps be more of a lilac colour (like white with a hint of purple).  So they will be more detailed as will the lavender and the mountains, trees, etc.  I want to subtly incorporate the patterned backgrounds I do (in silver) onto the mountains (I have done a little bit of this in the sketch but it will feature more prominently in the painting).

The next stage (Part 3 — next Wednesdays blog, 25th January 2012) I will show you the process of painting and why I never show the client the painting while it is a work-in-progress. To follow this blog via e-mail and get instant updates when a new blog is posted, please click the ‘follow’ button in the sidebar.

Read Part 3 & Part 4


Do You Lack Self-Worth When it Comes to Creativity?

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“It may help to remember that in the cosmic design, pain is neutral. In the physical world, pain motivates us negatively, while pleasure motivates us positively. True freedom is letting go of our attachment to both. The best way to begin this process is developing a state of witness consciousness through practices such as meditation and mindful awareness.” ~ D. Chopra

This extract was taken out of the latest Deepak Chopra blog, please click on the link below to read the full article — it is definitely worth the read:

Balance. Heal. Transform. The Chopra Center Blog.

Hitting the Nail on the Head

I think that Dr Chopra really hit the nail on the head with the statement above.  It is, synchronistically, a topic that I was just trying to convey to a friend of mine.

It is quite difficult to explain that one needs to disengage or detach from any perception of good or bad, that there only is.

Your mind has been trained to mentally label things or situations as either positive or negative.  We can choose to view anything, as was mentioned in the above quotation, as a conscious witness.  This means detaching from judgment and the need to apply a label.

“…any past trauma or early childhood inhibition could seriously stop you from trying a new venture.”

When you commit to any creative endeavour, one must clear the path, so to speak, of any loose debris that might be clouding your way.  For instance, any past trauma or early childhood inhibition could seriously stop you from trying a new venture.

Do you feel unworthy?

The Self Worth Issue

Let me cut through all the BS and get straight down to the brass tacks here.  Everyone is worthy.  If you are not feeling self-worth then you have probably set yourself up with a life lesson(s) to experience this feeling.

“This means that you take responsibility for agreeing to whatever or whoever made you feel unworthy.”

Your job is to identify where, in your past, you first agreed to take on this role.  This means that you take responsibility for agreeing to whatever or whoever made you feel unworthy (please read The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz for more about this very important subject of the agreements we make and how it affects our lives).

This may sound harsh but we must get real now or face the consequences of always feeling victimized.  When you carry a victim mentality you will never feel that you can be self-empowered.

It Takes 2 to Tango

So, the first step is to take responsibility for your choices.  And please do this with compassion for yourself and for whomever else may be involved.  When we agree to take on a lesson, it usually takes two souls to tango.

“…it is so important for us to be able to forgive and to not judge.”

This means that there is usually a ‘bad guy’ (or gal) but if we could view this from a perspective that is beyond the veil of our current reality, we may find that the ‘bad guy’ is posing as such to help us fulfill a soul lesson on the deepest of levels.  This is why it is so important for us to be able to forgive and to not judge.

When we are able to see, with clarity, the root point at which the conflict took place, we are able to glean the necessary teaching from it.  When we are able to do this, we are able to forgive and move on in our lives.

Where has this teaching or lesson taken you?

What have you learnt from it?

Can you agree to accept the lesson with gratitude and move on?

Letting Go to Move On

If you can truly let go of a past trauma, you will feel the absolute liberation of taking back your power.  When you accept responsibility for your actions and choices, you become self-empowered, knowing that nothing in this Universe happens by chance — you are at the very heart of every experience you have chosen.

Now to the Creativity Part…

When you commit to a creative project, whether it be in music, writing, art or any other form of creative expression, it is important to be grounded in your integrity.

“This is why it is important to face your demons and start a creative endeavour with a clean slate.”

If you are, say for instance, writing from a place of knowledge but lack the wisdom for which you write, you are lacking a certain portion of integrity.  In other words, if you want to write about something that you know a lot about but have not actually experienced or passed the learning thereof, you are not coming from a place of true integrity.  This is why it is important to face your demons and start a creative endeavour with a clean slate.

You can of course start anything without doing the groundwork but your success is usually stunted when you know you are not acting from true source.  If you believe in yourself 100% there is nothing that will get in your way of true creativity or success.

To kick-start this day off, I am offering subscribers a FREE PDF copy of ‘Creative Expression — How to find Your Inspiration’ (CLICK HERE).

How to find your inspiration…copy of my book ‘Creative Expression — How to find your inspiration…’ HERE (or click on the book cover).  Subscription to the site is 100% free, no hidden agendas — I only wish to share this book with you.

If you would like to order the paperback version of this book, you can do that HERE.

Art Commissions — The Soulworks Project (Part 1)…meeting with the client

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A step-by-step guide on how a commission is put together

A lot of artists would like to know how one goes about starting a commission and there are also a lot of people who would like to have something commissioned but are too scared to ask.

What is the procedure and what is involved in the process of a commission?

The Key Steps

  • Meet with the client and get a feel for what they want — show them your portfolio
  • If you accept the job, the next step is to supply the client with a quotation for the job (upon acceptance of the quote, I usually require a deposit of 50%)
  • Draw up a prelim sketch of the artwork and give a detailed synopsis of how you got to this stage with the information and specs the client has given you
  • Start the job and show the client the finished work (I usually refrain from showing the client the process as it could cause confusion, as you will see in the blogs to come)
  • Present the client with the finished painting — I usually send a photograph before they actually see it ‘in the flesh’
  • Voila (oh, and get the rest of your payment!)

In the weeks to follow, I will be taking you through the last commission that I did for a very special client who wanted a triptych for her office.  I will be addressing every step that is taken up until the painting is delivered.

Today’s Art Blog is going to look at the first step:  Q&A

Step 1 — What does your client want?

This is obviously a very important step and one of the deciding factors if you and your client are on the same page.  When you have finished questioning your clients likes and dislikes, you can assess whether or not you resonate with each other and the project.

I never take on a commission that I don’t feel comfortable with.  If it goes against my style, principles or anything else, this step will let me know if I will proceed with the client to the next stage which is quoting for the job.

Here were my clients specs for this commission:

She wanted to incorporate

  • Nature
  • Butterfly (part of her logo)
  • Silver spirals/patterns
  • Peace
  • Connection
  • Mountains
  • Well-being
  • Joy, Beauty and Fulfillment
  • Inspiration
  • Passion
  • Green, purple and silver colours
More specs from the client — you can never know too much, only too little!

When we discussed these ideas, she conveyed to me that she liked the spiral patterns I use in my art (see picture below for example) and she also liked the idea of having a human form in a tree (see my other picture below).

 “It is vital that you show your client a portfolio…”

This was important information and got me on track to visualizing this piece.  It is vital that you show your client a portfolio so they can point out the colours, subjects and styles they like of yours.  It also helps the client get an idea of what you are capable of doing.

As she is having this painting commissioned for her office, we also delved into her practice and what that entails.  She is an NLP practitioner (Neuro-linguistic Programming) who wants something pleasant for her clients to look at whilst in they are in session.  It has to be something that ties in with what she offers.

Next week I will be posting the prelim sketch of the painting along with the detailed synopsis of how I interpreted her needs.

Read Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

The Baboon and the Butter — Part 1

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I live in a beautiful part of Cape Town and one of the great blessings of staying here is the indigenous flora and fauna. We have guinea fowl, ha-de-dah’s, squirrels, cranes, porcupines (although I have never been so privileged as to see one yet) and most poignant of all – baboons.

Baboons are so amusing and so human-like but they can also be quite frightening with their long fangs and alpha male supremacy squabbles. Most of which turn into amateur roof acrobatics when they fight and chase each other from rooftop to rooftop. This is especially daunting as I have a tin roof. I will leave the noise up to your imagination…

But besides this, I love the baboons and find them fascinating. So much so that I have even been on a ‘baboon walk’ – this is where you get to ‘hang out’ with them in their natural environment (run by Baboon Matters Conservation Group).

During my baboon walk I was even groomed by one of them – an honour I shall never forget!

My story begins not so long ago in the sticks far far away…

After seeing my husband off to work one fine day, I found that I was not alone in my house.

There were 2 baboons in my open plan kitchen raiding my reserves. One had my choc-chip cookies under his arm and the other my tub of butter! Now, casting all practical knowledge of how to deal with this situation aside (basically get out), I saw red and charged at them shouting (in the most terrifying voice I could muster) ‘RAAH-RAAH!’ (yes, just like Nicole Kidman in ‘Australia’!).

This baboon had my butter!

For some reason, unbeknown to me, I had a connection with that tub of butter and was willing to risk my life (or perhaps not so dramatically, loss of limb or fingernail) to get it back from the thieving hands of this rude mammal.

“To no avail, he looked up at me, with mild amusement, and to my mind, complete arrogance and hugged the tub of butter to his chest…”

After startling them with my fierce war cries, I ran after them, out of the house and down my driveway into the road — all the while shouting at them to ‘give it back!’

Finally, he stopped to try to consume his prize on my neighbours lawn. I stopped running and stormed up to him with a finger wagging in his face, demanding that he give it back to me this instant! To no avail, he looked up at m — with mild amusement, and to my mind, complete arrogance — and hugged the tub of butter to his chest in a gesture that would have translated a bit like this:

‘When hell freezes over, crazy blonde lady!’

A Little Practical Advice About Baboons…

Once a baboon grabs something, he doesn’t let go. Another interesting fact is that baboons are not scared of women (a fact that got lost by the wayside with me). So here we have a baboon who isn’t letting go. Is this the same for humans? Why can’t we ‘let go’! ?

Hmmm, I’m beginning to smell a moral to this tale…

Back To The Story

I started to see reason (and danger for the first time) and began my ascent back up the driveway in defeat.

I suddenly realised that there was a raucous commotion coming from inside my house. I heard glass crashing and panic set back in…I’m going to stop there and will continue this riveting tale in Part 2 NOW AVAILABLE HERE.

Is Your Past Tripping Up Your Future?

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A very common condition

AttitudeAre you living in the past, rehashing past traumas and situations?  Do you feel like you want to let go but just can’t?

“Whether you are experiencing regret, sorrow, guilt, shame or a number of other lower vibrational anxieties, you need to let go and detach.”

So many people live this way and can’t seem to move on.  When you find your mind wandering to situations or incidents that have happened, you are living in the past.  Whether you are experiencing regret, sorrow, guilt, shame or a number of other lower vibrational anxieties, you need to let go and detach.

Detaching from your past

This time of the year sometimes gives rise to uncomfortable ‘quiet moments’ where there is nothing to do and we are faced with the possibility of ‘inner reflection’.  These situations are sometimes mistaken for depression or that feeling of being ‘let down’ by the holidays   for not living up to your expectations, or — perhaps, living up too much to your expectations and now you have nothing to look forward to.  Sound familiar?

“These issues that we sweep under the rug are lessons.”

These times should be taken to explore the residue of past reflections.  Is there something that you have been burying down, deep inside?  Something that yearns to be re-addressed but you simply don’t feel like giving it an audience for fear of having to ‘feel’ all over again?

These issues that we sweep under the rug are lessons.  In order to walk through, or pass, a lesson, we must face it.  This can sometimes be painful but it is necessary.  It may be initially an uncomfortable issue to reconstitute but when you have seen the lesson that you have gleaned from it, you can put it to rest forever.  Never having to face that feeling of unresolved emotion trying to rear its head at you.

“You are always capable of graduating from the class of karma.”

blue butterfly pngWe are here to explore and experience.  Some of these experiences are brought over from past lives or early childhood traumas.  You are always capable of graduating from the class of karma.   You never set up anything for yourself that you cannot handle.  With courage in your toolkit, you can search the hidden meanings of your unresolved issues and find the lessons so that you can graduate to the next level of learning.

You are the driver

Only you can do this as no-one else knows your inner workings.  Never look outside of yourself to anyone or anything to ‘fix’ you.  Only you can do that.  You can seek advice and help along your path but inevitably, you do need to do the work.

“Have both your feet firmly in the present!”

What better way to start the new year than to truly start it afresh?  Face your ‘demons’ with compassion and a yearning to learn from past mistakes and you will be creating a much brighter future for yourself without the need to constantly have one foot in the past.  Have both your feet firmly in the present!

Good luck on your journey into the new year and I wish you all the best life you can possibly dream up for yourself.

Butterflies and Hurricanes — 2012 is Here!

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So, 2012 is here and we are about to enter one of the most anticipated years in history!

Are you feeling it?  This year has a certain air of mystery, intrigue, excitement, anxiety, angst and nervous anticipation.  What do we do?  What can we do?  Is there anything TO do?

The answer is an emphatic YES!  You can take time out this year for yourself.

The Search to Reconnect with Your Inner Being

Inner reflection is the key to unlocking the authentic you.  The you that is your core essence, buried deep down inside  — past all the various layers you have accumulated over time and experience.

“If you make yourself a top priority, you will be strong enough to help others on their path.”

  • Take time out to meditate, get in touch with the silence.  Learn to be comfortable in silence.
  • Take a fresh look at your diet and make sure to add lots of pure water, fruit and vegetables to it.  Remember that you are what you eat.  Do you feel heavy?  Are you eating heavy starchy foods?  Or too much meat?  Get real about what you are putting into your unique temple.
  • Treat your body to regular exercise.  Do something that you enjoy.  It is useless to commit to an exercise regime when you hate it.  Play to your strengths.  Do you like to take a walk in a forest or along a beach?  Do you enjoy dancing?  Find out what you like to do and fit it into a fitness routine.  Cater to your needs and preferences.
  • Take time out to be in nature — go to the beach, climb mountains, hike in fields or simply sit under a tree.  Reconnect with the Earth — this is your home.  Find the beauty that is on your doorstep.
  • Get creative.  Take time out to muck about.  Get a hobby, rekindle your interest for photography or art.  Give yourself time to explore a creative avenue.
  • Play.  Connect with the inner child every once in a while (preferably as much as you can).  Play in sand, dance in the rain, laugh your head off — let your hair down and stop caring about what anyone thinks.  What do you think?  That’s all that matters.
  • Eat lots of dark chocolate.  I don’t know how important this step is but I thought it might round this list off nicely.  However, it has been proven to release happy endorphins in your body, so a little shouldn’t hurt!  Click here for an article on the positive effects of eating chocolate.
New Years Resolutions…

So, this new year make your resolutions about you and reconnecting to your divine self.  Explore your inner depths and uncover your I AM presence.  If you make yourself a top priority, you will be strong enough to help others on their path.

Be kind and compassionate towards yourself and you will then be able to find it easier to relate to others and to see the connection we all have with each other.

Separation is the Illusion, unity is our reality.

Butterflies and Hurricanes

This year may feel chaotic and turbulent but you can always transmute any energy to your advantage.

You can choose to be the butterfly, free and beautiful or you can get stuck in the hurricane of chaos and drama.

Choices map out our future.  Make sure you choose from your heart.  It is easy to get caught up in drama if you don’t remain grounded and coherent in your thinking patterns.

Detach from drama and be the still presence.  Be compassionate and loving whilst remaining firm and grounded.

Happy New Year everybody!

My new book is due for release soon…

Out now…

Something Red…

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In keeping with a festive colour scheme, I will be posting some red-themed art today.

I have decided to choose one artwork from each of my main categories of landscape, form, seascape, floral and wildlife (well, if you consider a dragon to be wildlife).

I hope you enjoy…

You can view my full portfolio here where you can purchase prints, posters, greeting cards and more…

For my blog on Something Blue CLICK HERE

Thanks for looking!

The Universe is Expanding – Are You?

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The Universe is ever expanding and gives rise to new opportunities for creating and orchestrating planetary and galactic development.

So, if the Universe is pushing ever on outward,

why set boundaries for creativity on any level?

Never limit yourself because anything can be achieved if doubt is removed.

The Universe is not set – why should you be?

Pushing the envelope of creative expansion breaks down any illusion of limitation.

Once you step out of the box, infinity beckons your every whim.

Bask in the knowledge that existence is infinite, as are all possibilities.

We create in a field of pure energy potential.

Sign up HERE to receive your gift of inspirational wallpaper designs from my book ‘Creative Expression’

The above quotations and art have been taken from my new table book ‘Creative Expression – How to find your inspiration…’ available now — CLICK HERE.  All the artworks above are available to purchase as prints at RedBubble.

Ignite Your Creative Flame!

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 The search for purpose or meaning in our lives is rooted in the deepest feelings

that stir within.

To find our unique spark, that will ignite the flame.

That which burns to give birth to creation.

For it is creativity that leads us to fulfilling our dreams and stokes our fires.

A world without creativity would be unbearable to try to even imagine…

Inspiration takes on many forms.

 What does your creative expression look like?

Have you found yourself lost in time when you are immersed in your passion?

What is it, no matter how insignificant to you, that makes you feel at home?

And reminds you of how beautiful life can be?

Find the answer and find your gateway to utilizing your divine, unique gifts – everybody has

a gift(s) although the packages may vary.

There is no stopping creative flow…

It will never cease to be.

The only limitations to creation are the ones that are self inflicted.

Sign up HERE to receive your gift of inspirational wallpaper designs from my book ‘Creative Expression’

The above quotations and art have been taken from my new table book ‘Creative Expression – How to find your inspiration…’ available now — CLICK HERE.  All the artworks above are available to purchase as prints at RedBubble.