To the Cape Shore & Back – a visual meditation

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Welcome! For the next 47 minutes, sit back and relax with me on the Cape Shore of this beautiful island I call home.

Allow Mother Earth’s healing energy and Newfoundland & Labrador’s scenic beauty to soothe your soul and nourish your transformational journey.  

What a blessing this trip was for both myself and my friend Leslie. May it now be one for you too.

Ask and You Shall Receive

Thank you to my friends and long time art patrons Gordon Martin & Linda Chantal Hewitt of People Places & Things for arranging this trip for me.

They manage several Airbnbs, including Gordon’s cottage which you experienced in my Affirmations for a Happy Healthy Life video. As an aside, it featured three of their 8 Dominique Hurley original paintings.

If you recall, I’d asked Gordon if I could stay a few days at his cottage. He gladly said yes and was happy to receive the gift of my photos to help with his promotional efforts.

I’m a firm believer in Ask & You Shall Receive.

I’d asked Source & my Team of Divine Helpers for inspiration, which led to the idea of contacting Gordon.

Now he’s the one asking me to take more creative retreats at the other properties in his care. What a win-win!

I may not have had my 2-month retreat in Ireland due to COVID, but I’m feeling blessed and rejuvenated, finding creative ways to travel & practice my art in these interesting times.

Thank you also to Irene Collins Carr, the owner of the Airbnb in St. Bride’s for agreeing to have my friend Leslie & I stay there for 3 nights. What a beautiful location and a beautiful home! If this video inspires you to book it for your own Cape Shore holiday, contact my friend Gordon here.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank my friend Leslie for accompanying me. We travel really well together, plus she has a car and loves to cook. Those healthy vegan meals were a real treat. The desert you see in the video was a roasted rhubarb cake with vanilla cashew cream filling on a coconut crust, decorated with edible pansies from her garden. Yummy!

We’re also both grateful to Tyrone A Batstone, caretaker of the Airbnb and paramedic at the Cape Shore Ambulance next door, without whom none of us would have experienced the beauty of the brook in St. Bride’s and Gooseberry Cove. There were no signs and driving in our direction, we would have completely missed these. So thanks for the tourist tips, firewood, your dog Skipper and fireside company Tyrone!

If there’s something you’re missing in your life, focus on the essence of it and ask the Universe to show you a way. Then live moments of that feeling every day.

I’m sure my appreciation for my neighbourhood and the thousands of photos I’ve shared of its beauty on social media, inspiring others to get outdoors is part of why this has all unfolded.

Live in the Feeling Tone (the L.I.F.T. practice as one of my teachers Derek Rydall calls it) and open to receiving. But don’t forget to ask.

Stay tuned for future blessings emerging from my creative collaborations and co-creations.

One Step At A Time

I can’t believe how much we saw, did and experienced in 4 days! I’ll admit, I was overwhelmed when faced with thousands of photos and videos on 2 cameras (iPhone XI pro and SLR).

But I like to finish one project before starting another and had another staycation booked in less than a week.

So I took a deep breath (not to lose the blissful feeling from my trip) and tackled this project one step at a time.

This resulted in 7 mini videos that I shared on Facebook and Youtube in the week prior to this post. Then, it was much less daunting to put them together into one project, improving on some editing choices along the way as I’m still learning all this stuff.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by any project in your life, I wanted you to know you’re not alone. Just take it in bite-sized chunks, one step at a time, and celebrate each win!

Whether de-cluttering your house, raising a child, creating a new piece of art or doing your taxes… one step at time…. and breathe deeply. You can do it!

New Music

If you’ve been following me for years, you know that I’ve been using the same 5 royalty free songs purchased from Christopher Lloyd Clarke in my meditation and scenic videos.

I still love those tracks, but am happy to report that this video features a new addition to my collection, “Enlighten Me”.

Now you may think it strange to have Tibetan throat singing, gongs and singing bowl instead of Irish jigs for a Newfoundland & Labrador video…. but being out in nature brings out a combination of my mindful zen nature and childlike curiosity & wonder. So in my mind, this new music was perfect for it. Let me know if you agree in the comments below.

P.S. I’ll be publishing every 2 weeks instead of weekly for the rest of the summer. If you’re in the mood for more, enjoy browsing my blog history and website. There’s lots to explore. Enjoy!

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Flatrock Waterfalls – One of Mother Earth’s Powerful Energy Vortexes

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There are places on this planet that you know will instantly recharge you. The waterfalls near the East Coast Trailhead in Flatrock does it for me. Can you feel it in this video? Breathe in the beauty as you experience it through my eyes along with “Across the Sky” by Christopher Lloyd Clarke.

The first time I went, I could almost see the energy vortex. I could certainly feel it. It’s the strongest energy I’ve felt in Newfoundland & Labrador.

One of the reasons I like this island so much is that it rarely gets too hot. Even though we’d had frost warnings at the Summer Solstice, we also had a Humidex of 33 Celsius (91.5F) on June 23rd. That’s too much for me.

So at 6am, I headed to my friend Leslie’s to drive out together to Flatrock (25km) for a bit of a nature soak before the heat, before the grocery store opened, and before my full workday.

We stayed 2 hours.

I confess. Although the camera often helps me to be more present, my new film-making passion gets me so creatively excited that I sometimes forget to slow down.

Luckily, I really enjoy filming time lapses, which means putting the camera on a tripod and leaving it there for an hour or more.

So that’s what I did.

While Leslie went hiking up the cliffs to journal, I took my boots & socks off to ground, bare skin on the rocks. With the waterfalls to my left and the ocean to my right, I was in my happy place.

Making sure I spend some time every day skin to skin with Mother Earth has done wonders for me. If you haven’t seen The Earthing Movie, I recommend it. I always knew about the power of nature, but wasn’t aware that our rubber soles stopped the flow of healing energy.

Where’s your go-to spot when you need to recharge? Your backyard? neighbourhood trail? I’d love to know. Please leave a comment below.

P.S. When I don’t include the actual sounds of the water or other nature elements, it’s because it was too windy. I’ll have to figure out a way to get better quality audio for you. Still learning. 🙂 

P.P.S. It’s time I purchase some new royalty free songs to use in my meditations & videos as you’ve been hearing the same 5 for several years. If you’d like to contribute to my creative life, check out my online shop for oracle decks, intuitive services, original paintings & prints. Thanks!

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Affirmations Video for a Happy Healthy Life

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May you be nourished by the healing energy and beauty of Mother Nature during this 15-minute video inspired by a staycation at The Country Experience on Hawco’s Pond in Deer Park, Newfoundland & Labrador.

For an even more powerful experience, repeat the affirmations out loud, allowing yourself to feel their truth in your life. Then breathe deeply and expand that feeling out into the Universe as you watch.

Celebrating Life

As much as I craved solitude for my first monthly creative staycation (which resulted in A Prayer for Our Times), I was thrilled to share this experience with my good friend Leslie Bridger.

The timing was perfect as June 14th was Leslie’s rebirthday, 15 years after a near-fatal bicycle accident in Toronto. Doctors had little hope for her when she came out of her induced coma, but she not only recovered from her physical and brain injuries, she turned her life around.

Sharing her love of life and belief in the healing powers of Mother Earth and the Elements has become her mission. She came out of her coma understanding that we are all interconnected Divine Beings, like points of light on a giant web. Her love for humanity is great – a wonderful influence on me.

I already knew she was a perfect traveling companion, having house-sat together in Nova Scotia for a couple of weeks in 2017. I don’t say that because she loves to cook and I love to eat! It does help, though.

We also understand each other’s need for balanced activity time together and time alone to work on our projects – my video art, her book.

I couldn’t have asked for a better staycation. Indeed, it was just what my Spirit Calling Cards suggested on the morning of our departure:

The Gift of Life

You don’t have to almost die to realize you deserve to live the life you were born to live.

With COVID-19, more people have taken the time to reflect on the preciousness of life. After the shock of having been kicked off the hamster wheel, many have simplified, prioritized, re-organized their lives to focus on what truly matters. Some didn’t have a choice!

From small changes to major life decisions, they’ve sought the opportunities emerging from these challenging times.

What about you?

Wherever you are on your transformational journey, life invites you, through experience, to make the choices that serve your Highest Good. Only you can make those choices; only you can take that responsibility.

What’s right for you may not be what’s right for everyone else. Listen in and follow your intuition, one inspired step at a time.

And if the “buts” of your ego try to keep you small, acknowledge them and creatively love your way through and past them.

For example, my ego was telling me not to spend on staycations at a time when income has only been trickling in and I have thousands of dollars tied up in credit in Ireland since my 2-month trip was cancelled due to the pandemic . I knew, however, how instrumental a change of scene and break in routine could be for my creativity.

So, thinking outside the box, I offered friends who owned or managed properties, the opportunity of receiving photography of their sites in exchange for 3-night stays. Win-win!

When you set your heart on a goal and make life-affirming decisions, the Universe provides. Stay open to miracles! Ask and you shall receive.

Which affirmation from the video spoke most strongly to you? Please share it in the comments below.

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Seaside Solitude – A Video Contemplation at Middle Cove Beach in the Rain

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Exercise

You’re invited to use this video contemplation as a tool to help you connect to your inner guidance. Here’s how.

Ask your soul & Team of Divine Helpers a question and listen in as you experience this rainy morning at Middle Cove Beach, a few minutes from St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador in Canada.

Access your intuition through the symbolism of the sights and sounds.

Give yourself the space to feel, hear, see, remember, know, smell & taste – whatever channel your intuition finds to speak to you.

If the meaning isn’t immediately clear, dig deeper. Analyze your insights and data through reflection or journaling.

Notice any inspired actions that rise to the surface of your consciousness and Act upon them. Remember, intuitive guidance is useless unless you act on it.

Then Allow your life to unfold, knowing that every inspired action acts like a piece in the puzzle. Embrace the mystery and keep on moving on.

Like the waves of the ocean, living intuitively means repeating these 5 Steps over and over again – a dance with your Higher Self and your Team of Divine Helpers. Enjoy!

So Glad I Did!

Here’s where I ended up on my first Offline Sunday – a new habit to help me disconnect from the Internet to reconnect on a deeper level.

There must have been hundreds of people there in the 2 hot & sunny days before, but I found myself in blissful solitude for 2 hours communing with the elements and playing with my iPhone camera on a very rainy morning.

Truly, making movies has become one of my favourite pastimes. There’s so much beauty to explore and this is just one more medium for me to express my love of beauty and the beauty of love.

And yes, my new rain gear is waterproof. Yay! I sure tested it that morning.

Of course lifting my jacket to wipe my camera lenses on my shirt didn’t keep me completely dry, but I was happy.  lol.

When you equip yourself for the weather and obstacles, there’s a whole world to discover. I’m so glad I listened that morning when my soul said “To the sea!!!”.

What is your soul calling you to do or be? What space is beckoning you to come and discover it (or discover another layer of you within it?)

Make time in your schedule this week to disconnect and reconnect. You’re worth it!

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A Prayer For Our Times – Video From NL’s Irish Loop

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Mother Nature is a wonderful healer. Her breath, her beauty, her heartbeat, her love, and her bounty are constant sources of inspiration. In this 16-minute offering, she shares so generously of her energy through the beauty of  Newfoundland’s Irish Loop and the prayer for our times she inspired. May it nourish your transformational journey, a balm to your soul as you continue to navigate your way through the crises of 2020 and the new world they are birthing.

I’ve included the prayer below in the 1st person in case you’d like to recite it for yourself.

Intention

This sojourn by the sea was an answer to a Spirit Call for what turned out to be an energetically powerful time of rejuvenation, channeling and simply being in bliss:  2 sunny days of hiking & photography followed by 2 cold grey days working indoors, looking out at Ship Island and listening to loons call.

This was social isolation with style! Just 40 minutes from my home in St. John’s, my friend Elaine’s Whale Watcher House & Apartments is located in St. Michael’s on the Irish Loop of the Avalon Peninsula, on the road between 2 sections of the East Coast Trail: Tinker’s Point Path & La Manche Village Path. At the time of writing (May 29), I’d just witnessed my last of Mother Nature’s sunrise intuitive painting parties over the ocean before returning to the city. It was perfect!

After 2 months of walking in my neighbourhood, I needed time by the sea. Painting “Salacia – ocean goddess” wasn’t enough. Breathing in the beauty and grounding myself on the East Coast Trail was definitely top of mind.

The fact that a minke whale was feeding right outside my room when we arrived confirmed I was in the right place.

In addition to connecting to Nature, I thought I’d be spending time writing 12 prayers inspired by 12 of my paintings for a new series of posts. That didn’t happen! Not yet anyway.

Frustration

On my 3rd morning, after meditation, energy work, yoga, Spirit Calling Card journaling, and frequent contemplations of the ocean, I just wasn’t inspired to work on my project. (A hawk just landed 6 feet from me on my balcony roof as I was writing this. One of my childhood totem animals. Wow!) I’d spent time preparing by opening my channels, but then tried to force things into being. That didn’t work.

I was getting restless, being so goal oriented but without results.

So instead of writing, I kept joyfully editing my photos and working on making a movie on my iPhone, one of my favourite new creative playtime activities. 

I thought it was done once I’d paired the imagery with music as I’ve done in the past – creating a nature meditation.

Revelation & Tears

At 9pm, I lay my head down, ready for sleep. I decided to play my video one last time in gratitude for all I’d seen and experienced so far.

As I watched in my semi-awake relaxed state, the symbolism of the scenery started speaking to me. I could hear the words of a prayer come through my inner hearing.

Energy so strong was coursing through my body like an inner buzzing vibration from head to feet focused more strongly around my heart. I was trembling and wasn’t sure my body could handle that much energy.

I had to switch on the light and write a few sentences down. Switching it off, I kept watching my movie, tears in my eye, humbled at the presence of so much love & inspiration in the room.

I realized I’d been standing in my own way with pre-conceived notions of what I was supposed to be doing while here. I was trying to force something on paper when what I had been doing – following my bliss in the moment through the creation of this video – was exactly what was meant to happen. Intuitive video making – one layer at a time.

It wasn’t about making it happen… it was about making it welcomed…

As the words kept flowing, I remembered a friends’ recent suggestion to use voiceover, something I didn’t know I could do on my iPhone if I also wanted a music track.

This co-creation is what my Team of Divine Helpers and soul wanted to share with you when I’d been guided to come here to pray for humanity. It wasn’t 12 prayers to go with my paintings (a Left brain decision with undertones of marketing for my artwork).

It was 1 long prayer coming through the offerings of Mother Earth. So very humbling indeed.

On and off, I tried putting it aside to sleep. I’m the kind of gal who likes my 8 hours!

But no! Between frequent cold visits to the balcony to watch a blanket of stars like I hadn’t seen in years (couldn’t quite capture it with my iPhone but you get a taste of it near the end) and scribbling all that was coming through, I was up until 4 am.

Going back to bed yet again, I asked my Team to ONLY wake me up for the sunrise if it was important for me to see/record it. Sure enough, 1.5 hours later, I woke up in a bolt and was back outside filming a 2-hour time lapse that the iPhone turns into a 30 second video. These were my first nature time lapses ever. Fun!

I spent the rest of that cold windy day writing and editing until I came out of my creative cocoon at 4pm to scale the eroded cliffs next door to  ground myself on that horseshoe beach you see in the video.

That’s what it’s like to be in the zone – fed by Spirit (in-spired). It took breaking my routine and being out here to do it. And I’m so glad I did. I had to make the inner space for it. I often achieve this zone in the studio painting, but not with quite the same intensity of energy. That was something else!

P.S. The next day, I listened to the video again and was still happy with it (even not minding the trip up on the words “miraculous” and “diva” instead of “deva” that I didn’t know how to fix) – but I’ll admit it sounded so much better in my sleepless state of creative ecstasy. Again, to me this is a sign that although the poetry of it could use some refining beyond the first few drafts, it’s the energy that comes through and between the words which offers its gift as much as the language and imagery. That’s how I feel about my paintings too. It’s perfection in its imperfection and my job is to simply allow it to come through me.

May it serve you well. It certainly has me. Thanks be to God!

Prayer For Our Times – in the 1st Person

If you like this prayer – yes, it’s a long one – I recommend you record it in your voice and play it once in a while – making it your own.

A PRAYER FOR OUR TIMES

As I venture from my home
To embark on the road less traveled
May I greet my neighbours anew
To rebuild a compassionate community
Grateful for the rebirth of caring
Fresh ways of seeing
Healthier ways of being.
May I choose to garden a perspective of gratitude together
And be here now to colour our oneness with my laughter.
For on the shores of our planet’s beating heart
Treasures abound
New dreams are found.

 

May I rejoice in the flow of my passion
To shine & align in my own true fashion.
May I dance in the ebb & flow
At One with humanity
A witness to the glowing love & courage
Carried by the flow.

 

As I once more embrace life & loved ones.
May I breathe our planet’s cleaner air
My bosom rising and falling
To the rekindled rhythms of my soul.
May I allow this Life Force to grow within my being
Connecting me to my inner guidance, my intution

 

Thank you dear God & Goddess, Mother Earth & Universe
For your comfort when the tides are low
And your bounty when the tides are high.
As I relax into the layers of transition
May I celebrate the unity that follows change.
May I trust in the purity of my emerging health & prosperity.
May I welcome and receive guidance
To harvest and keep growing from my truth.
May I intuitively shift from my challenges to meditate on healing.
May I find balance in the fruit of my solitude
As I begin to awaken.

 

May my miraculous life be nourished
By Nature’s freedom of expression.
May I be still and contemplate,
What once I passed by or took for granted.
The treasures are already at my door.

 

May I attract complete wisdom through imagination and inspiration.
May I stretch my creativity as I seek in the direction of my mystery.
May I reflect upon the teachings of love to manifest clarity.
May I continue to explore through time
The light of my dreams and the dreams of my Light.

 

May I continue to rise above the harsh grounds of my challenges
As I journey onwards from this shore.
May I transform my memories to reveal the depth of my purpose.
And always feel at home at my core.

 

Walk on my beloved self, walk on,
May I be of service to friends and family along the way.
For no man or woman is an island
Separated by a sea, lost or astray
So walk on, beloved self, walk on
May my heart alight with the burgeoning hope of a new era
Reflecting on these times gone by:
The grief, the fear, the gifts & the blessings.
May I let go of what no longer serves me
To make room for the people, places, things, and feelings that do.

 

May I always know where I am welcomed
To explore and express my love of beauty and the beauty of love
Here my seat awaits
A gathering of those known and unknown,
Delights to discover.
May I always feel at home in the world
Knowing I’ll forever be nourished & loved.
May I take time to rest and relax
May I feed my body, nourish my soul.
To reconnect to my Higher Self
And take sight of my vision floating
On the calm waters of my shore.

 

And if I’m harkened back to the hidden beaches of my past
May I not be afraid of what I might find there.
May I uncover the clues to my destiny
Beachcombing amongst the garbage washed ashore.
May I remember what gave me the greatest joy
To bring that back into the expanse of my days ahead.

 

May the sun rise in my morrow with gentle splendour
To call me forth from my slumber
So many treasures await for me to discover
As I unlock the gifts of my shadows
To love myself forever more.

 

May I connect to my Team of Divine Helpers
In this, the the time of awakening.
There’s no need to journey alone.
Ask and I shall receive
Connect and the doors will be open unto me
I Welcome at my side:

* My Soul and OverSoul (I Am Presence),

* My Support Teams,

* My Guides in this dimension and beyond,

* My Ancestors,

* Nature Spirits and Devas,

* The Inner Earth Elvin Kingdoms,

* The Angelic Realm,

* Star Races and Star Councils I have a connection with.

 

May I tread gently and bravely
My every step a blessing, a prayer.
May I know that as varied as my pathway may be
There are those who love and support me
Walking alongside
May I know not loneliness in my solitude.

 

May the signposts to my healing
Bring me back to my Light within
From where I can illuminate my inner and outer landscapes
For my Good and the Highest Good of All.

 

May I emerge from my isolation
More familiar with my own design
May I revel in the symphony of my soul
My unique voice blending harmoniously
Into the choir of a community reborn.

 

May I stand tall
For I have the strength of giants at my back.
Ancient wisdom coursing through my veins
Divine unity at my beckoning call
Whenever I am ready to be joined again
Of my own free will.

 

May I breathe this beauty in as a mirror to my soul.
May I smile as I feel within every cell of my body that I am already home.
Let me take my shoes off and stay awhile
My feet firmly on the ground
Feeling the healing energy of nature rise within me
As I reconnect to the truth of who I am.

 

For we are all the light and the love,
Breathing as one,
Holding each other’s hand,
Holding each other’s dreams:
To be seen, accepted and loved
For the spirits we are in human form.
Each with our own design,
Each following our own path
Together intertwined.

 

May I walk on
Guided through my challenges
Rising above them with ease & grace
Stronger yet lighter for what I’ve left behind
Shedding the skins of old patterns and behaviours
That encumbered my gait.

 

May my attention be drawn to the light ahead
The evolving vision of my life unfolding
And the planet ascending.
And when I feel overwhelmed by the gap between here and there
May I take a leap of faith
Trusting that a bridge will appear
There’s no reason to fear.
May I simply pause to appreciate the spaces in between
And the vastness of the beauty all around.
May I see how far I’ve travelled
The precious footsteps of my passage through time.

 

May I embrace the mystery
As I enter the portal to the blessed unknown
May I choose love over fear
Rooted in the knowledge that I am
An individualized expression of the Divine.

 

May I walk on
Loving the grooves and textures of my journey
May my path be clear
My head held high
To find my way back to community.
May I always be provided for
May I welcome those at my door
May I be of service through the very gift of my presence.

 

And when the clouds darken my skies once more
May I remember I am vaster than the passing weather
And that light always comes to fill the darkness
And when the sun sets upon my day
May I rest my head in peaceful slumber
Wrapped in the warmth & comfort of a prayer answered.
May I know that I’m protected in the glow of Divine Love
As the stars cultivate my gratefulness
Multiplying my wishes & dreams come true
To be welcomed back unto me.

 

And if the night hangs heavy upon my mind
May I remember that as the sunrise I will find
Love, peace, joy, health, wealth, happiness and freedom.
May I continue to appreciate the promise of an open path of compassion.
Dream on, beloved self, dream on.
May I never sleep alone.
Loved by the sun and the moon,
The earth and the sea
Loved by the Heavens above and within me
For that is where is found the love & beauty of my heart
With a song so pure
Resonating with the original sound of OM.

 

Namaste

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A Change of Scenery – All Within An Hour

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Can you go weeks without leaving the house? I confess, I could.

I love  my sanctuary and work marathons in my home studio.

Plus, I just have to look out the windows to see a river and hillside covered in evergreens.

After a long day of writing, administrative work or painting, I really enjoy going to bed early with my TV tray & Netflix movies.

But I also hunger for time in nature. I need it.

I never regret exploring the great outdoors –  kicking my butt out the door can be a challenge though.

You don’t have to go far for a change of scenery. Walking down a different street in your neighbourhood will do it.

But a change of scenery can do you so much good, especially if you’re feeling stuck, bored, disconnected, or lonely.

Even if you’re a happy hermit though, time amongst the elements will add to your existence on so many levels.

I know I’m clearer, happier, and more connected when I spend time in Nature. I can be like a kid in a candy shop.

So whether it’s a walk on the trails in your neighbourhood or a road trip adventure with friends, let time outdoors feed your body, mind and soul. You deserve it!

All Within An Hour From Home

These 3 Nature breaks were all taken within an hour from home within the last month – either by car or on foot.

Where can you go that’s within an hour from your place?

Make it Part of Your Routine

When I was Artist in Residence in Carbonear April 14-19, I committed to going on a community walk from 8-9 am every morning. I chose a different path every time. It became part of my routine. 

It was an open invitation to those who wanted to join me, but I ended up going alone most days. Still, I was committed.

Rain or shine, it added so much to my day.

Knowing me, I could have spent the whole week painting in the gallery without really knowing where I was. I’m so glad I made a different choice.

So find a buddy (your camera or inner child count), add it to your schedule, and get out!

Carbonear is only an hour from my home in St. John’s but I knew so little of it.

Do Your Errands On Foot

I’m so glad I embraced this opportunity. My housesister asked if I’d be willing to drop off her car at the mechanic’s in Shea Heights after an appointment.

We’d had freezing rain the day before, but I hadn’t really noticed. I’d been fully focused on my painting in the basement studio.

On my drive to the mechanic’s, my heart sang as the silver thaw glistened in the light.

He offered to drive me down the hill to spare me the taxi ride, but I was thrilled to walk. Even with all the photo stops, it only took about an hour.

During a snow squall later in the day, I went to get the car and made sure to stop at Beaver Pond Park again to add a few snowy photos to my collection.

Where Within 1 Hour?

I’ll admit, we’re totally blessed here in Newfoundland & Labrador to have so much nature nearby.

Bell Island is less than an hour away from my house – part by car and by ferry.

A few friends and I dedicated part of a day to explore it. Wow!  I need to do this more often!

Without a car of my own, it’s easy to stay home. But that’s no excuse.

Time exploring with friends can be double the pleasure.

Bonus

Confession. I spent the last week indoors. No nature breaks except in my backyard.

The weather wasn’t great and my regular walking buddy is out of the province, but that’s no excuse. I was just in happy hermit mode again.

So yesterday, I asked my neighbour if he wanted to go for a walk somewhere. I’d gone out to chat while he was giving his cats some outdoor time.

He suggested we go see the icebergs at Cape Spear. 

This is the most eastern point of North America and it’s only 20 minutes drive!

I’d never seen such waves there before. It was amazing. I couldn’t help but exclaim my awe and joy. This was better than Netflix!  Here are a few pics taken with my ‘real’ camera with telephoto lens.

Your Turn

Whether you’re a homebody, busy bee, or creature of habit, give yourself the challenge to appreciate a change of scenery this week.

Where will you go? Alone or with friends? On foot, by bus or by car?

Feel free to report on your adventure in the comments below.

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Avoid Overwhelm One Step at a Time

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around-burnt-cove-dominique-hurley-_dlh7478Last week, I offered you a meditation to take stock of your life. Click here if you haven’t tried it yet.

When I did it (vs. channeling it – very different experiences), I identified a few areas that weren’t in alignment with my soul.

Basically, I work too hard and not always on the right things. When I lose touch with my abundance, I struggle with the overwhelming demands and expenses of being a budding entrepreneur and the mismatch with my desire for a simple life.

Identifying those areas and visualizing a more fulfilling life was a great first step. It helped shift my mindset and started the momentum for change. Taking inspired action was next.

That’s where many quit. They get overwhelmed by the size of the task and end up stuck in the status quo.

Is your to-do list already too long? Time too short? Money too tight? The learning curve too steep?

Change can be overwhelming on many levels. But the cost of staying where you are can be even higher.

Take a Deep Breath

My first inspired action – taking a short seaside holiday away from the computer – had opened up this next opportunity to spend 3 days in Burnt Cove.

I brought my laptop this time, but spent several hours breathing in the fresh sea air while walking in small communities and nature trails.

Deep breathing is key to intuition. Your breath is your Life Force, your connection to Spirit.

Ask and You Shall Receive

On my walk from Bauline East to Doctor’s Cove, I did an Intuitive Walkabout.

I asked “How can I create a viable business while living a simple life?”

For the next half hour, my attention was fully absorbed in the various textures and features of the forest path beneath my fee.  The variety in such a short walk was remarkable: gravel, bedrock, stepping stones, boardwalks, stone and log steps, dirt, moss-lined, steep, level, jagged, smooth, etc.

When you ask a question, pay attention to what draws your attention. This becomes the intuitive data to work with.

So how did I interpret this?

“Avoid overwhelm one step at a time. Appreciate where you are in every moment, knowing that your path will vary greatly. Some parts will be smooth and easy and some may require you to climb or tread with more care. Don’t worry about the terrain. You’ll be provided the resources to navigate your way through it. Others have walked before you and prepared the way. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

When I got to Doctor’s Cove, my first ocean view since the trailhead, I could see the storm rolling in. Part of me thought it’d be best to head back right away, knowing it would take 1.5 hours. But when I tuned in, I recognized it as fear, not guidance.

So I sat on a big stone boulder and admired the view, breathing it in and contemplating the meaning of this part of Intuitive Walkabout.

“Remember to pause and enjoy the results of your efforts. Even if the world or your tasks seem daunting, rest and contemplate. Tune in to know when it’s time for your next best move.”

I felt a lot lighter after that walk, filled with beauty and guidance. I got home minutes before the heavy rain and winds picked up the deck chairs and threw them to the edge of the cliff. I grabbed them just before they went over.

“You’re abundant and safe. Know it. Feel it. Then continue walking forward one step at a time when you’re moved to do so.”

Life is Beautiful

I’m sharing this with you because I believe that one person’s journey can help others.

I’ve long known that taking one inspired action at a time is the way to success – whatever that means for you.

My 3-day sojourn up the southern shore is yet another example.

Overwhelm is a state of mind.

I did what I needed to shift that mindset and the Universe collaborated with the details.

Your Turn to Ask

Do you have a question to ask your Team of Divine Helpers to live more in alignment with your soul?

Ask and then scroll through this sampling of photos from my time around Burnt Cove to see what catches your attention.

Then analyze the symbolism (with your heart and mind) to see what it means in relation to your question.

Next, take inspired action. Come up with 1-3 things you can implement to open up the doors to your ideal life.

Then allow the Universe its time to do its thing.

One step at a time. One breath at a time.

Click on the first image if you want to see them in slideshow mode.

Click here if you’d like my free 75-minute video tutorial on the 5 Steps to Activate Your Intuition and Get Your Life Back on Track. There’s a special invitation at the end for a Divine Storytelling Time Session.

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Take a 15-Minute Soul Break

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photo of the snowy Battery in St. John's during a soul break

Ahhhh….. What a difference a 15-minute unplanned soul break can make in the middle of a busy day. 

Am I ever glad I listened when my soul said “Turn left!” on my way home from running a bunch of errands with my housemate’s car yesterday.

I’d spent the morning taking down an art show, checking on a print order for a customer, and exchanging the broken microphone I’d recently purchased to make better-quality videos for my blog/website.  I was tired and hungry.

When I was less than 5 minutes from home, the sun broke through after a few days of wind and snow storms.

I cranked my neck to see out the St. John’s harbour as I drove through downtown.  By the time I got the intersection that leads to both Cape Amherst and Cape Spear, I had no choice but to turn left.

I know better than to ignore those soul callings.

My stomach and the rest of my to-do list could wait. As long as I was home for my phone-meeting at 2pm, I’d be fine.

I didn’t even drive all the way down to the Cape Ameherst lighthouse. I made it to the first parking lot and walked along the pier for 15 minutes with my camera.  That’s all it took to get me back on track.

It’s hard to believe I live about 5 minutes by car from where I took these!

I may have a river running through the backyard, but I have such a deep connection to the ocean. It pulls me and lifts me up.

I love St. John’s!

I’d been wanting snowy pictures of the Battery every since I moved here in 2011. I spent 2 months that summer living in one of those houses at the base of Signal Hill, right by the trail head. Click on a photo if you want to see it larger.

So where can you go for a 15-minute soul break in the middle of the day today? Trust me. It’s worth it. You’re worth it.

 

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A Change of Scenery

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Brigus NL-Dominique Hurley-DLH_3793

It’s only February, and I’m already manifesting my way through my 2016 intuitive vision board. This time, I took its soul advice for a change of scenery and spent 4 days at my friend Victoria’s in Spaniards Bay, a little less than an hour from St. John’s.

I love road trips. I’m constantly gasping at the beauty (sometimes a bit alarming for the driver).

But since I’ve chosen not to have my own car, I don’t get out of town much – especially if I’m focused on work as much as I was in 2015.

So Victoria came to get me, and we spent a lovely 4 days driving around taking pictures, socializing, eating, and getting to know each other and her 4 fur-babies better. It was great!

I first met Victoria in an art class I taught back in 2011. She’s taken almost every one since. She was also instrumental in helping me raise funds for my Vienna Art Scholarship Fund.

I felt right at home in her new house. Plus it was thrilling to see so much of her artwork live. She’s not only thriving with intuitive painting, but creating wonderful figurines and mixed media hooked pieces on slate. Click here to visit her FB Page.

Vision by Victoria Munavish
Salt-Water Cowboy by Victoria Munavish
Three Sheds on Cavendish Beach by Victoria Munavish

I came home with a closer friendship, lots of new photos, a few extra pounds, work in a new gallery, some cute kitten scratches (the kittens were cute, not the scratches), and all the benefits of recreation.

So there you have it.  By traveling only 50 minutes away, it was a complete change of scenery. What a blessing in so many ways! Thanks Victoria!

You don’t have to go far to play tourist. 

Where can you go this February for a change of scenery?

P.S. You can also click on the first image and scroll from there.

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When Was the Last Time You Played Tourist in Your Town?

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St Johns Photowalk-Dominique Hurley-DLH_3004

I’ve been blessed to have seen so much of the world! I’ve lived in 5 countries on 3 continents, including 5 Canadian provinces.  Plus I’ve travelled a lot!  But I can also be a hermit.

Sometimes, it takes a decision to play tourist in my own city to get out of the studio.

And when I take my camera along, it’s almost guaranteed that I’ll reconnect to that sense of childlike wonder that (re)discovering the world inspires.

That’s what I did on Saturday, along with 21,472 other people around the globe.  It was the annual Worldwide Photowalk. This year, there were 1000 organized groups around the world.  We were 11 photo buffs here in St. John’s.

For 2 hours, we walked around the famous jellybean row houses on the hills of St. John’s. It was cold and grey, but that didn’t matter.  I had fun and I’ve got the photos to prove it!

Which are your favourites?

This was my 3rd time doing the Worldwide Photowalk. The last time I did it was in Vienna, Austria.

Your Turn

You don’t have to wait until next year’s Worldwide Photowalk. You don’t even need to bring your camera.

Get out there! On your own or with friends. Play tourist in your own town. Feel it. Live it. Be grateful for it.

We live in an amazing world if we take the time to notice.

Photo by Dawn O'Reilley

Photo by Dawn O’Reilley

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