Spiritual Photo Tip 16: Contrast

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Welcome to Spiritual Photo Tip 16 – Contrast – opening new ways of seeing and being in the world.

Contrast as an Element of Photography

Our eyes are naturally drawn to contrast  – of shades of colour, of light/dark, of texture, of symbolic/philosophic value, etc.

As you walk through your day, both indoors and outdoors, see if you can’t find contrasts that strike your fancy.

Here are some of the ones that caught my attention.

Enjoy the collection, clicking on an image to see it full-screen and using the arrow to navigate to the next one.

Reflect on which contrast I was focusing on. It could be more than one. Awareness is key to your finding contrast in your world.

 

Embrace the Contrast in Your Life… Or Not

I’m a woman of contrast. I know and accept that about myself. I call it balance.

  • I’m a health food nut & a chipaholic.
  • I’m an introvert who thrives in hermit mode & an enthusiastic teacher / speaker who loves talking to large crowds
  • I’m a professional dog therapist & behaviour therapist who’s never lived with a dog
  • I’m a total movie buff who thrives on time in nature
  • My wardrobe either consists of thrift store pieces or high end Kaliyana Artwear.
  • I resist change and I’ve lived on 3 continents & 5 provinces.

Go figure! I find these quirks & characteristics are part of what makes me me.

Are you a man/woman of contrast? 

Do these cause discomfort or have you embraced your complexity? 

Is the contrast born of a conflict between what you feel you should do or others’ expectations and who you truly are?

It’s important to be able to discern that as you align everything in your life to your Highest Good.

My 2 extremes in wardrobe is due to the fact that I spend a good part of my time in the studio painting. When I go out, I love to dress up in this designer’s art that I’ve been buying since the late 80s.

My studies in canine behaviour therapy & training came from a desire to better understand dogs & spend time with them even though my lifestyle wouldn’t have been fair to a dog at the time. One day, that may change.

My hermit/public speaker dichotomy lies in my being an introvert who also thrives on stage – but needs serious recharging time in between.

My trust in my intuitive guidance is stronger than my resistance to change – when guided, I feel the fear and do it anyway, having experienced how wonderful it is to grow beyond my comfort zones.

What about you? Are your contrast healthy or unhealthy? Are they the source of inner conflicts?

See if you can’t come up with a list of 10 contrasts in your life.

Then, decide if you can embrace these as part of your unique expression of the Divine or if there’s something that requires attention & transformation.

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Spiritual Photo Tip 15: Repeated Patterns

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Welcome to Spiritual Photo Tip 15 – opening new ways of seeing and being in the world.

Repeated Patterns as an Element of Photography

Repeated patterns make for interesting photography. You’ll find them in nature as well as in the man-made world around you. These can be repeated lines, shapes, colours, objects & reflections.

As you explore & express your love of beauty this week, look for repeated patterns to share through your photographs.

Here are some examples from my travels. Even the square tiles of a Bali parking lot caught my attention. What catches yours?

Heart Sight: Repeated Patterns in Your Life

Now lets look at the repeated patterns in your life.

Habits are formed by repeating a behaviour over and over again until it becomes automatic.

Some of your good habits may have been formed consciously through parental coaching and the achievement of your goals.

Alas, some of your bad habits were also formed through repetition, but perhaps unconsciously.

Looking at your life, what would you name as some of your good habits? List 12.

Examples:

  • daily flossing
  • walking 30 minutes a day
  • weekly planning
  • family game night
  • morning meditation.
  • etc.

Reflect on how your good habits became habits.

Now make a list of 12 bad habits. 

Examples:

  • overeating
  • Netflix binging
  • working 7 days a week
  • procrastination
  • sitting for too long
  • etc.

Go through this list and decide which one(s) you want to change and how you’ll go about doing it. 

Start by repeating the opposite or a healthier habit in its stead.

For example, if you’re like me and can sit working at the computer or on a painting for 8 hours straight, put a timer on to chime every hour to dance, stretch or walk downstairs to get a glass of water.

If you’re in the habit of eating junk food when you’re hungry, form a new habit of buying & making healthy snacks and meals that are ready before you get hungry.

I’ve often heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit. But my research today reveals that this is a myth.

According to this scientific-based article, it takes more than 2 months before a new behaviour becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact.

To motivate yourself, put a couple of calendar pages up on the wall and give yourself a sticker for every day you exercise a good behaviour until you feel its a part of you.

If you revert to an old pattern, keep loving yourself, but start counting at zero again until you reach 66.

Or plan a very special reward for once you’ve completed the 66 days. Just don’t make a date to go to an all-you-can-eat buffet if overeating was the bad habit you wanted to change…. hee hee.

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Spiritual Photo Tip 14: Shape

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Welcome to Spiritual Photo Tip 14 – opening new ways of seeing, understanding, and being in the world.

Featuring Shape as an Element of Your Photography

We live in a world of shapes: circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, hearts, diamonds, octagons, stars, etc.

Making it your mission to photograph these shapes in both man-made structures and nature is a fun project.

These shapes can be real or implied, like in the triangle found in the river current below.

Soon, you’ll see which shape calls you most often.

 

Heart Sight: What is the Shape of Your Life?

My Favourite Shape: Circles & Spirals

If you’re familiar with my paintings, you’ll no doubt know that I’m big on circles & spirals.

From massive to minuscule, we’re surrounded by circles; from the glowing orbs in the sky and the planet we live on to oranges and dew drops.

Circles are symbols of unity, cycles, wholeness, inclusion, the universe. They’re formed from the soft curves of femininity – of the womb, of creation.

And the eyes with which we witness all this beauty are themselves concentric circles – round windows to the world & to our souls.

The sacred spiral is an even more powerful symbol for me than the circle. That’s why it’s part of my logo.

Spirals are symbolic of the movement inward from Source and then outwards from the soul. They represent centering, balance, awareness, progress, evolution, expansion, and journeying.

In her book The Mystic Spiral: Journey of the Soul, author Jill Purce remarks,

“The spiral tendency within each one of us is the longing for and growth toward wholeness. Every whole is cyclic, and has a beginning, a middle, and end. It starts from a point, expands and differentiates, contracts and disappears into the point once more. Such a pattern is that of our lifetime and may well be that of our universe.”

Your Favourite Shape

Which shape calls you? 

Are you into squares, triangles, diamonds, stars, etc. Pay attention to what catches your attention as you walk through your day with or without a camera.

Then spend time reflecting on what that shape represents for you. There are likely clues there for your life’s journey. See how you can use this symbol to shape your life.

You can also explore my favourite symbolism website to search for more universal meanings for this shape.

Then start doodling it, photographing it, shaping it, choosing it. Have fun with it! 

It’s yet one more tool in your self-awareness to emerge more fully into all that you are.

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In Passing – the Painting

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“In Passing” (18″ x 36″) – $2,267 Cad. Purchase here.

There’s a story behind this painting that only revealed itself once my mother had passed from her human form back into spirit form. 

That’s often the case in intuitive painting – the meaning behind the visions and inspiration, gradually comes to light in the space of quiet contemplation. The full picture becomes clearer hour by hour, layer by layer, dot by dot or once something happens that sheds light on it from a different angle.

Back in the Studio:

This was the first painting I’d been moved to create in 5 months following the intensively personal, spiritual & artistic creation of the Re-Connecting Collection.

I felt blissful as I delved back into the sacred rituals of creating an energy-infused painting. I was open, listening, and moving with the flow of paint and the imagery dancing in my mind’s eye.

Not My Own:

It had been a strange week.

As an empath and intuitive, I’m often picking up thoughts and feelings that aren’t my own.

It’s why I’ve learned to carefully select how, when and with whom I spend my time. I have to prepare myself when going in crowds, avoiding shopping centres unless absolutely necessary.

Luckily, with the years, I’ve learned to discern what’s mine and what’s just passing through, needing to be released or processed in service to my peace and the peace of others.

Maman Reaching Out: 

For the week before my mother’s passing, however, I was having what many would consider suicidal thoughts. I knew they weren’t mine. They were like mind farts – just passing through.

These, however, repeated several times a day for several days in a row. That in itself was unusual, especially since they often popped up as I was peacefully snowshoeing or happily painting. “I’ve had enough.”, “I’m ready to go.”, “It’s over.”

I even mentioned it to my house sister and to a friend because something about these visiting thoughts was unusual. I wasn’t worried about myself – I had determined they weren’t mine. But I also didn’t stop to ask whose they were,  knowing that many around me are struggling right now.

Two More Intuitive Messages Missed:

In hindsight, the intuitive messages were clear. Part of me regrets not having put 2 and 2 together, but I also know it’s OK.

On the last day of working on this painting, I had an intuitive hit that I’d be spending a long time in Ottawa, where my family lives. I thought it strange since I’d just spent 3 weeks there at Christmas. Again, it was a fleeting knowing, but I didn’t pay much attention to it as I was engrossed in the joy of painting.

When I went up to my room, I looked at my self-love wall chart that was still blank since it was the beginning of the week. It’s where I mark my weekly meditations, yoga, nature breaks, etc to make sure I don’t neglect my needs when I get busy. As I looked at its blankness, my inner voice said it would stay white that week. Again, I didn’t clue in, thinking it strange that I’d rebel against what I so love doing for my highest good. Why would I ever spend a week not fulfilling my commitment to myself?

The News:

The night my painting was finished, I got the call from my sister, who was at the Long Term Care Home. She told me that Maman was in a coma and in her last hours.

It suddenly dawned on me – the source of those intuitive messages was from over 2,000 km away. My leaving for Ottawa on the next flight would also explain why my whiteboard would stay white.

Thanks to technology, I got to speak to my mother’s sleeping body via FaceTime before she passed, leading my family in prayer and expressing my thanks and my wishes for her peace. I continued talking with her heart to heart, soul to soul afterwards as I ran around packing.

She’d been preparing me. I just wasn’t picking up on it consciously.  I’m sure, however, that it contributed to the peace and acceptance I felt at her letting go of her mortal coil to return Home to God.

A few hours later, I was at my father’s side, where I feel so blessed to have spent a month. Our time together was a gift for us both.

“In Passing” – the Symbolism

On the night of Maman’s passing, as I was running around packing for my early morning flight to Ottawa, I found myself standing before my finished painting.

That’s when the name came to me – “In Passing”.

It wasn’t only about her soul passing from her body back into spirit form (notice how the pattern beneath the tree is the same as that of the orb above it).

It was also about her soul having been here on earth to live the life she had lived until her purpose was done. My mother was here in passing – part energy, part physical form – 88 human years, a drop in the ocean of time – her Soul Time and Time on this planet.

So that’s the story behind this painting.

“In Passing” honours the ephemeral quality of souls passing through the earth plane as individualized expressions of the Divine.

Made of the same essence as all sacred beings, we move in and out of physical form, leaving behind the everlasting effects of our love & light.

Thank you Maman for the time we spent here on earth as mother & daughter and for our evolving relationship through time & form.

Peace be with us all!

Tree: The textured tree filled with sparkly fruit symbolizes the human form. Rooted in Spirit and connected to all that it through its many branches, it’s half on the canvas and half beyond – moving between realities. Its sap is of same essence as the spirit orb above it.

Orb: Is it the sun? the moon? Source? a Team of Divine Helpers coming to greet the passing soul? A return back into spirit form? How would you interpret it? Covered in glass beads (see close-up photos above), it radiates light in fascinatingly changing ways as you walk past it.

P.S. As with many of my paintings, it’s the time I spend co-creating it that is important to me. Once the energy-work and artistic process are complete, it is meant to serve others. If this painting calls to you, contact me. I’m taking offers on my paintings to fundraise for a solo spiritual retreat in Ireland at the end of April (God willing with travel being so uncertain these days). 

Title: In Passing
Year: © 2020
Size: 36 “ x 18 “ ( 91.44 cm x 45.72 cm)
Artist: Dominique Hurley
Materials: Professional acrylics, glass beads & channeled energy work on gallery-wrapped canvas with painted edges. No framing required. 
Genre: intuitive painting, visionary art, energism art, spiritual art, inspirational art
SOLD

 

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Spiritual Photo Tip 13: Texture

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Welcome to Spiritual Photo Tip 13 – opening new ways of seeing & being in the world all the while taking better pictures.

Adding Texture to Your Albums

The world around you is tactile – inviting you to connect with it through touch.

When was the last time you consciously ran your fingers through the grass,  rubbed your cheek against the velvety soft fur of a puppy, or licked the smooth skin of an apple before biting into it?

As explained in Spiritual Photo Tip 1, adding close ups to your albums will give your viewers better context for your experience, broadening their own.

Adding texture as a subject for your close-ups not only adds variety to the kinds of shots in your collection, but also invites people closer in to almost feel the world through your eyes.

It also adds mystery. I’ve had people linger on a photo for a long time trying to figure out what it is.

Plus, the world of textures can be so attractive – be it of man made or natural design. Photographing texture helps us to slow down and take notice of the miracles that surround us.

Peruse this collection one photo at a time (click to see full screen) and observe your inner experience as it changes.

Then walk around your world to capture & share your own. Don’t be afraid to touch it too (with permission when appropriate), to see how it feels. Have fun with this!

Heart Sight: What Texture is Your Life?

I have very sensitive skin,  so I’m picky about the clothes I buy – often organic cotton or soft fleeces. My winter coat feels like I’m wearing a teddy bear. I’m big into comfort!

I’m also sensitive to chaos & conflict, so I’ve created a life conducive to peace. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m enjoying creating my life by design.

What kind of life have you created for yourself?

If you were to use your energy-sensing hands over your life, would you enjoy its varied textures? 

Is your road bumpy, friend slimy, goal fuzzy, relationship rocky, or health gritty?

Are your days smooth, sleeps feathery, deserts creamy, bank accounts fluffy, hobbies glossy?

Is there enough variety in the texture of your weeks or do you find the repetition boring?

Is there too much drama or could you use a bit more to spice things up?

Do the textures of your life suit your preferences, desires & needs?

What came to heart or to mind as you read through this section?

What can you do to change or better appreciate the texture of your life?

Spend time journaling or reflecting on how to create your life by design.

And as always, share your photos & observations with your family & friends to improve the texture of their lives too.

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Reconnect Lesson 11: It’s Birthing Time

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Dedication

It’s very moving when a layer of the big picture reveals itself.

As I sat beside my father on Ash Wednesday at the Notre Dame Basilica in Ottawa after we created this video for the last Reconnect To Your True Self Lesson, it dawned on me…

The first time I sat with Papa alone in the very same pew after Maman had to be placed in long term care, I received the inspiration to create the Re-Connecting Collection – 11 intuitive visionary paintings answering an inner call to examine my roots and spiritual evolution.

9 months later, the collection was complete.

6 more months, so are the lessons.

What had initially appeared like procrastination on this last lesson turned out to be divine timing. My mother’s passing helped me understand the lesson this painting was to offer you as she entered the Gateway back Home to God.

As I sat beside my father again in the same pew during a mass dedicated to my mother’s memory, I realized we’d come full circle.

11:11 – 11 paintings, 11 lessons: a deeply personal and spiritual journey which can now serve others …

I dedicate this blessed project to both my parents, Jerry & Rita Hurley, who helped make my being a possibility in this lifetime. Rest in peace, Maman. Continue walking in love, Papa.

Reconnect To Your True Self Lesson 11 – Birthing Time

Welcome to the last of the Reconnect to your True Self lessons. It’s now time to birth what your Spirit has been calling for – be it a new way of being, doing, or co-creating.

Say yes to this year being the gateway into a new chapter of the life you are meant to live.

How is your Spirit moving you?  What will the next chapter of your life look like?

Every day is a gateway, a choice.

When you align those choices with your True Self, you’ll naturally feel happier and healthier. You’ll be living life on purpose.

In the past 20 weeks, the Reconnect to Your True Self lessons have given you the chance to get to know your Self better.

  • Lesson 1: creating space to listen within and to connect through prayer
  • Lesson 2: recognizing how your Light shines for yourself & others
  • Lesson 3: surrounding yourself with those who see, accept & love you – finding your tribe
  • Lesson 4: uncovering your superpowers through your unique hero’s journey
  • Lesson 5: getting rid of the accumulated dirt to see the truth & beauty of who you truly are
  • Lesson 6: reconnecting to your creativity
  • Lesson 7: consciously choosing your roles in community for a perfect fit
  • Lesson 8: nurturing mindfulness, gratitude & intuition in nature
  • Lesson 9: raising your vibration
  • Lesson 10: re-examining your identity building journey

And now, with Lesson 11, it’s time say yes to emerging more fully into your Self through the birthing of what’s next.

No matter if you’re clear on the big picture or simply need to take the next inspired step on the journey – enter the gateway.

My Gateway

When I started the Re-Connecting painting series in late 2018, I only knew I was being called to paint 11 2’x4’ paintings. Each piece was created intuitively over a period of 9 months, guided by my Team of Divine Helpers.

It was while creating the first painting that I understood I was being called to travel to Glastonbury near the end of the series, before creating the last piece.

I accepted that call, knowing the journey through the co-creative process for the series would prepare me for what was to come.

My trip to the UK to spend time in the sacred Chalice Well garden and participate in the Sun Lover Goddess Conference led to this final piece “The Gateway”.

It celebrates Divine Procreative Energy and the bridge between Heaven & Earth, the Etheric Field, the Akashic Field. That’s the sacred geometry of the Vesica Pisces that so fuels my creative quest.

Still, I wasn’t clear on what that gateway was inviting me to.

Birthing is not an immediate process. Just as I learned when being guided through the creation of the Law of Gender mandala, there are 2 aspects to consider.

First, there’s a need for both the feminine & masculine – the intuitive, receptive, open aspects of ourselves and the action-oriented implementer.

There’s also a gestation period – 9 months for humans and for my Re-Connecting Collection and various other time periods for various projects, transformations, etc.

I knew that my gestation period included the time to create these 11 video lessons for you. This is part of what I dedicated myself to after completing the collection. It also involved a 5-month hiatus in painting.

I thought I’d been procrastinating in the preparation of this last lesson. Known for being goal-oriented, organized, and efficient, I uncharacteristically delayed it.

Then, on February 3rd, my mother passed away, transitioning from her earthly body back to her Spirit Self. I knew she was ready to go, although I only understood the messages I’d intuitively received after she’d died.

At the age of 88, Maman chose to enter her gateway back Home to God. I was at peace with her passing and have been blessed to spend this month at my father’s side.

So, as this painting celebrates the Sun Goddess giving birth to the Earth and the birthing process itself, I said goodbye to the one who gave birth to me in this lifetime. Exactly one month later, I offer you this final post of the project.

Had I been procrastinating, or was the delay in designing this last lesson perfectly timed to understand what I was meant to share with you?

Divine Patience During Your Gestation Period

In our modern rushed times, when most have gotten used to running on the hamster wheel, we’re not always patient with the gestation time.

But as you wouldn’t want to rush a mother’s 9-month pregnancy, so too do you need to nurture your birthing or re-birthing process.

First, the seeds are planted through listening to your soul and implementing the inspired actions that will eventually bring your dreams and soul callings to fruition.

Then, divine patience is needed, focusing your attention on nurturing those dreams. Where attention goes, energy flows.

Going on Maternity Leave

What’s next for me now that the birthing of this Re-Connecting Collection project is over? I’m not sure.

The full picture of my next chapter is a mystery. I’ve only been shown the next Gateway and my heart is saying YES! to it. What I’ll birth at the end of it is unclear.

I know changes are required as the status quo of my career in the arts doesn’t seem financially viable.

Something has to change, but I’m not sure what or how. 

What I do know is that my soul has called me to travel to Ireland to spend time soaking up the energy of the land in solo contemplation at various hermitages, retreat centres and pilgrim walks.

It’s time to go deeper within – to pray, write, sketch, photograph, listen, and open to the next inspired action.

I’m ready to disconnect from the Internet and from the distractions of my everyday life. That’s the gateway I’m saying yes to at this time.

Excited & scared (the kind of fear that comes from a call to grow by healthily stretching our comfort zones), I bought my ticket. I’ll be there from April 27 – June 22.

The seed was planted a few years back on my intuitive vision boards.

When I applied to an art residency in Ireland in late in 2019, my excitement was a sure clue. One artist from Newfoundland would be chosen to spend a month, paid, in County Donegal.

Reading historic fiction novels, stories and researching spiritual travel on the land of some of my ancestors has fuelled that dream.

Residency applicants were told we’d know if we won by the end of February, so I guess that route wasn’t meant to be.

As I awaited the announcement of the residency winner, I became clear of my need to prioritize investing the time and financial resources into this project no matter what. Interestingly, submissions for other projects were also ‘unsuccessful’, leaving 2 blank months in my calendar.

Do I know what creation might come out of this? What I’m birthing next? No. I don’t need to know. I trust in the journey. Life has taught me that.

This spiritual maternity leave after the birthing of an intensive 15-month project will become the gestation period for the next birthing.

What about you?

Your Birthing Time

Is your status quo fulfilling? Or is your soul calling you to birth the next chapter of your life?

Is it a new project? A relationship renewal? A career change? A course of study? A soul-nourishing trip? The start of a family? A move? A letting go? An adoption?

Your gateway can take many shapes and open to many new possibilities.

The question is which gateway will you consciously say yes to, embracing the mystery of what lies beyond it while taking each inspired step necessary to make it happen.

Listen in, act, trust and be patient – knowing that each inspired step leads to the resources you need to take the next step. That’s the Law of Action.

If you’re feeling discontent, depressed, disconnected – these are all signs that your soul is calling for change.

If your whole being comes alive around a particular focus, that’s the direction you’re being called to.

Changes can take so many forms – within yourself and the details of your life.

The more you know who you truly are, which I hope this series has helped you with, the clearer you’ll be to knowing which gateways to say yes or no to.

Once you’ve said yes, put your trust in it and allow the Universe to reveal the “how” to make it all happen. Be patient as this can take time.

Birthing is a miracle, be it of a new life or a new chapter in your life. Here’s wishing you a life of miracles!

Discerning

Make sure to discern if your calls feel like you’re moving towards something and not running away from something. Let your intuition & love guide you, not your fear.

For more on how to access your intuition, I offer a free online tutorial here.

Revelation UPDATE

Sometimes, the meaning of an intuitive process only becomes clear years later. The pandemic hit before my trip to Ireland, canceling most of my plans and delaying the 2-week bus tour (for which I couldn’t get a refund) until 2022.

When the pandemic hit, I realized that this painting’s messages were not personal but global. Oops…

My message to isolate for 2 months for a re-birthing of my world turned out to be a glimpse of the Gateway our entire planet would experience through 2 years of isolation. 

It is time for a re-birth of the planet, for a harmonizing of the Divine Feminine & Masculine for the Good of All.

When we started hearing reports of pollution lifting and wildlife thriving, I kept coming back to this painting and its messages.

Focus on your inner peace, the marriage of your Feminine and Masculine to birth the world you would like to see. We’re entering this Gateway together – this is a message of hope!

How has that manifested for you? Feel free to write a comment below.

 

P.S. You can read the original post on the co-creative process for the painting “The Gateway” on my blog here. 

P.P.S. You can order prints  in your choice of size and medium or purchase the original. Thank you for supporting my art!

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Spiritual Photo Tip 12: Leading Lines

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Welcome to Spiritual Photo Tip 12 – opening new ways of seeing & being in the world all the while taking better photographs.

Lines as the Subject

Lines themselves can make great subjects – whether they’re straight, curved, or in the highly sought sensuous S-Curve.

Leading Lines

Lines can lead the eye to your main subject.

They also lead the viewer into the scene, inviting them into your journey.

These lines can be real (solid lines) or implied (in the features of the landscape).

Take a look at the photo at the top of this post. Can you identify the 8 lines that lead you to the lighthouse? As you contemplate this photo, ask yourself if these lines add to or detract from the image.

I believe this was a rare instance when electrical lines actually enhanced the overall aesthetics.

Now go slowly through the gallery below to observe the various kinds of lines and how they influence your eye and your heart into the scene. If you’re on a laptop, click the first image and use the arrow to see each one full size.

That last shot of the Christmas lights at the MUN Botanical Garden in St. John’s, NL was created with an SLR camera, zooming while taking the photo at a slow shutter speed.

Heart Sight: What are your leading lines?

Now lets look at the opening lines in your conversations with yourself and with others.

Where do they lead?

Heart Sight 1: Opening Lines to Your Day

Ask your Inner Observer to notice the first words you say to yourself when you wake up in the morning.

What are the opening lines that lead you into your day? 

Are they lines of regret, complaint, dread, excitement, joy, or gratitude?

Can you see how you’re actively creating that day through those thoughts?

According to one of my spiritual mentors, Abraham Hicks, you have 17 seconds to set the pace of your day. 

And if that snowballs to 68 seconds (17 x 4), you’ve created the vibrational pull for the Law of Attraction to kick in.

Like attracts like any time of the day. But your vibration in those first 17 seconds are the most powerful.

So first, be aware. Then, if necessary, do something to change those engrained lines in your way of thinking, making new lines to lead you into a happier, healthier life. You’ve got 17 seconds to do so!

Heart Sight 2: Your Opening Lines in Conversation

How do you start your conversations with others? 

Do people avoid you because they know the first words out of your mouth will be some sort of criticism, scolding, negativity, gossip, or nagging?

Or do they smile seeing you because they know you’ll have something delightful, constructive, or loving to share?

Basically, do your opening lines lead to a blocked or open heart? 

You’ve no doubt experienced your inner reactions to your partner saying “We have to talk”. The tone of voice will influence the feelings those words inspire. They can certainly lead active imaginations to fear the worst.

It’s true, you can’t be responsible for how others react to you or your words – that will largely depend on their past experiences. But you may have had something to do with shaping those experiences.

So why not say something like:

  • “Hi. I’ve got a great idea to share with you. Do you have time to talk?”
  • “Wonderful. I was looking for you. I’m experiencing an inner conflict and I’d love to hear your perspective.”
  • “I’m in the process of making some decisions that may impact our holidays. Do you have time to hear what I’m thinking about?”
  • “I’ve made some fear-based assumptions that are eating me up. I’d love your help getting clarity. Is this a good time to talk?”
  • or a variety of other leading lines.

For the next while, pay attention to how you start your conversation with others, especially those closest to you. Pay attention to the qualities of your leading lines – word choices, tone of voice, feelings before starting, and timing.

How are you bringing other people into your picture? What kind of picture are you co-creating with those opening & leading lines?

Take Time to Share

The best way to learn something is to teach it.

I’m reinforcing both my photography & personal growth skills by sharing this Spiritual Photo Tip Series with you.

By practicing photographing lines this week, you’ll be reminded of what you read here, reinforcing exploration & expression of your love of beauty and the beauty of love. 

So please share your photos and your self-observations with your friends, adding both love & beauty in the world.

And I always welcome comments below.

May you become the conscious creator you were meant to be. Peace be with you!

 

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Reconnect Lesson 10: Who Are You?

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Some of us spend our whole lives seeking the truth of who we are. That’s why we’re called seekers.

Both sides of the nature vs. nurture argument influences our self-concepts.

Our identity is shaped by our growing understanding during this journey of self-discovery. It’s part of the fun of being human.

The question remains – who are you? Or better yet, who do you understand yourself to be? 

When I was offered this question by my Team of Divine Helpers in the opening session of painting #10 of my Re-Connecting Collection, all sorts of symbolism and memories surfaced in my consciousness.

Today’s 2 exercises offer you the same opportunity – the first a creative project and the second, an opportunity to share your most influential books with others.

Exercise 1: Your Journey of Self-Discovery Artwork

What would your “Journey of Self-Discovery” artwork look like?

Whether you like to sketch, paint, or cut & paste magazine images and photographs into a collage, find a way to visually represent who you believe yourself to be.

In the case of my painting, I included

  • my ancestry,
  • the religion I was raised in,
  • the Akashic Record library holding information from all my past and future lives,
  • a representative from my Team of Divine Helpers,
  • my nationality,
  • my western & Chinese astrological signs,
  • spirals that I’ve been drawing since childhood
  • other spiritual symbolism that drives me (Vesica Pisces)
  • my eye with birthmark through which I see the beauty in the world,
  • my lifelong mission to harmoniously marry my Left masculine side with my Right feminine side (intuition into action)
  • my relationships that helped shape me
  • many of the books that helped me understand my human journey from my teenage years onward (the focus of Exercise 2).

So I ask again. What would your “Journey of Self-Discovery” piece look like?

Take the time to brainstorm, reflect and put it all together in your unique way.

Only include what matters to you. It all depends what you feel has shaped your belief in who you are. 

You may or may not identify strongly with your career, roles in your family & community, causes, your leading values, etc.

As you spend time seeing, accepting and loving yourself for who you are, you’re better able to see, accept, and love others for their unique make-up. It’s all part of being individualized expressions of the Divine.

Who knows?! This exercise on your self-discovery journey may help you make the life-changing decisions you need to get back on track with your True Self.

Exercise 2: Book Share

I’m not known for my memory, so when I was inspired to include a stack of important self-understanding books on my painting, it sent me digging both in my mental files and on Google.

I’m sure there were many others before and in between, but I started with some of the books I read in high school, including a life-changing gift from one of my teachers.

Since I give my books away as soon as I read them, I had fun looking for the titles, authors and cover designs to make up this stack of books from scratch using Photoshop.

That is not your task in this exercise.

Your mission if you so choose, is to put together a list of your most influential self-discovery books and share them  – on social media or however you choose.

When I posted this photo during my creative process, many responded that their list was similar. They added a few of mine to their reading list and shared a few of their own.

What has helped you in life can help others. So why not share? That’s the spirit of this exercise.

To start off, please share a few of yours in the comments below, I’d love that!

 

P.S. You can read the original post on the co-creative process for the painting “Journey to Self-Discovery” on my blog here. 

P.P.S. You can order prints in your choice of size and medium or purchase the original. Thank you for supporting my art!

 

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Spiritual Photo Tip 11: Colour

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Colour has a language of its own.

It awakens, soothes, reminds, and speaks a whole gamut of emotions.

The way you use colour in your photos, wardrobe, home and your life can have a significant impact. You don’t have to understand it to feel it.

Welcome to Spiritual Tip 11 on colour – opening new ways of seeing and living your world..

I’m not going to go deep into the theory of colour psychology or therapy.

Instead,  I’ll give you a few basics and an invitation to experience it for yourself.

As an artist and naturopath, I’m constantly working with the energy of colour. The more you feel it, the more you’ll understand it on a level that counts.

Take your time by clicking on one image and scrolling one at a time to really feel its effect. Please don’t rush this!

Know that you’re receiving the energy of the subject, but part of that energy is coming through on the wave lengths of colour.

A Splash of Colour

In this first collection, colour is the very subject of the image.

At times it’s the magnificent array of them that caught my eye.  At others it was the impact of a tiny bit of colour in an otherwise neutral scene.

Notice also how some feature bright colours while others are in pastels.

Do you prefer one over the other? How does each make you feel?

 

Heart Sight

Your life is a work of art.

The way you live, the way you dress, the way you decorate your home and your plate represents a choice in colour.

Some people thrive on drama and excitement. Others on peace & quiet.

What about you? Do you prefer neutrals with a splash of colour or the excitement of the full spectrum.

If your life doesn’t reflect your preference, see how you can add or reduce the amount or nature of colour in it.

Complimentary Colours

When you put colours that are opposite on the colour wheel together, it excites the senses. This is the power of difference!

In my culture, the combination of red & green often symbolize Christmas – a happy time of celebration in the middle of a white winter. It’s no accident that this combination was chosen to market this holiday.

Look at these pictures, then look around you for example of the use of complimentary colours.

What feelings do they bring out in you? Do you like that feeling? If so, add more complimentary colours in your photography, wardrobe, home & office.

Heart Sight

They say that opposites attract. Take a look at your relationships. Are they fuelled by the excitement of differences?

Or do you prefer a more monochromatic approach. Let ‘s dive into that below as you continue to reflect on your way of seeing & being in the world.

Monochrome Colours

The word monochrome literally means “one colour”.  A monochrome photograph basically has one colour, but many shades of it.

You can also stretch that to include colours that are very close to each other on the colour wheel – including the colours between those on the simplistic wheel above – for example blue-green, magenta, red-orange, etc.

Let’s explore the power of sameness.

As you do, also feel the impact of that particular colour scheme. Each has a different symbolism – some universal, some personal. Cool colours (greens, blues, purples) will have one effect on you.  Warm colours (reds, oranges, yellows), will have another.

You can read more online about the meaning & symbolism of various colours, but I encourage you to read your own heart first as you scroll one at a time through this collection of monochromatic images.

Heart Sight

There’s great beauty in finding your tribe – like-minded people who share various commonalities.

Where in your life are you experiencing the power of sameness?

Light & Dark

Colour choices definitely have an effect on the mood of the photo.

Light can be uplifting. Dark touches the soul in it’s own beautiful or troubling way.

Feel your way through this collection before answering the questions below.

Heart Sight

Do you honour the beauty of both the light & dark in your life?

As we value day & night, so too should we recognize the value of of our shadows, our moods, our challenges. They offer us gifts and opportunities to emerge more fully into who we truly are.

This is part of the practice of loving what is – in yourself & others.

Your Turn: From Photos to Wardrobe to Life

I never thought it would happen, but a few years back, I got tired of wearing so much black.

I decided that black with a splash of colour was OK, but wearing more bright colours better suited the mood I wanted to frame myself in and offer to others.

Pastels don’t cut it for me. But vivid colours do. That’s reflected in my paintings as well as my wardrobe.

Interestingly, I prefer a peaceful neutral life with splashes of colour. I’m way too sensitive to run on constant excitement.

Today, you’ve experienced and reflected on the impact of colour. Continue exploring this through your photographs, relationships, wardrobe, and lifestyle.

Be the inspiration you were meant to be. If you got any aha moments, please share them here in the comments below. Then spread love & beauty in the world through your shared reflections & photos.

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Reconnect Lesson 9: Rise Up Rise Up!

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Have you heard? We’re in a time of ascension! It may be hard to believe with all that’s happening in the world, but I believe it’s true. Of course there will be resistance. But together we can help raise the vibration of the planet and all those on it. How? By raising our own consciousness, our own vibration.

What you do for yourself, you do for others. It affects everyone else in this Divine Oneness.

So rise up, rise up dear one! It’s time to live in alignment with the divine essence you truly are.

Don’t let yourself spiral down in a funk from the many distractions, details and dramas that bombard our senses from every direction.

Remember that you are an individualized expression of the Divine. Yes, you’re human, and being in a funk is part of being human. But you’re also Spirit. 

Often, unhappiness, loneliness, despair, depression and other unpleasant realities of being human happen when we believe we are separate from God (or whatever term you resonate with) and from others.

So part of your job as a spirit in a human body is to recognize when you need to take the time to recognize, allow and process what’s triggering a funk and to then raise your vibration.

As the Law of Vibration taught us, our job as vibration managers is to raise our consciousness, our vibration so that we can attract more of the people, places, and events that resonate at that frequency. This is closely related to the Law of Attraction.

So don’t deny your sadness or frustration. Listen to it, love it, and then let it go. You’re often being shown things that are ready to be released as they’re leaving. Acknowledge them, and then let them leave.

Don’t hang on to the stories or feelings or allow them to drag you further down. That’s wallowing and yes, it’s also part of being human.

Instead, reconnect to your True Self, remembering who you truly are. Asking your Higher Consciousness to make wise choices to bring you back into alignment with the love, peace, and happiness at your very core.

Exercise: Create & Post your “Raise My Vibration” List

When the mind and heart are clouded by lower vibrations, it can be hard to motivate yourself to change gears. You may not even know you need to if that black cloud over your head is so thick you can’t see what’s happening.

That’s why having a very visible “Raise My Vibration List” can be such a blessing.

Whether you’re in a funk or simply busy, it’ll be a daily reminder to prioritize time to raise your vibration.

What does that for you?

I know that listening to one of my own meditations (available on YouTube) or an energy transmission from Steve Nobel- The Soul Matrix (which inspired this painting) helps me start my days on the right foot.

And if I’m going to have to deal with technical issues, lighting a candle, smudging, or saying a little prayer first can help me stay higher on the emotional guidance scale longer.

I also know that there’s no way I can get stuck in a bad mood if I sing & dance a few Sanskrit chants on my mini-trampoline.

And if at all possible, I make it outdoors to breathe the fresh air, take a few photos, and bask in beauty.

What raises your vibration? Make a list. Post it where you’ll see it every day. On the mirror where you brush your teeth is a good place.

After a while, you won’t need that reminder. As soon as you feel yourself dipping, you’ll recognize your desire for a higher vibration and make Higher Consciousness choices faster.

Do you need inspiration? Here are a few ideas.

10 Ways to Raise Your Vibration” List

* Meditation

* Stretching & exercise – even standing up tall in a power pose for a minute.

* Healthy eating

* Music

* Gratitude list

* Time with pets, children, loved ones

* Affirmations, mantras

* Time outdoors – lying on the ground, hugging a tree, etc.

* Smudging, prayer, or other sacred rituals

* Service to others, random acts of kindness

Leave room on your list so you can add to it.

The idea is to have a variety so that when you are heading down the emotional guidance scale, you can easily access what you already know will help you change directions.

Once you’re grooving in the higher vibes, you’re bound to feel more connected to Source & humanity as a whole.

What you do for your Highest Good, you’re doing for the Good of All.

You have an important role to play in the ascension of the planet. Thank you!

P.S. Click here to go to the blog post that describes the creative process for the painting “Time of Ascension”.

P.P.S. You can order prints in your choice of size and medium or purchase the original. Thank you for supporting my art!

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