Please Excuse the Mess......

From Random

I've been playing in my new journal all afternoon!! Feels good to do something creative. * o

Please Excuse the Mess......

Pondering Sacred Sound

The past couple of weeks I’ve been exploring “sacred sound”. The awesome Fabeku Fatunmise describes sacred sound as a combination of sound and intention, or in his words: “Sacred sound wraps itself around what you want and feeds it. It nourishes it and gives it presence. It energizes your focus so fully that your focus starts to shake with excitement, knowing it’s just about ready to take the stage and rock out.”

Fabeku has a pretty cool free download of ten minutes of sacred sound – singing bowl and drum - that is really worth checking out. I’ve been playing it once or twice a day, taking time to slow down my breathing, and soak in a few minutes of peace. And I’ve been finding myself a lot calmer, focused and enjoying some spurts of creativity.

I’ve also been playing around with my own hoop drum, a djembe and an amazing little singing bowl I got from Fabeku.

The concept of “sacred sound” appeals to me. I’ve often used music to relax with or shift my energy level higher when I’ve needed it. I’ve used music to pray with. Hymns, Taize chants, and classical pieces are often a part of my prayer and worship time. These are things I think of as “sacred sound” too – maybe in not quite the same stuck-shifting way as what Fabeku works with, but in the sense that it is sound that transports, uplifts and has some pretty groovy positive energy with it.

And that got me pondering this morning about what other sounds I would label as sacred. I started listing them in my journal and so far have come up with:

• listening to the heart beat of my beloved while snuggling close
• a cat's purr
• a baby laughing (or a bunch of babies laughing! - dare you to watch this and not giggle)
• birds singing in my backyard
• a small child's soft breathing while sleeping
• the fountains gurgling in my ponds
• leaves rustling
• loon calling
• waves lapping on shore
• snow crunching underfoot
• windchimes (when the breeze blows gently, when it's really windy, windchimes are just annoying!)

I’ve noticed that quite a few in my list are nature sounds. I am blessed to live in a small town surrounded by mountains, lakes and trees and I wonder what a city dweller’s list would look like?

I think the point is that there is so much noise around us, we’ve tuned out. We miss the truly beautiful notes in our day. Some of this constant noise may actually be pretty harmful to us - to our health, to our energy levels.

Grab your journal and make a quick list of sounds you would call sacred. Sounds that uplift and heal you. Don’t over think it, just jot things down. (Why not download Fabeku’s free sacred sound clip while you’re doing that…). Become aware of the noise around you. What sounds are you missing or tuning out? How can you bring more of these sacred sounds into your life?

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Pondering Sacred Sound

Some Journal Pages - Part One

I've been focusing heavily this week on healing. I had surgery last week to remove some kidney stones and I've been taking the time to rest and recuperate. So I've had some moments to work on journal pages and thought I would share a few. Since I can't quite figure out how to line up pictures properly, I've broken them into three separate posts!

This month in Jen Louden's Comfort Cafe the theme is Self-Trust. This journal page was an art journal exercise around the theme. I started with writing words that represented what I didn't trust about myself. Then stamped and painted over the words. Then I found images and symbols that represented "self-trust" to me and did some writing over that. * o

Some Journal Pages - Part One

Some Journal Pages - Part Two

My intention word - "JOY". Reminding myself to stop and think, "what would JOY look like right now?" and "what could JOY bring to this moment?".

Brick archways are appearing a lot lately in my doodling. Open doors? Paths to new possibilities? * o

Some Journal Pages - Part Two

Some Journal Pages - Part Three

Another "self-trust" image - peace and serenity, confidence and knowing..... * o

Some Journal Pages - Part Three

I Will Begin

The inspiration for this comes from Lynn Jericho's "Inner Christmas - Twelve Holy Nights", The Need for Beginnings.

The idea is to take the list of verbs that indicate beginnings and write sentences beginning with "I will". So, for 2009:

I will begin each day with a few minutes of prayer.
I will birth new projects and new dreams.
I will start dreaming more often.
I will commence a journey of unlimited possibilities.
I will launch creatively and confidently forward.
I will emerge confident in the direction I'm heading.
I will initiate steps that take me towards a healthier me.
I will conceive of possibilities instead of set-backs.
I will generate as much positive energy as I can.
I will create as often as I can.
I will originate art that feeds me spiritually.
I will reveal more of what is in my heart.
I will unveil what is hidden from me.
I will renew my soul.

There you have it, a personal manifesto for the year.

A few people on a couple of the journaling lists I belong to were discussing resolutions and whether they make them or not, and they shared that instead of a resolution they chose a word for the year. Instead of trying to pick a word out of thin air, I went to a deck of inspirational cards I have, shuffled them and chose: "Learning Experience" (yay me, I get two words instead of one). So my intention for the year will be to try and see things as a "learning experience" and learn what I can from them! * o

I Will Begin

She Dreams of Trees

Part Three in the Artist's Healing Journey

That night, she dreamt of trees. In the first dream, she was very angry. A beautiful tree was being hacked to pieces by an evil woman. She screamed at the woman over and over to stop and go away. The evil woman stood beside the tree, axe in hand, and gave her a jeering sneer of a smile. She yelled over and over to the woman to go away, while the woman just stood there. In the second dream, she awoke to look out her window and she saw a beautiful, healthy tree that rose up to the sky. Strong and tall and full of red berries. In the third and final dream, she was in a lovely, peaceful grotto. The grass was green and lush, and the grotto was surrounded by trees all ablaze in various autumn colors - oranges, yellow, reds and even some dark evergreens. She felt so content here - like she never wanted to leave. She awoke with that same peaceful feeling. She didn't know yet what these three dreams meant but she was sure she would figure that out on her journey.

(image - "She Dreams of Trees" - acryclics, watercolors and pastels - copyright 2008) * o

She Dreams of Trees

Quick and Easy Grunge

Easy Grunge Page

1) Start to clean off desk
2) Glue bits of notes, receipts, envelopes, post-its onto journal page - whatever is laying around on top of desk - cover page completely
3) Color background with watercolor crayons or ink pads
4) Decorate with Sharpies and watercolor crayons to your heart's content * o

Quick and Easy Grunge

Butterfly Woman - The Journey Continues

(you can read Part One of this journey here)

On a cool moonlit night in the garden, Luna Moth Fairy again appeared to Butterfly Woman. "It is time for you to leave this garden and set out on a journey - a journey of healing and adventure to discover yourself and your soul's true desires. It will be difficult, it will be scary and at time you will be quite lost. You will be traveling the Shadowlands of Your Soul. But at the end of the journey will be a great reward. You will have a helper along the way. Fox has decided to accompany you. She will not interfere but she will provide advice and wisdom as needed. She is quick and cunning. Not everyone you meet along the way will help you or can be trusted. You may need to rely on Fox's ability to discern. Now my child, pack up your things, take only what you need, and in the morning leave this garden." Then Butterfly Woman was left alone. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she caught a glimpse of Fox but she wasn't quite sure. She tucked her leather book she had received from Luna into her bag, along with a journal, a change of clothes, some food and a gold, heart-shaped locket. Then she sat down to pray and settle in for some sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day.

(image - collage with beeswax - @ 2008) * o

Butterfly Woman - The Journey Continues

Hands

"I am fire and if you have doubts about that, bring your hands forth." - Rumi





(watercolor, ink and pastels)

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Hands

Butterfly Woman

The story of Butterfly Woman

Butterfly Woman was born a small caterpillar in a rather nondescript garden. She had an uneventful childhood in the garden, going to school with the other caterpillars learning how to avoid becoming a bird’s tasty lunch. She entered her teen years a shy, awkward caterpillar with a few close friends. She worked in the garden, always looking up and dreaming of one day flying around the garden just like the birds and bees. Deep down inside she knew the caterpillars could change, that transformation was possible, but she didn’t know how to do it and she was afraid. So she continued to live and work in the garden, and to read about other caterpillars who had transformed into butterflies. She learned that some caterpillars transformed by “thinking” themselves into butterflies. Others prayed and tried to live good lives. Some tried to eat only certain foods and exercise regularly at certain times. Butterfly Woman became so confused – there were so many ways to transform and so much advice out there she just didn’t know what to do. She felt so lost and lonely. One autumn night in the garden, while looking up at the stars, she fell into a deep, deep sleep. The darkness seemed to close in around her, and she slept longer and deeper. She dreamed of blue summer skies, and flowers, and floating. Then her dreams became dark and scary. Caterpillars, slugs and dark beetles taunted her and poked her. “You’ll never be good enough to be a butterfly” they hissed. And, “you have to do it our way, you’ll never get it right”. They pushed her down winding paths with confusing signs that pointed here and there. “This is the way.” “No! Go here.” “Don’t do this!” Butterfly Woman grew weaker and began to cry. Then she saw a pale, luminescent green light coming towards here. The light grew brighter and stronger, and as it got closer, she saw that it was coming from a beautiful Luna Moth Fairy. The Luna Moth Fairy hugged her, and wiped her tears away. “There, there little one. All you need to remember is that you are loved and you are love. That is all there is to know”, whispered the Luna Moth Fairy as she handed Butterfly Woman a tiny, beautiful, leather-bound book. “All you need to know is in here.” Luna Moth Fairy left her, and Butterfly Woman opened the book. On the first page, in beautiful scrolled letters was written, “This above all, to thine own self be true”. Butterfly Woman felt her self growing strong, and her heart so full of love that she thought she would burst. She stretched her arms out against the darkness and pushed it away with all her might. She awoke to beautiful, sunny morning in the garden. She felt cold and damp, but the sun’s light quickly warmed her. She looked at herself and gasped. Where once had been a plain, dumpy caterpillar in green dress, she was now wearing a beautiful yellow gown. A tingling came from her back and as she twisted her neck to look over her shoulder she saw the most beautiful pair of orange and black wings. Wings! She had wings! Beside her on the ground she spotted the little book the Luna Moth Fairy had given her. So this was more than just a dream, she thought. Lifting her face to the sky, and stretching out her wings she soared up over the garden. She couldn’t believe how beautiful it really was, and how tiny compared to everything she could see from her new vantage point in the sky. And so began her journey to explore this world, armed with the book the Luna Moth Fairy had given her, and the knowledge that she was loved and was love, and could do anything she set her mind to.

(Butterly Woman is the heroine I have created as part of The Artist's Healing Journey) * o

Butterfly Woman

Creating a Journal - Part Two

The front cover. I like the feel of this journal - it's a good size, and the envelopes make a nice thick paper to work with! * o

Creating a Journal - Part Two

Creating a Journal

I started collecting envelopes a while back because I wanted to try making a journal from them. Thought this would be a good time to try it out for the "Healing Journey" course. This journal has three signatures of 6 envelopes each. * o

Creating a Journal

Journaling Courses coming up

My friend Zura is offering her "Fun Art Journaling" course again - starting June 30th. This is a great course for both beginners and experienced journalers. Three months of lessons, tips, and a yahoo group to help support you along the way. I learned a lot about art journaling from taking Zura's courses, and she really gives you a wealth of materials to work with. You can read about it and sign up here.

Also starting June 30th - Lani Gerity's "The Artist's Healing Journey". This is a 12-week course using the heroine's journey - an exploration of renewal and healing using art. You can read about it here.

I've signed up for the Healing Journey course and am looking forward to working on that soon. Today, I'm going to start working on making a journal just for this course. If I get it finished this weekend, I'll post pics.

image - spirit fruits - pen, ink and pastel - @2008

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Journaling Courses coming up

Clowning Around Newsletter

My friend Zura is putting out a weekly newsletter called "Clowning Around", on the subject of journaling and art journaling.

You can read about it at Zura's website and sign up for it here.

When you sign up, you'll receive a free"Journal Prompt Cards" e-book, full of great journal prompts and tips. * o

Clowning Around Newsletter

Bloom

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Bloom

Embracing Soul

"When you listen with your soul, you come into rhythm and unity with the music of the universe."
- John O'Donohue


"Embracing Soul" - art journal collage, Nov 2007

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Embracing Soul

Imagine a Woman - Journal Entry

This is the page I did in my journal for Zura's "Imagine a Woman" weekly journal prompt.

Imagine freeing yourself of the stories you carry around with you that do not belong to you, but are someone else's baggage. Imagine owning what is yours and letting go of the rest.

Knowing our stories helps us to understand ourselves. Knowing another person's story helps us to understand them. * o

Imagine a Woman - Journal Entry

Imagine a Woman

My friend and awesome art journaler Zura is doing a weekly series of prompts based on the book "Imagine a Woman in Love with Herself" by Patricia Lynn Reilly.

You can read the first of the prompts here.

This is a great way to do some journaling, maybe a collage, maybe your own poem - based on the week's prompts. Zura will be posting each Sunday, so be sure to keep checking. And if you do end up doing some journaling around it, be sure and let Zura know! * o

Imagine a Woman