Ethereal Spirit Muse & News

Gratitude 2009

Ethereal — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:07:23 +0000

A whole post and now I’m changing my mind and starting over! LOL

It was an amazing year in hindsight. I never did reach any monetary goals, but grew in some wonderous ways, and this post is about acknowledgement where I can.

Got my website moved to a new host and terminated all affiliation with my big mistake of 2008, and with help cleared up the debt from that mistake too.
Found @ArtCareereDeva on Twitter and was introduced to her marvelous development programs for artists through smARTist®
Developed a Business Plan. Not just any business plan but a “Right Brain Business Plan” from ArtiZen® Coaching offered in conjunction with smARTist®
During a desperate moment later in the year realized I had “people” after all and signed up for the smARTist® 2009 Telesummit. Great info and presenters, and hope to connect with some of them more in the future, and a Home Study Mentoring program, which is still in the works.
Found and have started reconnecting with an artist friend from the past, Susan Plum. Her website seems down, but she’s on Facebook.
Seemingly got over my writer’s block too.

That’s the tangibles I feel good about, and here’s a few the intangibles I feel I’ve gained this past year.

Confidence.
Patience ~ One step at a time, with my art and with my web presence.
Lots of family time and love, as we all grow older, making the time more precious.
Reconnection with my sensitive, psychic self, honoring and using my intuition again. Oh, and found out psychic has been replaced with intuitive now.

There’s more I know, but these are the ones that stand out and feel important to me as I look back over my last year. And now it’s time to move on into the rest of winter with the planning and development for 2010!

Winter Solstice 2009

Ethereal — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:51:37 +0000

First off, it’s been a year of crossing bridges and moving along, learning new things along with learning acceptance of one step at a time. There have been quite a few highs and a few lows along the way like tempting jewels of let it shine or dig a little deeper, but all in all 2009 feels pretty successful in hindsight, and that’s where I end the season of harvest.

However, I still succumb to feelings of never catching up with all the push and pull out in the world of Do it Now, Never to Late, Don’t Wait, You’re Gonna Miss Out, especially with end of year bottom line at stake, to remind me how far behind I am. Add to that all of the political posturing blasting away between TV, online, and email commercials, making things seem like they’ll never change or improve.

But the truth is ~pushing the river never accomplishes anything, but a face full of water~ Think about it!

So I’ve cuddled in for this first day of winter with the three Rs (rest, reflect, and restore), to let my roots absorb where I’ve been, where I’m at, and the many lessons and blessings that have been offered along the way, in order to get ready for new growth. And Wow what a day it’s been! If this is any indication of what’s ahead, then I’m in for a very effective winter

Technorati Tags: reflections,winter solstice

! Maybe I’ll even overcome my core issue of trust, the one I have with humans ~ and that includes me!

Why?

Ethereal — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:15:30 +0000

Hum…Why do I do what I do, and why do I use what I use in my work? Both good questions, but maybe not so easily answered, so we’ll see…

It’s the energy of the elements, the wood, the smell, the color, the feel and textures, the aura of spirit I perceive, the healing qualities of the stones, and honoring the connection of all that is and bringing it into form and expression. It’s also the mythis, gods and goddesses, fairytales I’ve heard, read, and lived, and the altars and ceremonies from the places I’ve been. It’s an expression oft overlooked possibilites, dreams, and magic surrounding us, and it’s my bliss.

But first of all it’s the wood, the base I most often use. Perhaps because of the connections a tree represents from its roots deeply grounded in the earth out to its branches and leaves reaching into the ethereal sky, so spiritually connecting, but then there’s all the tales and lore of elemental beings who’ve lived in and around the tree. I believe it’s so and honor that spirit, those spirits, who’ve always traveled with me in one form or another throughout my life. But then I choose wood for many practical reasons as well. I love the smell, so earthy and comforting, and the feel, sometimes soft and smooth and other times rough and dirty, but always forgiving and allowing to imagination and manipulation. And the resultant images are a combination of both the tree and the elementals I enjoy.

Then, of course, I have to make them a bit glamorous to match their royal status, so they’re dressed with bits of bling using more pieces of nature such as feathers and stones for the energies they provide, plus glorious color and it’s vibration with beads and sometimes paint to complement and impart their essence, aura, and magic as well. And lastly the juxtaposition of bling and an old piece of wood are often a marvelous display of the contradictions I perceive in life.

It’s my gift to see and feel, and my passion to create a reflection to admire, to use, and to cherish.

Energy Awareness

Ethereal — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:08:30 +0000

There is an energy in all things, even a stone, and if you’ve landed on this page, you’re probably curious, looking for information about it or totally aware of teh fact and just want to see how someone else approaches it.

Energy Awareness is a class I used to facilitate. The participants were across the board from fully aware, but unable to verify, to completely rigid, ready to debunk. They all came away with the gift of seeing and believing, able to demonstrate and use their skills in a holistic manner for themselves and others.

The pages indexed at the right contain bits and pieces of the history, mystery, and lore generally associated with the ethereal elements of teh materials I use and/or invoke in my artwork.

The format, just pieces and tidbits drawn from my essence and search, hopefully interesting and even a little informing as will allow within this format.

I don’t teach anymore, but if you curious, want to see auras and find out how to work with teh ethereal energies, your desire and openness will lead you to a teacher. One caution! No one is better or more than you, so don’t give your power away, and always question adn confirm for yourself.

Enjoy,
Blessings, in Love and Light.

Feather Flickers

Ethereal — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:05:32 +0000

Who can resist the beauty and mystery of a feather? find one lying on the ground adn it’s a gift from nature, a totem sign or message just for you, waiting. They entice, they tickle, they soothe, adn they cause us to wonder. Just hold a feather and you can imagine flying able to escape the everyday world a moment or two, becoming light as a feather.
Feathers, so fragile yet strong, have been used for decoration, charms, and icon through history and in almost all religions. they represent the human spirit and its connection to higher realms.

They carry the elemental aspects of:

Air
- Wind, thought, illusion
Balance
- Did you know when a wind feather falls out on one wing the other wing losses the same feather?
Mystery
- What’s behind a fan, or how does a bird fly?
Magic
- Wonder.
Transcendence
- Bridge between heaven and earth.

They hold communication aspects of:

Messages to humans as omens and signs.
- Ever notice how crows appear when you need a creative solution or are about to transcend a situation?
Messages to ethereal beings and higher realms.
- Feathers are often used on items of sacred ceremony, such as prayer sticks, staffs, and wands, where they carry our intent and help us communicate with ethereal beings and the higher realms.
- Same for sacred fans (sometimes just one feather) used by shamans and healers to cleans the aura, direct adn concentrate healing energy, or diffuse smoking herbs of cedar and sage for cleansing and purifying.
Indicators of status, rank, and honors.
- Egyptian crown.
- Feather headdresses, hair adornments, or fans of the American Plains Indian tribes, where use of the feather is earned and tells a story.

Highlights in history and myth:

Ancient Egypt where Amun-Ra displays feathers on his crown, when Ra chose to take form, Ma’at’s feather of truth (also a hieroglyph), and Anubis whose job it was to weigh the heart of the departed soul against a feather before passage was granted to the celestial world, for the heart of the deceased must be without burden or guilt in order to pass.
Norse myth has teh falcon feather cloak, Valhamr, which enabled Freya, goddess of beauth, fertility, love, and magic, and to fly at will when wearing it.
Winged or feathered creatures such as:
- Pegasus, the winged horse.
- Quetzalcoatl, the jade-colored feathered serpent.
- Phoenix, rising from the ashes.
- Harpies, birdlike women.
Sally Rand, of the 1930s, perfected teh exotic fan dance, using ostrich fans.
Victorian ladies used their fans to communicate discrete messages by tilt, touch, and position.

Vernal Equinox

Ethereal — Sat, 16 May 2009 03:56:00 +0000

This is really late, but I forgot I wrote it! It was buried in my website copy work.
Beautiful day! Been in the garden connecting with Mother Earth for a while. The project started as clearing out the dross of last year’s garden, but seems the focus quickly encompassed clearing out my mind in preparation for the Vernal Equinox ceremony and declaration of intention I plan later today.
The Vernal Equinox is the astrological New Year, and it seems to be my time to review the seeds I’ve planted and where I need to go from here, my resolution time.
This time it was replanting the seeds of my life-long dream, which I’ve worked hard gestating through these past winter months. Almost as soon as I reclaimed my dream, and declared my intent doors started opening and things started falling into place (you know the map).
But somewhere along the way the doors started creaking and my support system disappeared. Denial at first, then disbelief, then frustration followed, but still I wouldn’t be deterred and kept working, learning and tweaking on my own. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been rewarding in a lot of ways, and one of the happiest times of my life. In reclaiming my dream I was living to live again not living to die just marking time.

Technorati Tags: Vernal Equinox,reflections,reclaiming dreams,gardening

Ethereal Spirits

Ethereal — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:02:00 +0000

Have you ever wished to see an ethereal being, a nature spirit, an elemental?

I’d bet you already have and just didn’t realize it. That shadow or dark flicker just at the edge of vision that’s gone when you turn to see what it is, or those flickers of light just off on the horizon, but then, usually a breeze distracts you, and they’re gone too.

Sometimes, when you’re especially sensitive, empathic, and willing, you can see them outright, but usually just for a moment before the shadow veil (that ephemeral curtain between reality and the ether) drops and you’re separated again. It takes faith not reason, openness and acceptance to hold the veil open and see them for longer periods of time.

I try to bring this vision into a form of reality with my artwork, by carving the faces and forms I see in natures refuse. It is my passion, my bliss, my way of sharing the oneness of all with others.

Technorati Tags: seeing nature spirits

Economic Crisis

Ethereal — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Christmas just past somehow felt extra special with very little shopping and lots of making, (which is what I like best anyway), and the thinking about each person on my list and the giving was a bigger joy. Reflecting on these emotions at the time, I felt it was a sign-of-the-times as evidenced by the recent election and somehow a cosmic gift of the Economic Crisis. We wanted/needed change and the crisis was given to make sure we did and stayed on path.

A dear friend of mine and I have lived in economic crisis for many years now, so the nationwide/worldwide crisis is nothing new to get used to for us. I do empathize with all those new to the situation and fully understand how stressful it can be, but all is not lost and fear is the enemy. We learned to rely on and support each other. The gifts we’ve received are examining values, reorganizing priorities, and finding new ways of thinking about spending. And right now it affects everyone to some degree, so I also see it as a gift because we are all in it together.

It’s a new year now with the biggest shock and awe behind us. Things are going to change ultimately for the better. Maybe not quite the way we each want or as fast as we would like, but every time I stretch myself beyond the next several months I feel excitement and anticipation. So I’m celebrating the arrival of 2009 by making resolutions for what I want to bring into to my life instead of what I want to give up.

Elementals Along My Path

Ethereal — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:56:00 +0000

Through the woods

Along the stream

You become part of my dream.

You call,

You glimmer,

Or project into my space,

Blessing me with your presence and grace.

And I see what in time could be

the essence of your being brought forth to see.

Sometimes a fairy,

Sometimes a gnome,

Sometimes a house for you to call home.

I am here for you to use

to bring you for forth for all to peruse.

I saw you there in the mirror of time,

Essence pure and so sublime.

I know you would

If I but could

Present this moment.

I saw you there among the brambles,

Knotted twists, and curls,

Just right to form your face and furls.

I bring my talents to show your face.

I carve your essence pure and grace

Then dress and furl

And bring to light

The ethereal you,

You showed me at first sight.

I did your bidding to show your face

Then added jingle and gleam

To bedazzle as you deemed.

Blessed be to those who see what lies within you and me.

Dark and Gloomy

Ethereal — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:42:00 +0000

It’s been dark and gloomy, cool and mostly overcast for a few days. I’m not ready for the inward turn of winter energy. I’m wanting some harvest from months of hard work, learning and doing things about which I knew little. I yearn for my studio, the smell of wood, and the emergent faces. My thoughts are scattered and my temper is cranky. This inward turn of energy struggles with my outward push toward goals, and my body, my psyche are fighting within. I am a moon child and need the sun’s light to keep me bright.

It’s cold and it’s hazy
That makes me lazy
When it’s dark and dank
It turns me into a crank
The energy is turning
And I’m still yearning
My mind is churning
Altars and art
Loom in my gloom
Yet there is no room
To let that bloom
I’m too hazy
And that makes me crazy
Bring me my broom
So I can loom
Sweep out the haze
Navigate the maze
Then plan for brighter days