Kitchen set... Done!

What I thought was to be a "summer job" turned out to be a year long project... chair by chair and finally the table. Fruits - vegetables and Fun.

I'm usually tempted to over do these things and I did hold back. What would I have done if it was mine......

studio tree

I did a few mandalas - quick ones just to get all this "stuff" bottled up within me out. The most interesting thing I find about doing this art is how the subconscious mind/feelings come up and out on paper. It's similar to "morning pages".. those familar with The Artist's Way know what I mean... it's an emptying out.. brainstorming.. no editing.. no thinking. Just releasing.
It is afterwards, when I look at these mandalas that I notice things.
I have started the process of looking for a new place to live. I have lived in the same place for 33 years and it's time to move on.
I went to look at one apartment and I noticed that the rooms faced north west, the opposite of where I live now. I have one window facing West for the sunset, but my bedroom and art room face the east- south east. Kitchen is north and on the dark side.
There were pros and cons about the place, but what my mind kept returning to was the direction. No morning sun to wake me up.
After doing the mandala, I notice the window and frame around it. Like a compass, it is facing northwest... not to mention the colors.
Northern light is supposed to be good for doing art.
The cons outweighed the pros on this place and I'm still looking.....
I need studio space for my art... period.

windows of the soul

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul.

My eyes change.

They will appear greener if I wear green, sometimes more gray.. grayish blue.

They change... I change.

I constantly find myself looking for direction.. sometimes I seek direction by going within through meditation and sometimes out side my self through reflections in the world.

Synchronicity, Astrology, and feedback from other people.

Looking.. seeking.. Seeing

Sometimes we just cannot see things clearly within ourselves, because of messages we have heard. Those messages have been "contaminated" by inadequate hearing.

For instance, I thought I had a terrible voice. I attribute it to my inability to sing solo in music class in childhood. It wasn't until I taught yoga that people told me how soothing my voice was.

Sheesh. All those times I hesitated to sing, speak up..

Sometimes we think we cannot do something - lack the confidence or courage,

but we CAN!

Sometimes we think we are going in the right direction, but something else comes along and we discover something new and wonderful about ourselves.

We learn a new skill.

We learn a new technique, choose a new art medium and CHANGE!

we are on a new path....

We discover new ways of doing things because we took the risk of going down a new road.

We learn there is more than one way to get where we are going.

We learn it's ok to change direction.

If you looked into my eyes would you see what I see?

Would I see myself in you.

You in me.

Would I see the similarities or the differences?

Do we see our souls deep within and see we are the spark of the Divine....

each making up the Eternal Light.

My path may not be as direct as yours.. it may have less adventure, less heart ache,

more groundedness,

less exciting.

There are times when my path seemed long and challenging,

but I took in the sights, found the beauty where I thought there was none,

and came to a new understanding.

It is through my eyes seeking direction that I've come upon so much love.

That is what matters.

What I do see with my eyes is that it's all good.

I don't have to take the same path as you in order to feel good about myself.

Today I saw many smiling faces, and I took that as affirmation that this path I am on right now is the right path for me. When the path holds joyfulness and warmth, I will continue on it.

In the end, all these paths lead home... so enjoy the one your are on.