Table or Plant Marker

It is said that when you find a feather on the ground it is a sign that you are getting a message soon. If the feather is white it is a message from an angel. It is nice to think about but is it real? I was, lets say, on the fence and one that needed more proof. This past weekend I had a series of events occur that when I look at them individually mean not a thing, together something much bigger.

It started with discovering a mirror I had cut for an order long ago and for whatever the reason was never used. I had not thought about it for a long time. So why now was it important? I did not need it and had no plans for it at the present moment in time yet I stopped and I looked for it. Not finding it I put it out of my head knowing I would eventually discover it. I had decided to work on some old frames cleaning them up since it was so warm out. Playing with water sounded like fun and Tuck is always up for a romp in the water. My old frames I keep in a corner of my wood shop where they sit collecting dust. Again for no reason I needed to work today on theses frames. These frames always fell into when I had some free time I will clean them up and use them. Why over the weekend with so much to do was the right time I am not sure until I found wrapped in brown paper the mirror I had thought about a day ago. I smiled to myself and thought someone beyond my seeing helped me out in this discovery. I thanked whomever it was and went on my business.

The weather broke and it was a great time to get working outside cleaning mowing and weeding. I am very conscious of things in the yard because I dislike snakes and have had a run in with a couple since moving here. I like to give them a wide berth. As I worked in the garden I thought about the little garter snake I saw here last year and thankfully as I finished I did not see again. Cleaned up and took Tuck for a nice walk down the street. Looking everywhere enjoying the day I stood waiting for Tuck to finish up and I glanced down and there no more than 5″ away is a snake. His head up staring at me not threatening just observing. I calmly moved myself and Tuck away not knowing if the snake was poisonous or not. Once at a safe distance found it was a large garter snake. As I walked back home my mind went over what I had thought about working in the garden. How glad I had been about not seeing a snake and then I did. How I have lately thought about something with no emotional connection and it would then appear.

Then yesterday I discovered a feather in the same spot as the inquisitive friendly snake. It was from a blue bird. My mother who had passed years ago had a love for blue birds. Every time I see these birds I think of her and how much she loved watching them. Yesterday was also the birthday of my grandmother, Honey. She was my mothers’ mother. So is there a message? I do not believe in coincidences or accidents. There was something different about that snake so was it a snake or something else? I think it was a message from people or guides on the other side. There is great power in our thoughts. Be careful. Be aware. Be open to the messages around you. I can only ask myself why did I have to work on those frames then and why the snake appeared at the side of the road only to find a blue bird feather the next day. But the story does not end here. The feather led me to much more.

You will have to wait. In the meantime think about any messages you may be receiving from angels and people passed over.

Watercolor Fairy Woods

The past two weeks have been full of joy and pain. It started with the sale of two fairy houses. It is so gratifying to sell my things online. The one drawback is the face to face interaction which is always fun. Instead it is opening your email and seeing an order from this imaginary person in this imaginary place. I get a rush of excitement every time. I never care about the amount of the order, for me it is the thrill of acceptance. My work matters to someone out there.

In the blink of an eye my world changes, good or bad, and at that moment I realized again how little control we have over this reality. The perception our minds create for us is just an illusion. In one second I worried about paying bills and in the next, the needed money. Why do we spend so much of our time worrying about how we are going to influence an outcome? More than half of our precious time here spent worrying. It seems as I grew older my worry ego self  grew in size. I finally decided I would start to peel away this pesky part my life and expose my true self. It has been a journey of self discovery on many levels and as the lotus flower reaches for the light I too am reaching for truth of self. It is an inner light I seek and I have discovered life is full and beautiful and joyful. It is all perception of our reality.

Let me go back a bit in time to before the sale. I had given up on my life and on me. I am not  talking about depression or ending my life. I had lost my connection with my soul and my connection to my Source. When we disconnect to Spirit, the soul loss felt is very heavy and I can only say it is like walking through mud up to your hips and the shore line is always just out of reach. There are many people walking in mud these days. I believe that Spirit is always there and all we need to do is ask for Spirit’ help. Spirit showed me I needed to take some time away from my mind and connect to nature. I chose to work outside and fixed a small area up where I could be silent and Tuck could wonder about with no constraints. I was not aware I was creating a sacred place.  An important place where I could recharge and be with nature and Spirit. As I finished my work outside my mind started picking away again saying I should be creating for the shop. I am wasting time, get going, you are a procrastinating the inevitable doom is coming. Of course I listened. I picked up some wood and headed for the wood shop to make some fairy houses. On my way I detoured to check my email  and there it was my fairy house order. Totally gleeful I packed up the order and off it went. Now my mind was shouting you better get going. Again I listened. Spirit had shown me what I needed to do and I had half listened. Yes I made a beautiful spot where I could recharge but I did not reconnect to Spirit, not yet.

I headed blissfully to the wood shop happily thinking I had everything under control. Maybe I did not have to do any of the work I thought I had to do and my mind, my ego rationalized it all with the order of the fairy houses. As I worked on the band saw cutting some cedar for the sides of new fairy houses my hand slipped. My pinky finger went into the running blade of the band saw. I could feel the blade and instantly knew it was bad. It was. I debated going for stitches and decided I could butterfly it closed and covered it up with a bandage. It is now 10 days later and my finger is almost heeled.

I could not do any work in the shop so I had to spend time doing other things. I found my sacred place Spirit had whispered in my ear to make was more now than a place to sit and connect. It had become a place to heal. It was not only my finger I needed to heal but also my soul connection to self and Source. Was Spirit showing me this spot because I was fated to cut my finger with a band saw or was Spirit telling me to rest and connect only. Because I did not listen is that why the accident occurred? I am not certain of the answer but I do know the outcome. After sitting in my sacred space, the same space Spirit nudged me to create, and allowing my heart center to open. My finger has drastically healed. This past week I have shipped the most amount of orders to date in a week from my etsy shop, Between The Weeds. Is it fate destiny or just coincidences? I believe it is Spirit and I am grateful for the lesson.

Iris on paper 30" x 22" SOLD

The other day I watched Oprah‘s Lifeclass: The Tour with Bishop J.D. and was completely overtaken with emotion and awe. The show opened with the two chatting nothing special until I heard Oprah telling the story about how she had first gone to see this minister. She was not really interested in listening to another minister and another sermon because she had heard it all before. Then she went to hear this remarkable man speak. She felt the energy in the church pulsate. She then turned over the show J.D. and I saw and heard what she experienced. I too had heard enough ministers and enough sermons to say been there. I was at a point in my life that I felt a preacher man could not enlighten me any further about God or Source. Source has a funny way of answering your prayers or questions.

I had struggled with the question about purpose, was what I thought my purpose, right? I keep thinking my purpose should be bigger maybe more noble. I certainly did not think being an artist could be noble enough a purpose. It just had to be wrong, I had to be wrong. As he spoke about purpose I realized each person he showed as an example realized their purpose started as a child. Each one of us from the moment we decide with Source what the purpose of our lives is arrives in the womb with all that is needed for us to thrive in a life we chose to experience. When we are young we definitely know what our purpose is but as in Peter Pan we grow up and the memory dissolves. The memory hidden but if you look at what it was in your childhood that interested you, drew you in and excited you, you then have your purpose. Every one of these people said when I was a child I knew I was going to be… So I thought about myself and the answer was as simple as my question. Is being an artist living my life with purpose? Yes. I can not remember ever wanting anything else. I had interests in other things but I always wanted to paint and create. As long as I am creating I am joyfully happy.

So now I know I am living my life with purpose. Yet than why am I having so many difficulties? Because I kept fighting with the answer being that simple, therefore not believing with my heart center and living with absolute faith I was right. When we live with the heart center wide open we not only are giving to the world but receiving and that takes faith love and staying open to Source or Gods gentle whispers. I think once you fit that piece into the puzzle of your life things will start to open up and grow. Hopefully it is the case for me. Since I have just placed this piece into place I will have to see if I am right or is there more to discover. The knowing my life is on track allows for me to now make the decisions I was afraid to see.

If you can see if you can watch Oprah’s Lifeclass the Tour. As usual she has not disappointed with shows that inspire and open you up to life, a life of joy purpose and an armory to help get through the lessons we must learn. Except what ever you purpose is and go live it. I know I am now.

On the Brandywine River

“All things are in motion and nothing is at rest. . . . You cannot go into the same [river] twice.” quote by ancient philosopher Heraclitus from the writings of Wayne Dyer. He was referring to our bodies changing every moment of our life. While reading this statement my mind thought about the stress I am imposing on my life with thoughts of what was and how can I make my business work. How can I be more abundant? As I pondered this thought and the feeling of stress and anxiety because I am stuck in a ego mind loop hearing my ego chatter on saying it worked before why is it not working now? Seeing who you are from that perspective is not very productive and answers almost never come. Yet I do believe there is a guiding force that whispers on the wind in a place where only your soul can hear. Today this was a whisper I am grateful to have heard.

Everyone will agree the world is always changing. So why do we get stuck in stories about what was or following thought patterns never allowing you success? Honestly I do not know. I am just like you trying to understand why I am not better off than I am. Maybe it is because I keep jumping into the same river in my mind. My ego mind never perceived the difference. When we finally step out of our physical ego bodies and see what is real around us you understand the river changed. So, no, my business is not the same because what people liked yesterday may not like today. Colors designs and styles are always changing and this is good. My technique or in life my belief should only grow and become richer and deeper. How you market changing and what people use to connect to each other, as I write changed. Now before I get myself all stressed out again it is important to simply realize change and not react to it. Observe, learn, change and grow is what life asks of us.

After releasing the ego from its full-time job and sending ego on a vacation I dug a little deeper into this statement. Discovering this being radiating from within even if only for a brief moment is inspiring. My ego had me captive. It had me pinned down. Confused, angry, full of aggressive fear and feeling unworthy started to float away. A sense of contentment filled me and I thought about my concerns with my business. I know I will be given the answers I need to succeed. The world around me is forever changing but I can choose to see the river differently now. I can change my thoughts.

He ended his writing with this little passage and I hope he does not mind me using an excerpt from him. He wrote; ” Who am I? is then answered with, I am an infinite being who originated not from my parents, but from a Source that is itself birthless, deathless, and changeless.

Thank you dear sir for these powerful words.

the law of attraction (Photo credit: Brenda Cooper)

“The Law of Attraction, Power of Positive Thinking and Intention are all extremely powerful tools to help you attract and manifest your highest potential. However, they are all secondary to intuition. Unless you are walking on the path that your soul knows it must walk on none of these tools will work properly for you. If you’re living a fear based life and believe that your dreams aren’t real, then the Law of Attraction will give you unrealized dreams, the Power of Positive thinking and Intention will turn into hopeless wishing because you’re taking action based on fear. Once you cross over and say “Yes!” to what you soul knows it should be doing, only then will these tools be of any use to you! We are not five sensory beings; we have 6 senses, intuition being the sixth and most important sense. Once you learn to trust and take action only on your own guidance the world will bow at your feet.”

- Jackson Kiddard, author & polymath.

One of the hardest things to discover about your self is having absolute faith in you. Get it, grab hold and never look back.

Trail through the trees.

“A lot of people don’t have a clearly defined goal and as a result wander through most of their life. It’s time to cast off all doubt, think as big as you can, imagine yourself living your best life and set a goal for yourself. The thought of achieving this goal should make you excited, happy and inspired! Then, decide to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to achieve this goal no matter what resistance you are met with. The heroes of all time decided to go on a journey that they did not know the outcome of, risked death, faced their worst fear and came out with the prize alive. The path is known, now it’s your turn to walk down towards its unknown end with the faith that you WILL at last achieve your goal!”

- Jackson Kiddard, author & polymath.

Having a hard time of it? Maybe by reading this wonderful quote you can take that step towards achieving that goal. This is my hope for us all. The path ahead is clear and it is worth taking another step down it no matter what you think you have lost. The gain never known for those who never try or stop because it became difficult. Today take another step and find excitement, happiness and inspiration. Bravo I knew you could do it.

- Joseph Campbell, the legend.

Birches Oil Painting by LRStudio

Yesterday a funny thing happened while trying to understand why things aren’t working in my life. I implement all the teachings read all the books and intellectually understand what all the great spiritual teachers are saying. Then suddenly fear hits you square in the face. You feel its intensity,the emotion is real. Your body responds by tensing or sweating and from your own thoughts and imagination, it is now a reality. It is very negative to your well-being, yet we give it absolute power.  In many ways fear has become the norm and joy is something we hope to feel. Joy is the feeling that skirts around what we think we are not worthy of having. Why else would so many people be trying to understand how to bring joy into our lives?

This is the fun part, the one thing we are all trying to obtain we all have and by placing our attention on  joy as the norm, fear diminishes. Fear becomes the emotion skirting around the perimeters of our true selves and with time may even disappear only  used for the sole purpose of protecting us from danger. Joy, Happiness and even the best feeling love are high vibrational energies and to keep these feelings in the front of your life is work. Once the work becomes a way of living it becomes your joy and the true oneness of you. Fear, doubt and unworthiness are heavy emotions and easily felt. These are feelings with little power and can with every day practice be but back up on the shelf for when they are needed.

So yesterday I finally realized that if I could feel with such intensity fear and all that came along with that feeling than why should I not be able to feel joy even more so. When fear comes acknowledge it, be aware of the feeling as you would be aware of a breeze on your skin. Ask yourself why are you experiencing this fear and then give thanks for the experience and release it from your imagination, your thoughts. Move your body into action and do something that is joyful to you. Living from the place inside you where there is joy also lives your imagination and your dream, your purpose. Joy, love, happiness will burn out the pain.

- Abraham Lincoln, US President.

Pink Digitalis Watercolor

How many times has some one recently thrown out this mans name and referenced themselves as being like this great man. I am certain Mr. Lincoln would have seen them as men of lesser convictions. Why I say this is because desire to accomplish anything comes for the passion inside you. You might find an individual inspiring and you may admire the person but it is the passion the deep desire to see its’ purpose and to see it to completion. The words I quoted are not just words to be thrown about. We as a world need to absorb these words into our very fiber of being. I think about what this man faced and the turmoil he had to fight through. He did not do it for his ego, which can not be said for the people comparing themselves to Lincoln, he did it for the good of all the people.

I am a spiritualist. I do not practice any religion yet find a closeness to the Buddhist and the Tao. Today there was a gentleman at my door from the Jehovah Witness‘s. I explained I was a Buddhist and he very inquisitively asked about my beliefs. We spent the next 15 minutes talking about the differences and similarities of our beliefs. He knew he would not change my mind about religion and I knew he would not change his yet we were not worlds apart in our thinking. We both want this world to be peaceful joyous and harmonious every where for all things. We want that to be so on my front porch we held that singleness of purpose and accomplished just that, peace and harmony. It was a true joy being in his presence.

follow your dream...

“The Universe is desperate for you to follow your dreams. You will be surrounded by all the support you need if you choose to see life that way. So many live their life in fear. It’s such a rare moment when one of us wakes up and decides to plunge into the abyss of the unknown that the Universe will rejoice and provide everything you need for a successful journey. There will be obstacles, so it’s your job to decide how to react to each challenge. I promise you if you keep pressing on you will be presently surprised to find out what lies just on the other side of every perceived “failure”.

- Jackson Kiddard, author & polymath.

How many of us have taken a direction in our life only to give up because it is not going the way we have planned? We all have. When you looked back, maybe you are examining  a particular experience now, were you following a plan to achieve your dream, an ultimate goal, or did you let fear in and stop you on your precious journey? Inside your head it screamed your are doomed, you are worthless and the list can go on and on. But why is it the failures we seem to hold on to so tightly? Why do we not instead instantly look back to the successes? I think I may have an answer. Our minds or mental self is our ego. It is where fear and doubt and all the negative feelings dwell. Your mind thrives in the past and plays games with the future. It is easy to believe the voice of the ego after all why would you lie to yourself. I have decided the ego is like a virus that plagues your life. You can choose to allow it to decide the outcome or not.

This is a great quote and one I have read many times. I have struggled with a choice I made years ago and just as it gets to the darkest point and I feel it can never improve I give up. I asked for help from Spirit, nothing. I meditated read more books and still nothing. Watched a bunch of online self-help spiritual gurus, still no answer. Then yesterday while meditating I had a whisper a thought and it said ‘no answer is the answer’ keep going down the path you are on. I do believe there is Spirit guiding our dreams and connecting us to the Universe and ultimately, God. This morning I read this quote which I found on the Daily Love email. Coincidence, maybe, I think it is another whisper. After reading it I decided it is time to press on and overcome the obstacles. This point I am at is all to familiar so I am forging ahead into the unknown. I have sent my ego on a vacation. All that I have read watched and truly believe are now in play. I am not only writing about it. I am living it.

by Laurie Rohner

“I prayed for change, so I changed my mind.
I prayed for guidance and learned to trust myself.
I prayed for happiness and realized I am not my ego.
I prayed for peace and learned to accept others unconditionally.

I prayed for abundance and realized my doubt kept it out.
I prayed for wealth and realized it is my health.
I prayed for a miracle and realized I am the miracle.

I prayed for a soul mate and realized I am the One.
I prayed for love and realized it’s always knocking, but I have to let it in.”

- Jackson Kiddard, author & polymath.

There is nothing more frustrating in my humble opinion then being lied to again and again only to look in the mirror and find the one doing the lying is you. You are never going to be perfect or wealthy or abundant or happy or loved until you stop running away from the mirror and like what you see, from your heart, from your soul self. It does take work hard work and worthy work to get it. Take ownership of this life experience for you have been given this wonderful opportunity to evolve and grow. None of us follow the same path or the same lesson. This is your path accept it, embrace it and love the being you are, completely.