This past week I had the opportunity to do some ascension work with the intelligence of nature. Sitting next to a tree, I overlooked where a stream came down from the mountains and flowed into a lake. As I focused on my usual meditation when I am working with nature, after about a half hour, I opened my eyes and began to take in the energetic flow around me. The energy of the water glimmered in a bright turquoise while the surrounding trees shined in brilliant yellows and greens. Birds that were singing, their songs became amplified to my ears. In this particular location, there was no requirement for Earth healing. The forest, water, and animals were all as they should be, happy and healthy.
Then I heard a soft voice ask, "What color is the water?" Shifting my focus back to where the stream becomes the lake, I answered, "The water is clear. At least, in the beginning, it is always clear." Then I let my eyes drift to my right where the lake opened up to its full size. Around the edges of the lake, the water had become a deep forest green color whereas, in the middle, the water turned into a dark navy blue.
Pure water is always clear and water that is shallow in a stream will be clearer than, say, the water in the lake. The deeper the water, the less reflections off the lake floor. The scattering of light across water also plays a huge part in the color of water. And, if there are any particles suspended in the water, they will increase
the scattering of light. In coastal areas, runoff from rivers, re-suspension of sand and silt from the bottom by tides, waves, and storms
and a number of other substances can change the color of the near-shore
waters. Some types of particles (in particular, the cells of
phytoplankton, also referred to as algae) can also contain substances
that absorb certain wavelengths of light, which alters its
characteristics.
Exactly where am I going with this? Well, after my meditation that day, a couple days later in my art studio I was struggling a bit with my global purpose. I could feel myself growing agitated, feeling frustrated, and losing my focus. I felt like I was an octopus with all my tentacles going in different directions. Stopping myself, I decided it was time for some more ascension work to regain my focus. As I was working, I heard that familiar soft voice ask me, "Why are you trying to define yourself?" My answer was quick, "Because it will let others know who I am in this work." The reply was instantaneous, "You are not a definition of your talents, but a reflection of what is around you, what has taught you throughout your life, and everything that has brought you to this point. Your art is not a definition but a reflection of who you are, where you have been, and where you are going."
Then I immediately thought of that day when I was meditating by the lake. I was able to see the correlation between the water that day and my life. When I first began my journey towards my global purpose, my path was clear, fresh, and moving quickly like the water running off the mountain. However, over the last few months, as I had begun to settle into my new life, my surroundings had calmed and my artistic endeavors were growing and expanding into a lake. What I had failed to realize in the process was that I wasn't maintaining my lake and I had stopped my artistic flow. As I was worrying about how my art was going to fit in the mainstream, I had begun to define myself and my art; I was trying to wedge myself into a category. In doing this my natural light was scattering more and more across the water and my lake was becoming a muddy and dull color. And as things turned muddy, I could no longer see my reflection or that clear refreshing stream that my path once was.
To define ourselves and our life is to set a series of perimeters or fencing around us. Think of how we define words. A word has a definition so that you can only use it in a limited number of ways in a sentence. When we define ourselves, then we too can only be used in a limited number of ways. But to be a reflection, then we have no perimeters and the possibilities are endless. We can take an idea and run with it, expand it, change it, learn more about it, add to it, and grow with it. The key is to always be that clear, fresh, moving stream. Yes, you can stop now and then and let your life rest like a lake. But keep your lake small and manageable so then, when the time is right, you can easily move forward again and not have to worry about first clearing off the negative things that have collected across your lakes surface. In continually moving forward we remain that clear reflection of ourselves and of everything that is around us. This is done by continually allowing ourselves to be better than what we currently are. Learning never ends and it should never end. If we feel that we have mastered something, then go out and master something else. Do not allow yourself the belief that you have gone as far as you can in this life. There are more roads to travel, more streams to swim, and more mountains to climb. A definition is limited but a reflection can ripple through eternity.
I hope over the next week, you will take a few moments to realize and acknowledge how you are a reflection to yourself and others. How is the way you are living now reflecting how you want to be? Is it helping you or hindering you? What changes do you need to make to become that clear moving stream?
Love and Light,
Tara
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Why be creative?
Before I answer that, let's first take a look at the definition of the word create: 1. To bring into being. 2. To give rise to. Now, let's look at the definition of creative: 1. Inventive. 2. Imaginative.
I don't know about you, but those definitions seem incomplete. Perfect! In essence, they are not specific to any one set of ideals or guidelines. Again, perfect!
The one comment I hear the most after I tell people that I am an artist is; 'Oh, wow! I'm not that creative.'
And my answer to that is always, 'Yes, you are!'
So now let me answer the question, 'Why be creative?'
Because when we are creative, we bring into being something that stirs the emotions, thoughts, and consciousness of others. Because when we are creative, we give rise to hope, inspiration, and we give rise to humanity to want to be a better society, to live better and treat others with respect.
Above all, when we are creative, we acknowledge our inner longing to be free from the constricting force of the ego. Our ego is that part of us that tells us each and everyday that we must submit to an idealistic set of expectations of what life is and how we must continue with our mundane existence just so we can pay the bills. But more on the ego in a bit.
Being creative isn't about picking up a paint brush and painting the next masterpiece or playing an instrument and becoming the worlds next big music scene. It goes much deeper than that. Being creative is about opening ourselves to who we truly are in this life and living our life purpose. When we create, we don't stop and think about what is right or what is expected. Inside our creative bubble, we define what is beauty, what is inspirational, and what is truth. We create this way because when we are creative, we are experiencing ourselves from our heart and soul. When we are creative, we are exactly who we are supposed to be in this life.
Releasing your inner creativity.
A question I get asked a lot is, 'how do you know what to paint?' The answer to that is that I don't know until I sit down and look at a blank canvas. When I sit down at my easel, there is no one there to tell me what I should paint. No one except for me. The real me. The truthful me. The imaginative me. The me that is free from my ego.
Remember earlier when I was talking about the ego? That thing that makes us feel inadequate or a lost cause? Yep, that's the ego. Everyone has one and believe me when I tell you that there is no other force in this life that is more destructive than the ego. I think I will dedicate a future blog to the ego. But for now, for example, the ego is that lovely little voice that tells us why we can't quite our job that we hate so much. You know your job, the one where your boss is a jerk, your unappreciated, you get paid as one person but do the work of ten people. That job. The one you can't quite because you have a car payment, a house payment, and a child who wants to play every sport known to mankind. But secretly, you have a passion to become an interior decorator or the pies you make are so amazing that you could open your own pie shop. So what are you waiting for? Your ego to tell you it's impossible?
First of all, stop listening to your ego. And that is always easier said than done. Remember, everything comes in small steps. So this is your first step and I'll repeat it, stop listening to your ego.
Start listening to your heart. The bad news is that you can't kill the ego because it is a part of you and we need the ego to learn lessons (that's another blog for another day). The good news is that you don't have to be a prisoner to it. Instead, you can reduce the size of your ego from a watermelon to a grain of sand. It won't happen overnight but you can release your inner creativity!
So what is it that you love to do? Not sure? Then I highly suggest that you learn to meditate. And if you are one of those people who have a very busy schedule, then make yourself an appointment. Yes, you read that correctly; make yourself an appointment every morning, everyday, for 15 minutes. In the silence of meditation is where you will quiet the ego and connect to your heart, your soul, your higher self. It's in that connection where we learn what our true passion is, our creative side, our life purpose.
As you begin to realize your creative side, you will begin to see a happier and healthier you. Finding your creative side will help restore your faith in humanity. You will realize how you can be a part of the bigger picture, how you are a part of the bigger picture. You will realize how you can fulfill your own dreams and aspirations and how you can help others do the same.
Wrapping it up.
For a moment, let's go back to that definition of create: 1. To bring into being. 2. To give rise to.
How would you finish these two definitions? For me, I would finish them like this; to be creative is to bring into being who we truly are. Because when we are living our life purpose, we are creative. We can be nothing less because we can only be better today than we were the day before.
If each individual is creative, then everyone has something positive to give to this life. Imagine the wonderful things that would be left for future generations. The possibilities are endless. Therefore, the possibilities in being creative, are endless.
How are you going to be creative?
Love and light,
Tara
Before I answer that, let's first take a look at the definition of the word create: 1. To bring into being. 2. To give rise to. Now, let's look at the definition of creative: 1. Inventive. 2. Imaginative.
I don't know about you, but those definitions seem incomplete. Perfect! In essence, they are not specific to any one set of ideals or guidelines. Again, perfect!
The one comment I hear the most after I tell people that I am an artist is; 'Oh, wow! I'm not that creative.'
And my answer to that is always, 'Yes, you are!'
So now let me answer the question, 'Why be creative?'
Because when we are creative, we bring into being something that stirs the emotions, thoughts, and consciousness of others. Because when we are creative, we give rise to hope, inspiration, and we give rise to humanity to want to be a better society, to live better and treat others with respect.
Above all, when we are creative, we acknowledge our inner longing to be free from the constricting force of the ego. Our ego is that part of us that tells us each and everyday that we must submit to an idealistic set of expectations of what life is and how we must continue with our mundane existence just so we can pay the bills. But more on the ego in a bit.
Being creative isn't about picking up a paint brush and painting the next masterpiece or playing an instrument and becoming the worlds next big music scene. It goes much deeper than that. Being creative is about opening ourselves to who we truly are in this life and living our life purpose. When we create, we don't stop and think about what is right or what is expected. Inside our creative bubble, we define what is beauty, what is inspirational, and what is truth. We create this way because when we are creative, we are experiencing ourselves from our heart and soul. When we are creative, we are exactly who we are supposed to be in this life.
Releasing your inner creativity.
A question I get asked a lot is, 'how do you know what to paint?' The answer to that is that I don't know until I sit down and look at a blank canvas. When I sit down at my easel, there is no one there to tell me what I should paint. No one except for me. The real me. The truthful me. The imaginative me. The me that is free from my ego.
Remember earlier when I was talking about the ego? That thing that makes us feel inadequate or a lost cause? Yep, that's the ego. Everyone has one and believe me when I tell you that there is no other force in this life that is more destructive than the ego. I think I will dedicate a future blog to the ego. But for now, for example, the ego is that lovely little voice that tells us why we can't quite our job that we hate so much. You know your job, the one where your boss is a jerk, your unappreciated, you get paid as one person but do the work of ten people. That job. The one you can't quite because you have a car payment, a house payment, and a child who wants to play every sport known to mankind. But secretly, you have a passion to become an interior decorator or the pies you make are so amazing that you could open your own pie shop. So what are you waiting for? Your ego to tell you it's impossible?
First of all, stop listening to your ego. And that is always easier said than done. Remember, everything comes in small steps. So this is your first step and I'll repeat it, stop listening to your ego.
Start listening to your heart. The bad news is that you can't kill the ego because it is a part of you and we need the ego to learn lessons (that's another blog for another day). The good news is that you don't have to be a prisoner to it. Instead, you can reduce the size of your ego from a watermelon to a grain of sand. It won't happen overnight but you can release your inner creativity!
So what is it that you love to do? Not sure? Then I highly suggest that you learn to meditate. And if you are one of those people who have a very busy schedule, then make yourself an appointment. Yes, you read that correctly; make yourself an appointment every morning, everyday, for 15 minutes. In the silence of meditation is where you will quiet the ego and connect to your heart, your soul, your higher self. It's in that connection where we learn what our true passion is, our creative side, our life purpose.
As you begin to realize your creative side, you will begin to see a happier and healthier you. Finding your creative side will help restore your faith in humanity. You will realize how you can be a part of the bigger picture, how you are a part of the bigger picture. You will realize how you can fulfill your own dreams and aspirations and how you can help others do the same.
Wrapping it up.
For a moment, let's go back to that definition of create: 1. To bring into being. 2. To give rise to.
How would you finish these two definitions? For me, I would finish them like this; to be creative is to bring into being who we truly are. Because when we are living our life purpose, we are creative. We can be nothing less because we can only be better today than we were the day before.
If each individual is creative, then everyone has something positive to give to this life. Imagine the wonderful things that would be left for future generations. The possibilities are endless. Therefore, the possibilities in being creative, are endless.
How are you going to be creative?
Love and light,
Tara
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