Holly at Solstice

Holly King & Oak King both wear a crown of snow today in North Yorkshire. Symbolic of the battle between dark & light, the Holly King, at the height of his power yields his crown to the Oak King at Winter Solstice. The Oak Kings strength will grow as the days lengthen, up to Summer Solstice, when power is handed back to the Holly.

As the days have shortened & the nights lengthened, the Holly King has ruled, bearing the sceptre of the darkening year here in the northern hemisphere. In a glorious flourish before he hands over his crown, holly berries have adorned the female trees- there is no battle of the sexes here, they share the crown, both majestic. Typically, the birds have eaten most before Yule! 

ripening nicely~ early november

The Solstice marks a turning point of the year- ready to leave behind the shortened days. Can we also use it as a turning point? To leave behind any shortfall or shortcomings, real or perceived… maybe something that limits or ‘shortens’ our capacity (whether emotionally, mentally or physically)… or to forgive the shortcomings of another, or resolve not to tolerate behaviour that shortens our enjoyment of life.

[I wonder; separation & divorce are higher at Christmas- maybe it isn’t just down to added stresses of the season- maybe some unconscious realisation triggered  by the Solstice, to let go of things that darken our lives… to look forward to brighter times. Just a thought.]

20 oct~ oak leaf with a crown of snow~

Like the buds already forming on the oak tree, alongside withered leaves (ideas, relationships, habits, negative thought patterns etc), ready to be cast off, we carry the buds of growth, positive potential, the growth of Light in our hearts & souls….

berries in early october~ 

So what can we learn from the Holly as S(He) passes over the Solstice Crown? Evergreen… constant… whether ‘king’ or awaiting it's turn… to hold our beliefs, faith, truth, no matter what is going on around us? Eternity, infinity… of soul, spirit, divine? Masculine & feminine, yin & yang…. side by side… providing the fruit (ideas, comfort) to brighten the gloomiest of days?

the perfect christmas tree for me~ just where it is

Did you know that the dried out, skeleton holly leaves are excellent tinder? The holly has the capacity to ignite from the tiniest spark. Perhaps we could meditate on the Holly… connect to its energy… to kindle that spark within. For we all have that spark of divinity within…. ponder on the holly… & grow your dreams. It is for each of us to connect & intuit our own messages or lessons that the holly can bring… to create our own solstice within at  any time we choose…..

sunrise from under the oak~ 20 dec

IS GLOBAL WARMING GOOD FOR YOU?

Everyone knows that water freezes into ice and boils into steam.

Maybe global warming is just here to help us turn back into spirit...you know, warm us up, change our molecular structure so to speak.... Bang, before you know it we’ll evaporate into permanent spirit status without having to go through all the tedious living stuff... Reincarnation, learning karmic lessons etc, etc.

Maybe the ‘Wise One(s) Up There’ (Wout for short) have got a bit hacked off that we seem too content to remain in solid form... Too many souls enjoying coming back to experience life in a body and not getting on with their lessons and refusing to graduate. ‘Earth College’ seems more attractive than ‘Spirit University’. Perhaps the Wout is just chivvying us up a bit to get our collective vibratory rate lifted and up to speed.

Obviously it has been necessary for the Wout to be devious. Humans are notorious for thinking they know best and for claiming a good idea is their own... so guess what? We think that Global Warming is caused by us! All it took was a few scientific, political and green activist egos, a bit of manipulation and there you have it.... Global Warming is on everybody’s lips. And as everyone knows, the more you talk about something as a certainty, the more likely it is to become a reality!

Some feel that global warming is occurring as part of the natural fluctuations in temperature that have happened since earth began. They point out that temperatures have risen since 1680 after a much colder 300 years. There was also a mediaeval warm period which was much warmer than today. Depending whose research you look at, evidence can be found to both support and refute the impact of human CO2 emissions on global warming 

Round one to the Wout- there is a bandwagon rolling to convince us that we are responsible and woe betide anyone who suggests otherwise. This bandwagon allows politicians to raise taxes and divert attention away from other issues. 

Surely we should be taking steps to cut waste, pollution and the willful destruction of our planet simply because it is the right thing to do? 

A thought... Apparently, over the last 10 years, the raise in general temperatures have not been as great as predicted… Now, many of us know that energy can be manipulated, that thought & intention have an effect... we believe that Earth, Gaia is a living organism. The universe is constantly evolving, so it is reasonable to say that the sun, too is a living organism. We are familiar with the concept of the web of life, all things being connected. So, with all the hype 'bout global warming, that has reached everyone- whether or not they believe in the power of intention, whether they think it is a natural cycle or caused by man- it has been on pretty much everyone's minds. 

Could all this thought & desire from mankind to avert the looming crisis of global warming have had an effect on the sun to alter its activity to produce this cooling effect? (probably laughing with Gaia at how slow we are to catch on!)

Another thought… There is little doubt that climate change is happening… it has happened ever since Earth was born & life has been affected by it many times over. If there is a genuine risk that some areas will succumb to rising sea levels, why aren’t we planning the re-location of these populations? If vast areas are at risk of becoming deserts, why aren’t we planning irrigation schemes? Of course, this would require the co-operation of all nations to plan, fund & actually carry out for the benefit of humankind… hmmm, lot of work to do on that one, eh? We can’t even manage to help areas of Africa, mind you, if “developed” nations are going to be affected it might be a different story.

 Lets keep sending out our intentions & see what cunning plan the Wout comes up with next!

New Beginnings...

A while ago a friend asked me to produce some canvasses for her... she would be moving soon and they were to be for her new home, even though she didn't yet know where that would be. My brief? "New Beginnings"... whatever that means to me, however it inspires me to create something for her to hang in her living room....Any clues? size? style? cost? colours?.... No, just whatever you come up up with (oh, the sofa's red)

I love this girl, & not just cos i can paint & write whatever I like (or cos she'll probably read this!). It's actually quite a responsibility & a test of how I connect with her. It would be quite easy to look up a few "new beginnings" quotations & slap some colours together that would match her room.... but that's not how I work.... before she even left I was already seeing a line of red amongst green... an idea of light spreading out... of a seed beginning to grow.... And that was it. For weeks the idea got no further. Just a brief glimpse of a picture, a hazy idea... of red & green & a seed.

Then a few words started to form...'who knew how this seed would grow... planted in a heart...' the idea of her heart opening... I was thinking about Karen's personal growth, her journey with Yoga, Reiki... & Love. That night she emailed with a new address & moving date... oh, how the energies move! I wasn't ready to start painting yet, & words floated around tantalizingly for a good while longer.

When I did start to paint it was with the idea of an earthly/physical heart, grounded in the earth & the physical plane, but also the feeling of higher energies & spiritual connection. I still had the picture in my mind of a red line amongst green, but didn't really know what I was actually going to do... so I took a deep breath & opened myself up to the energies that flow... walking around, letting my fingers run over various paints... thinking of Karen, asking for guidance... translucency.... aha, acrylic inks- pink & green... grounded, earthly- wood dyes, light & medium oak, ooh & some pale green acrylic... physical heart- red acrylic...

The bands of colour over-lap & blend...I used a small sponge roller & a brush randomly creating texture & blending on the canvas, moving quite quickly... another deep breath when I finished this stage, actually feeling nervous about whether she would like what I was creating (it is different from other work of mine that she has seen), but knowing that this is exactly what it should be.... It was only after this that I could start jotting down phrases & ideas for words, nothing concrete, just random thoughts...

And this is my work in progress... the canvasses are 24 inches tall, 18, 30 & 18 inches wide respectively, so take up the full drawing board... I need to work on them together as the lettering runs across them all.

The strip of paper acts as an anchor point as i write, helping to keep the lettering straight without the hardness of a fixed line... also I can test colour on it, mixing as I go... or ghost write a word to help judge spacing... and acts as a guard sheet for my hand. I pick out phrases from my notebook, turn them round in my mind & write as they come together. Sounds simple, but it took ages! Acrylic dries fast, but can be lifted out with a wet cloth if I spot a mistake within a few letters!

The lettering is done with a small pointed brush; on it's side for the thick strokes, lifted back to its point for the thins... i used white acrylic ink, randomly mixed with the pink & red (with green ink & wood dye for the lower lines) ... varying from almost translucent to nearly solid... dancing ethereally across the canvas (I hope!)... a mixture of lower & upper case... higher & lower dimensions... physical & spiritual co-existing, merging happily side by side... unified... just as we seek to unify the aspects of Self, both within & without...

Who knew how this seed would grow, 

planted in a heart well hidden?

Heart unfolding- seed unfurling- transformed by inner magic 

& silent healing whispers calling to this soul.

Who knew where this dream would flow, rooted in this 

earthly plane & flowering in the heavens?

Mists part- veils lift- revealing this vision.

Gaze & wonder at this sight- the joy of new beginnings.

Like Trees....??

Then you might like to take a look at the Via Negativa blog... (this post specifically)

This is a monthly blog carnival called Festival of the Trees. (Thanks J, for pointing me in this direction)... a monthly event hosted by one of the participants on their blog.... It's a wonderful collection of tree related 'stuff' with links to allsorts from loads of people.

Incidentally, the post has a quote from Wangari Maathai... you can see a piece of work I did to be presented to her here, The Heart of The Tree.

A Maple Tree....

....shakes itself

scattering golden leaves

(Horiuchi)

(pencil & watercolour)

(ruling pen, watercolour, walnut ink & mitchell nib)

(watercolour pencils)

Another haiku & more leaves... can you tell they inspire me, lol?

Withering Leaves....

....I walk on their voices (Horiuchi)

I thought of these words as I crunched through leaves, crisped by early frost.... the words have floated into my mind several times over the last few weeks as leaves have fallen....

(walnut ink & watercolour; ruling pen & mitchell nib)

click to enlarge

So, I had a bit of a play, just trying to capture the feeling, the colours.... the sense of the words in connection with the pictures i've taken. It may have helped to have the photos to hand, but my memory served me well enough....

I love the sludgy colours... so many shades of grey/brown.... we tend to associate the rust & orange tones with autumn leaves don't we? I sort of automatically added them to my palette....

(pencil & watercolour)

if i'd had the photos with me i might have mixed more accurate colours.... kept them more subdued maybe, but it's not an issue for what i was doing...

Natural textures always inspire me to write... sometimes my own words, often the words of others... words & quotations just pop into my mind as i walk.... seeing... feeling the beauty of what is around me...

(pencil & watercolour)

I'll probably turn them into little 'autumn concertina books'... sometime.... i've got quite a stack of things i'm working on at the moment, so we'll see... ideas are changing for these little examples as i write!

Gratitude....

Let us take the threads of our gratitude & weave them into a blanket to wrap around the whole world. Whenever we feel the need we can pull it closer & snuggle into the healing protective layer…  be soothed by the blessings & thankfulness of kindred spirits… we can breathe in the scent of love infused into the fabric that we have woven together. Know that you can pull it closer at any time to protect against the chill of loss, pain, separation, illness, fear, loneliness, doubt or anything else that may be troubling you… All you ever need to do is pull that blanket closer to feel our arms around you, comforting & helping you to feel the warmth & brightness of your own inner light. 

Perhaps when your world seems to be collapsing around you, the last thing you want to hear is someone telling you to "look on the bright side". My darkest times may not compare to what many people have to contend with, but something my dad told me has always stuck with me "You've got to look for the things that are right, suzi, not the things that are wrong.... be thankful for what you have got, not the things you havn't"

One person who is a shining example of this outlook is Laura, over at Shine the Divine.... while you are there, look at her post on November 17- Calling All Angels. Laura was worried that due to her health she may struggle to write a Thanksgiving post (Nov 26 in the USA) so she had the idea of asking people to contribute their thoughts of what they are grateful for... the idea sort of grew... why not get as many people around the blogosphere to roll out the idea, collecting comments of gratitude & thankfulness all around the world... creating a giant patchwork quilt for Thanksgiving... so what if it isn't celebrated everywhere... any day can be a day to share, so why not this one... this is part of her message... please go over & read it all

..."So now I am asking all of you on my blog roll to consider joining in to make this a worldwide BLOGGING GRATITUDE EVENT...I LIKE THE IDEA OF MOBIUS...BECAUSE IT NEVER ENDS...LIKE LOVE...I LIKE THE IDEA OF QUILT BECAUSE IT'S A PATCHWORK OF COLORS AND WORDS STITCHED TOGETHER...AGAIN WITH LOVE... A BLANKET OF GRATITUDE TO WRAP AROUND THE WORLD!...
...So below you can read the simple message I put out...my REQUEST TO YOU, IF YOU SHOULD CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THIS LOFTY ASSIGNMENT, IS TO COLLECT A TON OF GRATITUDE QUOTES FROM YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, COLLEAGUES...AND THEN FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO YOUR BLOG BUDDIES...SO THIS WILL GROW AND GROW AND GROW INTO A WORLD WIDE EVENT. I AM VERY SICK RIGHT NOW...THERE IS NOT A WHOLE LOT I CAN DO PHYSICALLY TO DO TIKKUN OLAM (REPAIR THE WORLD) BUT THIS IS ONE THING I CAN DO...PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS AND MAKE THIS THE MOST AMAZING BLOGGING EFFORT TO WAKE EVERYBODY UP TO THE BLESSINGS THAT ABOUND IN THEIR LIVES...IT IS TOO EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE DETAILS OF OUR LIVES ...WE NEED SOMETIMES TO BE REMINDED OF HOW WONDERFUL OUR LIVES TRULY ARE. IF THIS FEELS TOO BIG, TOO OVERWHELMING ...FORGET ABOUT IT...THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION FOR ANYONE...BUT IF IT FEELS LIKE A GOOD HEALTHY CHOICE FOR YOU...THEN PLEASE JOIN ME IN THIS QUEST FOR MORE GRATITUDE, MORE JOY, MORE AWARENESS OF THE GOODNESS INFUSED IN THE WORLD!"...

So, my blogging friends.... please send me your messages of gratitude... either via comment form or email suziscribbles@yahoo.co.uk with GRATITUDE in the subject line & i will add my patch to laura's quilt... and if you like, spread it out through your blogroll too!

Ash Keys Turning

I’ve watched these keys turn…. keys turning… keys… what is a key? A clue… to open a door…. holding a seed?

12th Sept- leaves are still very green, but the first ash keys are starting to change colour

Questions have floated into my mind….What does a key mean to you? Is it a clue of what to do or where to go... will it open the door to secrets you hold… the door of wisdom & inner knowing… will it turn the lock to intuition, the way to live with clarity… does it hold a seed of future growth, a seed of hope & harmony? 

27th Sept- all the keys are now a lovely golden colour

Keys have wings to carry them to places to grow… fertile soil… is your mind a fertile place? open to ideas & thoughts & growth? Have your ideas got wings to carry them along?

11th Oct- golden keys have turned to russet~ the leaves are starting to pale...

Take the keys..open those doors to your potential... sow the seeds, open your mind, begin to grow… unlock the wisdom its yours to find… fly on the wings of opportunity, find the ground where you can grow… keys to your dreams ...seeds of vision… of harmony….

25th Oct- within a fortnight the leaves are almost totally shed~ the keys a copper clour

What do you see? What do you feel? ...as you share the journey of these precious seeds... nurtured in the keys of the ash tree?

7th Nov- leaves are gone, just the keys hang on. they will stay until next year, not dropping until after the new growth of leaves & the next clutch of seeds begin to form.

7th Nov- 

Cold silence after the winds….Ash keys whisper to the moon… She answers on the breeze… with a vision of hope & harmony...

Calling all Wand-Makers

Do you make wands? Would you like to sell wands to a reputable wholesaler? Have you thought that you would love to spend more time making them if only you could sell them? Perhaps we can help each other.
If you don't make them yourself, perhaps you know someone who may be interested & could pass this on....

A friend of mine is setting up a wholesale business selling crystals... he would also like to supply wands, but needs a steady, regular supply... He contacted me to see if I knew anyone...

Steve is very energy aware, spiritual, a crystal healer & also has a savvy business brain... he is actually involved with the mine where his crystals come from & is committed to ethical, responsible methods aswell as investing in the local community in Kenya. Also, he tells me that Judy Hall (The Crystal Bible) is prepared to endorse his crystals. (this is just to give you a bit of background!) He is the guy who set up Spirit-Trader

Being involved with large quantities of crystals means that Steve gets loads of small bits, quartz points etc... which is where he got the 'aha' moment that they would be ideal for wands. So if you fancy the idea of sitting making wands, and getting paid for it, the crystals can be supplied free!

Obviously, we have no idea exactly how many, so I'm looking for people who make wands.... various styles, sizes, prices, qualities & quantities... to talk to, discuss with etc... could you commit to supplying, say, 1 or 5 or 10 or 50?!!.... how often? what price? etc etc

I'm well aware that they take time... that there is the energy aswell.... I have no idea how this will work at the moment or who it will appeal to.... so if you would like to talk any more get in touch at suziscribbles@yahoo.co.uk or pass on to someone who might know someone...!!

Look Into My Eyes....

When I first started blogging, i never considered posting a picture of myself... i felt like the shy newcomer dipping a toe in the water... i thought i'd just hang around & observe a while before I said much.

Ha! that didn't last long did it? From the start, I felt included... the welcome I received, the comments & responses... they all invite interaction, reciprocation, but in a way that doesn't feel there are expectations or strings attached. And because of that freedom relationships have grown.

We weave our connections on the strands of the web, often with no visual image of the people we resonate with... connecting with hearts & minds rather than the physical body. In many ways I think this makes it easier... we say what we feel, have conversations we probably wouldn't get around to with someone we meet face to face... at least not straight away.

I've thought a few times about putting my picture on my profile, but never got around to it.... needed to take one for a start, and usually I'd rather spend my time here either writing or visiting other people. Then, the other day someone suggested it would be good to see a picture of me over at suzi's scribbles; so I started playing with the camera program on my computer....

I don't know... does a photograph make a difference? I don't particularly look for a picture of anyone... but it is nice to satisfy a curiosity now n again, but it wouldn't make a difference to me buying anything from someone whose work I liked, or whose words resonated with me.

Some would say that showing a picture is part of being authentic... others would say no, keep the mystery... from a marketing point of view a photograph is good.... it implies you have nothing to hide... but people who are less than honest know this & will use an image to give an impression of trustworthiness...

So for now I tease...

Look into my eyes, what do you see?

Have i the power to hypnotize,

Coerce you into buying from me?

Lol, I couldn't hard-sell if i tried... I wouldn't want to. I just do what I do & reckon if people like what they see they will buy... but I also know that I have the responsibility of getting my work 'out there' for people to see, so they have the option; the website is just one step towards that, things will unfold as they are meant to... & yeah, it will most likely include photographs for no reason other than i want to!

Time of Radical Shift

I think many of us have an instinctive feeling that big things are happening; around us & for mankind, on Earth & 'out there' in the Universe. I've always had the opinion that the prophesies about 2012 are connected to the potentials created by planetary alignments... I'm sure the Mayan calendar takes into account planets that we are not aware of yet. For example Sedna, 'discovered' in 2003, has an orbit estimated at between 10.5 & 12 thousand years... the mayan calendar has a sub-cycle of 11,500 years! What other planets are as yet unknown to us, and how might they affect us astrologically?

It takes years of observation & intuition to thoroughly understand how planets affect us, so we aren't going to uncover the implications of recent planetary discoveries in a hurry, are we? There is some astrological info on Sedna here (the link on this page to a previous article is interesting too) and here. 

This one has insights into several of the more recently discovered 'watery' planets.

You might like to read an astrological explanation about part of what is heading our way here. It concerns the Cardinal Grand Cross that has been forming in the heavens from 2008 til mid 2010. For me, it confirms much of what I thought without the benefit of in depth astrological knowledge.

Taurus Full Moon & Mars in Leo

I've been very fired up these last few weeks both creatively & with regard to getting back to earning my own money rather than being employed.... I just read this


"Consider that generally speaking Mars in Leo is about taking charge of one's own destiny, control of one's own life. If we have Mars in Leo in our natal chart, we are driven towards creative self-actualization as Kings and Queens of our own lives, passionate, inspiring, dignified and creative"- from Melody's Astrology Blog


Guess where my mars is (no, not the chocolate one!).... yep Leo, & my sun sign is Taurus... i read somewhere else that another couple of my planets are part of the planetary 'grand cross' that is in place at the moment, but i can't find the link to double check what it all meant.... any how, i guess the astrological vibes are helping me out at the moment, lol, I'll take any help I can get!!

My New Calligraphy Site!!

Well... I have been more focussed on generating an income from my calligraphy & lettering art recently... one step being somewhere to showcase my work. Can I ask you a favour? Take a peek at

suziscribbles.com

and let me know what you think? I've still got a zillion photos to go on & a couple of information pages to add, but at the moment I just want to check if it reads ok before I get too far... I know white on black can get a bit hard on the eyes, so i've tried a couple of different text sizes here n there... would appreciate a bit of feedback if anyone wants to... i will be adding a link bar to canvasses, books, workshops etc & the glaring empty spaces will get sorted! Thanks... x (she says nervously!)

ps... just keep it between us for now.... i'm not ready to roll it out to the whole world til i'm happy with it!
(yeah i know, technically the whole world can see it... but I trust this corner)

Otherworlds...

... the lands of the faerie...

There are worlds within worlds, not too far away. Whole eco-systems, that are probably totally unaware that we are watching.... or are they?

...magical places...

Tiny communities to us, a metropolis to their inhabitants as they scurry about their daily life. Do they wonder what is 'out there' beyond their known world? As we do...

...look into the depths...

It's only a matter of scale. This could be a huge crevasse where unfortunates have plunged into the depths, never to be seen again...

...where we can't tread...

But step back, change your perspective... Have you ever just sat & gazed into the doorway of another world? Just sat & stared, not thinking...? Meditated awhile...? Listened to messages from another time, another place?

...gateways to somewhere...

You can get lost in there for a while... journeying... sensing... learning.... sharing the wisdom of ancient trees & nature sprites. They know we're here, the dryads... nymphs.... fairies... spirits of nature. Their name doesn't matter... feel their energy.... send them your love.... let your higher self connect...

...secret places...

Could someone be watching us, in our tiny world, wondering if we know they're there? Maybe they took a picture on their morning walk & posted it somewhere 'out there'.... we could be ethereal beings in someone else's fairy tale.... couldn't we?

...and fairy houses...

I just love old tree trunks.... Symbols of a greater tree, no longer living in the way it did... but living, thriving in other ways. Look at the textures, the patterns, the colours... they inspire me in so many ways. What about you? 

Merge...

Wrote a great post last night (she says modestly, but it was great in my imagination) with just a few bits to add... but its not there to edit, grrrrrrr. The basic point is i'm going to merge healing whispers into this blog... been neglecting it really. I just find it hard to separate things out, i start writing, then think i want to say something along similar lines here (straight double-posting seems cheating somehow), then I  end up not writing either post cos i've thought about it too long & by next time i'm on another train of thought!

I'm a bit torn whether to delete it or keep it there 'just in case', at the moment i'm more focussed on creating a space to promote my lettering art & calligraphy (which i will reveal in due course!) 

Back to 'merge'...

Listen to those whispers, rising from within. 

Feel those healing whispers, merging with your soul.

Connect to loving energy and let the healing flow. 

Allow yourself to grow and heal... trust your self to 'know'.

SHARING THOUGHTS & DREAMS, REFLECTIONS & INSPIRATIONS...

 MERGING SPIRITUALITY & CALLIGRAPHY WITH THE WHISPERS OF MY SOUL...

I've just realised something.... These are the words I wrote introducing my respective blogs; both are about merging the strands of energy that run through us... so why would i want to keep them separate? I think maybe when I first came here I was thinking about what other people might want or expect, without actually knowing, perhaps not quite confident of myself in a new environment... Anyway I took the honest blogging tablet, so now you're getting all of me in one place & probably a bit more besides, lol.

I think as we grow as individuals we become aware of the different aspects of our personalities, some we like better than others, some we feel the need to work on.... but the only way to find balance is for all our aspects to merge comfortably, as one. Part of this comes with acceptance of who we are & being able to say 'yeah, i'm actually pretty happy with me, thank you very much'. No bit of us exists independently from the other bits & if some people don't like certain of our aspects, then that really is their problem. Unless we're being deliberately hurtful or deceitful etc (in which case we're really hurting or being dis-honest with ourselves too) 

This applies to the human race too... some aspects need a bit (a lot) of work, some being seduced or coerced by harsher elements in our race... but the process of self- awareness has begun. As many of us have found, once we start looking at our selves we begin a process of self-development that never stops. As bits of our personality fight for attention or resist our attempts to improve, so do the nations of the world. Our actions & reactions are influenced by our up-bringing & past, and we find we have to consciously direct our energy to break old patterns of behaviour.... so we need to direct healing energy to certain areas of humanity... to break the cycle of self-harm, of beating themselves up & others, over past actions & knee-jerk reactions... 

No one ever said that finding that point of balance is easy, but it can be done. 

The ageless melody, unheard, heals

the healing vision, unseen, leads

the true leaders, unknown, rescue

the rescuers, immortal, know...

Kyril Demys

Another Honest Blogger

If you havn't already heard of the honest blogger award you can read about it in my post from early october ... its not too far to scroll down the page tho'

There's someone special i'd like to give this award to... Laura.... whose wisdom, courage, compassion & love shine out through her blog. I'm sure her middle name is 'grace' & if not it should be! Laura, you're an inspiration x

A path is just a path...

"Any path is only a path, and there is no affront to oneself or others, in dropping it if that is what your heart tells you… look at every path closely & deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question...Does this path have a heart? If it does, then the path is good, if it doesn’t then it is of no use…"
Carlos Castaneda- The Teachings of Don Juan

I always think of these words when people talk about their particular ‘path’, especially when they wonder whether it is right for them, or when they are seeking new direction… i can’t remember ever worrying about ‘my path’…. maybe cos i’m a wanderer & just enjoy the journey wherever it takes me. I tend to go with whatever feels right & I’m certainly not bothered whether it has a name or what someone else might call it, (or maybe i just have an aversion to being 'defined'!)

The thing is, as soon as someone defines a 'path' it starts changing as others add their bit, & times & perspectives change. As soon as you read this you'll interpret in your own way, and if it was worth passing on, you'd tell it in your own way- in a few conversations, never mind a few 100 or 1000 years there might be a few words the same, but someone would have to be psychic to know what I actually said.

The same goes for all the worlds religions and teachings. You have to use your intuition to extract the bits of value to you, & what you see as being the essence that is worth savouring in each. If you can do that, I don't see it as a fault that you can't make your mind up or 'fit', but a worthy process. I have found elements of pretty much all religions & cultures that are of value to me & can identify with aspects of many differing teachings.

Personally, I don’t feel the need to name whatever it is…. often the name becomes a box that restricts, or a label that others tend to make a judgement of…. once a path is named it seems to either get boxed & stifled, or grows & changes, in each case becoming something different to what it was. I can understand the need for belonging though, something to identify with & feel part of… a means to connect with others with similar values… community.

But then, it’s not the name of a path that give people their values….. they come from within. And people allegedly on the same path can have wildly differing values. That’s the beauty of blog-land…. we gravitate towards people who ‘feel’ right for us, people who ‘have a heart’ that resonates with us. As for my path…. i’m just a spiritual hussy, i’ve flirted with ‘em all & stayed faithful to none! Seriously though, I am faithful…. to my Truth…

“Truth- but who can tell a state Of Being?” -Kathleen Raine

"The instant you speak about a thing, you will miss the mark" -Zen

My Boy is a Man... officially!

What sort of a mother goes to her son’s 21st without checking her camera is charged? Sometimes I have to shake my head at myself! Result…. only one photo… i am not best pleased as photo opportunities abounded.
Having said that, i nearly forgot to take this… i was quite entranced just watching him, relaxed & happy on ‘his own turf’. It wasn’t intended to be a party as such…. I was succinctly told that he didn’t want a ‘family do’ … he was playing rugby so would be in the club after the game having ‘a few drinks with the lads’!

Hmmm, a few drinks eh? Of course there was some of the family there; for various reasons I’m not really a part of it anymore… but I didn’t care a jot…. nothing could intrude on my enjoyment & pride as i watched him throughout the night.... & i am thankful for my life & "my" family.

You're Still The One...

...sung by Shania Twain. This was a request for a wedding gift which was to be similar to 'Times Like These' which I did a couple of weeks ago, except red & black with a bit of silver... similar but not the same, dark red, darker than a post box, orangey red, no it isn't its quite dark!

Hmmm, red must be one of the hardest colours to describe or match, so with two conflicting opinions on what red & no sample colour, I had a challenge on my hands. I blended various reds in several layers, so it should tone with the room it is going in. The colours are actually deeper & richer than the photos show. The three canvasses will hang side by side, but i managed to chop off the ends in the pics of them all together!

(When I first saw you, I saw love.
And the first time you touched me, I felt love.
And after all this time, you're still the one I love.)

Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday

They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'

I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby

(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Wedding Quotes & Rubber Stamp

While we're on the wedding theme, here's one of the rubber stamps I designed for Crafty Individuals...

(available from craftyindividuals.co.uk)

In the word wedding, notice that 'we' comes before 'I'.

Two hearts connected by a single thread.

You are two people but there is only one life before you.

Chains do not hold people together...
it is the hundreds of threads drawn from your heart.

You start off the day just two people in love
& end it as husband and wife.

Joy is the start of it, sharing is part of it, love is the heart of it.

May your lives be blessed with goodness & beauty
& may your days together be good & long upon the earth.

And here's another...

One heart, one soul.

Two hearts connected by a single thread.

Love can tell, and love alone, whence the million stars are strewn.

No cord or cable can bind so fast or hold so forcibly
as love can do with a single thread.

Like morning bright, love comes without thy call.

A spirit bright, love never dies at all.

Two minds with but a single thought.

Grow old along with me, the very best is yet to be.

Christening Gift

My latest commission.... a 10x 12 inch canvas for a christening gift from a godmother. Girly pink & white with some silver powder dropped into the wet paint. This is a popular idea for 'new baby' gifts too, with the name & date added subtly at the bottom.

The quotations are;

Babies are little bits of stardust sprinkled from heaven.

Angels surround you every day...
may they love & protect you in every way.

The Place of Healing...

... is in your heart. That, i think, is the single most important thing in any healing tradition. It is with the heart that we feel compassion, empathy, gratitude.… and it is the heart that feels unconditional love.

As soon as we offer healing, we offer love…. soothing hurt & pain, building strength & courage… unconditionally. We are the catalyst, a connection, a channel for others… helping them to re-connect their selves, providing a gateway… Ultimately it is for them to access, accept & utilise the energy that we connect with.

Healing must be unconditional, for how can we say what is best for another. Whatever we see or feel or think, we cannot walk their path for them, we cannot control their destiny or manipulate their free-will. But we can be that connection that brings them to a place of healing… in their heart... a place of self-love… unconditionally… a place where they have the strength to choose…. whether to fight or surrender…. to swim or ride the waves...

As soon as we step on to the healing path, we begin our own journey of healing. Whenever we access the healing energies to give to another, they come through us… they help us to heal too, however ‘sorted’ we may think we are!

Someone Bombed The Moon

Someone tore down the willow tree

Not neatly or quickly
But torn, wrenched
I wasn’t there
but I still hear the cries
of tearing bark & branches
A trunk ripped & torn & cast aside
white bark exposed
stark shattered limbs

one sliver still attached…

Last night someone bombed the moon,
or rather crashed a missile
what’s the difference?
Looking for water, they say.
Research
Surely there are better ways
Not so crude
we’re supposed to be civilised
advanced

I sit with the willow
share the shock
stroke her wounds
Still she lives
Accepting. Resigned.
It would have been nice to be warned, but she knew...
They could have been more kind… respectful...
There are better ways
Now she’s calm & hopeful…
she knows

The moon still smiled at me this morning
wistful. resigned.
They try their stupid tricks
But she knows
She’s seen it all before...
she’s seen them scratch her sister.
they don’t know what they’re dealing with
but she knows
and so does her sister


It was wild & windy here at full moon
the trees were silent...
unbelieving...
at the message on the wind.
They gathered strength from Gaia
Ready for the time
all week they stood in silence
gathering reserves
Silent strength, just holding, nothing spare to give
just building energy

And so last night it happened
Nothing really exciting
A scratch, no more
They don’t know what they’re dealing with
or how many share her cause
No thought of repercussions...
won’t understand when they come


Wise woman elder, bark glowing white
transmitting energy
Dark oak glowing
sending out his strength

All the trees and Gaia
rally to the cause
Transmitting through the ethers
supporting faithfully

This morning webs were woven
on every single thing
symbolically repairing
the web of life that’s torn
It seemed they had a purpose
no accident they were there
Absorbing shock waves scattered
transmitting empathy
Connecting grass and tree and flower
Spider Grandmothers children
weaving. repairing.
united in the cause

And now… a day later…
the trees are still emitting
that silent energy
I can hear it in their breathing
steadfast
anchoring...
what will be, will be.

They might have bombed the moon
but… breathe
...breathe calm & peacefully

The willows roots spread deeply
she will re-grow, re-new.
Don’t let emotion blind you
be steadfast like the trees…

Someone loved the moon last night
and the moon still smiles
...she knows

Times Like These....

The words on this set of canvasses have particular significance for the recipient, so there was extra pressure to 'get it right'... especially as they were from my son to his girlfriend! In typical son fashion the answer to any questions about size, style, which bits were important etc etc was "dunno, just do what you think". My favourite answer, so I could please myself to a certain extent. She hadn't really seen my work to know what sort of thing she might like, so I played it fairly safe & kept it legible!

Times Like These by the Foo Fighters
(click on picture to enlarge)

I positioned the chorus in the centre, loose italic ruling pen lettering, with the verses at either side in a more controlled italic with a broad edged pen.

TIMES LIKE THESE- FOO FIGHTERS

I am a one way motorway
I'm the one that drives away
Then follows you back home
I am a street light shining
Im a wild light blinding bright
Burning off alone

Its times like these you learn to live again
Its times like these you give and give again
Its times like these you learn to love again
Its times like these time and time again

I am a new day rising
I'm a brand new sky
To hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
Do I stay or run away
And leave it all behind?

Its times like these you learn to live again
Its times like these you give and give again
Its times like these you learn to love again
Its times like these time and time again

I like these words & can imagine many people being inspired & encouraged by them when they heard the song. I this case it was to do with a cancer battle, but we all have those 'times like these moments' when we really 'feel'... either the love for or from another...

Dreams- Calligraphy Rubber Stamp Design

I’ve been pleasing myself lately with regard to the material I have been using in my calligraphy. Having barely written anything for a couple of years or so, I thought it high time that I tackled something I promised in what seems like another life-time. I have in the past designed rubber stamps for a delightful little company called Crafty Individuals…. go on, take a peek at their website…. even if the only creative bone in your body is in your little toe, you will find something here to inspire you in an arty-crafty way! They may be small, but their reputation is growing world-wide.

I set off with a Happy Birthday design, which took a bit of getting in to (it has been a while!) but things started to gel & this 'dream' one just flowed from my pen. Both designs have been accepted but I'm not sure how soon they will be available. There are quite a few others that i have done here... similar style with positive thoughts, Hope, Believe, Angels, Friends, Love etc (i'll post some pics with the quotations soon) Here it is on a painted background...

Dream Quotations...

Chase your dream, catch that star, always believe in who you truly are.

Believe in the power of your dreams.

Dreams are the true reality.

Explore, dream, discover.

Imagine, feel, hope & dream.

If dreams are wishes we have in our sleep, may all your dreams be yours to keep.

Hopefully, plenty of people will want to use it their crafting & pass on the encouragement to others. Because it's by having dreams that changes existing into living.... and the little dreams are as important as the big ones. We tend to focus on the ‘big’ ones & don’t always give ourselves credit for achieving the simpler ones. So, chase your dream, catch that star, and always believe in who you truly are.

Reiki & Sleep

I find that usually people sleep very deeply after a reiki treatment... especially after a longer session. It's so relaxing & the benefits of a session continue long afterwards & that deep sleep facilitates healing.... Scattered thoughts & fragile emotions are soothed allowing the body to settle down & recuperate during sleep.

However, a friend mentioned that since beginning Reiki she has had trouble sleeping properly unless she is on her own.... and that she has come across others with the same problem... that they seem too aware of a partner in their bed, that their sleep is disturbed. (ok, this in itself is not unusual, but we're talking about a striking difference after a reiki attunement).

I cast my mind back to my first attunement... I don't know if mine was... i was already having disturbed nights.... mum's funeral was the day before my attunement & our family was already fractured before that & i'd spent wakeful nights anyway. So even if the reiki affected me in this way, I don't think i'd have noticed or made the connection. I think, actually, the reiki helped, but i used it regularly at night.

My first thought on reading about this was to wonder whether it depends on the person you're sleeping next to. Not whether it is a casual or permanent ralationship, but on an energy level. The thing is, your energy level, or rather the quality changes after the reiki attunement, your vibrational rate rises. You can actually measure it by dowsing or muscle testing... try it.

Ask what your vibratory rate is on a scale of 1-100 (eg Is it more than 40? 60? etc til you find it) Test again after an attunement... or a treatment, or meditation.... I promise you'll find it interesting. If you check from time to time you might notice how it alters, including when you are feeling low, or amongst people who drain you... then it picks up if you self treat or meditate.

Once you start reiki you find that different people seem to be drawn to you, or you to them... and others seem to drift away. Like attracts like, you're vibrating at a higher energetic level & lower vibrating energy can be uncomfortable. It's not just reiki that raises a persons vibratory rate... attitude, spiritual practice etc do, but a reiki attunement is an instant thing, a sudden change rather than a gradual increase that grows with awareness.

Your sensitivity to energy increases too, both consciously & subconsciously, so really it's hardly surprising that some of us become hyper- aware of the person sleeping next to us. Probably more so if the vibrational levels are further apart.... which can be a problem, especially within an established relationship. You may be able to 'tune out the interference' or find ways to handle this if the relationship is strong, re- synchronising your energies....there are ways..... or perhaps it may eventually lead to a parting of the ways if you are on a different path or wavelength. Each person must work out the way for them.

Casual & new relationships have different needs, and often they are not the same for each person.... physical attraction may be compatible, but mental? emotional? spiritual? (true for any relationship, actually) These aren't areas of our Selves we usually reveal straight away & aren't necessarily immediately apparent in someone else. It may be disconcerting to find that the chemistry formula that previously worked seems to have changed! But once physical needs are met (hopefully!) a person with heightened energy sensitivity is likely to be only too aware of the dis-parity in the quiet of the night. Also, if there is an unequal flow of give & take, the sleeping partner may still be drawing energy from you... consciously dis-connect from them & think about protecting your energy.

An idea that may help sleep in the company of another is to ask for reiki for yourself (and your partner if they are agreeable to the idea) as you go to sleep. Just curl up & hold your hands where they are comfortable, eg shoulder & side, chest & head, one on you & one on the other person... wherever is comfortable.... Ask for reiki to flow. This is a lovely way to fall asleep. You can ask that it stops, say, half an hour after you fall asleep. I don't know that this is necessary.... sometimes i do & sometimes i don't, & havn't noticed a difference, but i know some people need to consciously 'switch off'. If you are not attuned to reiki just ask the Universal energy, or Deity (whatever you are comfortable with) to flow to you, to heal & help your sleep.

Honest Blogger

It was a joy to witness the birth of this award & to be present during some of the labour process. All i did was murmur occasional words of encouragement & giggle from time to time.... witnessing a hyper pixie on a mission is highly entertaining, no 'f'' in s**t that girl was on a mission... and this is what she created.....

Thankyou Sue for this award
in respose to a previous post of hers- Telling It Like It is

As honest bloggers we:

(Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Add To...As You Wish)

* Speak our truth from the heart and tell it like it is.

* Share openly and honestly our true feelings without fear of judgement, Blame or shame.

* We write to share our achievements so others can also share our joy.

* We write about our bad times too, knowing that the love and support of others is around us and perhaps heal another’s pain in the process..

*We are human beings will real feelings and emotions and REFUSE to hide behind a mask.

* We dare to be different

* We are Free Spirits

* We realise that by spilling out, we lighten our load.

* We acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses and don't see them in terms of success or failure.

* We laugh together and cry together

* We are all following our own journey in our own unique way

* Above all else, we may lie on the floor, screaming and kicking, or feel like life is collapsing around us once in a while….but at the end of the day, we drag ourselves up, dust ourselves off and rise to fight another day.

There is no obligation to 'pass it on' Sue says....

Please accept this Award in the spirit in which it was intended. Feel free to take and use the picture and do with it what you will. (She Grins) You can add your own reasons for awarding someone it if you pass it on, you can add links to your blog, you have no obligation at all, I just wanted to let you know that you are one helluva Honest Blogger!

For other Honest Bloggers.... and there are many out there, please feel free to take the award either for yourself or someone else, the choice is yours. Leave a comment and or link at the end of this post....so others can celebrate your or their Honesty!

I'm just nominating one for now, like sue says there are loads out there & has already mentioned anyone else i would have chosen immediately..... so.....I'd like to pass this on to

Hayley at Iridescent Dark

She speaks from her heart with a wisdom & eloquence I admire- Hayley, you deserve this x

Conkers & Autumn Colours

Our chestnut tree has certainly changed since the last progress report in June...

Unfortunately, at the beginning of July we lost the two baby chestnuts that our bud produced, & already there was another bud growing from the base of the flower stalk.

11th July

Like ideas some fruits do not ripen. Perhaps they show promise & flourish for a while, but for whatever reason they fall by the wayside. There were, however many more 'conkers' on the tree- plenty of siblings willing to be photographed instead!

30 August

Perhaps there were too many for all of them to flourish, or they simply were not strong enough to reach their potential, but already the new growth gathers strength...

12 September

Just as the Horse Chestnut is one of the first of the 'big' trees to burst into flower, so are the leaves some of the earliest to turn.... daring Autumn to show her face...

20th september

And what a face... who can fail to be moved by the colours of Autumn?

As one cycle comes to an end, another begins.... new seeds...
ready to put down roots for new growth... promise for the future...

26th September

Touchstone Tuesday

Sharing a "snapshot of Joy" as mel describes it...

the feel of wet ink on handmade paper, spontaneous marks,
the discovery that "yes you can write on it!"

Silver Strands...

...thread light downwards...

Recognise these words? They're by a favourite writer of mine, and if you visit regularly you may recognise them from something I did earlier. Yes, the words written by mel continue to inspire me.

When i laid the plaster down for 'hear the ocean' i also put some on this black Hannemuhle Buggra Butten paper... it's designed for pastels, but at 120gsm i thought it may be heavy enough to take this technique. If you don't try, you don't know! The paper did cockle a bit with the wetness, but dried out ok. I used various blacks & silver, thinking about waves crashing at night in moonlight... the photo doesn't really show the depth that the 'rocks' give to the piece, but i'm pleased with the 3d effect in real life.

(click to enlarge)

I've used pencil for the lettering (6B i think)... quite tall narrow skeleton letters to convey the movement of light downwards... the use of pressure & release so the colour isn't solid. Pencil on black paper isn't the easiest to read or photograph, at some angles parts of the lettering seem to disappear, only to reappear as you move around... but that's the whole point.
We are talking about moonlight threading down... ebb& flow... weavings... magic... re-connecting.... and apart from that, there are layers of meaning within the words & the energy around them.


As it's pastel paper, it's only fair to use some pastel somewhere.... so i scraped a mix of white, black & grey through a stencil & smudged it with a brush. There's also a spattering of silver acrylic & silver powder in there too.... all those layers of light & shadow, thought & meaning...

Look deep into the spiral.... & re-connect....