worksheet to explore the word of the year

This worksheet is a great way to stimulate thought around that special word for 2013

DrEaM TrEe

......
and here is the start of my spread in which i'll place my dreams for 2013.....its all coming together....

INcUbaTE

choosing my word for 2013

I am choosing a word for 2013 ....and i would like it to be incubation or incubating.I had a giggle about this with 40 and some 50 plus girlfriends last night as they highlighted that if it were incubate it would have to be 'without the eggs'...we laughed...and i got thinking in a nice way about the desire in a woman to continue to create...even potentially after her childbearing years...it made me 'smile in my heart' to think that i could still create something beautiful and 'living' through art and i do.... in the flow i'm at my most creative connected to spirit and delving deep in my soul both valuable and quite differently experienced by myself..... I'll embody this in my art journal as i've a lovely double page i've been waiting to add the words to and INCUBATE is my word for 2013.

Inspired by beautiful winter skylines

Loving all of me book of days spread

Loving and listening to all of me in a spread of two hearts and a 'combination heart' little voice , cazzy voice, and higher self voice journal led listened to and arted into my book of days.

Yay for Samsung galaxy s3.....

Trying out mobile app on phone for blogging on the go. Hope to be blogging with more ease now I am a bit more mobile......

supporting the shift in meeeeee

Butterflying around this morning with energy that requires a little channelling... so a walk out in natrue is needed but before that i watched a few Abraham Hicks videos and this one intrigued me .... So am now going to walk over the farm at the back as sooooo need this before i finish my journal page and spend an hour or so on my commissioned album for lovely Kathy.

Days offffffffff

Oh my bliss full days off.I am soo grateful that I now have 4 days off work and work is sooo much better since getting fab new members, and a bit of a move around of staff...I've such energy i'm zooming around at a rate of knots and something inside says 'heyyy girl slow down a little' and i'm gonna art that out in my Book of Days today 'cos it needs some attention ...' that little voice needs listening to. However,there's such an excitement vibe running through me it's hard to reign it in...something has certainly shifted! even the fear that it may not last isn't malingering with intent so as to dampen the enjoyment of this moment.... Chell said he thought i was behaving like i'd got 'runners high' like old times...all bubbly and non stop 'shall we.......' 'Lets dooooo' ........ I'd missed a couple of days of early morning yoga and mediations as i've allowed myself a few late nights and had a short bout of 'internetitis' (browsing on the laptop until late!) So today that is going to cease a little and i will set myself a little focus in my art journal. I enjoyed flyering for KULA yoga over the last couple of days, i really love there classes and i got back into the meditation challenge today so today I start as i mean to go on. Fave meditations: “I move through my days light-hearted and carefree, knowing all is well.” Living Carefree Today’s Sanskrit mantra and its English essence are: Sat, Chit, Ananda—Existence, Consciousness, Bliss “Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” ~ Benjamin Franklin Today, we will look at how we can live carefree—free from judgment and worry, focused on the joy and perfection of what is. As you grow into present moment awareness through meditation, you realize that in this moment, everything is perfect, just as it should be, and that any concerns you may have are transitory and temporary. You reconnect with your true self and begin to feel more light-hearted. Moving through life, you approach everyday circumstances with humor and can meet the unexpected with calm and ease. Mindful Moment Bring in the joy! Take some time today to reflect on good times, look at old photos, take a leisurely walk, or spend time with someone who warms your heart. Experience the joy of all that you love, including yourself. As a spiritual being, you fear nothing because you know there is nothing to fear, and all that truly exists in the world is love. This is a special one for me .......“I celebrate my unity with all life, knowing we are all one.” Living Unity Today’s Sanskrit mantra and its English essence are: Tat Tvam Asi—I see the other in myself and myself in others. “There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.” ~ Sun Tzu In today’s meditation, we will explore unity as the underlying truth of all that is. As individuals, we look different from one another and have different lifestyles, beliefs, and perceptions. However, these differences exist only on the physical plane. At both the molecular and spiritual levels, we are all one, connected by the universal source. When we begin to fully understand this concept of living unity, we replace the idea of the personal self with that of the universal self. The notion of competition disappears and leaves in its wake only co-operation. This connection fosters deep love and compassion for everyone and everything around us. Mindful Moment Foster interconnectedness. Be present and genuinely interested in the lives of others when you speak with them today. In your conversations, give your undivided attention and, if you see someone in need, offer your assistance. Fostering these experiences will help you cultivate a deeper understanding of true interconnectedness.

Book of days update.................

Looking back at my pages over the last few weeks and reflecting on my journey and how art processes life...am enjoying meditating daily as well as my yoga all part of the journey and trying to practice the 3 aspects of... trusting the universe with my intention, making less effort, and detaching from outcome........all things to ponder and experience in the silence between thoughts for this week.....

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My favourite meditations.............

Abundance and the Law of Least Effort Sanskrit mantra and its English essence are: Om Daksham Namah—My actions achieve maximal benefit with minimal effort. “An integral being knows without going, sees without looking, and accomplishes without doing.” ~ Lao Tzu ... Law of Least Effort releasing our desires into the spiritual realm to create abundance in our lives. When actions are motivated by love, your energy multiplies and accumulates. Releasing that energy allows it to be redirected and used to create anything you want. When your internal reference point is your spirit, you can harness the power of love and use this energy creatively for the experience of affluence and evolution. Mindful Moment Experience the peace of acceptance. Today, accept all people and circumstances in your life, exactly as they are. Take responsibility for your life without blaming yourself, knowing that everything is as it should be. Practice defenselessness and relinquish the need to convince or persuade others of your point of view. Abundance and the Law of Karma Sanskrit mantra and its English essence are: Om Kriyam Namah—My actions are aligned with cosmic law. “Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh the Law of Karma .....conscious choice-making, and consider how, through the choices we make, more of every good thing can flow into our lives. When you make any choice—any choice at all—you can ask yourself what the consequences of the choice you’re making are and if it will bring happiness, or more abundance, to you and everyone around you. After posing those questions, place your attention in your heart, and the answers will become clear to you. By practicing conscious choice-making in this way, you will learn to witness your thoughts and make the most nourishing decisions for your life. Mindful Moment Allow your heart to guide you. Practice connecting with the heart for guidance in conscious choice-making. Each time you’re faced with a choice, place your attention in your heart and ask yourself: Will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and to those who are affected by this choice? Then, make your decision based on the answer you receive. Abundance and the Law of Pure Potentiality Sanskrit mantra and its English essence are: Om Bhavam Namah—I am absolute existence. I am a field of all possibilities. “We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? . . . Your playing small does not serve the world.” ~ Marianne Williamson The power to create anything flows through us when we are connected to the moment, plugged into the deeper source from which all experience, knowledge, and existence emerge and to which they return. And, so, we’ll begin this week by discovering how we can put the first law, the Law of Pure Potentiality, into practice and create abundance by accessing this source, the field of all possibilities. Mindful Moment Witness the field of all possibilities. Spend some part of your day in silence. When you have time, commune with nature. Throughout the day, suspend any need to judge people or circumstances. If you find yourself judging something or someone, gently remind yourself of your commitment. Attention and intention “Through the Law of Pure Potentiality, I can create anything, anytime, anywhere.” The Field of All Possibilities Sanskrit mantra and its English essence are: Sat, Chit, Ananda—Existence, Consciousness, Bliss “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” ~ Maya Angelou The field of all possibilities reveals itself in the silence of meditation. The unlimited power of the universe is always available to you. Making intuitive choices, grounded in this unified field, will help you manifest your deepest desires. going about your daily life, continue to cultivate stillness whenever possible. Spend time in nature, absorb its beauty, and notice how its abundance is spread before you. Bask in the energy of beautiful music; uplifting and inspirational stories; and optimistic, like-minded people. As you do this, you’ll find the field of all possibilities will open wide to help your dreams, hopes, and desires come to fruition. Mindful Moment Awaken to unlimited possibilities. Look at one situation you’d like to change. Allow yourself to focus your thoughts on that one wish. Then, write down one intention. Be as specific as you can. When you go into meditation, look at this intention and let it go. Surrender it to the field of all possibilities and allow the universe to correlate the details. “Today, I embrace my potential to be, do, and have whatever I can dream.”

Meditation and Yoga practice ..........

A nice link for morning yoga practice........ Gonna try this yoga session in a little while whilst waiting for my bread to rise....Checking out facebook's inspirational quotes today and am taking a few words from one of them that makes such a lot of sense to me and is where my beginners head is at when thinking NVC...First get together after the workshop is tonight ..... "See all human behaviour as one of two things:Either love or a call for love...." now those words sit comfortably with me ... The Chopra Centre's Meditation challenge is a really inspirational with reference to Carl Jung's object pertayal and self referral....attention too something energises whilst intention transforms.......i'm soooooo journalling with intention in my BOD...it's making such a difference to the life i am living and my journey...

Music MOJO............

o.k soooo much energy am reigning it into completing and progressing with two lovely commissioned albums I'm making....bopping round the house listening to more Jack Savoretti (we saw him last night and it was amazing ....soul flooding, heartwarming, body pumping i don't have any words to describe it and I still think it is totally unbelievable that he played in the good ole Brudenell Social Club...was it real I think sooooo)... will ground myself later with a bit of yoga but right now this feeling is too great to not savour for a little longer.

Refocusing using my book of days

Listening to lots of my favourite tunes and have some super times planned to keep body n soul together....in fact life has speeded up a little !! Seeing Kate Rusby ( my favourite favourite song is Sungrazer off the new album) in December with mum at the Barbican Centre in York.....
soo feelin the need to refocus a little with gratitude and intention and to clarify how i am going to control the amount of working hours i put into the week as i know i cannot go on at the pace i have been doing at work.....I painted 'a thousand petal lotus' in my book of days and keep pondering over this image i often visualise it and breathe............. will post my page soon Thankyou for all my lessons in life for the reflections that keep me revisiting those patterns that lead to exhaustion...

NVC

A little tired after a two day workshop offering more insight into Non Violent Communication.....really interesting and feeling artful today so have drawn n arted to cope with the slight non togetherness my wee body is feeling.Am committing myself to some practice of 'the steps' technique .... and will set some intention in my art journal with regard to observation.....

Jack Savoretti coming to Leeds.......

My buddy K 'serendipitously' found that Jack Savoretti (our Jack..) is playing in Leeds this November!....soooo excited as she got us tickets. We've a mutual love of his soul flooding songs ....... something amazing to look forward to in a months time yay..xxx

Dark Mornings......

I love mornings and it was soo noticable that this Monday morning was dark and autumnal! in comparison to the bright morning of Friday 21st, mindue the weather is a little differnet too....however I'd snapped a couple of shots to remind me of the energy of the brighter morning as keeping a small part of summer for even the darkest of winter is where i am at in my head in order to continue my morning rituals and stay well throughout the darker season.

..........my big art album...

When I created my canvas covered album I started with a portrait and thought that would be what I would devote the album to...however, I draw every day and a portrait doesn't come every day but other things dooooo and my tree of life was a scrummy inspired by my trip up to Edinburgh at the festival time... ..i'm finding it soul replenishing using using conte crayons and pastel pencils for this album its all that smudging with my fingers I enjoy.....

Book of Days ......catch up

Oh wow what an amazing whirlwind of a few weeks ....all sooooooo full of joy and gratitude for me....sometimes i experience all my blessings at once and August and September have reminded me of that.I am filling my book of days ...but not really posting the pictures very much..For me my Book of days is a rather amazing revelation it coupled with my daily yoga is my tool to get through my stressful days of the week! it has therapeutic value and it isn't a pretty looking journal and sometimes i feel a little shy about bearing it's content ...its a map of how i experience life and being a sensitive soul it can all prove to be quite overwhelming and deep..however its purpose as being part of my weekly setting of intention and staying focused has really been beneficial.I put my self care intentions in my journal for Monday and then this weekI thought i would cover over the intentions as.. symbolic way of say i'd achieved them and i then started to add some pretties....I may not do this ever week but it felt right this week ...I loved these words they settled in my psyche for the week as I made my offering each day of this week in my yoga practice and i will be added it book of days page.."Stay centered in the beauty of the morning to be open for the blessings awaiting you as the day goes by........"

Last  two weeks processing of 'intense and joyful happenings' oh and my poorly week....i'd plans to create a lovely page with a postcard  from Edinburgh and still did my page with the energy i had ...I might go back to it.

A flurry of creative energy

I have had a flurry of inspiration this week.I feel well, the sun is shining I'm moving on some of my little albums and I have been full of 'ponderings'...nice ponderings about life..about change about my quirks and the lovely things i have in my life... my grateful little heart is bursting.! 
These three little albums where the fruits of my inspiration this week ....its a special week for me with birthday, anniversary, son going to university and I was also pondering the forthcoming cooler darker months whilst savouring the 'Indian summer we are having (how i need encouragement to get through those months...one of the album start with my favourite quotes about keeping a 'little bit of summer' for those months ...) these sentiment themed albums came from my 'ponderings' they were lovely to create and would be even better to share and savour the joy and encourage the 'cherishment' of dreams and encourage movement through change.

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Thankyou .....i love my wild precious life.

Mary Oliver quotes

O.k aching n not so well physically today but the mind is willing its just the ole body that needs a rest! Pondering about how energy consuming but beautiful it is actually 'Living Life'.....not only 'breathing' but 'living'.........browsing through some of Mary Olivers poetry and quotes ther's always one in there for me.....today its... “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ― Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems

BOD pages for the last two weeks..........

My pages from the last 2 weeks ....a shift from the working week, where restorative yoga practised almost every night helped me survive, to an absolutely heavenly week of annual leave.........the universe delivered all sorts of simple,sweet moments and opportunities that i'm sooo grateful for........

Christening my new album..........

I blessed the first pages of my new A4 Art Journal ...and kinda completed them for now..I really like playing with conte crayons and chalky pastels...it is the blending with my fingers that i totally love .....and it is always the experience and process that appeals to me ...recently i've shifted my perspective on 'AWARENESS'.After many years of perceiving awareness as having a strong focus on being about creating 'balance' and about 'self' and 'others'and 'perceptions' i am seeing it as less embodied than that! infact i'm starting to see it as more about a 'spiritual awareness' and 'connection to a higher self' .... 'the gaps between the thoughts'....open mindedness and open heartedness....still evolving.

Lisa O'Malley ART FRAME

To add to the abundant happiness i am experiencing .......i have achieved a real reshuffle of my arting space......and i've completed a frame of Lisa's ATC's and prints ...i love her magical and natural art and found these frames in a local discount shop!just great for ATC sized works of art and a5 prints!So here it is and it hangs in my art room...which is now and art and yoga room!........gonna have to keep it tidy and uncluttered! mm

Happiness

I have had a beautiful week off of seeing friends and feeling sooooo well.Energy levels are pretty balanced with lots of awareness and body listening due to the yoga and meditation practice i've been completing as a daily ritual! 'Happiness is a mindset' and being in balance enough to 'quieten the busy thoughts to soak up the beauty of the simple things' ...this week the sun has shone and just feeling it bathe your back or face has been heavenly........watching children playing on the beach scooping water, digging with a look of shear focus on their faces was blissful and being with friends sharing banter laughing and just being together so heart warming......i would like to capture the moments of this week bottle them and then emmerse myself in the grateful and happy feelings they have generated for me this week .........thank you universe and my beautiful friends.

New Art Journal

I've created a canvas cover out of one of the mermaid portraits for a new journal....its A4 sized and I love filling those A4 pages with portraits so I figured this Art Journal will be filled with portraits........

here is the covered journal and the original painting...........

Beginners' Yoga for Shoulder Strength with Melissa McLeod | DoYogaWithMe.com

Beginners' Yoga for Shoulder Strength with Melissa McLeod | DoYogaWithMe.com

I've been practising a more relaxing yoga this week ...ohhhh blissfull thankyou Melissa Mcleod!

restorative yoga practice

Weekend Wonder is here

Oh I am so going to art this weekend! i found i had a tough week the meditation challenge and yoga was great and physically and emotionally i think i managed fine...I was sooo overwhelmed by work and not being able to meet deadlines unless i worked an 11 hour day and then took work home! but i was not going to that.....so i BREATHED AND GOT SOME PERSPECTIVE.........that was good the only side effect of not doing a perfect job with things is the thoughts of my inner critic but the Tiny Buddah's words around tackling the inner critic soothed and reiterated what i'd given myself permission to do! Am now about to complete todays meditation and do a little yoga before starting my day.......have a walk planned with K yay and am gonna art........got one spread to finish and one to start for soulistry.

mermaids mermaids mermaids....

These were my projects this morning ...have moved on with them tonight and will post photos when I think they're just about complete..........

Completing my Mermaids for Mystical Makings

Mystical Makings Mermaid projects are just about complete ...but i'm kinda hooked on mermaid painting and am going to sit with that for a while.I've my two mica mermaid faces to complete with mica flakes and then the two boxes with Tam inspired mermaids for the course.I've small box I also wish to paint a rather 'whispy mermaid' on and then I've promised myself I am done!photo's are coming...........

more Seane.......

Seane on BREATHE

Tarot of Transformation

Before I started my meditation day 5 and my yoga I needed to encourage a little insight todaaaaay....I've a busy head and love using this tarot deck to get some clarity when i feel like this...these cards drawn this morning did just that ....gave me some reassurance about the emotions and feelings I'm having ( permission to stop over analysing it and simply feel it in bearable quantities)and enabled me to see that simply feeling them and art journalling them out would be a good idea...alongside that the insight that the swords cards offered enabled me to see beyond that.....a bigger picture of what is needed the space the sacred time to simply be is a ritualistically quiet day and the joy and peace of mind that will come once these emotions are out and moved through (via one of my expressive 'vehicles'of course)not rocket science I know but to the busy emotional head full of thoughts jostling for attention light relief!.....yay for going deep and rolling with it thank you universe...............

now for meditation day 6 with Chopra Centre xxxxxx

Glorious Day off................

Up at 10.00... peace throughout the house... my cat softly rubbing around my legs and a cup of tea outside in my back garden with the warm sun radiating a calm energy, warmth and love from the universe toward me ...yep little ole me..... Thankyou Universe.Oh so full of gratitude for my precious life, my slow down time and very physically able body again today....after that difficult day yesterday ...I can hardly keep the gratitude inside it and i want to pop a little expression of it here....... I read this on the Abraham Hicks site and it resonated with me today...I didn't want to post it to facebook i wanted to pop it here and gently send the vibe out there...meditations day 4 today from the chopra centre challenge...... 'The idea of “success,” for most people, revolves around money or the acquisition of property or other possessions, but we consider a state of joy as the greatest achievement of success. And while the attainment of money and wonderful possessions certainly can enhance your state of joy, the achievement of a good-feeling physical body is by far the greatest factor for maintaining a continuing state of joy and Well-Being. And so, there are few things of greater value than the achievement of a good-feeling body.' --- Abraham Excerpted from the book "Money and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Health, Wealth and Happiness"

3rd Day of chopra centre meditation challenge

“I forgive; I release; I let go of anything and anyone that keeps me from my highest good.” satchitananda...i am pure existence....i am consciouness xxxxxxxx

Intention Monday

Yoga set this morning devoted to bending and setting intention. I will continue to be kind to my body by drinking at least two bottles H20 plus 'herby' teas etc,have warm food at lunch time,and take a lunch break.I will complete my paperwork into the car before and in between contacts preventing distractions from interfering with my completing my work. I will leave work between 5.00 - 5.30. I will 'bend' in the case of harsh,critical or provocative words, I will see the funny side and indulge my sense of humour...I will laugh at least once a day!!I will continue with my goal of integrating yoga and intentive practice each morning,eat breakfast take my medis on time,I will see the herbalist tomorrow and work toward discontinuing these tinctures.I will make an appointment to have a medical check at the surgery, I will book ashtanga for Thursday..... I will look forward to Thurs as my day off.

Gratitude Sunday

The sun is shining the wind is blowing , the garden is lush because of the rain....and my 'sweet peas are flowering and bending ...and yep symbolising the 'bending' I too need to do to get through the daily interactions of life. I let my ritual of gratitude Sundays and intention Mondays slip for 2 weeks and have to say although i've focused on my yoga at home a little more.....it feels like a core stable part of me is missing! so my goal this week is to start to combine the yoga and my gratitude and intention.So today some sun salutions and a bit of vinyassa flow devoted to all i am grateful for.... Thank you Universe for the opportunities to learn and evolve this last week , Thankyou for my wonderful Chel n Mel..thank you for my sweet patient mum, thankyou for the health screening and prompt,almost serendipitous treatment of my bumps n lumps,thankyou for the celebrations around chella's birthday (i love you so much Chel i was truly blessed when you stepped into my life 23 years ago), thank you for the friendships and the reciprocal respect, love and help, thank you for my work colleagues who'm i respect as individuals and am grateful to for all the diverse challenges we have overcome thank you for the new colleague who radiates calm and healing energy, thank you for the new manager that listened to me and allowed me to work the hours I could manage to work without being poorly, thank you for the honesty shown when my car was damaged,thankyou for the energy to work a little harder for this past week and the awareness that this will need to be addressed to maintain balance in my life, thank you for the courage and calm to get by and for Sheila's valuable guidance in evolving..........GRATITUDE, NAMASTE.

Pausing for thought today...........

Mica Mermaids

I'm soooo pleased with these two they are still not complete but i've been creating them for a few weeks alongside my workshop arting for 'mythical makings' I'm practising finding my way with 'eyes' and the shading of faces on canvas ...I'm also loving playing with Mica flakes they're like little flakes of magic...will be giving my mermaids names and playing a little more later.....am still finishing my tattoed and folk mermaid for Tam's workshop...painting on wood has been a different experience so look forward to posting them tomorrow...

Mucha Inspired Angel

I took my time over exploring this as a mixed media piece... I enjoyed taking some of my favourite aspects of Mucha's art and trying to use them here.I loved painting the angel and little girl and the background was a piece in it's own right, although is hidden under the angel now.I like what i have created and the process was lovely... a quiet and gentle almost angelic experience!.Its my third week of looking and adding bits to it and it has quietened my mind and led me to reflect ..... that my arting tends to be spontaneous and in the flow with attention in the moment.

Gustav Klimt inspired Goddess for Mythical Makings

I've finished my first ever canvas mixed media painting...looking forward to the next week of Mythical Makings which is Mucha inspired Angels ..................................................

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