Soul Mates

Today, I am Grateful.

Grateful ~

To the Universe ~

To the Landscape ~

Transforming itself ~

Throughout.

Transforming it's Self ~

Into Harmony.


Soul Harmony.

Soul Mates ~

Rising throughout.


Today ~

I am Hopeful.


Today ~

I am Grateful ~

For Universal ~

Soul Mates.

Blue

Oh ~
How I long ~
For the bathing compassion ~
Of the deep ~
Profound ~
Sea of blue ~
BeFore me.


For me ~

Blue ~

True blue.

The most challenging color ~

With which to paint.


On my palette ~

My eye ~

Never drawn to it.

Actually sometimes ~

Avoiding it!


All of my senses ~

Trembling ~

Momentarily paralyzing ~

When brush in hand ~

Attempting to stroke it.

One of the bluest paintings ~

I ever painted?

Et voilà!

A tad simple?

Yes.

From the Soul?
Indeed.

Perhaps a young Soul?

But from the Soul ~

Nevertheless.

Blue ~

True blue.                             

They say that blue ~

Represents ones deepest emotions.

Like the depths ~

Of the deepest oceans.

Hmmmm ~

Why so 'unwatery' my paintings?     

Perhaps when I reach my emotions ~

I will grow ~ 

Blossom ~

Breathe ~

And see ~

Blue.

Thus finally painting ~

Blue ~

True Blue.

Yellow

Yellow ~

One of the three primary colors

Yellow ~


So illuminating ~ exhilarating ~

Yellow ~

So powerful ~ enlightening ~

Yellow ~

Fresh ~ tingly ~ sparkling ~

Yellow ~

Close your eyes ~
Face the sun ~
See it through your eyelids ~
Feel it on your skin ~
Taste it's nourishment ~

Breathe ~  ~   ~     ~     ~
Sun's light ~
~ Yellow ~

I LOVE ~ YELLow ~

Why jealousy of the yellow rose?
Why yellow~bellied coward?
Why unloved yellow dandelions?

Yellow is clarity ~ cheer ~ curiosity ~ energy ~

Yellow is birth ~

Use it today ~
Thus creating ~
And feeding ~
Productive vision ~

Red

This ~

Is why ~

I Love ~

The Color ~

Red

~ My favorite Color ~

Red

~ Even under Water ~

I see Red ~  ~  ~    ~      ~       

Happy Valentine's Day

Living Inside Your Head

Living ~
inside Your Head?

Startled ~
Taken by surprise ~
By the outside world?

Get out of your head
Live with consciousness ~
Of space ~ thus ~ of Self ~


For more joyful days
For a clearer reason~for~being
For the realization of your purpose ~

We all have one!

~ Harmony ~ Balance ~ Vitality ~

Why do so many people ~
in our Western society ~
speak of the word control ~
as a seemingly good thing!?

~ Trying to learn to ski?

"Be in control of your speed down the mountain!"

~ Teary-eyed during a tough day at work?

"Keep your emotions under control!"

~ Your child throws a fit in public?

"Learn to control your kid!"

~ Your eating habits are out of control?
"Go on a food~depriving/exercise~exhausting regiment!"

~ You feel your partner is trying to control you?
"Throw him/her away and get a new one!"

~ You are an adult, with people who rely upon you?
"You are expected to have full control of your life!"

Are we conscious of what this language 'says' ~ about who we are?

Perhaps if we were not trying ~
to control our environment ~
there would be less ~
physical~emotional~intellectual~spiritual
unhappiness~stress~trauma~disaster
in our environment ~
all around ~
and within ~
us.


Maybe if we were more conscious of our surroundings ~
We would be more conscious of our own Selves ~
And less wanting to control every~thing around us!


When struggling with some~thing ~
I find it more effective and rewarding ~
to visualize being ~ in harmony ~
with the said some~thing
to think of myself ~ in balance ~
with the said some~thing
thus achieving success ~
~ vitality ~
via the new bond~partnership ~
with the said some~thing!


~ Harmony~Balance~Vitality ~

Walking along the path of life
With the intent of self growth
And that of all 'things' encountered

Does this not require us to be conscious?
Is this not more energizing ~
More fulfilling ~
And more apt for success ~
Than control?

Consciousness versus Control
What do you choose?

Words are powerful ~

They influence ~
how we perceive the world
what we do  ~  how we do

Listen ~ for the word control in your environment today
Be ~ conscious ~ of how the word is introduced into your space
See ~ if the objective can still be realized ~ or better realized!
With consciousness ~ of harmony~balance ~
Rather than with control.

I believe the path to success will be more pleasurable ~
And achieved ~ with vitality ~ to boot!
With consciousness ~ without control.

Consciousness of Space
Consciousness of Self ~

You Choose ~ ~  ~   ~    ~

Repose

A moment of repose

A moment ~

To Be ~

With Self ~

Alone ~

Yet complete

A moment ~
without strife
without alarm
for the soul
for the ~~~~~

Breath ~~~~~

Listen

Feel It ~

Fill You ~

With harmony


A moment of repose

Complete ~

Alone ~

With Self


Find it ~

In Self

But for a moment ~

For All

Orange

Orange ~

A color of sharing
A color of nurturing
A color of friendship
A color of fellowship

Orange ~

Through our eyes ~

A multi-sensory experience

My mind is awakened
My nose smiles
My taste buds sparkle
My heart rejoices

I relish ~
its vibrant energy

Orange ~

Very yang
Yet aggressive not
Somewhat yin
But cold never

Warm ~ convivial ~ comforting ~ safe

Orange ~

The chicken soup color ~
~ of Love

Soul's Landscape

Every time I look
at this painting ~

I stop.
I observe.
I ponder.
I feel.
Again.

This painting has deep meaning
~to me.

This painting represents much
~to me.

This painting feels like ~

pain ~

struggle ~

distance ~

strife ~

longing ~

And hope.


This painting is hope.


Always hope ~

Never not.


It's all there ~

It's all in you.


As long ~

As you ~

Breathe ~ ~  ~   ~     ~      ~       ~         ~


As long ~

As you ~

Be~lieve ~ ~  ~   ~    ~      ~       ~        ~


The pain will still be there ~

But you will Know ~

As you travel Life's Path ~

That It Is ~ ~   ~    ~        ~       ~         ~    


For a reason ~

For your reason ~

For your true reason ~~ ~   ~    ~      ~


For your true Reason~for~Being ~

Pour votre propre Raison d'être ~

The Gift ~

The Gift ~

of Light
of Color
of Breath
of Life
of Love



Thank you for all your gifts ~

Gifts of exchange

Gifts of thought

Gifts of emotion

Gifts of growth

Gifts of Love

This painting ~

To you ~ The Gift  ~

As such is named ~

Art ~ A Ten~Year Path

This painting was created 10 years ago

Two Heads
acrylic on canvas
4'X3'

Most appreciated by men ~
almost sold 5 times ~
I chose to hold on to it



This painting was created 10 years later

They Will Grow
acrylic and chinese ink on paper
8"X5"

An intimate piece ~
I painted for my sister ~
it hangs in her bedroom


What does this reveal about ~

The path that I have travelled?

What I was feeling then?
Who I was?
Who I am now?

Any thoughts?

Much appreciated ~

Love

Love is brought to us ~

on many days ~

in many different ways ~



A smile at the checkout from a stranger
A kiss on the cheek from a brother
A pat on the back from a teacher
A two-minute hug from a grandmother

And sometimes ~
Love ~
Comes ~
as an unimaginable surprise

This little guy ~
has been my surprise

My first pet
My first dependent
My first lap cushion
My first constant presence

This little guy ~
is my first ~
True ~
Unconditional ~
Love

I wish you all ~
the same First ~
the same Love ~
in your life

With so many pets ~
needing to Love ~
and to be Loved
I am certain my wish can come true ~
for all
Be it ~
temporary ~
or permanent

Joyeuses Fêtes mes chers amis ~ Happy Holidays my dear friends

May all your dreams come true ~

Purple

The color of Dreams

The color of Fantasy

The color of Queens

The color of Royalty ~

~ Purple



Beautiful Purples ~
Amethysts
Lavenders
Plums
Aubergines

All Purples are True
All Grand ~ its hues

Complex Purple ~
Blue & Red
Water & Fire
Cold & Heat
Introspection & Extroversion ~

Opposites ~ Living in harmony

Colors ~ Together in ecstasy

Yin & Yang ~
In balance

Blue & Red ~
In Purple

Purple ~

Passionate while restful

Dark yet bright

The color of Dreams ~

~ Purple

Our Guiding Angels

Angels ~

Guiding Angels ~

Our Guiding Angels

We all have them ~

They are with us all ~

Our Guiding Angels ~

Always there ~

Whether we know them ~
or not
Whether we love them ~
or not

Always ~

They love ~
Without condition
Without boundary
Without wanting

They help guide us ~
on our  Path ~
of Life

~ BeLieve ~

Decide without hesitation
Change with confidence
Move forward with joy

Guide ~
and let You Be ~
Guided ~~~~~

The Path is there
The Path is clear ~
for our Growth
towards Trueness ~

On the Path ~
to True Self

Guide
and Let You be ~
Guided ~
by Our Guiding Angels

Forgiveness

Send a smile ~

When you think of Him


Experience empathy ~

When you dream of Her


Feel compassion ~

When you witness Them


Visualize a true place ~

When you stop
and see that You

No reproach
No explanation
No education
No message
No words.

He was on His path
She was on Hers

They are on Their Path
You are on Yours

Move forward

Recall
Learn
See
Feel
and Offer ~

~ Forgiveness ~

Love to Him
Love to Her
Love to Them
Love to You

It is a ~
healing
peaceful

healthy
balanced

growing ~

Place ~
to Be

Colors of the Soul

A few days ago ~
The Universe offered me

These Colors ~

Colors of Joy
Colors of Passion
Colors of Fire
Colors of Creation
Colors of Love ~


At that moment ~
My heart swelled a thousand fold.

At that moment ~

I knew ~

That love comes to you ~
When your heart is full.

At that moment ~

I knew ~
Again ~

Not to be afraid.

At that moment ~
I knew ~
That the Universe's space ~
That the Universe's Soul ~
In which our Love resides ~

is limitless ~~ ~ ~  ~   ~   ~   ~    ~    ~     ~     ~     ~       ~      ~       ~       ~

~ Breathe ~

~ BeLong ~
 ~ BeHold ~
~ BeLieve ~
~ Be ~

'SUCCESS'

I  was invited to participate in a blog entitle 'Measuring Success' (see Stream Source's comment in previous 'Vinyasa' blog).

This painting ~ called 'My Head'! ~ represents the result of my past's quest for 'Success'. 


Here are my thoughts on the subject ~


'SUCCESS' ~ I need to take a breath when I say this word, because it stimulates many emotions inside me ~ emotions that I actually physically feel ~ sort of when you have (or I used to have) too much coffee!  I suppose that as I am writing this, I am realizing that I associate the word 'success' with 'my past life'. 

 I used to 'perform' in Corporate America.  I probably used the word 'success' more times then, than I ever will again.  Perhaps it is difficult not to use this word in today's society, but I am more 'successful' today ~ not using it!

As revealed by my blogs, I use the words breath, self, consciousness, path... most often now!  I also speak of reason~for~being ~ a term Stream Source uses too!  So few people speak of this.  In fact, people used to look at me as if I were an alien when I spoke these words in Corporate America! (it was a translation I used for 'raison d'être', as I am French Canadian).  Isn't this a wonderful ~ much needed ~ term of our vocabulary.  In fact, I believe that the words we use ~ to express ourselves ~ impact 'Reality', as we perceive and experience it ~ on our earthly experience.  Perhaps consciousness of our reason~for~being ~ could be our measure of success!

I could go on and on about 'Measuring Success'.  I needed to write... and paint... and breathe ~ lots and lots ~ a few years ago (and still now as you can see!) to find My True Self, which I had always neglected ~ probably because of my quest for success ~ my search for love ~ as I thought ~ without consciousness ~ was the way I could reach it back then ~

Oufffff ~~~

( the '~' helps with the breath!)

This blog consists only of a very abbreviated, spontaneous version of many personal writings on the subject of finding Self ~ my true raison d'être!  I wrote a blog called 'Creativity' a few days ago, which explains ~ in an art process sort of way ~ the evolution that I experienced while trying to find Self.  It may make this explanation a tad clearer!

Lots of emotions ~ that I suppose will never go away ~ part of my path indeed!

Everything happens for a reason.  And I was gracefully invited by Stream Source, to exchange on 'SUCCESS'  ~ because I still have paths to travel ~ to reach My True Self ~ thus perhaps... reaching success!

Vinyasa

Vinyasa ~

A yoga posture

A posture of the body

A body movement

A movement of the breath



Breath in Harmony with Self ~
Breath in Harmony with Space

~ Self in Harmony with Space ~

Consciousness of Space~Consciousness of Self

Creativity

The process of making this art piece is the strongest manifestation of creativity that I personally ever experienced.




A few years ago, I 'carried' (no better way to express it!) a piece of art inside me. It was a feeling, bubbling inside me. It was not representational, it was not an idea, nor was it expressed in any other pieces that I was painting at that time. It was there, lingering, growing, waking me up at night. But I did not know how and when it would come out.

When I was painting, I stored it somewhere inside me ~ sort of in a drawer, because I knew it was too precious to exploit a little here and a little there. I loved it, but was afraid of it. I nurtured it, while it tortured me. I avoided it when it screamed at me to be let out, yet I begged it to come closer. I did not know when or how. But I knew it was stronger than 'I'. I knew it was growing inside me and it probably did so for years ~ later in an awakened conscious way, earlier silently, patiently, diligently.

One morning, I awoke, walked by my studio as I always did. It consisted of a room adjacent to my bedroom in my then apartment at the heart of Montreal. It was summer, it was hot and all the windows were opened. I heard traffic, dogs, birds, cicadas, passers-by... I smelled summer. I smelled the city. I smelled life.

I went into my studio and saw a bunch of canvases on the floor. And then, CREATIVITY took over. True creativity. The kind that cannot be explained, understood, intellectualized... only loved and revered. I believe this is creativity of the soul ~ when the head does not interfere.

I (or some higher being) picked up a hammer and nails and starting amalgamating these canvases together. Essentially, a larger canvas was born, with this new awesome stimuli of lines and separations. I then picked up my brushes and paint... and I painted for three days and nights, without any consciousness of other earthly experiences. At the end of the process, I stood back, looked at the piece and wept powerfully ~ emotionally, physically, completely. 

The piece had left my body ~ via CREATIVITY. 

I felt liberated, yet I missed how this power was once inside me. It was now gone, now on a canvas. It was part of the physical world. It was staring at me. It was a part of me ~ out there ~ forever.

I have never had as strong of a creative process before or since. I do not believe that I have ever 'created' as powerful a piece. Will I again? I hope.

This painting is a sort of metaphor of my path of life up until then. It is a reminder to me of Self ~ of true Self, where I aspire to remain every moment of my life ~ within Self. I sometimes lose my self in the context of earthly experiences of life. But when I look at this piece (I can only look at it on photo now!), called: HeadHeart&Soul (read from bottom to top!), I come back to self, and remember how I got here. It reminds me that I know that It was in me somewhere, at some time and that it could come back again some other time.

Thank you for reading. 
Thank you for enabling me to write ~
and feel these feelings of creative bliss!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Head Heart & Soul

Acrylic on canvas

six streched canvases
joined together with hammer & nails (and Love!)

approx.: 60"X48"

SOLD (fortunately & unfortunately!)

EGO

We devote our life ~


to what we love

to what we need ~
to learn ~~~~~~~


We create blockages ~

with repeated mistakes

with too much 'stuff '


We devote our life ~

to repeated mistakes

to too much 'stuff '


Our blockages are all around us ~


Very little ~ yet very significant ~

A lamp from the past at our bedside


Very big ~ yet very UN~Conscious

EGO


What motivated an action?

What led to a word?


Look around

Perceive the Ego


I have so much to learn ~

In and out of Consciousness



Breathe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



We devote our life ~


to what we love

to what we need ~
to learn.

Mother Earth

~ As She sees Us

As I see Her ~

Green

Green ~

Color of leaves

Color of growth

~ Green



A little green in one's space ~

can support a path forward

A lot of green in one's space ~

can illuminate a new path

Too much green in one's space ~

can create unrealistic expectations

Not enough green in one's space ~

can explain limited drive

Green ~

Color of energy

Color of dynamism

~ Green

Color of evolution

Color of change


~ Green ~

Color of Life

Meandering Moments

Curves



Round lines



Varying color bursts ~


Primary meditative movements of life


life
Life
LIfe
LIFe
LIFE


Let us ~

Slow down

Vary the path

Choose meandering moments


Necessary reminders ~

Indeed.

Breath blooms beauty ~

The Creative Process

Seeing ~ Feeling ~ Translating


Movement ~ movement ~ movements

Stroke ~ stroke ~ strokes

Layer ~ layer ~ layers

Color ~ color ~ colors


Emotion ~ Intellect

Spontaneity ~ Precision

Harmony ~ Conflict

Excitement ~ Emptiness

Joy ~ Frustration


Breathe

Recall ~ Return ~ Revolve ~

Evolve


In my bubble ~
This is my Creative Process
What is yours?

Swim in Your Pond

 Searching for Breath

~~~ Under water ~~~

Stagnant is painful ~

When you are alive

Many years ~

To find Self

To see Light

To Perceive ~

The Way

A healthy Pond ~

Creates Breath

Brushes Color

Brings in Light

Feeds Energy

Fish gotta swim

But Fish will only fly

In the right Pond

Subtlety is Strength

Reflections of ~

Opaque Light

Transparent Color

Does one create the other?

Does one feed the other?

Mutual?

Yes

Beautiful?

Indeed

Subtle?

Yes

Strong?

Yes

Reflections of Light

Reflections of Color

Reflections of Life

In Your Face?

That of the Young Soul

In Your Silence?

That of the Old Soul

Breathe

Soar

Grow

Grow Wise

Grow Wisdom

For All Souls

Flow ~ Grow

Follow Your Path

Flow Your Path

Flow Your Roots

Recall Your Roots

Observe Your Roots

Follow Your Roots

No beginning

No end

A float

A growth

A nurture

A light

Follow Your Path

Follow Your Roots

Flow back

Flow forward

This is Your Path

Move a Long

Move a Short

Learn a Long

Learn a Mid

Follow

Change

Evolve

Flow ~

Grow

BeLieve

BeLieve ~

Everything happens for a reason

What seems ~

a negative turn of events

a change of plans

an interruption

a threat

an error

a mistake ~

Is not.

Is never.

There are no mistakes

There are only changes of paths

Offering ~

challenge

growth

movement forward

Towards ~

Your right path

Your reason~for~being

Your True Self

Breathe It

Feel It

Let It Be ~

BeLieve

Your True Path

If You ~

Let It go

Your True Path ~

~ will lead You ~

We all have a reason~for~being

Breathe It

Feel It

Let It go

Let It flow

Your True Path ~

~ will lead You ~

Abstract~Figurative Art~Life

Many people look at my art

And call it abstract

Something ~

they have seen before

or felt before

or been to before

Not quite certain ~

of what

of when

But something they know

What is abstract

What is figurative

What is real?

I paint from nature ~ from the feeling of nature ~ from being there

Not what I see ~ but what I feel

What I am left with

After I remember it

And feel it

Once I am alone ~ in my studio

Sometimes one experience ~

Sometimes two

Other times many

Always the Soul of the landscape

Always the Soul of Mother Earth

What is real

What is figurative

What abstract?

Does it matter?

They are all one ~

As perception is reality

Stop and look and feel

Your surroundings ~ Your environment ~ Your world

Feel It

Let go ~

of what It Is

Let It Be

Feel It

And you will see

Sometimes abstract ~

helps you see

helps you feel

Sometimes abstract ~

is more true

Sometimes abstract ~

Is more real

Let it be ~ And be

Who knows ~

Why we do what we do

We only know ~

We are here now

Let It go

Let It come

Let It be

Plans ~ Plans ~ Plans

Stuff ~ Stuff ~ Stuff

Why ?

Let It go

Let It come

Let It be

And be

Water

What role does water play in our lives ~ in our ongoing quest for balance and well-being? Why do some people love the ocean, while others prefer to go hiking up a mountain? Is this attraction to and need for water specific to certain people or rather to certain times in our lives? Perhaps it is a little of both.

I have always felt a strong connection to water. As a teenager, I lifeguarded in neighborhood pools. During my breaks, I often dove to the bottom of their large body of water and remained there for as long as I could, peacefully and quietly, feeling bathed in silence, feeling the presence of my being ~ completely alone yet complete. Today, scuba diving represents an even deeper spiritual experience to me. It also consists of an inspirational activity for my artwork.

Whenever I am in a place where I hear the sound of waves of the ocean outside my bedroom window, quickly, I become conscious of my breath ~ of my physical self. I feel extremely tranquil. Soon, I fall asleep into a soothing and peaceful lull. Splashing water onto my face, many times over, also represents a very purifying experience ~ for my face, for my soul, for my Self. These few examples illustrate how water brings us closer to our individual selves. Water reaches our inner, deepest emotions. Water has the ability to cleanse us towards finding our true soul, towards a deeper level of consciousness.

Throughout time, water has been used for many varying related purposes ~ purposes that go beyond the physical ~ into the emotional and even spiritual. Water is not for extroversion, but for introspection. Not for explosion, but for implosion. Generally speaking, it is for positive growing support of the individual, rather than the group.

When I think of adding the element of water to an environment, my motivation is to add calm and create a peaceful setting, thus offering the possibility for introspection. My objective could be to soothe over stimulated souls, relieve tension that may exist in ones life and as a result in a space, or even lower blood pressures. However at times, water can unconsciously be used as a crutch for self protection. An excess of water can be observed when open communication is scarce, when passions have disappeared, or even when someone is suffering from depression.

I encourage you to observe your space and ask yourself whether the incidence of water in your surroundings is supportive of your specific life needs. From a physical environment point of view, the presence of water and its metaphors include water itself, the existence of transparent glass, all meandering shapes and lines, and especially common to our North-American environments, all shades of blue or black. All works of art featuring any of these characteristics will introduce water into a space, especially if its iconography feels soothing or meditative to you. These factors contribute to bringing water into our world, and hence, the element that support inner focus. Ah, the power of pure, cleansing enlightening water...

Once you have identified the water element throughout your environment, ask yourself whether it is supportive to the space that it occupies. Is it a good stimulus for the types of personalities living or working there? Is its quantity or volume sufficient, given the reason-for being of the space or on the contrary, is it in excess?

Look, see, experience, perceive, feel all of its benefits!

If you find yourself having difficulty focussing on the task at hand or if you need to dig deeper within, for a clearer understanding of who you are or of who you have become, a little color of blue will help calm you down, focus, and see things more clearly, more fluidly and in a truer manner.

Be conscious of the 'ever-so-popular' presence of water in your world. Remember that while it strongly soothes the soul, the deluge of water can stir up emotions, lessen or even put out the effects of dynamic energy offered by other physical elements of our earthly experience: wood, fire, earth, metal... The mystery of balancing the five elements for vital well-being.

Ephemeral Experiences

Earthly Cauldron

Earthly possessions

Earthly environments

Earthly events

Earthly bodies

Heavenly Souls

The leader is in us

The leader never leaves us

Our eyes, our ears, our noses, our tongues, our hands

May perceive them ~

Or not

But we know

We all see

We all hear

We all smell

We all taste

We all feel

We all experience

We all perceive

We all know

We need not our vehicles to know

Listen to his Soul

Listen to her Soul

Listen to your Soul

Earthly Cauldron

Ephemeral ?

Ephemeral Experiences ?

Everything does last forever

If only we live by the guidance of the Soul

And The Sun Shone

Balance The Inner & The Outer

Your Inner ~ My Outer

My Inner ~ Your Outer 

Where is the sun?

Where is the light?

It feels so right.

Balance Energy ~ Synergy

The Inners ~ The Outers

Wood

When I was a little girl, all I painted were trees. Specifically, I favored the branches ~ the multiple, winding, crossing, thick, thin, long, short branches of the trees. I followed their movement ~ thousands of branches steming from the same solitary source of a single trunk.

Traveling, discovering new parts of the world, I always notice trees first, thus permitting me to get to know each distinct environment.  I observe their overall shape, size, colors ~ the nature of their branches.  I then proceed to sketch at least one tree, or the part of the tree that speaks to me the most.

Gazing up at trees, searching to see where each branch leads to, when and how many times it crosses another branch, and whether it has lived and still lives a long life.  I was, have always been, and remain today fascinated with trees and their growing branches.  Their beauty, strength and infinite 'options' leave me in awe!

It is not difficult to perceive trees and their growing branches as mirrors of the lives that we live.  We have many 'branches to follow', 'paths to travel'.  Some branches grow strong, offering the presence of many other branches, while others are mere glimpses of beauty, quickly cut off at their base, offering but a quick end at the first sign of their existence.

I sometimes wonder whether a tree consciously chooses which branch to feed and make grow stronger.  Or does a tree simply experience the 'good fortune' of having received branches that grow healthily with little effort?  Similarly in our lives, do we choose the paths of life to travel, or do they present themselves to us, change, grow, become more important, as caused by multiple forces that as individual beings, we have little control over?

This at-first-glance fatalistic inquiry is rather, in my mind, a metaphor of choice, for harmony within the world that we are a part of ~ for health, happiness, and well-being.  Indeed, trying to control our world and its multiple paths, only leads to the draining of one's energy, even to distress and illness.  What we have are choices ~ key choices similar to that of the tree's: 'now that this branch has grown, do I feed it; devote myself to another; create another; or balance my energy between a few of them?'

According to feng shui, trees are greatly important, so much so that they represent one of its five elements of consideration that is wood.  In our physical space the presence of wood comes from actual wood, tall & narrow shapes, and all shades of green.  Not surprisingly, this second most yang element of wood is a metaphor for growth.  Wood is the ultimate, ongoing, earthly, physical symbol of growth.  It is dynamic, vibrant, energizing.  It implies movement forward and change.  When people tell me that they have the color green in their home because it feels soothing to them, I point out that this soothing impression comes from the association that they make of the color green with nature.  Being outdoors soothes the soul, but the color green, a metaphor of the wood element, is in fact energizing, as is the tree, or wood from which it grows.

In practice, when I choose where in an environment to hang a painting that offers strong wood presence, I identify an area where wood energy is needed!  Remember that wood presence does not require its figurative representation.  An abstract piece can present obvious wood energy qualities.  To find the ideal location, I ask myself who will view the painting.  Do I want to offer people a lingering point of view for ongoing reinforcement, or simply an occasional glimpse as a brief intermittent supporter?  I also survey the reason-for-being of the space.  Could the activity planned for the room be supported and enhanced by the energizing presence of a 'wood-filled' painting?

Whether or not one needs wood presence in a space is a function of whether or not one would benefit from its dynamic support, at a given time in their life.  Ask yourself: 'where am I going in life?  Am I moving fast or slowly?  For the right or wrong reasons?  Do I know why?  Do I have a vision of where I am going?  Do I need to continue traveling this path or change paths altogether?'

Coming back to the tree, one can ask his or her self: 'do I need to stay on this branch, because it is healthy, pointing upward to the sky and therefore offering the potential for many more new healthy branches

or is it cut off at its stem, thus offering me stoppage on my path?' 

Answering these questions, you can adjust and enhance a space with artwork offering varying levels of wood presence, to either support your balance on a given branch; help you move forward on the same branch; change to an unidentified branch; explore new unknown branches; or go back to the root of the tree ~ to the essence of your true reason-for-being!

Consciousness of space for consciousness of Self ~

Support from life choices via a conscious vision of one's reason-for-being ~

For growth and well-being on multiple present branches ~ the many paths offered by our earthly experience ~

Fire

People often look at my paintings and see fire. They then express their uneasy feeling stemming from this perception. My feeling is that fire is all mighty and beautiful.

In feng shui, fire is one of the five elements that makes up our physical earthly experience. Compared to the other elements, fire is the most yang ~ the most vibrant and transforming.

Fire is the most acutely powerful of all of them!

Fire is creative.  Fire creates change.  Fire is creative change.

Fire creates earth ~ as its resulting ashes transform themselves into the physical foundation that we live on and from.

Fire reminds us that we are human ~ as men and women ~ opposite yet in need of each other ~ stimulated, awakened, empowered, enlightened ~ by our ongoing exchanging fire.

Fire is necessary to us ~ by the change that it offers us for our survival, health and happiness.

We need change, yet we are afraid of it.  It is the number one cause of stress in our society today.  Should we not believe that everything happens for a reason ~ a reason of movement forward and of growth on our path.  I believe that we need not be afraid.  Welcome fire.

Welcome change.  Embrace it when it penetrates the life that we have been offered.

The two principal motivators of humanity are love & power.  While they represent the main yet opposing desires of our world, they are also what humankind fears most.  They hold all of the possibilities, as well as the threats, justified or not, to our very basic and innate human instinct for survival ~ for security of Self ~ of our physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual selves, via love or power.  Which one?  In what balance?  

The Power of Love!  You choose.

The symbolism that exists in the defensiveness yet draw that we feel towards fire is key to understanding and therefore feeding our human spirit.  Feed your fire ~ when it is gracefully offered to you in the form of excitement, passion, pain, fright, vision.  Soothe it ~ when it is out of control.  Teach it ~ when it lacks wisdom.  Love it ~ when it hurts you. Trust in its trail blazing abilities ~ when it frightens you.  

Breathe it ~ when your heart guides you to do so.

Fire offers the most possibilities for reawakening and for the creative energy that is present in its new beginnings of change!

Tonight, light a candle.  Trust in the acute transforming strength of its flame.  Envision your dream.  Believe in your dream.  Realize your dream ~ with the strength of creative change ~ the loving power of fire within you.

PS: this painting is called Abundance!