The Labyrinth under the Full Moon

A week or so ago we had a beautiful full moon so I grabbed my camera and went outside to photography my labyrinth under the full moon. You can just see the stones reflected on the ground. It really felt magical. If it hadn't been so cold I would have done a moonlight labyrinth walk!







If you are interested in learning more about labyrinths here are some interesting websites:

The Labyrinth
101 Ways to Use a Labyrinth
History of Labyrinths

"Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path... exactly where you are meant to be right now... And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love."
Caroline Adams

The Muse Aha-Phrodite

This week we played with the Muse Aha-Phrodite, the Muse of Paying Attention and Possibilities. She is one of my favorites because she reminds me that anything is possible. I find it interesting that in my card she is a young child. Children are so much more open to wonder. One of the tips that Aha-Phrodite gives us is to keep a notebook with you at all times to record all those Aha! moments.
I'm excited to report that Jill Badonsky , the author of The Nine Day Modern Muses (and a Bodyguard) is going to visit my blog in February and I get to ask her five questions regarding the creative process - so if you have any questions you'd like to ask just let me know and I'll pass them on.

"The function of art is to renew our perception.
What we are familiar with we cease to see."

Anais Nin

Grateful

The internet allows us to share and connect with people we might never otherwise have met. For a couple of years Louie Shellenberger has been participating in the Photo Art Journals group that I host. Her photographs are always amazing and she has been the one who keeps the list of journals we have done updated and photos of the journals posted. I always forget to do this, so I'm really grateful for the help. Recently she told me she was flying from Whitbey Island in Washington State via Charlotte to visit her parents in Akron, Ohio for their 70th Wedding Anniversary - yes, 70th!! Well, I couldn't let Louie pass through Charlotte without meeting her, so on Thursday morning I left home early before the morning traffic so we could have an hour or so together before Louie's connecting flight. It was so wonderful to meet her at last (and her son Cory)!

For the last two years Louie has been taking a photo a day and posting them to her blog! I tried this once and couldn't even do it for a month, so I am in awe of this feat.

I am so grateful for the wonderful art community that I have found on the internet!

I gather inspiration from many people I have never met, such as this photo-a-day for a month project.

Photographing Water Droplets

I'm part of a collaborative journal project with a friend in Washington State and this weekend was working on her journal, the theme of which is Reflection, Refraction, Diffraction, Glories! I was attempting to photograph reflections in water droplets. It didn't work out quite as I anticipated but this photograph from the series made me think of the solar system and reminded me of the amazing beauty and wonder of the world we live in.

"When time comes for us to again rejoin the infinite stream of water flowing to and from the great timeless ocean, our little droplet of soulful water will once again flow with the endless stream."

William E. Marks

Playing with the Muses

I've just started teaching a ten week workshop combining SoulCollage® and the book "The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)" by Jill Badonsky. Each week we get to know a new Muse and explore what they have to offer and then we make a SoulCollage® card representing the Muse. This week we spent time discovering "Arnold" who is the Bodyguard. You can see from my card that my Bodyguard is a wise old man, but it could be an animal or a female bodyguard. The Bodyguard protects you from the criticism of others as well as you own inner critic and encourages you to believe in yourself.

Jill has recently written a new book called "The Awe-Manac: A Daily Dose of Wonder" which sits next to my bed for daily inspiration. Jill offered a free teleconference call this week which I dialled into. I am so glad I did. I loved the exercises Jill gave us, especially one where we took the beginning of a song title and finished it with our own words (the words Jill gave us were "Echoes of ......."). My new titles will make perfect names for my photographs and the timing was just right as I am putting together a body of work for a photography exhibition in February.

Walking the Labyrinth

"It is solved by walking."
Saint Augustine

To celebrate the completion of my labyrinth I had two days of Open Studio to share my labyrinth with my friends.

There are layers upon layers of meaning in the ancient tool of the labyrinth. But the best way to learn about the labyrinth is to walk one.

So that is one of the pleasures I have - walking the labyrinth whenever I feel called to do so (especially when the weather is beautiful - like today).

Thanks to my yoga teacher, Mohit, for taking this photograph. I was too busy with all the guests and I'm grateful to have these visual reminders.

However, after it was all over I had time to take this Christmas view of my studio.