Thursday, April 26, 2007


Centering in Ten Seconds.
(Artwork: Meditating Man)


I'm rushing, racing and multi-tasking, so I often find myself out of breath and frazzled. For a long time, I set aside what I called my 'creative meditation' time in the morning as a way to bring some calm into my days. And that worked for a while, but the race to get things done won out more days than I like to admit. I wanted to feel calm and centered but didn't know how to find the time.


Now I do. Thanks to the new book, 'TEN ZEN SECONDS', by Eric Maisel, I can center anytime, anywhere. And yes, it only has to take 10 seconds. And I can do it before, after or during any of the multi-tasks that I need to get done. It really helps me feel calmer, relaxed and energized all at the same time.


I know it sounds too good to be true...but it is true and it works! If you'd like to learn more about it, stayed tuned for my interview with author, Eric Maisel right here on Monday, May 14th.


If you can't wait to get started, you can find more info on the web at http://www.tenzenseconds.com Then come back and join me for a chat with Eric Maisel about how easy it is to center in ten seconds.


Tuesday, April 17, 2007




Inspiration comes from strange places sometimes.
(Artwork: Ball masque, 'Wolf')


My husband and I went to see a play called, "Defending the Caveman". I expected a play about men. What I didn't expect is that it is also a play about women. It was hilarous! But it was also sweet, warm, silly and true.


It cleared up alot of misunderstandings that I had in my mind about men. It also cleared up some of my misunderstandings about women, too. I left feeling like I had a whole new way to relate to my husband and son as well as my daugther and friends.


According to the play, cavemen were the hunters. So they needed to be able to confer on what was to be hunted, figure out a strategy, then go hunt in complete silence. Sound familiar? Sure it does. Men act the same way today, it's just the prey that's changed. Think sports. Think driving the car to a specific destination without stopping and never asking directions once in route. Think TV and remote.


Also, according to the play, cavewomen were gatherers. So they needed to wander the fields and forests looking, touching and tasting new foods and fibers. Sound familiar? Sure! Women do all these same things, today, too. Think shopping. Think cooking. Think group activities involving lots of communal activity and talking.


It was a fun, funny, delightful play that taught me alot about cavemen but also helped me see myself, cavewoman, in a whole new way, too.



Friday, April 06, 2007


"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin
(Artwork: Ball masque-'Sun')

This is a wonderful quote for this budding, blooming time of year, so it feels right that I found these words today. My studio is newly remodeled and still smells like fresh paint. I am working on 4-5 new pieces including the final sculpture in a 'Seasons' series entitled, 'Spring'. I have several new workshops starting this week, new blogger pals to chat with on the web, and a new book, "Ten Zen Seconds", to read by Eric Maisel with an interview to follow next month. So it seems many things around me in my world are blooming.

But what's sticking me up are the words...painful and risk. Scary. I don't know how to respond to that. What should I do? Should I do anything? If it's already happening, then, I can just sit back and enjoy. Right?

Then another quote found its way to me, "I am developing both my active and receptive energies," from Shakti Gawain's book, "Reflections in the Light". The daily reading for this April day explained the two ways to get what we want in life using masculine or feminine energy. The masculine energy is the go-get-it way. The feminine energy is the attracting-it way. One the bee, the other the flower, so to speak.

Raised in family of boys, I'm more familiar with the active, go-get-it energy. Allowing myself to be receptive and allowing what I want to happen or come to me, feels uncomfortable. It feels weak and lazy but also risky. What if nothing happens at all? Won't that be painful to admit that I did nothing? Ahh, those words again...painful and risky.

Does a bud push itself to blossom? No. But it does take in the nourishment it needs to grow, so in that way, it is active in the process of blooming. It is also, receptive. Waiting for the right temperatures and sunshine that will allow it to bloom. Just like the bee is needed to spread the pollen between the flowers, both masculine and feminine, active and receptive energies are needed to make things grow.

And so, I can be both a bee and a flower to myself. I can go-get-it. And I can attract-it, open up to receiving and allowing what I desire to bloom in its own time.

You know, taking that risk doesn't seem so painful, after all.