Inspiration to release an attachment

I've been stuck for a few days on one of the paintings I've been working on. It isn't "right." There is something missing, it's too flat and boring. It just isn't what I was going for.

So, instead of picking up a brush, I headed to the beach for inspiration.

To get to my favorite spot at the beach, I climb down a sandy-dirt path at the end of my street. There are big rocks below all along the shore to prevent erosion, and the water swings in, splashing up into the air and wetting the rocks. It's a remarkable sight to behold.

Walking north, I noticed a beautiful rock sculpture had been built atop one of the boulders below. I stopped to admire this magnificent gift that someone left.

The sculpture was created from various rocks and pieces of concrete found nearby, Each rock was a different color and shape - some long and thin, some round, others square with colors of red, green, brown and black. Behind the sculpture the waves crashed and splashed up foamy white, creating a most picturesque scene.

Clearly a magical place, I decided this sculpture was an intricate doorway and home for the faeries.

Continuing over a ridge, I saw half a dozen smaller rock sculptures! How exciting!
Someone lovingly put great time and effort into making these special little creations, truly giving a wonderful sense of joy to others who happen travel this path. I felt so much gratitude for the beautiful treasures I had seen.

I headed to a part of the cliffs that juts out into and above the water, finding a wonderful spot shaded by an upper rocky area. I rolled out my blanket and let my legs wander out into the sun.

Lying back, I first just took time to soak up the view. The waves rippled in from the horizon, growing bigger and bigger until they folded into themselves or crashed on the rocks. Water washed onto the sand below, smoothing footprints and creating this little ring marks as it fell back into the sea. As the water crashed over the rocks below, beautiful white mist sprayed up, trickling back down into the ocean creating a tiny waterfall.

After a while I closed my eyes, getting centered, and visualized my painting. What does my painting really want to become? What next? What colors does it desire? What shapes?

The answer came to me in only a few minutes: If I don't like the painting as it is, then it I can release what I was intending it to be and be okay making changes.

What a relief! Here I had started out wondering what I should do, what I could do to make it better - make it "right". And the essence of the message that came to me was - if it isn't right, don't try to make it right. Just do something else and see what happens.

With this message, a new wave of inspiration hit and I headed home to paint.

Powerful Intentions

While checking up on an unsolicited email I received from a coach referal company I happened upon Powerful Intentions, a web-community focused on manifesting intentions.

What a fantastic idea!

The website offers free or paid membership, a webpage and profile, a library, a member forum for discussions, and great connections with like-minded folks.

What will you manifest today?

Conscious Connection with Spirit

What is Spirit for you?
For me, Spirit is synonymous with Universe, Source, Divine Light, Inner Guidance, and my Higher Self. I often use the terms interchangeably. Yet there are hundreds of additional words people use to speak of Spirit. I have clients who prefer to use the terms Great Mother, Great Father, Mother Earth, God, Goddess, the Divine, Creator, and even Prime Mover.

What does being "consciously connected with Spirit" mean for you?
Most simply put, for me, connecting with Spirit means consciously being and doing things that create inner peace, and provide a sense of connection with Spirit and my own higher self.

This includes being true to myself, listening to and following my inner guide, being fully awake and present, and being in alignment with my highest self. It also means really experiencing a oneness with all of life, with the Universe, and experiencing myself as a completely connected part of the whole.

How often are you consciously connected with Spirit?
I estimate that I am consciously connected with Spirit at least 25 percent of the time - although I'm working on expanding this. I experience such a great peacefulness and "rightness" when I'm connected with Spirit, so I've taken note of what creates that feeling of connection for me, and I continue to create ways to make that connection throughout each part of my day.

How do you connect with Spirit?
There are so many ways that I connect with Spirit. One of the ways I've found creates the strongest connection is through breathing meditations - some of which I've learned in yoga class and through Deepak Chopra's books.

Nature also offers a strong connection with Spirit for me. Just being in absolute stillness, being competely present, and experiencing or observing life in the moment is incredibly spiritual for me.

Another fantastic way I connect with Spirit is through creating - typically painting and ceramics, other crafty projects and writing.

When do you connect with Spirit?
Typically, I start and end my day with meditation time - even if it's only a few brief minutes it really helps me center myself and experience more peace.

I've found that there are always fantastic opportunities to consciously connect with Spirit throughout the day. For example, I may do a breathing exercise or other quiet meditations when I find myself waiting in line, riding the bus or walking to the store.