the last post.. of 21/21

Here we are... 21 days later... I leave in a couple of days for a retreat in Bali... packing is.. not done.. but the beginnings of it are... I have designed a commission to be painted upon my return... and I really haven't gotten much painting done in the last couple of weeks.  Oh... I did finish/repaint a couple that were included in the Immanual Art Show... so that's a 'tick off the list' of to do's.

This has seemed like a fairly uneventful 21 days if I look on it now... and that's ok.  It may sometimes seem like that on the surface.. but let me tell you.. there is LOADS going on that's not seen... and I don't even have language for yet!

I was introduced to yet another amazingly fabulous creative successful person online this past fortnight... Leonie Dawson is her name.. she's new to me.. but the likes of Sark give their endorsement of her being wonderful.. so I've downloaded her free e-book and popped that in my kindle to take with me.  I'm treating this like a working holiday... since art is my world and work that makes lots of sense to me.. and I need some time to soak in some goodness and do some writing assignments.  
Like an Artist Statement... and words for my Vision Quest... you know ... little (big) things like that feature in my Color of Woman course.

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I listened in to one of the Meditation Oasis podcasts today, as I allowed the last remnants of headacheness to seep out of my body ... and these words really struck me.. and make for a great theme for a workshop sometime...Let everthing arise in compassion. To be fully present to another or fully present to yourself is the essence of compassion, and compassion heals.  Within the intentional creativity lessons we are learning from Shiloh this is what has been happening.. we are learning to be compassionate with ourselves, and listening to the Voice of our Muse... (she's the voice inside that champions us... the opposite of the critic).

Relaxing Into Healing  
 by  Mary Maddox 

"Listening for the Divine Instruction"
painting by Shiloh Sophia McLeod

Let everthing arise in compassion
to be fully present to another
or fully present to yourself
is the essence of compassion,
and compassion heals


And as we heal
there's always a throwing off
of what isn't needed
a kind of a purification
so there can be thoughts
about, how this won't work
how the situation can't change,
there can be thoughts
of discouragement
it's all part of the healing
to have all of that come
into the light and be revealed


The essence of healing is 
that relaxation into what is.
Complete relaxation allows healing

you can find Mary Maddox podcasts here 
http://www.meditationoasis.com
& Shiloh Sophia McLeod http://www.redthreadnation.com

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As I sign off from this little episode of 21/21 blogposts ... I am feeling grateful for the journey I am on, very grateful for good health, and looking forward to my adventure in Bali ... I always think of travels as an adventure, and I try my best to enjoy every minute of it... I travel with every little snippet I can think of to make myself comfortable.. sarong, pashmina, iPod, ear plugs, eye mask, homeopathic drops, pain killers, water, pens, notebook, spritzer spray, nuts and dried fruit .. you name it... and I may very well have it somewhere in my bag!

bye for now,
it's been fun.. and a bit of a challenge..
but.. I now have a small sense of achievement,
and that's not a bad thing at all.


with love,
Denise xo