the little blog of miracles

time is a gentle friend

2012-02-26T22:16:00.007-08:00

aloha, I am a contemporary visual artist/illustrator who also enjoys writing, photography, music and sculpting plasticine, please visit my art portfolio on redbubble or contact me via email karinlouisetaylor@gmail.com I am on a journey. You are welcome to walk it with me. This blog was created to track my progress from negativity to positivity after a long period of depression and a lifetime of anxiety. ...just daily sharing my heart along the way. You can also find me on Facebook or follow me on twitter

Painting in image above is a currently a 'work in progress'.

Time is a
gentle friend
because
time goes by
taking with it
sorrow and pain
and our sighs
and it brings
with it
hope
for a fresh
new day
it sends out
invitations
to try and try
and moments
of wonder
to right
the wrong
and when
you're lost
can't find
your way
time is
a friend
who guides
your way
back home
along it's
tangled paths
we find
life's lessons
keep us from
going blind
and time
will wait
for you
and me
time travels
with us
in overview
like breath
it's central
to our being
and yet
we forget
time is such
a gentle friend
without time
where would
insight be
and how would
hindsight
bring us
the wisdom
we so need
time is my friend
not my enemy
if used in a way
that is
diligently

thank you time

2012-02-22T21:07:00.006-08:00

Some days seem more difficult than others and we don't even know why. I remind myself that moods and thoughts are just transient, short-lived, ephemeral, fleeting, here today and gone tomorrow.....

Time does help heal all things, contrary to what I've heard some say, time is the gentle mover-onner....time moves me on and my mood moves and shifts and changes, without time, I would be stuck in one particular frame of mind, I am not tied to thoughts and moods, my emotions change....I thank you for the gift of time which sets me free from dark moody moments and lets in the lighter view of life, I thank you for time which heals and seals, which effortlessly removes traces of pain, like stains in the wash, until I sense that freedom of blowing in the breeze like a white sheet whipping about in the gladness of fresh air. I thank you for time, which gives me moments to escape from everyday things in the house and seek out nature, time which lets in a butterfly encounter...time which sends in the rains and the magpies who trill on my clothesline, time which ends and begins things. I thank you.....for time

I also thank you all for visiting my blog over the last couple of months, I have had over 5,000 visits...it's truly heartening, bless you.

painting "Midnight Blues" available here as prints and cards

morning meditation

2012-02-22T16:44:00.002-08:00

morning meditation

there is more to life than seeing,
there is hearing, feeling, sensing, touching, being;
seeing is but one way, sensing is another
tho you may live in obscurity,
your thoughts and hearts are heard
thru the interconnectedness of life
and make an impact on the world;
love reveals itself in purity,
as the lotus blossoms and opens up
to reveal it’s heart;
as the flower of your soul emerges,
go gently, with tenderness and mercy,
as you seek enlightenment and transformation;
balance is hard to achieve,
the scales are precise
and we are sometimes heavy handed;
a divided heart is a difficult path,
find your one true way;
peace is like the calm waters after troubled seas,
we know it not,
but for the contrast between the two
devastation is part of the cycle of life,
embrace everything in your heart of hearts
and you will be all knowing, all loving
and all understanding;
rejection may be the seed of redemption,
loss is of value to the seeker
all are on the journey,
but only the seeker grows in wisdom
bless all things,
that all things may bless you
seek to cause no harm,
bless everyone and everything in turn
may you receive the key of knowing
loving and understanding
which is the charm of life
throughout all drama and the highness
of life,
sit quietly observing and truth will unwind
in the stillness of mind is the knowing heart
revealed, in the stillness of heart is
love’s purity foreseen and in the light of
wisdom is life’s greatest joy
Tho you suffer greatly in heavy silence
we are not immune to your suffering
we soak ourselves in your encumbrance
that you might feel less alone and more healing

painting "Springtime" available here as cards and prints

and this too, shall pass away

2012-02-20T22:46:00.012-08:00

I have been wondering about the origins of this saying "this too shall pass" and so I went agoogling to find out...this is one story about how it originated...others say it was from King Solomon.. anyhoo, I do find it extremely helpful, possibly the most helpful of all the little quotes I have floating around in my head.

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words:

"And this, too, shall pass away."

How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

(excerpt taken from Wikipedia under creative commons)

Painting "elephant kiss" by Karin Taylor available as cards and prints from my online art portfolio click here for more information

River Flows In You- Lindsey Stirling

2012-02-19T22:12:00.000-08:00

...let Lindsay's beautiful violin flow through you.......exquisite!

"....and to love" by Karin Taylor | RedBubble

2012-02-19T17:37:00.000-08:00

.....please click on the link to read my latest journal on redbubble where I talk about the creative process and add my creative writing/poetry "....and to love" by Karin Taylor | RedBubble:

100 benefits of meditation

2012-02-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today I want to share this information I found in an article titled 100 benefits of meditation

The article reveals 35 physiological benefits, 20 spiritual benefits and 45 psychological benefits.

There are different types of meditation, for more information go to Effects of Meditation where the writer of the article also gives advice for how long/how many minutes per day one needs to meditate in order to gain certain benefits.

For more information you can go to the NIH (National Institute of Health) NCCAM page (National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) where there are links to research and more information on the effects of meditation.

Above painting "Soul Sisters" by Karin Taylor, for more information visit Karin's online art portfolio click here

Try out this guided Compassion Meditation Podcast by Mary Maddux @ Meditation Oasis

Understanding Mindfulness

2012-02-17T02:50:00.000-08:00

Did you ever think about practising mindfulness using chocolates, why not....check out this video, this mindfulness technique is extremely enjoyable, learn more about mindfulness in this great video. Why mindfulness? Because there are so many benefits, like reduction of stress, anxiety and depression. We all know how to be mindful, we were mindful when we were children, but the busy lifestyles we lead, the responsibilities and demands...lead to us forgetting to be mindful and aware :)

aloha, I am a contemporary visual artist/illustrator who also enjoys writing, photography, music and sculpting plasticine, please visit my art portfolio on redbubble or contact me via email karinlouisetaylor@gmail.com I am on a journey. You are welcome to walk it with me. This blog was created to track my progress from negativity to positivity after a long period of depression and a lifetime of anxiety. ...just daily sharing my heart along the way. You can also find me on Facebook or follow me on twitter

I found mindfulness at the bottom of a rockpool

2012-02-17T02:23:00.000-08:00

Mindfulness, staying in the present moment, being aware in that moment of only what is happening now. Mindfulness helps us to remain in the present and not be in the past or the future so much. Part of the fun I have with mindfulness, is applying it to different things, like walking and eating, even to brushing your teeth. I love meditating and that is another way to practise mindfulness. Listening to the rise and fall, the in and out of your breath is also a mindfulness technique that works well, staying anchored to your breath.

Why mindfulness though? Because it is believed to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. The practice of mindfulness helps us not only in the everyday, but during times where we are facing more difficult situations and problem solving. Mindfulness prepares us ahead of time. It helps us maintain a healthier perspective and awareness, and helps us to feel that we have more space and time to make decisions, before we just react to stress. We can consider problems in a more mindful, balanced way with the help of mindfulness as part of our daily practice.

Mindfulness works really well with mindless activities. All you have to do is slow down the activity and really focus on it. There are other things that can bring about mindfulness in an even more natural way. Someone I read about found mindfulness happened for her when she was canoeing. Another found mindfulness when crossing a busy street. I find the most naturally occurring time for me, when I am immersed in mindful awareness and purely in the moment, is when I am looking into rockpools!

I wonder when you are at your most mindful!?

Research and studies into the benefits of mindfulness click here

My artwork above is a mixed media painting called "Rockpool Therapy" available as cards and prints from my online art portfolio @ redbubble just click here for more details

"I Can't Make Myself Exercise."

2012-02-17T02:09:00.000-08:00

I came across The Happiness Project blog by Gretchen Rubin yesterday and thought her tips for exercising might come in helpful, her blog is really fascinating and full of great ideas for health, happiness and wellbeing, check it out I actually employ some of these strategies myself and find they do work!

aloha, I am a contemporary visual artist/illustrator who also enjoys writing, photography, music and sculpting plasticine, please visit my art portfolio on redbubble or contact me via email karinlouisetaylor@gmail.com I am on a journey. You are welcome to walk it with me. This blog was created to track my progress from negativity to positivity after a long period of depression and a lifetime of anxiety. ...just daily sharing my heart along the way. You can also find me on Facebook or follow me on twitter

intuition

2012-02-17T01:15:00.000-08:00

Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason.^[1] "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning 'to look inside'’ or 'to contemplate'."^[2] Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify. For this reason, it has been the subject of study in psychology, as well as a topic of interest in the supernatural. The "right brain" is popularly associated with intuitive processes such as aesthetic abilities.^[3]^[4]^[5] Some scientists have contended that intuition is associated with innovation in scientific discovery.^[6] Intuition is also a common subject of New Agewritings.^{[7] (Wikipedia)}

So, what is intuition ad how do we use it? ....and why I am blogging on about intuition today?

Because a couple of days ago I had a very healthy intuition or was it instinct or just an idea that popped into my head, and it was "celery soup".

I wasn't feeling well at the time I had the idea, in fact at the time I was very nauseas and ended up feeling sick for a few days. I thought to myself, I wonder if my body is trying to tell me something? I wonder if I'm lacking in some nutrient and my body is asking me for celery soup because it will help. So I went off on a google search to find me some celery facts, what I found was quite fantastic.

Celery turns out to be one of those veges that you can cook without losing any of the vitamins, and it seems to have an enormous range of health benefits, so I immediately went out and purchased a bunch of celery, some potatoes and got started on a big pot of the stuff, not only did it turn out to be delicious, but also very nutritious and the strangest thing, everyone loved it. This is very unusual for my family! Especially with something like celery which I don't believe has ever been served at our dinner table before now.

According to the article above, celery helps control sugar cravings, reduces inflammation, boosts immune system functioning, lowers toxins, lowers cholesterol, reduces blood pressure, has anti-cancer properties, makes white blood cells work better, helps with bowel function, boosts immune system, gets rid of excess fluid, is good for your cardiovascular system, contains vitamin c and is good for colds, contains calcium which is good for lowering stress and keeping you calm, it's got antioxidants and helps you stay younger longer! Wow!!!!

I'm really glad I listened to my intuition, my whole family is now dosing up on the stuff and loving it!! The thing is, that I have need of many of the above benefits, inflammation I have in my tummy and bowel due to coeliac disease, I was needing to get rid of some excess fluid, I am on the verge of a cold and I've been a bit stressed lately, and of course...I am getting older and anything healthy that will help the aging process slow down, I am only too have to have some of!

In the end, I think it takes faith in yourself to follow your intuition, but it's worth a try, especially if it's leading you in a direction that is aligned with overall health and wellbeing.

Above is my painting "Flower of Antiquity - Faith" which is one of three paintings in a triptych, to see more please click here

finding balance

2012-02-16T23:07:00.000-08:00

I wish I were so much better at finding balance, although I'm improving as time goes on, I don't have all the answers yet.

I was thinking that finding balance could be likened to getting all the ingredients together to bake a cake. Too much or not enough of any one ingredient, can result in the cake being a flop, too moist, too dry, sinking in the middle or sticking to the tin. Cakes are tricky like that. So are our lives.

You know, we always want the easy answer but there rarely is one, things usually take a lot of work and a bit of thought, time and practice...and a bit of wisdom. One thing I now know, is that when I feel overwhelmed by life and all I have to do, that is a good opportunity to step back and look at what's going on. To break it down, and see where the energy is going and whether it looks like a healthy recipe.

There are two parts to successful cake baking, the first part involves measuring out the ingredients. The second part is combining them in the right way and at the right time. I think that's a pretty good analogy for life balance.

When I feel overwhelmed, there's a chance that I've struck an imbalance, mainly for me, that will be that I've added an excessive dose of anxiety due to anxious thinking and projection...so I have to employ strategies for dealing with that...ie, meditation and exercise and sunshine...so on those anxious days, it's really important that I balance my life with enough of the other things to bring about equilibrium.

For other people, they will have a different lifestyle and different stressors...and it's really important to find out what helps to balance out the mixture when there is an excess of something else thrown in to the mixing bowl. And if all else fails, we learn from our failure and get to start all over again tomorrow, we get to choose the ingredients all over again and have the opportunity to bake a freshly balanced cake on the morrow.

If at the end of the day you feel a sense of peace and joy, a sense of wholeness and wellbeing, a sense of accomplishment and a feeling that you have given yourself and others time and value/quality...you have baked a very nice cake and we will all want a piece of that!

breath of fresh air

2012-02-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Hope is a breath of fresh air, most definitely, but as well, I really wanted to look into fresh air itself, why is it really good for us? During my googling I found out some really interesting stuff about it, and mainly, it's good to get lots of it, because it's a lot better for you than that recirculated air. The fresh stuff helps with all kinds of things and keeps us healthier. Their are less germs in fresh air for a start. So open a window and take a deep breath! For further reading, you can check this out Negative Ions for the Brain which explains that the air is full of both pos and neg ions, but air conditioning etc, removes negative ions, which we need to really need to thrive, feel energised and be happy. So we really need to get outside and away from polluted air into the freshest stuff we can find. There's more negative ions in good quality fresh air, and even moreso around water, (so lucky we live near the beach!) ie the beach and waterfalls, this is all making a lot of sense! The sunshine is also important for elevated mood, therefore the combination of fresh air, water and sunshine is bound to improve how we feel. I know I always feel so much better after a walk on the beach or in nature, as I'm sure you do. But don't despair if you live in the city and can't get away to the seaside often or at all, because you could try looking into purchasing a (room) ion generator.

I wrote the following during quite a dark and difficult time I was going through in November 2011. Even tho the language is dark, I somehow find hope in the end.

I seek the peace of the ages, as I leverage myself out of the mire, my eyes swollen with the dust of a thousand days and nights crawling on my belly searching for any sign of it.

Parched, arid, broken, my bones are like twigs snapping, my mouth is like the grave, full of worms and death and dying....my eyes look up to the heavens, but the sky returns it's black stare, no stars tonight. This is the dark night of the soul they talk about, whe there is no relief and the sun ceases to shine on the living. The darkness persuades my delusions into being and I see not as one who is holy, but as one who is heavied by cares, too many to name, too much to bear....a spirit that's broken, a car without gas, a smile that was ripped from my lips, a longing that is so wide and deep it can never know solace, peace, painlessness.

I think to myself, this is life without knowing, without seeing, without. I am without. I had forgotten myself, who I was, who I am, who I wanted to be. There was nothing but nothing left, all was devastation. I wanted my air purified, my life nullified, a fresh start, or a dying breath....but to be in this middleness of things, no ending, no new beginning...just an endless in betweenness...proved too much for my starving soul. Starving does things to a person, it makes you desperate. You forget to listen, you are a beggar, dying of thirst and hunger in a desert that has deserted you. How bleak is my future. How all-nothing, I seek the peace of the ages.

And then it awakens, something within, from inside of me there is a seed of new life growing, it can challenge the old ways of death and dying and a fresh spring gurgles up from within me and bubbles through the desert of my bones refreshing my mouth and purifying my soul. It is hope. This hope, engages my mind again, springs forth to battle the darkness and evergrowing nothingness of the days and weeks of suffering.

I look to the sky and the stars are blinking back at me in a sweet sign that life exists and reminds me that the darkness passes, as do all things....even this sweet moment of knowing and longings fulfilled, will pass. For now, i rest in the green pastures while my body looses it's aches and mends it's bones by the river of dreams where the honey flows and the flowers grow up all around.

I am finding peace, I went looking for it outside of myself, and all was darkness, until I located it within myself....and when i did, my understanding of everything else changed, just like that. If I was not at peace, i would not have understood...now in peace, in harmony's way, at one with all, I see it.

Karin Taylor (7 Nov 11)

if all avenues seem closed....

2012-02-13T18:40:00.019-08:00

’…if all avenues seem closed to you, paint yourself a new door and walk right on thru… ~ karin

The idea for this karinism comes from my mum who is always saying that when one door closes another door or window opens....but often we are not looking around to see that other door or window, we are so busy being sad about the door that just closed, that's all we are focussed on. So many times, this has been true, when I've been able to look up from the door that has closed, there were other windows opening. Sometimes when a door closes it is for a good reason, we may not see it like that at the time, and perhaps it is only in hindsight we can see more clearly that it was time to move in a different direction for a little while. Sometimes that door will re open....but there are always other windows and doors opening up for you...other ways to reach your destination, do not lose hope, do not give up on your dream, sometimes it just needs time, sometimes it just needs invention, imagination, a change in perspective or some creativity. There is a right time for everything.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

no place like home

2012-02-12T23:05:00.011-08:00

Hey friends, it's hard to believe that I wrote the following almost 4 years ago...seems like I've been on this journey home for a long time now. I've found that I struggle with having a sense of what home is, as we moved around a fair bit while I was growing up, and I've often marvelled at friends who've lived in the same place their whole life and wondered at their sense of place, which always seemed missing to me. I must say, that as time has gone on, I believe the nearest thing to home for me in a physical sense, must be the ocean...but other than that...I think we cultivate a sense of place and home wherever we go, wherever we set down, we naturally start making ourselves familiar with our surroundings and looking for ways to create a comfortable, comforting nest, for ourselves and visitors. I hope you enjoy reading some of my thoughts about home below:

No Place Like Home - The Dream Language of Oz by Karin Taylor
'There’s no place like home.’
‘If I only had a heart, a brain, some courage’.
Do these phrases bear any significance for us and if so, is it feasible that a journey ‘somewhere over the rainbow’ holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of life and leading us home?
‘The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering the attitude of mind’ (William James 1842-1910)
Cinema-going was an uncommon treat when I was young. My first experience, when friends and I went to see The Wizard of Oz. Enthralled by the abundance of shimmering imagery on-screen, I went along for the ride and somehow ended up in Oz through the magic of movie-making. Young hearts yearned to go there real-time and live under the guidance of Glinda the Good Witch, the equivalent of all fairy fantasies wrapped up in one delicate pink tulle gown. Bottoms glued to seats under cover of darkness, we savoured every moment as the drama played out.
Upon closer scrutiny, the hazy mist of childhood dreams subsides and the idea dawns on me that I’ve been looking for that same elusive place ever since. With directions like ‘……somewhere over the rainbow….’ and an ‘F’ in Geography, let’s just say, getting there won’t be easy.
Thirty years on and I’ve deliberated over this with new insight, finding it possible to correlate Dorothy’s quest with the journey of my own life. It turns out that to find home, perhaps one needs to combine heart, courage and wisdom as the co-ordinates to find our way there and back. Here’s where the childhood myth of Oz morphs into an adult tale of mystical proportions.
Co-ordinate of the heart – an inseparable element of the journey. What are theheart qualities one should hope to see manifest? Gentleness, openness and honesty would be a good start, mix in some x-ray vision to help see through rough exteriors into the inner man. The ideal heart won’t be swayed by petty jealousy and rivalry, it’s development bittersweet, the beat growing stronger with every adversity through the school of hard knocks
The Witch cruelly suggests Tin Man’s heart has been spirited away, but in truth, his poor heart was substantially battered and bruised, transporting him far further along the road home than he at first realises.
Co-ordinate of courage – played out in the determination to strive for what you believe in, giving the ‘heave-ho’ to discouragement and self-doubt, overcoming fear and concern about what others think. Exhibiting strength of character and becoming a voice for those without scope for expression. Having courage to change, making brave and unpopular decisions, taking the road less travelled – these things should not be overlooked. In retrospect, life affords us plenty of opportunities for the development of courage. Heroic intentions not only benefit one’s self, but inspire and motivate others.Courage is cultivated through each conscious decision to step outside our comfort zone. We don’t get far without it.
Lion came a long way on his journey from being scared of his own shadow to having great confidence in himself as King of the Jungle. Lion was not lacking courage, but insight into the human condition…unaware that feeling scared and apprehensive is at times, part and parcel of life. Courage is only a step away from fear at any time.
Co-ordinate of wisdom – the most difficult and elusive of them all! Some have easy access to it, while others must strive for it. Wisdom is the ability to separate fact from fiction, to make sound decisions after weighing up all possible outcomes
Destination: home – a different entity for everyone. Some suggest it’s purely habitat or memories from childhood…others feel at home wherever they stop for juice. For me, home is actually a concept, not tangible. It’s the fulfillment of wholeness, a solid understanding of one’s self, the capacity for resilience, and consistency in humility, ie knowing one’s true and rightful place in the scheme of all things and having the good sense to stay there.
1. Dorothy’s dissatisfaction with farmlife shifted significantly when she listened to a stranger who changed her perception and gave her new insights. It is worthwhile visiting problems from all angles to provide the best possible overview and help us make wise decisions.
2. Scarecrow was intelligent but the farmer took it for granted that he didn’t have a brain. What Scarecrow lacked was wisdom, closely followed by self esteem. If he’d realised he already had the wisdom to match his intellect, he may have saved himself a lot of turmoil by discerning that the farmer had simply made a hasty assumption. It is wise to be cautious in making or listening to assumption made about ourselves and others. Dorothy herself praised the Scarecrow saying that she felt he seemed just as wise, before the Wizard of Oz had gifted him with wisdom (wikepedia)
3. The Wizard was a grave disappointment, not really possessing great magical powers, he nonetheless became a sage by performing the incredible feat of helping these odd-bods find themselves. Through his considerablewisdom, he was able to shed light on the plight of the four pilgrims.
Conclusion – perhaps heart, courage and wisdom need to be combined, interwoven for maximum effect. They might be seen as our co-ordinates for pinpointing our ultimate destination, home. The journey may fall short of the desired location if we pursue one without the other. I assume Dorothy somehow sensed this and in order to reach her goal she engaged the attributes and virtues she’d need along the way in the unlikely forms of Tin Man for heart, Lion for courage , Scarecrow for wisdom and The Wizard for insight perhaps into all three. Dorothy’s dream powerfully dramatised her subconscious thought and brought her full circle back home.
I think Dorothy really understood that to reach her destination, it couldn't be travelled to, by a boat or a train....she desired to reach a place where there would be no troubles....and she thought that place was far, far away....she went on an amazing journey, all in all, only to find, that her destination was right there where she was... it is all in our favour, it is all in the way that we observe the world we will live in, it is all in our attitude, our gratitude....we can choose to search for it forever, or realise that it is within us, wherever we are.
Dreams are more than just simple imaginings,they have great potential. Not unlike envelopes marked ‘return to sender’, they contain messages for us that can be guideposts to buried concerns, listen to them and travel home with certainty.
Finally, miracles are rarely instantaneous, those of us who seek them, do well to prepare for the bumpy ride over the rainbow and back home. Along the way, we must seek and find the goodness in ourselves and in others, perhaps the beauty of all mankind is reflected in all the colours of the rainbow. Next time you see a rainbow, ponder with gratitude all the good there is and find within you the home that you seek, for it is not without, but within us. xx

the power of the mind

2012-02-12T17:46:00.003-08:00

"Be encouraged, there is hope"

Watching this video this morning by David Hamilton: The Contagious Power of thinking and he talks about finding a scientific explanation for how dreams, or picturing something in your mind can then have an influence in your life.

Read this incredible blog entry "Mental Training vs Physical Training - how we get stronger by doing a mental workout" by Dr David Hamilton, it will blow you away...the research is saying that you can actually visualise doing the exercise in your mind and produce similar results to physical exercise....get outa here...that's amaaazing!! I once recall my doctor saying to me, that I'd be surprised how much mind/body are connected...well, he was absolutely right, I am astonished. This is exciting news! ...and not, because I am thinking of trying it out, I actually enjoy exercising physically, but how fantastic is this for peeps who are wheelchair bound or have suffered serious physical injury and can't do the physical side of exercise. Not only that, this kind of research builds hope for us all. I can't begin to imagine all the possibilities this opens up for health and healing.

Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired. Erikson, Erik H.

If this is so, then it means that there is a possibility that we can impact our own lives. I love how he looks for the science behind the phenomenon, this really helps the cynic in me to accept and explore these things further. The possibilities, which are being researched and proven, are helping me to cultivate hope for the future. The things we think are powerful, more powerful than we currently know. The body and our physical wellbeing is also influenced by what and how we think. Dr Hamilton says there is evidence that the brain can be changed, it's wiring altered, simply by meditating and thinking positive thoughts, that sounds simple, but it takes some effort and determination...another of the ways we can start making these changes, is by making lists for things we are grateful for...and the repeating of positive affirmations is helpful "it's my choice how I respond to this" and "I can do this"...just by focussing on the things that we feel positive about, rather than focussing on the negatives, we will make a difference to our outlook and prepare ourselves better for stressful times ahead. This actually produces changes in the wiring of our brain. We become more positive in our outlook if we repeatedly practise these things.

Listen this radio podcast on Living is Easy between Dr David Hamilton (author of Your Mind can Heal your Body) and radio host John Petrozzi, the interview sheds more light on how our thoughts, our daily attitude can affect our immune system and our brains and how visualisation can indeed help heal us - just click here.

On a slightly different tangent, related moreso to the video I was talking about in the first paragraph, something very interesting which I've only just recently begun to notice, is whenever I've had an art idea, I will see similar ideas produced by other artists that I enjoy, knowing full well there has been no meeting of the conscious minds as such...and so, I began to wonder about the interconnectedness of our unconscious minds, and whether we are influencing one another on a subconscious level. Dr Hamilton is also looking into the scientific evidence for this. I am looking forward to keeping up with his research, it's a fascinating area of science which is shedding light on things we are already experiencing and up until now, if you were to talk about these things in public, a lot of people might think we were just crazy lol.....i love that research is beginning to connect the dots and give us so much hope for the future, so much hope for people who have experienced mental or physical pain....which would included just about everyone! ....so, in that respect, there's much hope for all of us. To keep up to date with Dr David Hamilton's research, videos, books etc...please click here

Another great article for reading on Dr Hamilton's blog is "Think yourself positive" you can visit his blog and read his other informative posts too just click here

Image above is an iPhone photo (with added textures) of my drawing "power of the mind"

words can wound

2012-02-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

There is new scientific evidence that words can and do wound, they damage the brain. Just add an 's' and “words” can become “swords” in the some cases.

The discovery has been made that brains of kids who are bullied at middle school aren't like other normal brains. Bullying can create an environment which may lead to damage within brain, which could later affect a person’s ability to make complex moral judgements about others. All the more reason to cultivate kindness in our homes, schools and communities.

True courage is cool and calm. The bravest of men have the least of a brutal, bullying insolence, and in the very time of danger are found the most serene and free. Shaftesbury, Lord

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”...most of us can remember kids in the playground yelling this in a sing-songy tone, or maybe it was us ourselves....but I never bought it. I had an inkling those kids were just being brave, hoping that loud repetition could magically erase the pain.

I was one of the kids on the receiving end of bullying in high school, I suffered in silence, telling no-one and then again more recently was the subject of some online harrassment. Sadly the things that were said fed directly into my already negative self talk or harsh inner critic,
but I just wanted to say, there is a great deal of hope for all of you out there with a wounded spirit.
Meditation can help build bridges and so can talk therapy, exercise and medication can help too...so if you feel overwhelmed or unhappy for more than a couple of weeks, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and make an appointment to talk to your doctor and start on a wonderful rewarding journey of recovery and self discovery.
I delayed my healing for so many years, because I was too afraid to ask for help, it took a crisis for me to reach out, but it is wonderful to be here talking to you on the other side, there is such freedom in that. So be encouraged, there is hope and there is help, always there is definitely someone who will help you, and not judge you...there are healers, they come in all sizes, shapes and colours, your general practitioner is a great place to start and you would be surprised just how many of us are finding the help we need, better to get that help as early as possible, rather than leaving it til you’re in a crisis like I did....the right people are out there, waiting patiently to help.
My painting above, "One Spring Day" is a variation of a painting available as cards and prints at my online portfolio and store on redbubble click here for more information.
Resources

Hurtful words damage the brain

Two Minds on Morality

only kindness matters

2012-02-10T02:57:00.000-08:00

Heavy on my heart lately is the song by Jewel "Hands" (click on the link to watch her moving video).

"If I could tell the world just one thing, it would be that we're all okay... and not to worry, cos worry is wasteful and useless in times like these. I won't be made useless, I won't be idle with despair, I'll gather myself around my faith, for light does the darkness most fear." Jewel - Hands

The lyrics are beautiful and one of my favourite parts is 'in the end only kindness matters' .... .... but what I wanted to say is, in the end, every kindness matters, no matter how small or insignificant you might think. The small things you do and say, the prayers you pray, the thoughts you think, the way you show you care....it all matters, every single thing little thing you do. You might sometimes think it goes unnoticed, but kindness is catching...and in the end...it's what matters in life. I really believe that.

Here is an article and a video by David Hamilton, PH.D about why kindness matters.

"I painted a cloud so the sun could shine thru" Karin

A while ago, I created the drawing above, from a heart that was longing to see friends who were down, feel uplifted. It was all I had, all I could do at the time, just one little drawing, to show that I cared, that someone was listening. I hope the painting brightens someone's day out there and helps them maybe find a smile that was hiding behind a cloud.

catch me when I fall

2012-02-10T01:27:00.000-08:00

"We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies." Roderick Thorp, Rainbow Drive

A few things have happened lately which have drawn me back to the topic I discussed a little while ago, about being the person who is our best friend. About being the voice of strength, of hope, of positivity, within our own lives.

Today, while I was meditating, I got this mind picture. It is the little image you see above. The girl falling is myself, and the girl catching her is......myself.

For some time I hadn't been in touch with the voice inside me that loves me, it was as tho she'd gone overseas and was missing. Over a very difficult period the last 9 months or so, I could not hear any voice or self, but the anxious frightened voice within me. I felt dread. I felt that I could not trust my opinions or thoughts. I only listened to that anxious frightened me, it was all I could hear as it drowned out the positive part of myself who wants what's best for me.

Not long into the worst part of my anxiety trip, I became so tormented and distraught, that I had to seek out 'other' voices who could speak to me, on my own behalf, I gave some other special people that kind of authority, people that I deeply trusted. My doctor, my psychologist, my mother and a couple of friends. These people stood in the gap, until I could regain enough focus to look for, and hear my own 'good' voice again. It has taken quite a long time and a lot of patience, trial and error, but eventually....here I am, beginning to trust myself again and finding that there is a voice inside of me, that wants the very best, that is my coach, my shade on a hot day, the one that spurs me on, encourages me, pushes me to do the right and healthy things, to make progress along the way toward cultivating better habits, which in turn help me achieve better outcomes and she is also very forgiving and understanding about my faults, which are many. She is also able to point out my good bits and make me smile at myself, not take it all so seriously.

One of my favourite songs in this whole word is Bernard Fanning's "Watch over me" which he wrote as a hymn after he watched the Pope's funeral. I have always had faith in what I like to describe as my higher power and I like to play and sing this song on my guitar...in past, I always played it with my higher power in mind, but today, I play it with my 'best' self in mind. I can be the person who will catch me when I fall, and if I cannot, I just need reach out to other trusted individuals who will stand in the gap and be that voice for me, until I find my way again. But it's nice to feel that I can start trusting my own judgements, valuations, reality again. Very cheering and comforting.

As a person who is maturing later than many others I know, I find this quote very comforting also:

Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured and far away. It is not important that he should mature as soon as an apple tree or an oak. Thoreau, Henry David

Related reading - below is a great article that explains so much about why we are tuned in to our negative thoughts and what we can do to help ourselves see many more possibilities and in the process, treat ourselves a whole lot better:

Getting unstuck from automatic negative thinking By ELISHA GOLDSTEIN, PH.D.

Bless you and a happy weekend to everyone and I hope you enjoy listening to "Watch over me"!

discovering peace

2012-02-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

"There are different things one can do to establish and hasten the peace process. Meditation is one way."
Mike Love

During this morning's guided meditation #25 Discovering Peace with Mary Maddux from Meditation Oasis today I had an amazing experience of clarity regarding an unresolved issue that had been troubling me for some time. As I was meditating, Mary made the suggestion to bring the thing that's troubling me, into my conscious mind and just let it sit there with me, as I remain peaceful. Not trying to control the thoughts or push them out or struggle with them.

This seems rather unnatural, as my usual thing is to have the issue arise in my mind, and I would liken what happens next, as sort of like me initiating a sword fight with it. I am chasing it out of my mind, while at the same time, trying to address the issue and figure out what I need to do about it.

In this new scenario, of inviting in the challenging problem and sitting with it peacefully, I was able to let it all unravel and allowed a whole scene to unfold and reveal all the memories I had which were associated with the problem, which had disappeared from my consciousness. By doing this, it helped me to actually 'see' the situation as it really is. This empowers me to deal with a situation, that beforehand was causing me tremendous angst and confusion.

I was so surprised at this outcome, that I wanted to write about it, not only to share, but for myself, as a future reference point should I need to revisit this again.

Thanks so much to Mary Maddox for providing such a wealth of wonderful free to all guided meditation podcasts at Meditation Oasis

Have a beautiful day, may it be full of happiness and transitioning to a more peaceful state of mind, if you are struggling with that, don't forget, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor, a friend or a counsellor :)

Painting above "once upon a rainbow" a slightly different colour version is available from my online store and portfolio @ redbubble as cards and prints click here for more information

sacred tears

2012-02-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.

To cry or not to cry, that is my question. Most of us would have experienced crying at some time or other and noticed that we felt better after a good session, but is there a reason for this?

I made some discoveries about 'emotional' tears that researchers are making, but because I don't know whether any of them are completely backed up by science, or how valid they are, I'll just briefly mention a few of the things I found. I read somewhere that women cry around 50 times per year and men cry less then 10 time per year. I heard that women's tears flow down over their cheeks like waterfalls, and men's don't. I also heard that women feel they need to cry more often than men, but when we are children, boys and girls cry about the same amount.

Some of the research suggests that when we cry, it is possible we are releasing a build up of chemicals caused by stress which might be harmful to us if they were they to remain in the body. Other studies suggest that crying can help to normalise breathing when a person feels overwhelmed by stress, so this is a pleasant outcome from crying. In other research it is being suggested that when people cry in company, they experience a positive response from the other people present at the time, who then offer warmth, touch, hugs and support. Touch is known to be helpful for emotional wellbeing. Some suggest that this is the reason we cry....to be honest, I really don't know...but one thing I am sure of, is that whenever I see someone cry, I am usually moved toward compassionate response and deep empathy. I want to reach out and help. I want to understand them better. I put myself in their place, so I can try to imagine/visualise how they must be feeling.

I sometimes wonder how vast a sea would be if we joined together all our tears? Could we sail a boat on our tears...do tears bring us together, would our tears join all the nations on earth together...could all the tears we've ever cried make us whole, not only in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense, and beyond that could our tears knit us together in a global sense as a community?

Musing right along, if I saw the tears of my enemy, would it soften my heart to him and vice versa? If we all saw one another as more human through our expressed pain and hardship, would we be more able to understand and empathise with another's point of view, to imagine and envisage other people's pain and suffering, were we to witness their tears. Deep in my heart, I believe that it would increase empathy all around the world....maybe there's a book to be written, with images taken from the hearts of people in every country and corner of the world...which would make us simply more aware, remind every one of us, that we are all just human, all have experienced suffering, we all are in need of love and in need of one another's compassion and empathy. Too simple, yeah, but I am just a dreamer, forever caught up in dreaming of a ways to unite us all.

Watch this moving video all the way through and have a beautiful day my friends....

my painting above, "splish, splosh, splash" is available as prints and cards through my online store and art portfolio @ redbubble please click here for more information

little box of calm

2012-02-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Last night I reached out for the beads on my bedside table and began to pray, holding one of the beads between my thumb and forefinger, something I haven't done for many years.

My beads are not anything special, certainly not the traditional kind of prayer or worry beads, and I think I picked them up for $1 at an op shop, looks like they are made of balsa wood, rough to the touch, but comforting. It felt good to make application to my higher power during a time of need. I thought, this could be another helpful thing for me, in my journey forward, and just as I was contemplating this, I cast my gaze forward, beyond the beads, to where I noticed my little round box with the fake cow hide and thought it might be a good idea to put all the little things in there that help me day to day. I can call it my Little Box of Calm.

I can pick up my Little Box of Calm any time I desire...and take it with me anywhere. It can come along with me on road trips, holidays, day trips...it's only small, so it's nice and portable and doesn't take up much room, yet it fits in a wealth of little ideas to help should I become anxious or down and forget how to find my way out....I can also add to it, whenever I find anything else that helps.

Inside the box I've got my little collection of meditation cd's by Petria King, The Little Book of Calm by Paul Wilson, the Desiderata Poem, Jeremiah 29:11, my prayer/worry beads, encouraging notes from people and my rescue list, which lists all little things I can do to help myself, which include:

Playing music that I enjoy such as Mumford and Sons and Coldplay

Sitting outdoors watching nature

Drinking less coffee, more chai, decaf tea or chamomile

Get to bed earlier

Walk along the beach

Pray with worry/prayer beads

Read through blog ideas

Exercise and meditate daily

Breathing STOP exercise (stop, take 4 deep breaths, observe, proceed with improved outlook)

Visit the rockpools

Learn to compromise and negotiate with self, don't be so hard on self

Pressure points

Lay face down for strong anxiety

Write a poem to express emotions

Draw or paint to express emotions

Mould something with plasticine

Play guitar for a while

Pat the cat, hug the dog

Eat something I love that's healthy, ie greek yoghurt, raw cashews, sweet nectarine, mango

Develop a plan of action to address any significant problems wearing me down

Think of plan A, B and C in case Plan A doesn't work out

Reflect on poety such as the Desiderata, 'this too shall pass', 'one day at a time', 'let go and let god'

Talk with a friend, counsellor or family member who is a good listener

Take medication as prescribed

Draw something to express my emotions

If all else fails, make appointment with doctor or psychologist

The thing to remember, is that last one, if all else fails and I feel overwhelmed, it's always a good idea to call the doctor for a chat.

tapestry of life

2012-02-06T20:54:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine if each one of us were given a garment the day we were born, and every tear, every achievement, every important event, every challenge, every overcoming, every victory, every sadness and every joy… were embroidered or sewn into it, like a tapestry of your life… it would be most splendid by the end, pearls for tears, diamonds for accomplishments, feathers for carefree moments, and it goes on and on….this is how my splendid dress developed into such a wealth of beads and beauty, by the end I’d left a beautiful legacy behind, and as I went along in life, I could look upon the garment and recall the journey of my life, and take in all that I’d achieved…and all that I’d endured… and I could think….you’ve done well…you’ve done well… you’ve helped others, you’ve grown and changed, you’ve been thoughtful, you felt pain and you suffered, but you overcame, etc..here is my dress which i visualised embroidered and embellished with my life, joys and sorrows… my life, my legacy, in a dress

O sew my tears into my dress of opulence
and regard them as splendour
add the moon and the stars
those diamonds in the sky
adorning my garments
…
I wore my joy upon my breast
and there a zebra finch came
to fashion his nest…
If i ever lost my way or
if I ever went astray
the embroidered dress would
guide my way
….
Silently it spoke of my life
in every living pearl
tho not blessed with brains
it held within it’s seams
precious memories in every
satiny thread.
….
Tho not blessed with breath
the dress had depth
tho not exposed to life’s hardships
it was worn in places
though not able to form friendships
I loved the dress dearly and did
bond with it some ways
…
It gave me comfort, as it shared my burdens
and from it I drew strength, as I gathered
up my cotton and thread…..
I wove into it’s seams a token
from every joy, a trinket for every child,
a pearl for every blessing, a colour of the
rainbow, for every wonder of nature,
a ray of sunshine for every act of kindness
and the dress endured beyond me,
like a traveller thru time…
…
artwork, 'may the sun always shine' available from my online store and art portfolio click here

why meditate?

2012-02-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

It's helpful sometimes to reflect on why we do the things we do. It can sometimes help us reorder our lives and help us find perspective. When things have gotten out of control or too busy, our family has had to make the choice to cut some things out of our life...things that perhaps gave some benefit like extra income, but which took too much away from our lives in the form of quality and balance.

I recall a time when our kids were doing so much, extra things after school and during the weekends, like sport, music and in addition to that, they were doing a pamphlet run for some pocket money. In the end, the cost to my kids and husband was just too great. There was the folding, once or twice a week which took a few hours and then the delivery, which was to say the least, gruelling. One day my son was badly bitten by a dog on his delivery run and my daughter ended up getting glandular fever which ran far longer than the usual dose, ending up with post viral fatigue...it took 18 months for her to recover. It's a shame that it took these events to make us have a look at whether the pocket money was really worth it. We reevaluated everthing and decided the kids should let go of the job and perhaps revisit that idea at some later stage when they were feeling more energetic, etc. Or maybe find a less taxing job. When we let go, we experienced such a relief. It was very noticeable and we all remarked on it often and wondered where we had ever found the energy and time. It was a much more relaxed lifestyle after that, and because we were relaxed it allowed us to let in other more therapeutic things, like beach walks and playing guitar and cooking...just spontaneous things which we hadn't done in a long time, because our schedule didn't allow for much free time, and when it did we were resting, feeling exhausted.

I was considering how when I started meditating I only did so because I thought there might be some benefit in it, I had heard other people mention it, and it had been recommended to me also. I had done a short 6 week course and enjoyed that, but really didn't feel the benefits, until things got so bad with my life, that I decided to try it again, but this time I was paying more attention.

I gave it a fair go, and for a while, I couldn't feel much benefit .....then I combined a few things with it, like sitting outdoors while I meditated, keeping a pad and paper handy just in case something inspired popped into my head, and sometimes would sit in the sun, which I find relaxes me too. I take my breakfast in nature before I meditate, and this calms and prepares me and gets me in the right mood for meditating. It quiets my internal dialogue a lot. After that I begin to meditate and have found it much more beneficial than it used to be. Sometimes, I think I am just not ready to really embrace the good things life has in store for me, but they are just there, waiting. Waiting until I am ready. I meditate now, because it feels so wonderful, so beneficial, so calming, so peaceful. It helps me, with my day to day life. It trains me to be aware and noticing...it helps me deal with thoughts and realise they are just thoughts, and let them come and go...it keeps me more balanced and steady. It also helps me to live more in the present moment, and doing this helps me with anxiety and depression. Because there is such a joyful feeling attached to meditation, this can often help to lift a depressed mood and keep anxiety away.

Sometimes we imagine that meditation only has one form, ie that of sitting in a particular position listening to some soft music and our breath, or a guided meditation, but in this article called "Can I paddle my way to meditation?" the author talks about how their psychologist explained meditation is about awareness and being in the present moment. So meditation can take different forms. For her, it would be kayaking, and I think for me, another form of meditation would be visiting the local rock pools or practising art. Having said that, I do enjoy the formal kind of meditation very much, and my favourite guided meditations are easily accessed by anyone at all over at "Meditation Oasis" where Mary Maddux has created over 40 different meditations, depending on where you are each day with your emotions, these suit me so well as I am a very emotionally driven person. Others may find just a simple quiet spot to listen and observe breath and nature.

A man of meditation is happy, not for an hour or a day, but quite round the circle of all his years. Taylor, Isaac