LifeUnity

IMPORTANT: SITE CHANGE

2011-01-28T19:32:00.007-05:00

Hello lovely followers!!

I've gone and done it...no big fanfare, even surprising myself that I finally got this done.

I HAVE A NEW WEBSITE / BLOG!

Http://www.lifeunity.com

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR FEEDS/SUBSCRIPTIONS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN STAYING WITH ME!

If you are viewing this, it means you are currently subscribed to or following "lifeunity.blogspot.com".

(Within a few days, f you type in, "lifeunity.blogspot.com" now in your browser, you will be redirected to the new site, "www.lifeunity.com". I am not sure, but current subscriptions to "lifeunity.blogspot.com" may no longer work.)

If you are interested in still receiving updates (meaning you don't want to manually type in "www.lifeunity.com", please be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed OR click on the link for Google Friend Connect at the new site (http://www.lifeunity.com).

I am truly sorry to add this new step - originally I thought I'd be able to transfer all of my current followers. There may be a way to do it, but my technical knowledge is limited!

If you have any questions or any troubles accessing the new site, please feel free to leave a comment here! I may cross-post for a bit, but most new blog posts (and all new photos, etc.) will appear at the new site.

I am SO thankful for all of the love I've received since I started blogging, and seriously hope I don't lose anyone in this transition. I am confident, however, that the new site will allow far more opportunity to expand (art photos & more!).

THANK YOU for everything!!

Namaste,
Lisa

IMPORTANT Change

2011-01-28T12:52:00.000-05:00

After much procrastination, I am finally attempting to import this blog to my new Squarespace website.

If everything goes correctly, you will not need to do anything to access the new site.

I will be working on this throughout the day today (Friday, January 28th).

Again - If I do all of this correctly, I believe the only change you should notice is the look of the blog. (i.e. all post links and feeds should still be active.) This blog will remain "here", but all new posts will appear via the new site.

**I will update with more specific information once I'm sure this is working**

I am NOT technically proficient and there are bound to be some problems. Please hang in there with me as I try to get this all in working order.

If you notice any problems, please don't hesitate to contact me (lifeunity at gmail dot com)!!

I will post updates as I work through this....here's hoping for the best!!

Exciting Sneak Peak!

2011-01-28T08:47:00.000-05:00

The winter of this cycle in my life is coming to an end.

It may still be cold and snowy outside, but things are budding within that are yearning to break through the surface.

I have been quietly working on projects as I write online the resulting deep thoughts and experiences. I am SO excited to announce not one, but TWO big things on Monday.

Ok....I can't wait to give you a sneak peak of one of them:

This year, I will again be participating in One World, One Heart - the final one. (For those not familiar with this, Lisa Swifka created an annual online event that has exploded in participation. Bloggers across the world offer giveaways as part of a get-to-know-you around-the-world journey. Visit HERE for more information.) Basically, it means a giveaway that YOU can enter!

I have been working on a painting for my giveaway...and can't wait to share! All of my regular followers will of course be able to enter as well - and I hope that you do! More info on Monday.

Ooooh....it is going to be an exciting weekend leading up to an exciting Monday leading up to...well, I'll just keep flowing with where it's going.

Namaste!

You Already Are.

2011-01-27T09:03:00.000-05:00

How much more do you need to do in order to be?
How much more do you need to read?
How much do you need to see, to taste, to hear?

How many more lessons do you need in order to be?
How many degrees?
How many teachers and gurus and mountains must you visit?

How much money do you need in order to be?
How many cheers from others?
How much security do you need to feel?

The answer is but one: None.

You are.

So Be.

Namaste.

The Beauty of Practice

2011-01-26T08:45:00.001-05:00

I had something ready to go for this morning. A poetic reminder of being instead of doing. I will post it later today or tomorrow because sometimes - well, sometimes life shares with us something that needs to be passed along.

This morning was progressing beautifully - I completed a 15-minute yoga sequence while the kids got ready, the house quietly humming along.

Of course at the last minute, right before we are to leave for the bus stop, things fall apart. My son's bag isn't ready, shoelaces untied, my daughter is crying...yeah.

My son and I finally exit the house...only for me to notice that he has just one glove on. Upon asking him where the other one was, he sheepishly replied, "In the house" - at which point (my yoga calm now gone) I yelled at him to just run in and get it. (Visions of the school bus whizzing past dancing in my mind.)

As he went in the house, I was left standing alone on the quiet driveway, brisk wind reminding me yet again of the season.

Whether it was the shock of the wind or a leftover result of yoga or just pure exhaustion I'll never know, but suddenly, I stopped complaining. My mind...it just stopped.

I was there, experiencing the soft wind, listening as a pristine blanket of snow gently rustled on our roof, watching as the trees leaned into one another and then yawned back into a stretch. Wind chimes, hung a few houses down, began a song to accompany this as if I were watching a documentary of beauty unfold before my eyes. I was not cold, I was not angry - I just was.

My son returned with his other glove and we walked hand-in-hand down to the bus stop....arriving just as the bus did.

THIS is why I practice. Why I practice awareness, yoga, art, journaling, meditation....

I don't really have any goals to reach enlightenment. I don't really care if my toes touch the back of my head or if I sell a piece of art after a gallery display. (Both would be kinda cool, though.)

I am fascinated with my experience of living. Those things I practice? The results start to infuse my life. They change my entire way of being.

There are so many ways of being (of feeling, experiencing the world)...I want to know them, for you to know them, for us to delight in playing with them.

And when mornings like this arise - which they will, again and again - I am eternally grateful to be able to experience them.

Namaste.

How To Say Thank You

2011-01-25T08:52:00.000-05:00

What if every act we did, every thought we had, was one of devotion?

What if

To get up,
get the report done,
check on the bank account,
acknowledge the pain,
steam the broccoli,
order through the drive-thru,
click the t.v. remote,
pay the bills,
kiss the child...

was a sentence,
or a phrase,
or an exclamation!

to our unique understanding of the divine
that "something else"
that voice, that pull,
that knowing that this job
and routine
and suffering
isn't all there is.

Our existence being
Our way of sharing the story of our life -

our magnificently mundane individuality -

and saying

thank you.

Vibrant Creating

2011-01-24T07:51:00.001-05:00

There are many ways to both become aware of vibrancy - that energy that makes us feel alive - and to BE vibrant - to express it.

I practice yoga - on and off the mat. I run. (Ok, less so recently.) I sing in the car. I do random acts of kindness. I hike. I journal. I play games with my kids. And throughout many other things, I create.

Creating through fear (as I'm exploring on my Fearless Painting path) taps into that vibrancy, puts me in harmony with those waves of energy that just make me tingle. I usually end up with some fun creation - but more importantly, I am more vibrant myself.

Here I am...completely not vibrant (hah!) after a few nights of not sleeping well....holding my newest creation to give you an idea of its size.

And here is the completed piece.

(Painted with acrylics...on fabric.)

I adore the sensual nature of the final piece, one that started with no goal other than to tap into whatever message my creative source wanted to share.

I started with swirls and ended with what you see here. When I view it, one word keeps coming to mind:

Namaste.

I see my vibrancy and I see yours. Let's keep tapping into them together.

Winter Blessings

2011-01-22T09:05:00.000-05:00

Pristine Stillness.

I treasure those moments.

Why Do What You Do

2011-01-19T10:33:00.000-05:00

(*Ok, I give up. I was going to record myself reading this blog post as it is a bit long...however, I've spent nearly an hour trying to figure out why my recording device isn't working on my computer. Time to just let go...and get my daughter her SunnyD. Maybe next time...)

This is what I spent hours yesterday doing...and will continue doing today.

I have dozens of photos and documents that I've collected of my family / ancestry and I'm trying to scan it all in. I want to preserve them but also want a format in which I can easily share these treasures with other family members.

I have had these for quite some time and always found myself with "something else" to do. As a "stay-at-home-mother" (grrr....still don't like that term), I am constantly faced with "something else" to do....and yet nothing to do at the same time. I have no deadlines, but I have a constant whining presence if lunch isn't made on time. I have no boss looking over my shoulder but I do have constant little one(s) hanging on my legs. I have no job-breaking decisions to make, but I do get to decide how much game & t.v. time the kids get, what we eat, how clean the house stays, and what gets discussed over the dinner table.

The point is, there is always something to do. For all of us. I consider myself unbelievably fortunate to feel as though I have a say in the matter. And yet, with that fortune comes great responsibility.

I am challenged with researching and fleshing out our ancestry (including all of the stories that help us understand who we are and thus, how we teach future "us-es") because no one else has the time.

I am challenged with deciding how I answer my children's questions about kissing and death and God because my husband is working to pay for the home in which we answer those questions.

I am challenged with maintaining my own health (yoga, working out, diet, creativity, self-awareness, etc.) so I have the energy to do all of this while prompting the others to make healthy decisions (including the hubby!)...because they can't (or won't) maintain awareness beyond momentary satisfaction (which usually leads to snacking on chips in front of the t.v.).

As with the family photos, I don't have to do any of this. I could be further developing a website, putting our youngest in childcare to get a job and pay down our debt, or simply sitting in front of the t.v. all day. It is what it is. Therein lies both the simplicity and the mind-blowing complexity.

How do I decide what to do with my minutes? How do any of us? We may feel we "have" to do something or other, but I guarantee that those have to's aren't really HAVE-to's. (If you were in a coma tomorrow, the world would go on without that article that you HAD to get done. If you lost your source of income tomorrow, there are ways around those bills that HAD to be paid. If you found yourself with a life-threatening disease, those last few pounds that you HAD to lose suddenly wouldn't matter a bit.)

It shouldn't take a tragedy to awaken us to the choices we have in life.

It isn't wrong to push towards getting that article done or getting your bills paid on time or keeping your body as healthy as it can be. It isn't wrong to spend my hours working on family photos or blogging or playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos with my daughter. (Yep. Did that this morning.)

I believe it is "wrong" (though I shy away from that word) to do any of these things without awareness of why we are doing them. And I'm not just talking about the surface things, as "I'm working to pay the bills", or "I'm scanning pictures to preserve them". I'm talking about the deeper why, the one we generally ignore because we "don't have time to think about that sort of stuff".

My answer is that I feel constantly called to journey with others towards awareness. Awareness of what was, what could be, and most importantly, what is. Awareness of the body and all those squishy inner things we often ignore, awareness of the mind and how freakin' bouncy it is, awareness of how it all works together. Awareness of other people existing right now, doing things right now, believing things, feeling things...trying to sort it out just like me.

But that's MY answer. I'm interested in yours. What are you going to do what you do when you finish reading this?

Why?

A New Translation of Yoga

2011-01-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

I love the cycles of life.

Yoga has been returning in my life in a very strong way the past few weeks. It is once again reminding me how central it is to who I am, how blissfully I blend with the concepts, how challenged I feel by the asanas (poses) and the very practice.

I have tons to share on this - including how my new understanding has given me a confidence to return to my teaching (and a very humble admission on why I shied away from the teaching in the first place).

However, this morning is not the time for that. The kids are fighting in the other room and - well, let's just say it is taking most of my focus to stay yogic enough to write this.

I thought I would share with you fun little insights I had while reading the Yoga Sutras last night (the "guidebook" to yoga, 196 sutras, or observations / short phrases, assumed to have been composed over 2000 years ago) - a bit of new translations.

A background: I love taking ideas - woo-woo concepts that I seem to intuitively grasp - and trying to translate them into "real-world" concepts.

Here's an example (and while I wish I could put this in a nicer chart, it wouldn't look so great with the blog layout):

YOGA SUTRAS

Here's how I'll lay them out.

A. The English translation* of the sutra.

B. The translation of my understanding.

C. The offensive-but-true translation.

(*English translations taken from "The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, translated by Chip Hartranft")

1.1.
A. Now, the teachings of yoga.
B. Still your mind and listen; the following are the teachings (yet not the practice) of Yoga in its entirety.
C. The teachings on engine repair are down the hall.

1.2.
A. Yoga is to still the patterning of consciousness.
B. Yoga is quieting the chatter of the mind.
C. Yoga is shutting up the shit.

1.3.
A. Then pure awareness can abide in its very nature.
B. We can remain peacefully aware of (re-member) ALL that we truly are - returning to unity.
C. We see that we are so much more than all of that shit.

1.4.
A. Otherwise awareness takes itself to be the patterns of consciousness.
B. If we do not practice, we become associated with the myriad of thoughts and believe we are no more than our habits.
C. If we don't practice, we believe we are that shit.

I'm having fun with these so sure I will continue.

Until tomorrow,
Namaste.

It's Time.

2011-01-17T10:01:00.000-05:00

*I have gone back and forth on posting this. This came to me last night and I had to switch on the light and fervently write it down. In the morning light it seems harsher and my fear of what "you" might think kicks in. And yet today, as I read posts and stories of the courageous Martin Luther King, I find myself unable to Not share. Please know that I don't write this for a general audience. Please read this as if it was a personal email sent directly to you.*

There is an entire realm of existence for which we have no words. This does not mean these ways of being do not exist or are any less important than those we currently choose.

New Age gurus and science yahoos and everybody in between, I'm talking to you. I'm talking to us. It's time to stop searching and start sinking into - and stretching beyond - where we already are.

You - yes, YOU - do not see that there are ways of feeling, ways of being, ways of moving through your day that are just as accessible to you right in this moment as those you are choosing (or those you feel are being forced upon you).

I hope to awaken something within you via these words. Because if you are me and I am you, I am tired of letting myself get away with this sleepwalking.

Can you even imagine everything that is going on in the world right now? Can you even imagine the feelings that are being felt? A mother just held her dying child. Right now. Someone is experiencing their last few hours on earth - one person knowingly as old age creeps in, one person unknowingly as an unfortunate tragedy awaits. That could be you. Someone just experienced an orgasm; someone just washed themselves in a river; someone just broke out into a fervent, gut-wrenching cry; someone just sat down at a cubicle to start a long repetitive day.

Can you even begin to imagine that all of this effects you? Can you understand how you (your thoughts, those you are having right now) influence all of that? Can you understand that your responsibility is to yourself first and foremost - to awaken to awareness of all of this and the connections? Call it love, call it energy, call it God, call it whatever you want. The word is not what it is, so a combination of letters don't really matter. The understanding, the experience, the ethereal beyond the words does.

How do we feel? How do you feel? It is time to feel ALIVE, damn it.

“Don’t ask what the world needs.

Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.

Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

-Howard Thurman

I don't care if you work a 9 to 5. I don't care if you quit and celebrate working in your p.j.'s from home. I don't care if you have kids or not, are thousands of dollars in debt or living free of that burden. I don't care if you have health problems that limit your mobility or run 10 miles every day.

No more excuses. Do what you need to in order to feel alive, to be aware that every living soul around you deserves the honor of doing the same.

There is simply nothing more important.

I've found this is working for me:

Getting my body healthy so I have the energy to carry myself throughout the world. Practicing yoga to constantly remind myself of the connection between my body and breath and that which I am looking to reconnect to. Creative expression so I find ways for my messages to flow through me. Gratitude for every bit of my life - even the stuff that seems to totally suck at the time. Loving my human experience - the aches, the guilt, the anger, the daily grind. Being open to the divine experience - even that which my logical mind says is absurd. Focusing more on being that on doing - which is an entirely different way of living than I've been taught.

That is what works for me. Try it if you want. Or don't. I can't tell you what will bring you alive.

I can tell you that IT IS TIME. Stop searching for the words to guide you or the career path that will bring success or the web guru that offers unbelievable values for 100 steps that promise to change your life. You already know what makes you feel alive. Breathe. Breathe again. Gently smile.

Cry if you want, scream at the top of your lungs, run at top speed for a few seconds.

Fall, get back up, rest, race. RE-Member. Come back together. See yourself in every person and being around you. Allow "them" to awaken within you. RE-Member. Your thoughts create your actions create your history, your present, your future. Re-member it all.

DO NOT FORGET. Please, damn it, please. It is time.

Move beyond these words.

FEEL ALIVE.

Sing (-a-ma-jig)

2011-01-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

I know I just posted. And I believe in the importance of the last post. I believe in the importance of constant acknowledgement, of awareness.

However, it just left me with a heaviness that is sinking me into a deeper place than I am prepared to go to right now. I need to be clear, embody the feeling of lightness to keep me from being de-pressed when meditating on such matters.

So how about this? Now THIS...this is an awesome way to start your weekend.

Enjoy.

Dedicating to the Real

2011-01-14T09:14:00.003-05:00

I dedicate today to moving meditation.

I dedicate my awareness to those things that I often put aside in the name of "getting things done".

I honor the pains and suffering I am experiencing and acknowledge that you...every single one of you whose eyes fall upon these words...are suffering as well.

Bring it to earth. Bring it to here and now. Make it real.

I am in pain because I've been to several doctors and they can't or won't treat me as a whole. I have hole in my abs, misalignment in my spine, pain around my core. Thousands of dollars later (stupid deductibles) I am no more the wiser as to treatment. I no longer know to whom to turn and have to go deeper than I ever have to find a wisdom if I am to heal myself and be guided to those who can assist.

Brief warning: Possible disturbing image below.

I am suffering because of this.

image from Indystar.com , Joe Vitti, of fatal wreck that occurred yesterday.

Bless Joe, the two officers standing there, in particular the family,

(and you and I) who have this image burned in their minds.

It is no one I know personally. And yet, awareness allowed me a glimpse at the personal effects, what appear to be nursing scrubs, and it connected in my mind to my mother. Awareness of death, of mortality followed. We all exist knowing of this mortality. And yet (without moping around in sheer depressed morbidity day-to-day) I believe we (I) can and need to bring awareness of impermanence into my life in a more consistent manner. (How can I feel so shallow, feel little to nothing, when I am again made aware of a fatal wreck or hundreds dying in a flood or ten more dying in a war across seas? Why do I have to allow myself to open to the pain? I am an emotional person - how blocked off must I be from myself?!)

And you? What are the roots of your suffering? There is no need to share it with anyone but yourself, but also be aware that none of us need to suffer alone. (If at all, but that's an entire other practice)

And then, together, we breathe - seriously, - now - and re-member. (Come back together.)

We dedicate our day to awareness.

We dedicate the next few minutes to gratitude for those things with which we were blessed. Training and ability to read these words. A place in which to read them. A mind to process them. A body with which we can experience them. At least enough safety and security for these few moments to peacefully exist. How blessed are we??????

We do not forget our pains but we acknowledge that the suffering is optional. (again, another lesson.)

I wish I could share with you how important it is to maintain this awareness that life is more than our momentary disturbances. I wish I could remember it myself.

I wish we could celebrate together, through our aches and pains and tears, how beautiful every single moment truly is.

I wish we could start now.

Eh, why not...it's Friday.

Cheers.

Puzzle Peace

2011-01-13T08:37:00.000-05:00

Today, I am puzzled.

My daughter stands crying - crying because she started crying and can't remember why.

My husband stands ready to go, anxious to start our journey today, our list of to-do's that are governed by the clock.

And I?

Off balance, I am trying to remember my peace in it all.

A Smile

2011-01-11T10:06:00.000-05:00

There is so much I want to share. I may even post later today - hopefully, with the news that my Sketchbook is in the mail. (For THIS)

But first, a thought.

A smile does not mean I am happy.

It means I am present.

It means I am trying.

I am often afraid to wear my smile. I want my pain to be acknowledged. I want others to recognize that I am human, that I suffer too, that I may be having a horrible day or fighting tremendous physical pain. I am afraid that others will not see beyond the smile. I am afraid that others will not see me.

And yet...when I smile, my thoughts tend to smile with me. My mind wonders what my face is doing and figures it should play along.

I am never aiming to be fake. I do not wish to wear a smile to pretend, to force myself into a state of being that I am not.

Instead, I recognize that with that smile, I am acknowledging my true state of being - the state underneath the suffering - and thus, celebrating that being. With that smile, I share that state of being with you and invite you to recognize your own.

I acknowledge life, it's humanity, pain and suffering. I acknowledge my back pain, our financial stresses, the loss of those in Arizona, the struggles of those in Australia amidst the floods, the hunger and devastation across the world. And I smile.

Because with my smile, I begin an awareness of the peace that lies underneath. I begin a communication with myself (my mind follows suit and thus taps into my spirit), and with you.

For us:

Open

2011-01-10T10:36:00.001-05:00

The more I open, the deeper I can go.

(And yes, I'd like to stay all spiritual and prophetic here, but I will admit that my human mind still can't type that without giggling.)

I have joined the (free!) Yoga Journal 21-day challenge, which started today. Yesterday, DEEP (part of the Fearless Painting workshops) began. I have committed to immersing myself in both - allowing the exploration to be a cooperative journey involving my thoughts, my physical self, and my spirit.

In the 21-day challenge, we receive a daily email with links to information - including a video for the practice. This morning, it was a 45-minute flowing practice which definitely got my heart rate up.

In Deep, we receive pools of information and inspiration amidst the private space that has been created. Throughout the week, we get videos, discussions, and (of invaluable nature) community interaction.

In both, I do not know what to expect. Each day I commit myself to the practice and then receive whatever instruction I am given. I know certain days will be more challenging then others (like those days I just want to sleep in and then find myself crunched between a yoga practice and a scheduled meeting...feeling as though I need to sacrifice one or the other).

In the past, I've tended to inundate myself with class after class - waking up each morning with a plethora of things from which to choose. In so doing, however, I didn't really experience any of them. I would be drawing a face in a Suzi Blu class while listening to a podcast from NPR's "Being" as a journal page dried for an art journaling class. Or I'd be doing on-the-mat yoga while my mind prioritized dropping off the car, playing with my daughter, preparing lunch, and figuring out the web site transfer.

This morning, after last night's soulful exploration from Deep and following the beautiful 45-minute practice, I took a few breaths. It felt as though there were spaces that the breath was touching within me that hadn't felt that warm wind in years.

As we took the car to get the brakes repaired (*sigh*) and found white objects as part of "I Spy" with our daughter, everything felt just a little different. I felt open to whatever was happening.

How can I explain this?? The words certainly don't suffice. I can tell you that I did not get frustrated over things I normally would. I can tell you I felt like listening when our daughter started in on a story where I usually zone out. I can tell you that I chose a healthy smoothie for breakfast instead of the sugar-laden cereal I usually do. And I can tell you that I didn't do any of this while logically thinking about it ("hmm. I should listen. I should eat healthy."). It just happened.

Only experience can create and tell my story. Words are the resulting consequences. By opening and committing myself to the experience, the deeper the experience sank into me. I opened myself to the process of Deep and to the mat practice this morning (even though I am quite sore from a recent workout and doing the yoga pushed back our schedule).

Because I did this, the potential of the practice went within and I've been able to carry it with me through the following hours. I can't will this to happen. No matter how much I logically understand it, no matter how much I believe that it will work, I will not receive the experience if I am not open to - and thus actually experiencing - it.

I invite you to open to your experience today - whatever it may be. Don't judge ("yeah, this was a stupid idea...why did I do this again?") or push it away ("I really don't want to be here."). Like the yoga pose with which I struggled this morning, I found that simply sinking into it - literally opening my chest and hips - allowed me to find a depth previously unknown. It was a way of being (both in the pose and spiritually) that felt alive. And that way of being - that openness, that depth, that ease - has stuck with me for the past few hours.

Open.

Namaste.

p.s. You can join me at the 21-day challenge for FREE here. (Only do this if you feel ready to commit. Otherwise, it is just one more "to-do".) I will also be posting more about my process through Deep (including more photos) and updating you on the next time you can start on this journey as well!!

Why I Do What I Do

2011-01-07T08:49:00.000-05:00

It is about who I want to be.

Who I am inside and who I portray outside.

Who I am when I interact with others, and how I feel about that.

What I do when no one is watching, and how I feel about that.

It is about my default mode.

The thoughts that pop in my head and direct me when I am unaware of them.

Where I turn after a long day.

What foods I grab when I'm starving.

It is about how I want to feel.

How deeply I feel or how numb I am to it all.

Where my smiles originate - my mouth or my heart.

How much I care about quality - not of my life, but of this moment.

It is about how connected and aware I am.

Whether you appear to me as a mirror or a stranger.

If I see in myself (and the weed) the alive spirit or laugh it off as New Age

How easily I sink into the muck of ignorance or swim in the river of awareness.

It is why I do everything I do. It is why I return again and again to those things that are difficult. It is why I stumble - then stay down for a rest or get up and keep going. It is why I cannot go along with the training others accept, the way I've been told things "should be", the way that would make life much easier and more comfortable.

It is why I do everything I do.

And You?

Stop Ignoring Who We Are

2011-01-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

I watched this today and have not gotten it out of my mind. I'm thankful for that.

You may have already seen it as Mr. Williams and the positive messages that have spun from this are making their way through the online world. I hesitate to throw in my opinions, but believing that all perspectives are valuable I offer the following:

I am astounded by his voice. That is the "duh" part. I could watch again and again just to see a human face connected with that voice.

But the part that stays with me goes beyond his voice deep into his humanity. I could say some things about homelessness and the deep humanity of each person standing out there with a sign. I could offer some viewpoints on our levels of comfort and discomfort as we are made aware of our individual choice to offer something to each person (or not). I could comment on the nature of a society that allows homelessness, or personal responsibility, or.....

But I want you (and me) to take it even farther, deeper, broader. Mr. Williams is a happy story of someone who took charge of his life ("clean" for 2 years) and who has an obvious talent. His circumstances were sad and challenging, but the outcome is one with which we all breathe easier. (On the notes on YouTube, it says he has offers pouring in.)

Can we remember, though, that every single person with whom we interact is just a miraculous as he? Can we take this beautiful message into our hearts and then, though difficult, put it into practice? When you pass by someone tomorrow, or see someone's face on the news or on the internet, when you interact with a cashier or waitress, can you see the fascinating stories that comprise that person? Can you see the beauty (a talent, a drive, a perspective, ...) that they have to offer?

In a PBS document titled, "The Buddha" (available via NetFlix if you subscribe), one woman talks about the Buddha within all of us. (Read this however you would like: Christ within all of us, the Goddess within us all, etc.) She wonders what it would be like if we walked around, looking at everyone, acknowledging, "Buddha. Buddha. Buddha."

I have put this into practice - with a twist. I like to think, "Human, Buddha. Human, Buddha." It reminds me that everyone is acting through pain, their struggles, their fears. Every single person is human and scared, feeling trapped in some way, ignorant. And yet everyone is, at their core, an absolute Buddha. They are me. (You are me. Yep.) We are infinitely wise.

May Mr. Williams celebrate his continuing journey. May we celebrate with him. May each of us find our own talents, our own wisdom - within ourselves and within each other.

It is time to stop ignoring who we are.

Namaste.

For another valuable perspective on this story, you can also visit this post on The Buddhist Blog:
http://thebuddhistblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/ted-williams-golden-voice-pays-off.html

Spiritual Workout

2011-01-05T10:08:00.004-05:00

First, thank you to all who checked in with me yesterday. The lipstick, braid, and smile all made things go smoothly.

The CT Scan was looking at my abdomen (for a hernia, but that word just sounds so annoyingly silly). I received a call from a nurse at my dr.'s office yesterday afternoon saying the test was "negative", which makes no sense. (I have a hernia...um, "hole"...that wasn't in question. The expensive test was done to determine the extent and if surgery is recommended.) I'll have to follow up tomorrow when my doctor is back in.

***

Today I woke up with a strong desire to be...well, ...strong. I ended up doing a strength training/cardio split (time with weights, time on elliptical, time with weights, etc.). Immediately after that, as part of DEEP (the 2nd part of the Fearless Painting adventure which I am SO SO thrilled to be a part of), I started to paint.

The point is that I did all of this to music - to the soundtrack for Avatar to be specific. If you are familiar with that music, you know it isn't necessarily fast paced. (I usually do my workouts to fast-paced, jammin' music to keep me motivated.) This morning, though, I was pursuing strength at all levels.

This music strengthened my body and my soul. They moved together. Each lift of the weight I was reminded that the breath I was taking in, that was bathing my muscles, is of the same source that keeps you alive.

Generally during workouts or even painting, I'm tempted to focus on what isn't working. ("Argh, how much longer on this machine???" "Damn that paint blob - the whole thing is ruined." "I can't believe I'm so out of shape and so out of practice....this is pathetic.") These thoughts flutter in and out. When my energy is high and the music pumpin', I usually bite back at them. I force them away with anger. It may work temporarily, but anger never solves anything permanently.

This morning, the music was the guiding force that kept my awareness focused. The thoughts were still there, but they became just a step in the dance that continued between my body, my mind, my soul, spirit, and smile. I had a spiritual workout.

I feel quite aware now. Not joyously happy or overly energetic, just aware.

If you are in a position to do so, pop on a song that makes you feel peacefully aware. It doesn't matter what it is, the tempo, the genre...just let it guide you to a place of peace. If only for a few minutes, let yourself be there.

If you don't have one, please share mine from this morning:

And actually...I'm quite aware that I'm hungry right now. Off I go....

Namaste.

What I'm Wearing To My CT Scan

2011-01-04T07:33:00.002-05:00

In about 10 minutes I will leave for my CT Scan. Nothing serious, but something I need to get addressed.

I'm not nervous. I get to lie back down and have my picture taken. If they find something, I will be at ease knowing I can get it addressed (and didn't live on as it got worse). If they find nothing, I will be at ease knowing I am well. Note the underlying trend.

I do want to share with you what I'm wearing to the hospital. It's more important than you might think.

1) Red(ish) Lipstick. This is in honor of the Red Lipstick Revolution started by Amy Palko. My base chakra and I are walking into today empowered.

2) A Smile. While I do this quite frequently anyway, I'm putting special effort into doing so today. I received a group email not long ago. Part of it said:

"Do not underestimate the power of your happiness. You (yes, specifically you) have the power to change this world. You take this power everywhere you go, so you might as well use it. If you are at the gym, the bank, the grocery store, the doctor, the movies, the accountant, the park, the mall, or my favorite - Target, you come equipped with the power to dramatically impact the world. Notice the people whose paths you cross. Whether you speak or not, just smile. In just one smile you can communicate that he matters, and that she matters." (Michelle O'Mara)

I always feel more connected to those who can offer at least a smile. It is as though my heart is speaking to theirs without any words needing to be said.

3) My braid. I fell in love with a Native American man I heard talk a few years ago. He discussed many different significances of the braid, including it serving as a reminder of the intertwining, interconnected nature. What better to be reminded of during the day?

And yes, for you cheeky monkeys out there, I will also be wearing clothes.

I'm running late, so off I jaunt....and sorry, no photos just yet.

May you wear what serves your spirit today.

A.M. Discomfort

2011-01-03T08:54:00.000-05:00

Ugh. First day back to school.

I am not a morning person. Trying to wake my two children up to get one on the bus when I can barely function myself is quite difficult - particularly when we are out of habit.

This morning I snoozed through many alarms and got us up just in time to leisurely rush through breakfast, dressing, and teeth brushing. I snuck in about 5 minutes of yoga on the mat, if for no other reason than to lessen the creaks and moans that were coming from my joints. (For you youngin's out there - yeah. It happens. It'll happen to you too.)

And wouldn't you know it - with only 5 minutes on the mat, I still picked up something. I chose to do a few seated wide-leg stretches and head-to-knee poses to stretch myself (physically & mentally). I'm really tight in hamstrings, psoas, etc. - as in I can bend maybe 5 degrees forward with a straight back when in seated forward bend. So when in these poses, I am completely aware of my limits. And I play with the discomfort.

How many times do you find yourself uncomfortable and move to get yourself out of it? If you do yoga, think about those poses you dread. If you do or don't practice yoga, think about an upcoming uncomfortable meeting with someone (friend or business), an encounter with someone asking for money, a medical appointment you've been avoiding. How often do you start to feel the tension and back away? Or perhaps you fight through tension, pushing and pushing yourself until something or someone (usually yourself) gets hurt. (I can ask both of these because in both scenarios, I've been there, done that - repeatedly.)

I do some poses now where I can feel those belly rolls. Now THAT is uncomfortable. I am made aware that they are there, that this is now who I am. 95% of you reading this will completely understand the anxiety that comes with being forced to face body issues.

And yet, if I backed away from the poses where I felt my fat and experienced discomfort* in the back of my legs, I would be cheating myself out of the entire purpose of yoga. I would be moving away from bodily awareness, awareness of my thoughts and reactions to those, awareness and acknowledgement of what is.

(*Please note: I use discomfort, not pain. If you are feeling pain, it is usually a sign to back off. Not going far enough or going too far in any situation can cause harm.)

It is why I practice yoga. Why I practice awareness. Why day in and day out, I challenge myself to be aware and non-judgmental of my own body, my own thoughts, and those of others. I work to change what I can (note to self: no donuts for breakfast today) without judging it as bad.

I offer you my sincere wishes for a fruitful practice for you today, tomorrow, and each forthcoming day - whether that occurs on the mat in an asana or off the mat when the alarm goes off and everything but another snooze is extreme discomfort.

We'll practice, make mistakes, succeed, .... and repeat it all .... together.

Namaste.

Mind Full

2011-01-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

I woke this morning intent on doing my on-the-mat yoga. In the midst of this, my daughter, son, and husband all woke up.

My practice quickly turned from a blissful flow with the breath to a struggle to maintain focus and physical balance while the kids ran around me. (The latter still being a practice.)

I heard my son in the other room saying to my daughter, "come on in!".

And I took his advice. I came into my own body, my own mind. And I realized there was very little room left for me to enter. It was crammed!

Thoughts raced of what the kids might be doing in the other room, what I was going to have for breakfast, what the dust bunny on the floor beside me wanted to tell me, and even how I was going to blog about this. Truly, my mind was very full.

So when I tried to find my toes, feel the breath within me, make what I was doing a practice of embodiment and awareness instead of just a few stretches on the mat, it was a struggle. My mind was full - just not of the emptiness I wanted it to be full of.

Today - right now, as you read this, wherever you are - what fills your mind?

Remember: You have a choice - in fact, a responsibility - to be mindful of what fills your mind.

Namaste.

My Word for 2011

2010-12-31T08:50:00.002-05:00

I didn’t have “a word” for 2010. I was introduced to the idea then, but it just didn’t click. This year, it seems to fit more…but in true Lisa fashion, I didn’t really think about it until now.

The last night of 2010. Nothing like a little pressure.

Honestly, I’d thrown around a couple of words. But in realizing I only have a few hours left, I’ve been searching Thesauruses (Thesauri??), cheating by looking at others’ words, meditating in hopes I’d have an epiphany, and gazing into my crystal ball. (Ok, maybe not the last one. But wouldn’t that be cool??)

I felt the pressure to find the right word. After all, it’s going to carry me through an entire year! What if I picked a word and then on January 2nd I think of a MUCH better one, like some perfect comeback that pops in your head two hours after the argument is over…what a failure I’d be! (*snicker*)

To my lovely sisters in the Tribe, I had offered “Dharma”. It had struck something in me. Seemed broad enough. Pretty unique. But it had only plucked one string…not played a chord.

***

Of course, the answer was the hat on my head that I’d turned the house upside-down to find. Right here. What has been floating around LifeUnity the past few weeks? What have I said it all begins with? (Quiz time – you get a happy face sticker if you guess correctly)

Awareness.

It all begins with awareness.

There are reasons I want to not use this word.

You’ve already heard it. It feels like giving a big drum roll and then opening the 2-story red velvet curtain to reveal…….canned spam. Eh.
It is “my word”. The biggie. The one that is already changing everything. How can that be a word of the year – just one year? What happens when 2012 rolls around? Can I use “awareness-est”
It scares me. Honestly. To commit to this is committing to you (and more importantly, to myself), to LIVE this word.

And while I can get over the fact that the big moment might have been a let-down (this doesn’t usually happen, promise!), and have faith that I’ll find an equally exciting word on Dec. 31st, 2011, that last reason is a stumper.

Living awareness means being constantly aware – of who I am and how I am consequently acting based off of that awareness. It means knowing my phenomenal self and taking responsibility for that self.

It means that when I’m fighting with hubby and I’m aware that I’m turning into psycho-wife or that he may just be right (if it happens to be 1 of the 999 times that he is), I have to acknowledge that. Out loud. Yeah. Bet the thought of that scares you too.

Or if I read or see something that no longer harmonizes with my song (for example, business techniques that just feel…dehumanizing), being aware of my discomfort and not charging right along with the crowd. No matter how many thousands of people are dancing to the other music.

There are so many more situations I can think of to use as examples, but I’m getting a bit queasy thinking about them. Right here, right now, I’m shaking it off and moving into awareness.

So there you are. My word – my practice - for 2011: Awareness.

I will continue to blog about how this manifests in my life, how it ties in with Yoga and Buddhism and art and running and parenting and shaving and belly blob. I will probably become more adamant about you becoming more aware as well. (I love you and all, but I selfishly don’t want to constantly bump into a whole bunch of sleepwalkers.)

And we’ll continue our journey together, scratching out the 2010 for the next few weeks on documents as we forget our mindful awareness.

In full awareness and with wishes for many beautiful days ahead,

Namaste and Happy New Year.

The Messenger

2010-12-30T09:59:00.002-05:00

Last night, I had a chat with an amazing friend. She is not only completely grounded and inspirational, but she also sees me. That alone is invaluable.

Among other things, we discussed my ongoing awakening to my animal spirit*, the Hawk.

*Before I lose those who don't get animal spirits or feel it is a bit too whoo-woo, just think of it this way: There is something that keeps showing up in my life and it does so repeatedly and in frequently unexplainable situations. It is odd enough that I am paying attention. Sound fair?

Image from: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thelensflare.com/large/hawk_22928.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thelensflare.com/gallery/p_hawk_22928.php&usg=__7QU9XXTMUoWAyBW33rsBYr0dMnU=&h=389&w=500&sz=63&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=PhUjCExJlnjGLM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=162&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhawk%2Bphotos%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1247%26bih%3D633%26tbs%3Disch:10,27&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=130&vpy=354&dur=402&hovh=142&hovw=183&tx=116&ty=180&ei=lJocTdb1LoymnAfy5MHNDQ&oei=lJocTdb1LoymnAfy5MHNDQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0&biw=1247&bih=633

I've done a lot of looking into the meaning of the Hawk and have focused on the "seeing the bigger picture" aspect.

During our conversation, my brilliant friend focused on the fact that the Hawk is a "messenger". That perhaps this is to what I am supposed to listen: I am to be a messenger. I talk frequently about this...feeling that I innately understand "out-there" things, concepts that may be elusive to others. Concepts that are crucial to awakened, peaceful living. Concepts that are generally ignored in the plight of mundane living. I'm also not willing to fly away to a mountain-top (yet) and meditate on these for years.

So perhaps I am to be the messenger here and now, to share that which (I and) others need, to do so in the muck of the real world.

This alone wasn't that new, but the other aspect she brought up - that perhaps I am afraid to do this - was like a punch in the gut. A pleasant one, if there can be such a thing.

The fear that I don't understand the message well enough to share it. The fear that I won't share it in an appropriate manner and the message will get lost in translation. The fear that I'll get too preachy. The fear that I won't get preachy enough and will just be a soft self-help guru while the true depth of message lies untapped and unheard.

I am continuing to be with this, knowing this is where today, tomorrow (and 2011, if I want to think in those terms) is taking me. I know that those of you who read this need what I have to say in some form or fashion (be it about my personal story or other), and that i need to hear you just as much.

I am hurrying this post as life scurrys on around me - hubby & kids are ready to leave. Time (and to-do's) march on.

But moving into who I am, I knew I had to share this message first.

(Please share: Is there anything you've heard recently - with ears or otherwise - that is calling you to listen??)

Namaste.

Plans, Procrastination, Problems, and Inner Peace

2010-12-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

The short version:

Plans for New Year's Eve fell through. In my thoroughly chaotic mind, this connected to business-related success-driven actions and my recent aversion to all-things-"success-based" and caused a thorough review of my motivations and inner peace. (Yep, welcome to my world.)

I learned a lesson, am feeling more satisfied, but still have no plans for New Year's Eve.

The longer version:

We had plans to stay in a condo with family on New Years Eve. Because of our procrastination (another lesson: don't make plans based on reservations that haven't been made), they filled up. We are now left with the choice to go nutty (call all around to find a hotel with availability and hopefully a suite so the kids can sleep while adults stay up, find a place to board the dog, potentially spend way more than we were planning - all in the name of "doing something" on New Years) or staying at home for a quiet celebration.

I will admit - I'm bummed. I tend to get easily disappointed when anything I'm looking forward to falls through. The situation didn't even have to be an actual plan. If the seed was planted in my head and then it didn't happen, it's just as disappointing as if an actual event fell through.

It's the same with the mini-marathon in 2011 (which I may not be able to run do to a possible surgery - more on that later) and a fancy new website. I can deeply envision success with both. I have my positive visions of crossing the finish line; of clicking on lifeunity.com and visiting a site that makes me smile.

It is so hard to accept what is. I stumble after what could be. We all do. The drive for success is completely based on what could be.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't think this drive is bad per se. It keeps us moving instead of laying in bed all day and wasting away. To live, to experience new things, we must know and embrace change. And why not dream about, have some sort of conscious part in that flow of change?

The danger comes because in clamoring after success or the race or the party, the "what could be" becomes "good" and the "what is" becomes bad - that which we are trying to move away from.

The more I focused on what could be, the more I didn't want what is.

And therein lies the problem.

Actions become motivated by aversion. There is a big difference between acting (thinking, dreaming) while in acceptance of our current circumstances and acting to avoid those circumstances. Change happens either way, but our inner peace differs dramatically. 2011 is going to arrive whether I'm ready for it or not. Whether the midnight switch (and, depending on whether my lesson is learned, each moment after that) involves peace is up to me.

What is is all we have. If we can't appreciate that, we certainly won't appreciate what was or what will be. On Friday night, I will probably be at home with sleeping kiddos, clinking glasses with hubby at midnight as we watch the ball light up on t.v. If I just observe that, I feel quite fortunate to be in that position.

But just in case: if anyone in southern Indiana knows of any good (family-friendly but adult-interesting) New Year's parties, you can still let me know...

Busi-ness.

2010-12-28T09:38:00.000-05:00

This holiday season, more than any other, I appreciate the meaning of "busy".

In the past 9 days I have driven over 1100 miles. (And yet, I have not gone outside a 180 mile radius of our home.) In one day alone, the kids and I drove over 8 hours...starting and ending at our house. I've attended 6 parties and spent the night at our own house less than half of those nights.

In the midst of all of it, I kept saying yes to each new opportunity. I was exhausted. The kids' bedtime became non-existent. I drove on snow-covered roads where lanes were invisible and drivers just staggered themselves appropriately. I all but disappeared from my blog, FB, and Twitter, the clutter in the house kept growing as we'd run in, re-pack, and head back out, and I'm pretty sure I missed an appointment or two in there. (Sorry again, Kathy!)

And I would do it all again.

The only difference? I would remember my self in all of it.

We all tend to get busy -- whether it is a project at work, family schedules, an art project with a deadline (*ahem* - Sketchbook Project....), classes... In fact, many people seem to thrive on it. Yet most people, like myself from this past week, just wind up feeling exhausted and cranky. (Yep - cranky momma. Not a pretty site.)

What sticks out to me is two main points:

What exactly you are busy doing or being and Where You are in all of it.

I was fortunate to be busy connecting with others. Seeing friends and family, sharing stories and drinks, travelling with well-behaved children and singing Christmas songs (over and over and over and over and...).

At the end of it, though, I just feel wiped. In the interest of maintaining the "busy schedule", I let go of healthy eating. I let go of my yoga practice. I let go of connecting with all of you - even if just for a short "hello". I let myself go.

So even though I was busy and happy, I was slowly draining myself of energy. If I would have kept this up, I would have unconsciously started relying on others for energy (using emotional tactics to draw anger or sympathy, physically relying on others to do things I could have done myself, etc.). If I had to guess, you know someone like this - or have been there yourself. (We all have.)

As the days continue - holiday season, new year resolutions, exciting upcomings or not, I invite you to pay attention to your "busi-ness". When and where and why are you busy? Are you really there when you feel busy? How do you feel when you are done?

As for me, I plan to hide some of this holiday chocolate and continue with the laundry. I'll find the kids somewhere in their pile of toys and pull them out for lunch. I'll continue to reflect on 2010 and dream of 2011.

But busy or not, I'll keep re-membering myself.

Still Here

2010-12-21T10:18:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still here.

Amidst unexpected travels, nights away from home, unplowed roads, blessed times with friends and family, coughs and colds, family history - and stories - bubbling up from ancestorial depths, wine, far too much food, and repeated nights of no sleep until after 2 a.m. ....

I'm still here.

I have regrets that I haven't been able to share with you all that has occurred, to pass along some fascinating wisdom that will begin to germinate on this Winter solstice and grow into....well, an even more fascinating 2011.

I hope to return with more regular blog posts next week.

Until then, may you each enjoy blessings among the chaos.

An Early Morning Reminder

2010-12-16T19:06:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, we are asked to slow down.

This morning, I woke at 6 a.m. It was, of course, a morning where I could have slept in. School had been cancelled due to the snow and hubby was home until the afternoon anyway to help with rousing children.

My body had other ideas.

Instead of lying in bed trying to squeeze my shut eyes into submission, I gently shuffled into the kitchen and prepared some warm chamomile tea. I then moved into the living room and turned off any lights behind me. I sat in front of our large window, letting the tea warm me from the inside, and watched a quiet storybook before me.

The snow was still blue from the dark morning sky. A substantial overnight storm had erased any traces of previous attempts to clear the ground, creating a glistening sheet that left no hints as to where the road might be.

The whir from the laptop fan started to enter my consciousness (a grating noise that before, I suppose, I'd learned to ignore). I shut it off and returned to the hug of silence.

And it was that that most held my awareness. The silence. Even the trees seemed to hold themselves in statuesque positions. No movement. In other scenarios, it might have been eerie. Here, in that moment, I was deeply comforted by three words that popped into my head:

Death. No breath.

Leaves were gone, all signs of emerging life blanketed under this light blue pile of glitter. Everything held still. No wind. No breath. And it was so absolutely beautiful. It was as it should be.

With no breath, no cycle of in and out,
no seasons, no clearing out with the exhale and the winter,
no renewing with the inhale and spring,
life would cease.

I wonder - how close do we wander to death each day as we stifle our own breath...our physical breath as we limit deep breathing, rush through days...and our spirit's breath as we lay down in submission to "shoulds" and expectations.

I flirt with the thoughts of death that enter my head - not in a macabre way, but with the silent, still, pristine form that death brings to a vibrant life. The transition that occurs. The last exhale of this body so that we may inhale into a new space.

This morning, as my tea dwindled, I admit to returning to bed. When I re-awoke, the snow plow had bustled up the blanket that had captivated me and the world was again panting all around. But that beautiful moment of silence, that slow melting into breath and death through my living room window, has stayed with me.

For parents, for workers with bustling jobs, for anyone whose mind is not as still as the trees with no wind, I wish you even one morning where you too can experience this bliss.

Namaste.

Follow my Guest Post!

2010-12-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

I'll share my story with you today....just not here.

I'm honored to be guest posting today over at Dirty Footprints Studio.

Go HERE to check it out!!

Namaste.

Life Lessons From a Silly Band

2010-12-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

First, I want to thank you all for the beautiful comments yesterday. Knowing a post that I wrote from an authentic place spoke to so many is comforting and encouraging.

***

I continue to be tickled by the ways this emerging awareness manifests in my life.

Yesterday we were sitting down to dinner with our kids. Our daughter had a frustrated look on her face, so I asked what was wrong.

Holding up her silly band* with both hands, she cried, "It won't go back!!". (*For those non-parents, silly bands are a fun fad right now of flexible bracelets that have an original shape and will return to this shape once removed from the arm.)

I smiled and suggested she just let go.

Sure enough, when she stopped pulling at it and set it on the counter, it popped back to its kitty-like shape.

Not to be easily consoled though, she then furrowed her brow and said, "But it won't make a star!".

***

I won't go into our parenting techniques from this point forward. Here's what I think is cool about this experience, though:

1) Practicing awareness in yoga, when writing, when mediating, when breathing, when....leads to increasing awareness when I'm not intending to practice. It would have been easy to suggest she eat instead of play and miss and very beautiful moment for us both. Instead, I got a nifty blog post out of it. (Ok, ok...the point being that the benefits of practicing go beyond the practice itself.)

2) Let go. Stop pulling at life to try to find what you want. It really is right here if you'll just let what is, be.

3) You can't make a kitty into a star. (Imagination games excluded here.) Why whine about what isn't? Either go buy the star or appreciate the kitty. Change the situation and/or appreciate what you have.

Namaste.

A Quiet Decision (Moving In)

2010-12-13T11:42:00.001-05:00

My dear blog friends,

As I explained to my dear hubby this morning, a week away from a blog is like a month away from work. An unexplained (of sorts) absence. For this, I apologize. Allow me to share what I can as to what has been going on behind the scenes.

This is how I see my social studio:

BLOG: The main area of the studio - the lobby and many adjoining rooms. A very open, airy space that smells of dried lavendar and chamomile. Art painted by friends who have visited adorns the walls (sometimes painted directly on the walls). White poofy chairs and couches, reclaimed wood tables, shelves full of books, and some display racks waiting to be filled with my art-for-sale surround the room.

I sit behind the "About Me" desk (yeah, I gotta get that written) and mull around adding more and more to the studios. I throw yoga mats here and there, leave small wisdom notes tucked in plants for you to find, use the powder blue chalk to leave a joke on the tiny chalkboard plaque hanging by the window. You explore, learn, and grow in awareness. (And hopefully, you chat with me via comments as you have time. Otherwise it gets kinda lonely sitting there.)

It is here that I greet you, that you get an impression of what "LifeUnity" is all about. You can explore the classrooms of my ideas, stay awhile and take a class (meaning - for now - just pick up some information based off what I share - actual classes will probably be down the road).

FACEBOOK: The cafe off to the left side of the lobby. It is here that everyone sits down on unbelievably-comfortable-but-posture-supporting chairs & couches & floor pillows, shares a chai (I suppose you can still come if you don't like chai, but be prepared to be converted), and discusses. It is where we share our stories back and forth. We settle into comfy chairs or just stop in for a quick "hi!", toss out some random ideas, and laugh. (Many times these conversations carry over into the blog as we move back and forth, but the smell of the fresh-baked croissants in the cafe certainly adds something to the ambiance.)

(Join us in the cafe here)

TWITTER: The display window. There isn't much room but these windows can be chock full of colorful goodies. (You'll find me hanging out at the front door sometimes too, so when you're at the window we may share a little chat!)

(See what's currently on display here)

NEWSLETTER: This is the beautiful studio up the well-worn wood stairs that you can access once you sign up (in my studio, I envision a little clipboard with a pink glitter pen. Virtually, you can just sign up here.) It is the area that contains information not accessible to others just browsing around. I'm still working around with what I'm carrying up those stairs, so we both get to enjoy the discoveries.

I'm on Flickr and SmugMug and Vimeo and YouTube and LinkedIn and all those...but I don't venture in those rooms often. Someday I may move the boxes of stuff stored there into a main-floor studio room. Or I may hire movers. Who knows.

So what does this have to do with my absence?

Before this, I was more interested in getting the rooms set up. Creating an environment for you and for me, making sure to display items appropriately, pushing couches here and there, trying to get the "right" items in the display window. I received a lot of positive feedback (thank you!) and encouragement to keep going.

But each day, I would leave my social studio. I would go home to a house where I didn't practice yoga, I wasn't the same balanced me that wondered in the cafe, and where I all too often let paints sit unused instead of splashing it on the walls. And I was getting tired.

I would return to the studio with less and less inspiration to paint, fewer ideas for conversation, total blocks as to what to include in my studios. And absolutely no jokes. I was running myself dry.

The past few weeks I have been here and there at the social studio, but have spent more time just meditating in my small corner altar. What has it led to?

A quiet decision.

I am moving in. I am moving into my social studio. I am moving into myself. I am moving into right here, right now.

There is nowhere else to go, no one else I want to be. To help me re-member this, I'm going to stop trying to go somewhere else and be someone else.

Words sound trite which is a huge reason I haven't blogged recently. Trying to find -or perhaps worse, create - words to communicate where I am right now is like giving you a bouquet of roses that are made of rolled up papers describing the roses. You may be able to picture it but there isn't really a way to experience the essence of it without giving you the actual rose. And unfortunately, I can't do that. The rose can only be found in Practice.

But keeping the rose to myself is fairly selfish. So I will do the best I can to continue to share...even if it is just origami.

For now, this means moving in. Expanding myself enough that I incorporate both the social studio and my home into one being. Opening enough that I never leave. Making my practice such that my conversations with my hubby, my mother, the barista, my son's teacher, and each of you radiate from my true self...that I don't yell and stomp out of my house only to float into the lobby of LifeUnity with a blissful smile on my face.

Words words words.

I have noticed many changes occurring in many of you with whom I am connected. Job changes or departures, new titles, losses and gains, love and deep anger. It is an uneasiness that I think all of us are feeling.

I have no advice. I can only share where I am and open my studio to you, to allow you to explore, stay as long as you wish, but eventually walk out the door and into your own practice.

I do hope that each of us stops trying to move so much. Moving out of uncomfortable situations, rearranging things to get more visitors, being store owners in our social studios and humans at home.

Until then, I will continue settling in. Please, share some chai with me. Find some inspiration (a breath) around the studio. Leave a comment for me or for another visitor to discover - keep the conversation flowing.

I will be here - more than I have been before.

I extend to you right now an open invitation to do the same.

Namaste,
Lisa

Reality Check

2010-12-07T11:25:00.000-05:00

At 9 a.m., I was given a Reality check.

This morning my husband ran a few tests on us as part of a health initiative his company is doing. (He's a pharmacist so he just brought the tests home - which is a huge bonus when the temp is under 20 degrees F.) Basically, if we meet certain standards we get money in a health savings account. Nice, eh?

After 12 hours of fasting and an odd early morning craving for my iced chai, we began. My tests were flying along - excellent cholesterol (yay for vegetarian diet!), great blood pressure, blood sugar fine, weight normal, BMI ok....then....boom.

Reality. (Yeah, don't look too closely. I took this picture without the scale on.)

The body fat percentage. I won't list my exact numbers, but I am "Over Fat". AAAAAUUUGGGHH! (I was blessed with good genes - I'm 5' 8.5" which means that weight/fat usually just spreads out. But because of that, I am deceived into believing it is not there. I guess tighter jeans should have been a clue.)

And yes, I am sharing this slightly embarrassing fact with you. Why? Because it is part of my story. Because being honest hopefully encourages you to do the same.

I'm really not that distressed over it - just awakened. I am not going to try to lose weight. Let me repeat: This is NOT about the weight.

I am, however, going to get that fat percentage number down. I consider it a challenge. I am well aware that all of these standards are fairly arbitrary; that overall I am quite healthy.

However, how I do one thing is how I do all things. How I deal with this one small obstacle to total physical health is how I will deal with one small obstacle on my path to peace. This is just an objective measure of something that I've known - my health is sliding. In paying attention to my mind I have forgotten my body. And yet, without my body, my mind too will disappear.

I want to ensure that anyone who reads this does not take this to mean "over fat" or any form of low or high weight is a "bad thing". It will have consequences, to be sure, but people whose weight fall in the "normal" range also have health causes and effects. It is part of the blessing of having a body...to experience what having a body means.

I enjoy being aware. I can now make conscious decisions based off a more true-picture of myself. I can see that fat that is hiding in there. It is the same reason I do yoga, art, meditation -- to understand a more complete picture of myself and the world around me. To be aware.

"Wherever we are we are our true person"

-Master Linji/Thich Nhat Hanh

Via a body-fat scale, meditation, paint, yoga, deep reflection, and whatever methods I can, I choose to constantly remind myself of that person so that I may radiate that being.

I'm going to make the whole process as peaceful as possible. That means I'm not "dieting" per se but going to be much more mindful of my food. I'm not greatly altering my workout schedule but I am going to pursue more active living. And one thing you can be sure of?

I'm not giving up my iced chai.

Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go.

2010-12-06T09:41:00.000-05:00

I have nothing to do.
I have nowhere to go.
And I am waking up to who I am.

(a variation on the title of a book I am reading by Thich Nhat Hanh.)

I am still here, missing several days of blogging, hundreds of Facebook updates, and thousands of Tweets. I am not shunning the online world by any means - I have met the most fascinating people here and have no intentions of letting these relationships go.

I am, however, resolving to dance with this state of being as long as it takes to embody the dance. That means not walking off of the dance floor to take care of that which previously seduced me. I will learn these moves until my muscles embody every turn and twist, until my face memorizes the feel of the breeze that blows past.

I don't know what this means in the outside world. I don't yet know this dance and where it will whirl me to.

I will dance with the dishes, dance with the bills, dance with the painful memories that are surfacing. Dance with my anger, dance with the decisions.

The computer that sits just off of the dance floor blinking with unread messages? The financial security that whistles softly from beneath the bleachers that can be mine if only I focus on Business instead of this "pointless" dance? The Sale signs that tempt me just out the door, leading to hundreds of bargains? Those fears that keep sneaking on the dance floor, laughing like a bullying high school girl, trying to trip me up?

I have nowhere else to go but here.

I have nothing else to do but this dance.

I resolve to live nothing else other than what is.

Lest I leave you with just some random peak into my reality, I challenge you: DANCE.

Tell me, you wise being (for indeed you are), what does your dance look like right now? Jazzy? Slow-dancing to soft music? Do you enjoy your dance partner? Are you afraid? Guilty? Tired?

Rising Above Myself

2010-12-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have those dreams from which you just can't wake up?

I'm having one of those this morning. I am walking around in a true fog. Part of me still remains in that dream. It is one from which I am choosing not to depart - one that I know has things to teach me.

I do not want to divert my thinking from that place lest it disappears forever. So I will share with you this morning something I shared with the Tribe last night (the amazing group of women who have been through the BIG process), part of portrait work.

This is the art:

(Brighter here than in person. Some day I'll learn how to make the two match.)

This is the poem:

The time has come

to break all my promises

tear apart all chains

and cast away all advice

Disassemble the heavens

link by link

and break at once

all lovers' ties

with the sword of death

Put cotton inside

both my ears

and close them to

all words of wisdom

Crash the door and

enter the chamber

where all sweet

things are hidden

How long can I

beg and bargain

for the things of this world

while love is waiting

How long before

I can rise beyond

how I am and

what I am

~Rumi

How more perfectly could I state my being?

Self-Care

2010-11-30T08:06:00.000-05:00

The deeper the self-realization

of a man, the more he influences

the whole universe by his subtle

spiritual vibrations.

~Paramhansa Yogananda

Autobiography of a Yogi

I do not wish to do; I wish to be. I do not wish to instruct, I wish to radiate. It is only be teaching myself first, by offering and accepting myself what I wish to give, that I may have any hope of truly connecting with any other being.

(For those concerned, please know I realize the pronoun in this quote. Take it as he/his. Take it as she/hers. Take it as You/your. Ultimately, words are vehicles for the message - do not be concerned about make of the car; be concerned whether it can take you to your destination. Even then, train yourself to be grateful for the car but not reliant upon it - we should be strong enough to walk.)

Our Weekend

2010-11-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

I truly hope everyone had a beautiful weekend, whatever and with whomever you celebrated.

My brother, hubby and I did end up running the 4.5 mile Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving morning. It was raining, but around 50 degrees F...so really not too bad! And though my time was nearly 15 seconds / mile slower than last year (and I'm slightly peeved about that), how can I complain when a race ends with free food, free Starbucks, and is followed by an afternoon of family togetherness?

Truly a blessed Thanksgiving.

(I don't have the camera with which photos were taken, so those will get posted later.)

Friday night we went to the town square for the lighting ceremony. We toured local shops, indulged in hot chocolate, heard glorious music, and counted down with Santa to illuminate the town. (Bloomington definitely has the most beautiful courthouse/square area of any town I've seen.)

Inside the courthouse

On Saturday, family joined us for our new tradition - choosing our own Christmas Tree at Twin H Farms. It is an exciting day...driving around, walking through so many trees looking for the one.

And again...free food (popcorn) and cider and hot chocolate waiting for us at the end. Mmmm.

On the hunt for the perfect tree

My niece - isn't she just adorable?!

My brother tying their tree onto his car

Our boy enjoying his hot chocolate. Yum.

Amidst all of this, you might have noticed the posts getting a bit "deeper" and a bit less frequent. I am honoring the change that life is taking me into right now....part of that means more time in private journals, less time online. (Most likely temporary)

Ah, but for now...I am off to a dentist appointment. That is enough for me to ponder.

Black Friday

2010-11-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

It is 9:22 a.m.

I am doing everything I can to keep myself away from ads, promotions, deals, and even friends & family who are pushing to shop today. (My mom is talking with my kids in the background about what they want for Christmas. *sigh*)

It isn't that I think buying is bad...heck, it supports our economy. I could even shop small businesses today and help friends & strangers who are doing exactly what I want to do - make a living through passion.

But today - Black Friday - there is a pervasive energy of grasping. Clinging. Wanting. More. Different. New. I am horribly sensitive to this energy.

I love going to the hobby store or book store and - maybe twice a year - the clothing stores. I like local, small stores and big chains...all offering things that make my life comfortable and beautiful. Allow me to repeat - I don't think buying is bad. But mindless shopping? Out of control desire? The justification that appears to buy something when I didn't even know I needed or wanted it before? THAT tears me apart.

As I type this, I hold a printed out coupon to Borders in my lap. Part of me says, "it's a book! Buy a book on how to avoid clinging, a Buddhist book or book on the Yoga Sutras....". Yeah. Note the irony.

I want to post something today about the 4.5 mile race yesterday. About the chaos that was a beautiful Thanksgiving. About how I'm looking forward to our outing where we get hot chocolate and dance around a farm of trees to pick the one that will sacrifice itself to be the shining center of our home for the next month.

But I look down at the Borders coupon. In it, I see a mirror reflecting my true self. And I am reminded once again.

Black Friday: The yearly reminder of how far I must go to overcome grasping.

Contemplate THIS.

2010-11-23T09:06:00.001-05:00

I've been deep in contemplation this last week or so. I don't know if it is the colder weather that has driven my body (and my mind) inside or just another turn of the cycle. It is bringing a blissful awareness to my days, my steps. It also means, however, that some "action steps" are being re-evaluated...and thus, on hold.

I then get stressed. I want to keep thinking, being - but my habitual way of existence is to move, be productive, do more more more. Guilt arises, I let it go. And so the wheel turns.

Instead of bringing you in to this chaotic carnival that is my mind,

I thought I'd have some fun with portraying

the juxtaposition (ooh, big word!) in a different way.

This is how I enjoy living my life....contemplate and then laugh at it all. Repeat.

Something like this.

(*All jokes from http://www.joecasaletto.com/jokes/deep.htm. All images copyright Lisa Wilson)

Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.

If you're a cowboy and you're dragging a guy behind your horse, I bet it would really make you mad if you looked back and the guy was reading a magazine.

Children need encouragement. If a kid gets an answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess. That way he develops a good, lucky feeling.

If we could just get everyone to close their eyes and visualize world peace for an hour, imagine how serene and quiet it would be until the looting started.

If you ever reach total enlightenment while you're drinking a beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.

As we move into holiday times where it can be tempting to move, move, move, try to spend a bit of time just contemplating. And remember....

If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because man, they're gone.

Thought Control

2010-11-22T08:41:00.001-05:00

My weekend. In 3 scenes.

Scene 1. Ice cream store with the kiddos. My intention was just to surprise them - I'm not hungry nor do I need the calories (we're ordering pizza that night for heavens sake). I've ordered their orange sherbet and blackberry cups and borrowed Windex to clean up my drool from the glass separating me from the chocolate-chip cookie dough. The clerk asks, "anything more"?

Scene 2. Big fight with hubby right before bed. A book on Buddhist wisdom (including compassion) lays on my lap. He just turned off his light and thrown the covers over himself. I'm doing everything I can to control my breath, think positive thoughts....but I'm still fuming. The perfect words for a scathing response just came to mind.

Scene 3. Last big run before the race on Thanksgiving. Beautiful temps, level ground, but wind straight out of Oz. (Ya know, that carried Dorothy off to the yellow brick road?) No one will know (or care) if I cut my run short. I've already stopped to walk a few times and thus blown my whole time goal. A perfect turn-around spot (far short of the 4 miles I set out to run) is right ahead.

Whatever response(s) I choose will have consequences.

That is karma in action.

My fascination is not on the "right" or "wrong" choice, but how in control (or on auto-pilot) I feel in each situation.

Those big decisions - like whether to start a new job or quit your current one, which diet to choose, which house to live in, how many kids (if any) to have - are of course important.

But decisions for each of those stem from the same thought process used to decide whether to order ice cream, yell at hubby, and run 4 miles. Every single decision has consequences.

How aware I am of those consequences and the thought / action processes that creates them
determines how much say I have in how my life unfolds.

We can always fight the wind,

wearing ourselves out needlessly by feigning power,

allow the wind to carry us

as we bump into tree after tree lamenting how unfair life is,

or stick out our wings and fly with this power that is life.

The wind will still blow regardless of our choice.

(By the way, I did run 4 miles. I didn't order any ice cream. And I didn't share my retort with hubby. But I did have a few bites of my daughter's blackberry cup. And I do have some zingers up my sleeve for the next argument. Yeah, sometimes even I punch into the wind.)

My Coloring Book

2010-11-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

The alarm.

Damn alarm.

I wake and roll and stretch
and before me
is the page I am to color that day.

my lines of thought - clearly drawn in a daunting black ink -
creating fascinating dancing unicorns
or ugly piles of crap
or ongoing lists of things to do
or creative swirly-ma-thing-a-jigs.

And some days
I kiss the lines with red wax
following every curve
staying delicately
within the lines

Other days
Blues and violets and oranges and pinks become a
soupy rainbow
and line becomes color becomes line

But the best days?

The ones in which
I begin
with a blank page

On Sale: Todo's!

2010-11-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

Do you ever watch HGTV? (I think it was on that channel).

There was (is?) a show about people who had horrendously cluttered homes. A team came in, held a garage sale of all of their stuff, and designed a new room to show them how nice it was to live in a clutter-free space. (Yeah, I know....if I had a team to help me it would be a lot easier to get this mess cleaned up.)

As part of this, the owners had to take all of their schtuff out to the front lawn and sort it into piles on tarps: Keep, Sell, or Trash. Needless to say they needed some prodding so that everything didn't end up on the keep pile. After some tears and some interesting fights-for-television, the owners then sold their previously prized-possessions for moola for decorating their new room.

I used to love shows like this. As t.v. time has faded more and more, these shows are the first to go.

And, as you may have picked up on, I've been sick the past few days. Being physically sick necessitates a lot of sitting. A lot of slowing down.

I am proud to say, however, that I have not turned on HGTV once during my tissue-surrounded down-time.

In my case, slowing down means not as many activities but just as much (if not more) thinking. And those impressions created by the shows on HGTV stick with me.

It is as if I'm being required to move all of my mental crap out of my house and onto the front lawn. As my health returns, I have to decide which activities on my to-do list (big and small....ain't nothing being left in the closet...) I want to keep, which I want to sell off to someone else, and which should have been thrown out years ago.

In truth, I have this opportunity every day - to decide what stays, what goes. So do you. But we get so caught up in the next thing "to-do", that next phone call or email or thing that really needs to be done that we don't consciously make time to decide. We let our habitual responses make our decisions for us. And the clutter piles up until we can't even enter our own minds without TODO stuff falling on us from shelf above.

Last night I set out with the intention to paint something light blue and brown, something frilly. I was just in that mood. But as the paints started blending on the page, I was taken in a new direction. I let it happen. And here is what came of it:

(I knew that toothpaste tube cap would come in handy...note the circles on the outside!)

As I make the decisions of what activities to ease back into, I feel trapped in some senses. Not by anyone else, but by my own sense of obligation. I am not afraid of moving forward. I am afraid of not moving. And that keeps me doing things out of a sense of "should". Trying to release myself from that and yet not get stuck in a holding pattern with a confused look on my face is the challenge I face right now.

I've had nearly 3 days to contemplate all of this. There's a lot to it. I'm sure much of it will come out through this blog and in the upcoming newsletter.

But it isn't all about me.

I share this with you because regardless of what health you may be in right now, I guarantee you've got some crap piled up in your closet. You have some chains that have that door padlocked.

I figure I've got so much of my stuff out on the lawn right now that I'd offer a bit of space for you as well. Feel free to drop off some of your todo's. Trust me, you don't need them.

We'll throw them in the garage sale. Grab a glass of lemonade while you are here, and let's smile together as that which is no longer serving us moves on to one who actually needs it.

And one of these days, maybe we'll tackle all of that crap in the garage.

One day at a time.

Awareness Painting

2010-11-16T08:51:00.000-05:00

That painting I gave you a sneak peak of before? Here's the final version.

(Acrylics & mixed-media on canvas board)

No deep thoughts today...I'm indulging in human frailty and overcoming a sore throat and fatigue. No worries...I feel blessed to be able to stay at home and take care of it!

May you indulge in awareness today.

(Hopefully while in good health)

Adornment Photos

2010-11-15T09:04:00.001-05:00

In my last newsletter I had discussed the idea of adornment and challenged subscribers to find one thing they could choose that day to adorn themselves - something that made them feel alive. I was so pleased with the result (and hope the participants were as well!) - and even received a few photos from some awesomely adorned lovelies!

With their permission, I'll share them here:

Tracy and her fabulous feet (I so want a pair of those toe socks!):

Andrea donned her gorgeous pearls (doesn't she look stunning with her blue hair & pearls?!)

Thanks Tracy & Andrea for the awesome photos & your adornments - you two inspire me!...and thanks to all those who emailed me how they participated!

Inspired? Wanna try your own - just for today? Share your "one thing" with which you will adorn yourself today that will make you feel alive.

(Mine? A new soap scent...sandalwood. I need something that will stick with me throughout the day as I'm feeling a bit of the ickies coming on...oh no!)

I may be back later today with more, but for now...do share what adorns you!

And don't forget to sign up for The Fine Print...you don't want to miss out on all of the future fun!

Losing It

2010-11-11T08:57:00.000-05:00

The blue screen of death.

It is something you never want to see on a computer monitor. And yet, last night, there she was. Icily staring back at me from the laptop screen.

The kids had been innocently playing on PBSKids.org. I was reading in the other room when I started hearing funny noises (from the computer, not the kids). I went in and saw, "Physical Memory Dump Beginning, 10%, 20%, 30%...Physical Memory Dump Completed."

You can only imagine the funny noises that started emerging from my mouth.

I put the kids to bed (it was bed time, not punishment) as visions of countless hours of repair danced through my head. Phone calls, emails, ....what had I lost? Oh my goodness - that file that was open! I forgot to save it!

And so on.

When I went in to kiss my son goodnight, he asked me to lay with him. I kept thinking of the screen and whether I should attempt to press F9 or F11 and if praying might appease the laptop gods or maybe I should off a sacrifical DVD......when my son took my ear. (That's his thing.)

And I was that ear and nothing else.

I felt the soft bristles of his close-cut hair on my cheek and heard his sniffly breathing as he tried to sneak his thumb into his mouth. I let myself just sink into his well-worn mattress.

How deceptively easy this is to do. How hard it seems, no matter how much we intellectually crave it, to be with the fleeting beauty of the now.

Even now, I wonder if you are reading this with a thought train chugging in the background, "so what happened to the laptop? were the computer gods satisfied with the sacrifice?".

I almost lost so much that was irretrievable last night. It came without warning and would have passed without alarms. Yet, years from now, when I started wanting it...it would be gone forever.

Time dump completed.

I'm sure you will be relieved to know - last night, I was able to save everything I needed.

(p.s. ok, so while I want to leave on such a beautiful note, I know I'll get a few emails asking about the laptop. 'cause I have caring friends like that. I love that about you.

The laptop was recovered. And the kids will not be using it again.)

Choose Your Own Experience

2010-11-10T09:05:00.001-05:00

I had it this morning. One of those ah-hah moments in which I can literally hear the light being clicked on.

A question that's been asked by others and probably by myself at some point. Probably somewhere in this blog. (I have the type of memory where I've not only forgotten where I've put my keys; I've forgotten where I put the car.) I will ask myself again and again and I challenge you to ask as well:

How do I want to experience life?

All of these things I keep promoting - to myself and to you - don't mean diddly squat if you don't care about your experience of life. The right-here, right-now experience.

Yoga can awaken your body and mind and bring delicious harmony with your movements & thoughts.

Down Dog.

Hah.

Creative exploration gets the soulful juices flowing. Paints and water-soluble pencils should come with a label: WARNING: May cause deep realizations, harmony with life, and, in rare cases, ability to hear angels sing.

More of this one later...

Running, reading, chatting, chai....they all provide the potential for mind-blowing experiences.

But if you don't care about your experience

of this thing called "living",

there really isn't any point in practicing them.

In my reality, we are here to experience life.

To let the divine play in human form. To dip our fingers in mooshy paint (the non-toxic kinds), dip our toes in the tepid ocean water, and dip our tongues in gooey melted chocolate.

To have a mindful awareness as we go through out days that supersedes the beautiful religious practices that occur only in designated buildings.

To explore the touch of a soapy dish and hear the harmony between a child's laugh and the song of the bird.

To feel the gut-punches of pain without succumbing to them and the giddy tummy-tickles of joy without clinging to them.

To live the questions instead of just pondering them over a good conversation then shuffling off to work the next day to make the next dollar.

To play. To experience.

It is the belief from which I build all of my posts, my newsletter, my workshops (yep, 3/4 way through one!)...It is a belief I hope you hold as well: That our experiences matter. If you are content with sleepwalking, I wish you well and that there are no walls or staircases in your way...but will let you know our journey probably wasn't meant to travel together.

If, however, you want to delve into the richness and vital juiciness of our moments? Ah, kindred soul, let's talk....

I have photos to share from some of my lovely newsletter subscribers who played with their experience of adorning themselves...coming tomorrow with some more goodness.

Wisdom of Running, Art, and Yoga

2010-11-08T09:44:00.000-05:00

There is so much I have learned since assuming the practices of running, creative exploration,and yoga. Below are just a few of the shared wisdom tid-bits.

Meditate. Mental Chatter makes or breaks your experience & success rate.

If I think too much about what I'm doing, I will fail. It happens over and over. Positive mental feedback, "you can do this!", and thought-reminders (breathe) are excellent. But they only go so far. When I've put successive layers on the painting, when I'm 3/4 of the way up the hill, when I'm nearing Savasana - if I keep thinking about how I don't want to mess it up, how I want to walk, or how I want a grilled cheese sandwich....I'll quit. Learning to control my thoughts - or at the very least, be aware of them - is crucial to my continued pursuit of any soul-fulfilling endeavors. Meditation is vital to doing this.

Don't over-think. If you think of something else to do, you'll do it.

If I wake up in the morning and convince myself that I have too much to do besides running, you better believe I'm not slipping on my shoes and stepping into the cold dark air. If I have more productive things to do (as if laundry were more productive), the art gets shoved aside. If I think I need cardio more than yoga (my yoga practice is more awarness-based - not sweat-based), the mat stays rolled up.

I am an intelligent woman who can find just as many excuses as I can reasons. All of that thinking about whether or not I should or even can do something is still a layer over the deeper passion inside.

Once I commit to something - on the outside and the inside - it isn't a matter of whether or not I should or can do it. I do it because I can't NOT do it.

Embrace all sources of energy. Empower yourself and acknowledge others.

I went for a run yesterday morning along a highway then back into a neighborhood. Half the run I was facing cars and drivers and the awareness that each and every one of them could be thinking something different about me. For the other half of the run, I was facing birds and mailboxes and a few goats who seemed confused as to why I was running if nothing was chasing me.

There is definitely a different energy, a different feeling, I get when running amidst other people (traffic or in a race) versus running completely on my own. The same goes if I'm taking a yoga class versus practicing in my living room or painting outdoors at Brown County versus my basement.

Embrace the energy others can provide but learn also to find your own. Both have their benefits.

It cannot be me against them. It has to just be me.

Remember all of those people I faced yesterday while running? My thoughts wavered between, "Well they aren't out running so screw 'em if they think I look odd or am running too slow" and "I'm sure they are jealous that I'm out and they aren't - don't worry lovely drivers, you can do it!". Eventually, it came down to, "If they are a runner, they get it. If they aren't, they don't."

We all must run for ourselves. We must paint for ourselves. We must find our own pose. If you are trying to be better than someone else or afraid you are worse, you act based off of the assumption that you are somehow different from "them". Someone may make different choices than you, but at the base of it all, we are all a hodgepodge of unified, seemingly chaotic diversity.

In other words, we are all one. Don't fight against yourself.

You can still sign up for The Fine Print! This week's edition holds stories of non-conformity and glitter...and a challenge. Indulge in the randomness.

Do. Be. (And Sign Up...)

2010-11-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

I was sitting upstairs yesterday, looking out the window. To the casual observer (that being my husband. and my son. and my daughter.), I was doing nothing - and therefore, available for playtime and responding to questions.

In my reality, however, I was deep in the midst of exploring my thoughts and a form of meditative breathing. (Yeah, I could have moved. I was just too lazy to leave the couch.)

It did make me question, though - how can I explain to them why I'm unavailable? (Not that I need to. I've perfected "the look". But in fairness to them and myself, I decided to reflect on the answer.)

In order of difficulty, from "fairly easy" to "nearly impossible", I find these things a challenge:

   1) To Try
   2) To Do
   3) To Be

In our society, the first two are highly rewarded. "Try, try again", right? Ah, and to do....and succeed....to set a goal and reach it? Isn't that what we train kids for in school and reward people for in jobs?

I was a total nerd in school.

That's me, on the last day of high school, still concerned about impressing others.

I learned how to do homework and tests and essays juuuust right. That training got me a scholarship. Then a degree. And jobs with accolades. I did what I learned to do - then did more.

But to be??

To know myself well enough that "trying" and "doing" are guided by my being? It is a challenge I accepted many years ago yet with which I still struggle. Ironic, as "being" should be the simplest form of existence.

All of us must DO to exist. "Doing" is not "bad". We must eat, earn money or some form of shared energy, contribute to society, ...and if we are lucky and have the resources, we Do more - create art, take vacations, go shopping, watch t.v., etc.

But what we have forgotten is that

all of us must BE

in order to live.

In order to be, you must be aware of who you are.

Even if it means staring out the window every now and then.

**************

DON'T FORGET: Sign up for The Fine Print (because you WANT to). As a bonus, if you sign up by this Sunday, November 7th, you will also be entered to win a signed copy of Chris Guillebeau's new book, The Art of Non-Conformity.

**************
Also: I am going to be a contributor for Mindy's new class, THIS Moment! Mindy runs the fabulous site, WishStudio, with oodles of great guests & regular contributors. I am honored to be contributing to her class.

You can still get the early-bird discount if you sign up for her class today! (Class begins November 15th) Learn more and register HERE (http://wishstudio.com/2010/04/09/workshops-and-eventsthis-moment-with-mindy-tsonas-2/).

***************

Go. Do. Be.

Why So Serious?

2010-11-04T09:20:00.005-04:00

A lovely had shared this video on Twitter yesterday. A new video by Pink, the song "Raise Your Glass" is nothing if not provocative.

And that, among other reasons, is why I love it. I cannot get it out of my head.

It makes you think or shows you where you choose not to.

Watch it and let me know what gets you going.

And baby, why so serious?! *wink*

LifeUnity Voter's Edition

2010-11-02T12:59:00.000-04:00

If you are reading this for advice or my opinions for whom you should vote....you are going to be disappointed.

I won't be delving into any political arguments. (Yet.)

I did want to share an interesting observation I had after staring at one of the numerous political junk-mail advertisements during breakfast. I couldn't help it - it was on the top of the mail pile with a few bits of cereal-milk dropped delicately on the top. (Our daughter's fault. Or mine. Eh, I'll blame it on her.)

I just kept looking at this picture:

(FYI, the baby's head in the woman's arm is actually fine - the doll-head effect is due to my camera on my phone.) Getting beyond the too-perfect family with the too-perfect smiles and too-perfect clothes (giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they are just awesome that way), did you notice the feet? At first I took it like anyone else would - they are all just taking a happy little stroll.

Look closer. They are all stepping on the same foot, back left foot propped nicely behind them.

When you are aware of this, the photo almost takes on an amusing posed-quality. (At least for me.) I can hear the photographer saying, "OK, balance, take the other foot back and put your toes down, now balance...baaaaallaaaannceeee...."

It bothered me. For whatever reason, it brought to mind a recent article I had read on models and how all of the pictures are severely retouched. How we hold ourselves to impossible beauty standards. How the media likes to set and/or reinforce those standards.

I won't get into the details of my feelings on this, but if we are "faking" the reality of beauty standards....how is this photo not faking the reality of politicians...and politics...and the guiding laws, issues, and moral decisions that we are supposed to be living by?

It may be a jump, but not a far one.

Once we start removing the humanity of an individual - trying to make them something they are not - we start imposing false standards. Everyone else is then expected to meet those standards or, at the very least, be striving towards them.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to vote for someone just because they can balance on one foot and have an attractive family.

When did we lose the celebration of that which makes us human, alive, vulnerable, and therefore, beautiful? No wonder politics is so confusing to many of my generation. We like to see issues being examined, conversations being had, change happening alongside the flow of time. Instead, we have set standards for our politicians that they now dutifully follow - to be beyond humanity, flaws - to be able to balance a life that isn't meant to stay in balance.

For those in the US who are blessed to have the opportunity to have a voice, please vote today. We are fortunate to have a say. Remember that.

If this gets you even a little bothered, remember the power you have as an individual...not only through voting, but in living your life every.single.day in the manner that makes you feel alive.

No false standards allowed.

I am only one, but I am one.

I cannot do everything, but I can do something.

And I will not let what I cannot do

interfere with what I can do.

~Edward Everett Hale

I expect to pass through life but once.

If therefore, there be any kindness

I can show, or any good thing I can do

to any fellow being, let me do it now,

and not defer or neglect it,

as I shall not pass this way again.

~William Penn

Logo Design: EL Block

2010-10-28T21:00:00.001-04:00

A new logo!!

Erika of EL Block Creative Studios designed the lifeunity logo you see now at the top of the page...I am so happy to have it!

Erika was so flexible in working with me as I hemmed and hawed about different ideas. I wanted this and that, a handprint, try different colors....if I was working with myself, I would have driven myself mad. Through phone calls & web contact, she proposed & tediously designed various layouts, designs, colors, and images....and together we came up with the gorgeousness you see above!

You may notice this logo popping up other places as the construction continues around here.

Be sure to find Erika HERE (http://www.facebook.com/elblockcreativestudios) & let her know if you need something!

I feel like a little kid jumping up and down..."tell me, tell me, whaddya think? whaddya think?"

One Word: Creative Energy

2010-10-28T12:33:00.000-04:00

Today started brilliantly, then just turned into "one of those days". No rhyme or reason...it is what it is.

I could feel the "funk" coming on.

Out of a newly developed instinct, I headed for my art supplies.

And I created this:

Without darkness, there is no light. Without light, there is no life.

Simple effort, simple journal page, deep results.

I'm not saying I'm ready to start skipping around outside singing Disney songs, but I do have the energy to keep moving throughout my day - to accomplish the things I know I want to accomplish.

Creative energy is powerful.

Let me repeat.

Creative energy is powerful.

Broadening your perspective from art (to mind states or meals or a breathing pattern...), ONE WORD:

What will you create in the next 24 hours?

The Newsletter & a Give-away!!!

2010-10-27T09:35:00.001-04:00

Finally! The official newsletter sign-up has begun!

The Fine Print is the name, awareness is the game.

Right now I'm scheduling to send a newsletter every couple of weeks, but this may increase as we get into the swing of things.

Included in The Fine Print will be stories, valuable information, resources, downloads, guest segments, quotes, and even jokes!

From yoga to art, creative exploration to passionately pursuing a vocation, weaving mindfulness into the mundane, Buddhist & other religious perspectives, philosophical musings to rather humorous (and hopefully not too crass) one-liners, the newsletter is all about enhancing and deepening your awareness: of your vitality, of what life has to offer, of your creative responsibilities (yup - responsibilities).

The Fine Print is going to be my way of staying in touch with you as the construction continues around here. Eventually, this blog will be moving to my new website. Those on the newsletter will be able to follow the move and not get lost in the dust!

And as a thank you for tagging along and signing up early,

I will be offering a signed copy of Chris Guillebeau's new book,

The Art of Non-Conformity, to one of The Fine Print subscribers!

(If you haven't heard of him or this book, trust me...you'll want to read this. If you have heard of him, you probably already have a copy...so feel free to keep this signed one and give yours away!)

Just sign up by Sunday, November 7th...that's all you have to do. I'll be picking from the list of subscribers and announcing the winner in the newsletter on Monday, November 8th.

(*All "charter members" - i.e. those who signed up via the trial button - are already entered!)

Sign up HERE.

The new website is soon to follow, with more "About Me" stuff - including what you can expect from LifeUnity - a return to guest posts, and even a workshop or two!

I'm super excited about all of this and hope you are too...I look forward to seeing you on the subscriber list!

Experience Your Day

2010-10-26T09:03:00.000-04:00

This morning, after dropping off our son at the bus stop, I laid down on the driveway and experienced in awe what was happening around me.

A storm rolling in. Swirling masses of leaves finding their way back to earth. Trees dancing to a hushed windsong.

And I?

I was here to experience it.

Yes there were things to be done. The to-do's still waited. This moment, however, would not.

I chose to allow myself to get drunk

on the intoxicating fragrance of the impermanence.

It is how life is lived.

How a Smile Can Create World Peace

2010-10-23T09:29:00.001-04:00

I alone may not be able to create world peace.

But I will not underestimate my role, my responsibility
in making it happen.

Today.

I may go to the Starbucks and order from the barista who is having a rough day and who barely acknowledges me.

Perhaps I smile back and offer her a sincere thank you instead of being offended.

It releases her tension and improves her day. She does not go home and complain to her boyfriend who was getting ready to leave her that evening because all she did was complain. Instead, they have a healthy talk and renew their love.

A week from now they go out with friends, one of whom happens to work at the Peace Learning Center in Indianapolis. They have a deep, hours-long conversation over dinner & wine which leads to a brilliant idea by the Center worker.

He returns to work the next Monday and pitches the idea to a committee which takes it to the state level. A group is formed which adds collaborative input to the original ideas and implements them on a state-wide level.

Two years later, the crime rate in the state has dropped significantly and the White House takes notice. After research & a few changes over the coming years, the practices are put into place at all state levels. The US begins a trend that leads to worldwide talks and culturally-appropriate implementation of the practices across nations.

Within ten years, hatred & crime are considered as outdated an concept as slavery. Peace is the norm instead of an some seemingly unattainable dream.

Which wouldn't have happened without the world-wide implementation

Which wouldn't have happened without the talks.

Which wouldn't have happened without the US government putting the ideas into practice after noticing them at the state level.

Which wouldn't have happened without the the committee collaborating and acting on the ideas presented to them.

Which wouldn't have happened without the original idea proposed by the Peace Learning Center employee.

Which wouldn't have happened without a spark of deep conversation in a safe environment with no fear of conflict (or complaining) amidst good friends.

Which wouldn't have happened had the friends not gone out.

Which wouldn't have happened had the barista and her boyfriend not stayed together.

Which wouldn't have happened had the barista come home and complained once again to her boyfriend after a long day of work.

Which didn't happen because I smiled.

Today, try a smile.

Who knows? You may have just created world peace.

Art on Love

2010-10-22T08:42:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had a memory arise that just takes your breath away? It is a personal memory, yet it seems like you are watching the drama from the outside - as if you are such a different person now that you can't imagine ever having been there. Yeah, I've got those. Many of them.

I chose to sit with my fires of emotion & memory the other day. It brought up many stories that I'd stopped re-telling years ago.

Instead of clinging to the drama, I let it just flow right on through me into a play of art.

I created an painting in the middle of all of this and am most happy with the feeling it evokes in me. The process was intense. The final piece gives an option of a resting place for the ashes of what has burned. There are so many stories I no longer need to analyze, to sit with and let burn....which is not overwhelming.

It is simply an opportunity for more art.

(You will notice in the following video some places where there is just video, no music and other places where there is just music, no video. This is intentional.)

A warning: some might find the lyrics of the music I used offensive. It is the music I listened to while creating the piece (literally: I had it on repeat). It gives an important backdrop to the art and is an honest look into my creation process. I find passion in everything from songs like this (Eminem/Rihanna: Love the Way You Lie) to rich symphony music.

Love from Lisa Wilson on Vimeo.

I'm truly fascinated by the way experiences get put into art and then how the art gets experienced by the viewer.

If you are game to play along, I'd love to know 3 words that this piece evokes for you. No right or wrong...I'm just really curious!

Become Aware With Me

2010-10-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...

I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow

if you have been opened by life's betrayals

or have beccome shriveled and closed

from fear of further pain.

I want to know

If you can sit with pain

mine or your own

without moving to hide it

or fade it

or fix it.

.....

It doesn't interest me who you know

or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand

in the centre of the fire with me

and not shrink back.

Portions taken From The Invitation By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

My fire burns brightly these days.

Part of honoring that; respecting that; ensuring that it doesn't fade back to a dull, whispered glow is tending it. I have to sit close enough to it...sometimes even within it...to ensure it does not die out.

It is painful. It hurts not only to deal with those things that I've previously had the luxury to ignore but to be with the awareness of when I don't.

You see, when I become aware of something, I cannot become unaware of it. I can choose to not deal with it but I am then conscious of my choice....that I chose to ignore it.

I am making a choice to sit with this fire because I cannot imagine any other way to live. To walk away, to let this fire fizzle out, would be to choose death.

Dramatic as it may seem, do you not feel that painful, gripping slumber that arises when you step away from your passions, your life? Like a game of "hot" and "cold", each time a single step is taken away from that which calls to your being, the spirit & the body grow a little colder.

I want to take the steps in my life and constantly hear "hot, hot, hot"! (If you don't know the game, I don't mean hollers from construction workers as I pass by. Though to be honest, I wouldn't be pissed to receive those.) If I cannot hear the calls, I want to stop - to rest - to just listen until I find my direction again.

It is this rest that I find myself right now. I am resting so close to the fire that the smoke burns in my nostrils. The flames crackle out....

You don't really want a "business". You just want to connect with other people. Why are you wasting your time with all of this stuff?

You suck at being vulnerable. You always have to seem strong. You aren't going to get anywhere without the support of others yet when it comes down to the core you refuse to do it unless you can do it on your own.

Like anything else, I could ignore it. I could walk away. But I must let the tears fall and breathe through the gnawing in my gut and LIVE. Because that is who I am. Truly, I cannot live any other way. Once the fires burn away the crap that keeps me from knowing myself, I will find the answers to those questions above. I will move forward, stronger, to the next fire.

More and more, I hear the crackling of your fires as well. Some are roaring, some barely provide enough heat to warm a fly. And yet if I am going to be able to sit with mine you have to show me how you can sit with yours.

Because we really aren't alone in this.

THIS, beautiful souls, THIS is where I am. This is where LifeUnity is going. I am aware of this life, the heat, the cold, the pains, and the elations. I'm learning to sit with my own fire and dance with the tribal beats and clapping hands.

I am creating my home, my thoughts, my art, my body, my life, my dance.

I want you to do the same.

At the very least, I want to lead you into awareness of this, to help you live. The newsletter, the website, it is all just another clap, a drum beat so you can hear the rhythm, feel the rhythm, become aware and Dance.

Do you hear it?

Tell me - right now - one thing that drum beat says to you.

Lessons from Outdoor Painting

2010-10-20T10:32:00.002-04:00

I recently did a field trip assignment for our fearless painting tribe. (http://dirtyfootprintsworkshops.com)

We were to head outside to paint - and I was quite excited. The spicy colors of fall are seasoning every overlook and capturing that beauty in paint was sure to be enjoyable.

Next time, I'll just have to remember to pick my spot a little better. The video shows the story, but a quick overview: The family & I went to Brown County State Park and set up camp at a beautiful spot overlooking miles of orange, red, yellow, and green spotted hills. After getting everything in place, we were literally attacked by ladybugs. I tried to love them. I tried to love nature. I tried to be one with it all.

But when one crawled down the back of my pants I said words parents probably shouldn't say and decided the ladybugs had won. This time.

I did finish painting at home. I used techniques from 21 Secrets (written text on tissue paper, which I then adhered with a medium to make the tissue paper almost translucent) and a Rilke quote I heard on the drive (from the podcast Being with Krista Tippett on NPR)...and ended up with this:

(Is not impermanence the fragrance of our days)

Because I always find the process more fascinating than the end product, here's a look into the site, the ladybugs, the drive, my attention issues, and how the painting progressed.

Funny The Way It Is

2010-10-19T08:46:00.002-04:00

Funny the way it is
No right or wrong

An oddly intriguing video by The Dave Matthews Band - and one of my favorite songs. Listen to the lyrics...I'd love to know what you think.

I think today I will go through my hours with a smile and the thought, "Funny the way it is". I'll let you know how it turns out.

(Yesterday? Breath + laundry = happiness. I hope that each of you breathing through work troubles & resistance and worry found your moments of peace as well. Thank you for sharing your stories ...)

One Word: Find Your Breath

2010-10-18T10:09:00.000-04:00

A short post and a short lesson, both reflected upon during my run this morning.

Do not be afraid of your breath.

When you feel tense or angry or stressed or exhausted
be aware.

Find a delicious moment of peace in the
next
deeeeep
belly-drenching
heart-bursting
breath.

Now go on with your life.

Tell me - one word - in what situation do you promise yourself to find your breath today?

Mine? Laundry. (Back problems always kick in when I bend over to pull out clothes & I frequently hold my breath. I find when I remember to breathe through it I find core strength that makes it much easier.)

What Do I Wish To Fly Free From?

2010-10-13T18:16:00.002-04:00

A video! In response to Jamie Ridler's Wishcasting Wednesday (Find Jamie's site at : http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/ ).

(I did this on the laptop and there is a horrible picture/sound delay...but I have no software to edit it from the laptop. Sorry!)

And you???

Embody The Divine

2010-10-12T14:36:00.002-04:00

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,
then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are the words we dimly hear:

You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.

Flare up like flame
and make big shadows I can move in.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
Don't let yourself lose me.

Nearby is the country they call life.
You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your hand.
—Rilke's Book of Hours, I, 59

**Sourced from "Being with Krista Tippett", American Public Media

Who We Are - Your Comments

2010-10-11T13:25:00.002-04:00

Thank you to all of the lovely comments - one word or more.

We are a community, a tribe of individuals that live deeply. This is what is on our minds:

We are human and fascinating.

One Word

2010-10-10T19:19:00.001-04:00

I often find myself reading moving blog posts and not leaving a comment. It's not because I have nothing to say; rather it is usually because I have too much to say. Trying to come up with the "perfect" wording or even something that remotely hints at what I want to say becomes too stressful. So I just click the little "x" in the top corner of my browser and end the smile that the author will never see.

Which is a shame.

I love to know when people have been here, when someone has read the words I took time to type. If I had to guess, many of the other writers - no matter if they have 10 followers or 10,000 - like to know someone is reading.

I thought I'd implement something here to make all of this just a bit easier.

At the end of many of my blog posts, I will be asking you for One Word. That's it. One. You can write more if you feel like it but the pressure is off if you don't. Yes, you'll still have to type in those creative little confirmation words that arise before your comment is published, but I find those bring more laughs than stress.

Let's try one.

I've been finding myself running around in circles again recently, not sure whether I should name the newsletter this or that, run 2 miles for a fast pace or jog/walk 4 miles, go out to eat for dinner or cook that pasta that has been sitting neglected in the pantry for far too long.

When I step back and look at the choices, it almost makes me laugh. Really, these things matter so very little. If my neighbor hates the new website and Oprah loves it - it doesn't matter. If I never run under a ten-minute mile despite years of running - it doesn't matter.

As I start to think yet once again about perfection and target markets and web code and fiber and caffeine and .... enough.

I choose my word of the week to be "Eh". (Yes, your "word" can be whatever you want it to be. No rules.)

So to all of these seemingly oh-so-important-potentially-life-changing decisions, I bid you an "Eh."

So there.

Your turn.

You can share your reasons or not, but what is your one word of the week?

The Worth of What Is

2010-10-08T20:27:00.001-04:00

"When the well is dry, they know the worth of water"

~Benjamin Franklin

Griffey Lake

Bloomington, Indiana

August 2009

September 2010

_________________________________________________

May 2009

November 2008

September 2010

May we be grateful for what we have when we have it.

Life Happens

2010-10-07T10:16:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting.

I have been not posting on purpose, hoping to make the next post "the big one". Waiting to reveal the new newsletter, the new website, the "IT" that pulls all of this together.

I have catchy names that change depending on my mood, pages of business plan material - some by the letter, some doodled. I have things to offer you and things that will fulfill me. It is all so close to being ready-to-roll.

And yet I wait.

And life marches on.

“Life is what happens to you

while you're busy making other plans” ~John Lennon

So let's keep writing our story, shall we? No more interludes while we plan something more exciting. Let's promise one another to keep making each day matter - whether or not we are planning for tomorrow, today is the only thing that exists.

Today I challenge you to do one teeny tiny thing that celebrates life right here, right now...one itsy bitsy step towards You. Mine? This post.

Life is happening now, baby. Let's not miss out.

Work in Progress

2010-10-04T19:40:00.000-04:00

A quick note: You may or may not have noticed the little "Newsletter" button over there: ---->

You don't need to do anything at this point - this is my little "test" version. There will be a way cooler button when I get the real newsletter set up. :)

I promised many changes happening around here and I wasn't kidding. I am absolutely giddy about all of the things that will be revealed soon - but in fairness to one bit of news, I want to keep all of them under wraps for now. (Jealousy issues between news bits, ya know.)

IF you do want to help me out with my test, please feel free - I would be quite grateful! Just click on that little button on the sidebar and you'll be taken to a subscription screen. (Don't worry - you'll be able to unsubscribe if you change your mind) Please let me know if you have any troubles - you can email me at lifeunity (at) gmail (dot) com.

If you do sign up, you will not receive anything beyond the subscription confirmation right now. (e.g. no real newsletter.) Once the final version is ready to go, I will send out an email to all trial subscribers confirming that you wish to stay on the list.

I will post more information oh-so-soon on what exactly this newsletter will contain...and all of the awesome changes that will be accompanying it.

Stay tuned (and thanks to any trial members!)!!

Tripping Over Joy

2010-10-04T16:31:00.000-04:00

Keep Going

2010-09-30T11:19:00.001-04:00

Oh to be able to feel the delicious sense of being ALIVE that arises from the process of exploration...

Oh to be AWARE of what this day has in store for us....

Oh, and to learn how to sit with those uncomfortable moments that make you want to tear out your hair when the art or the report or the talk goes "wrong" or it feels like time has been "wasted" or absolutely nothing is coming to you and you feel like you are tirelessly spinning in circles. To learn how to be with those and yet to keep going....

To keep painting. Or writing. Or running. Or napping. Or doing whatever it is that your instinct tells you to do because it is in harmony with the moment. We find a guide once we are tapped into that part of ourselves beyond the shoulds and the fears and the ego-driven wants. If we stay in harmony with that guide, the questions of what and where and how and even why do not need to be asked.

And along the way, it is so important to celebrate and support others who are on this journey. Who get up, again and again, and keep going.

One of my fellow travelers on this consciously creative journey is Theresa with Faerie Moon Creations. Theresa is not only seriously multi-talented herself (check out her Esty shop! ) but she focuses on featuring other artists to spread the love. (Talented and generous - what a combination!!)

Recently I was so thrilled to receive this from Theresa:

It is finding a place of honor in my home. It not only celebrates her talent (she took that photo!), inspires me (the quote? "Just living is not enough, said the butterfly, one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower" - Hans Christian Anderson), but warms my heart as I am reminded of her kindness & journey.

Thank you deeply, Theresa.

Finally, I recognize all of this only because I experience it. In the past 24 hours, I have experienced the pains & elation of moving in and out of the flow - of stopping and keeping going.

I started an art piece on canvas, primarily for The Tribe (the group open to those who have completed BIG through Dirty Footprints Studio.)

I recorded the process on the web cam but may or may not get around to getting that up. (Just FYI.)

At the end of the night, I had ended up with this:

And I strongly strongly disliked it. It looked messy. Trite in some areas. And most importantly, Not Me.

I wanted to toss it.

That night, I kept going with my thoughts, my reflections, moving beyond that serious headache I was getting from trying to understand.

The following came to me:

I like time-worn colors. Messages that speak to the soul that exists in all of us. Whimsy that reminds us not to take all of this too seriously. Textures & figures that remind us of magic, mystery, tribal fires...all that we forget as we sit down behind the desk and merge into what we mistakenly assume is the "real" world.

This morning, I came down and starting distressing the heck out of the painting. Sandpaper. Distressing paint.

And I ended up with this:

I am much happier with this piece now (though it still calls to me). I am at peace with the piece. :) Most importantly, I have new insight into how to make my art and my voice sing the same song.

All because I kept going.

Any places you can challenge yourself to keep going today? (And yes, as long as it is your Truth, to keep going with sleeping counts.)

Don't Forget: 21 Secrets Starts TOMORROW! You can still Sign up!

Click HERE to sign up or HERE to view my FAQ post on the workshops.

The FireStarter Sessions - Sale!!

2010-09-29T12:40:00.003-04:00

For those who have not heard of Danielle LaPorte, you need to check this out.

(Click on the above link to find out more directly on her site)

From now until this FRIDAY, OCT 1, she is offering a buy-one-get-one-FREE offer for the Firstarter Sessions!

If you are familiar with them, now's your chance to jump on an unbelievable opportunity. If she keeps coming up in your searches, take this is a sign that NOW is the time to jump on this.

**I will say it again below, but please remember: I will never promote something on this blog that I don't firmly believe in. This blog is my brand is my vocation is ME - and I'm not about to be fake. Been there. Done that. Didn't work. Moved on.**

For those not familiar with Danielle, I am thrilled to be your introduction. After following her blog for a bit (http://whitehottruth.com), I simply fell in love. (Don't worry. I'm not the first to admit my love for her.)

Danielle LaPorte is the creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, which has been called "the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality." An inspirational speaker and business strategist, and former think tank exec, Danielle’s new digital book, THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS helps entrepreneurs rock their career with integrity, audacity and their truest strengths.

Danielle is an uber-successful, tell-it-like-it-is, positively inspirational woman. The Firestarter Sessions are her in e-book form.

Here's the description:

How's your cashflow and your mojo?
Does your vision match your reality?
Does your brand match your soul?

THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS is: an e-book meets video transmission of acumen and love. You: are likely sitting on an empire of content, product, services, and prosperity that needs a spark -- or blow torch -- to take you to the next level. You: want to rock your revenue streams and do meaningful things in the world.

Worksheets that help you draw conclusions, quick videos with motivational punch, connections to current thinkers, practical smarts, and frank wisdom -- THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS is packed with inspiration that you will put to use.

Danielle has worked with 462+ entrepreneurs in her 1-on-1 Fire Starter consults (which are $500 and booked six weeks in advance.) For CEOs, coaches, artists, retailers, bestselling authors -- from site design to big dreams -- Danielle’s strategies combine passion with pragmatism to get to fulfillment and cash.

Each chapter is it’s own “Fire Starter Session” that includes: e-book components, video inspiration or interviews, and worksheets.

Some of the sessions are: True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease; Branding: Clarifying the Diamond of You; Products & Services: Making Stuff That Feels Good to Make; Money: More is More, Enough is Plenty; Web Design & SEO: Your Virtual Real-Estate…and dozens of tips and motivating perspectives.

In addition to getting Danielle’s deep and detailed knowledge, THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS brings you contributions from some A-league marketing strategists, pro-bloggers, branding experts, and creativity coaches.

Whether you’re in the early idea phase or a well-established rut, Danielle’s thorough, witty, and experience-based advice will most certainly light a fire under your…aspirations.

You get all of that for $150. But WAIT!

With the current special going on, you could:

split the cost with a friend or online contact at get it for only $75! OR
you could purchase one now and give one away on your blog (imagine the traffic that would bring!).
You could buy one now and create something for which people could register...and give it away then.

Countless options.

(Karma note: This is an affiliate link - so purchasing through these little buttons helps me keep paying for the tools I use to pass along my info to you!)

As I've mentioned before, I only pimp things on this blog that I believe in. I have the Firestarter Sessions. I LOVE the wisdom within. They have helped me narrow down ideas that have been present for years and provide practical techniques to implement those ideas.

I jumped on the opportunity to purchase these on sale when I could and I have absolutely no regrets. If you have any questions about my experience, I am more than happy to answer them - just email me (lifeunity at gmail (dot) com)

If you are at all interested, don't miss your opportunity!

Shed and Experience

2010-09-28T11:43:00.002-04:00

My brief reflections on shedding.

My closet and my garage, piled with long-forgotten treasures, are reminders to me of why I chose to start the Shed Project in the first place. They cough through the dust, crying out to be released from their forced slumber.

Others need them - someone could benefit from that aging photo printer, someone might find such depth in those forgotten books, someone could actually be warmed from the bitter cold by that coat I long ago shoved away, someone else might look stunning in that wedding dress that stores duplicate copies of memories from over 10 years ago. (But I'm pretty sure that torn shirt, "I'm With Stupid -->" has probably served its purpose. If it ever had one. Heh.)

It is selfish of me to cling so tightly. Being aware of what I trip over and what it means, I am reminded...

There is a calling within me, a force, an energy, that has been awakened. Once awakened, it cannot be put back to sleep. I can either choose to do something with it or I can choose to consciously ignore it. Either way, it is my responsibility to live with the consequences.

As I wrote in the last post, it is challenging enough for me to boldly face my days aware of the delicate richness of life. Through training or fear, I have accumulated many other challenges in my life - perhaps if only to distract me from the sheer difficulties, chaos, and blinding beauty of the Experience of Life.

And yet, that energy within is aware of that experience now. It hungers for it - longs for it. It will not be silenced.

So I consciously make my choices, aware of this immutable passion. I fight to not sink into judging things as "wrong" or "right". I simply choose to shed those things that no longer serve me right now. I am choosing to shed those things that blanket over and mute that energy, those things that convince me to stay in this cage of comfortable, pre-defined reality. The door is open - I am making the choice to fly out. I am making the choice to experience what it means to live.

For those who have been following for awhile, you know my practicalities. You know I have two kids, an established suburban lifestyle, a bank account that nears zero at the end of each month, student loans, a to-do-list that contains far more than I'll ever get done, blessings & stresses galore. I am not ignoring any of these.

I am respecting and celebrating where I am in my life and most importantly, not trying to judge it as "bad" and escape from it. As I make the choices that bring me greater experiences in life, they will incorporate those blessings in my life (my children, my husband, my family, our health, stable albeit tight financial means, etc). I truly appreciate where I am and everyone that has helped me get here. I am not trying to change for the sake of change; I am changing for the sake of experience.

I will find continue to increase comfort within (through meditation, yoga, art) so that I can increase discomfort in my life (going new places, trying new foods, meeting new people who have different ideas than I do, running that extra mile up that hill, and so on). I am not only opening myself up to new experiences but also experiencing what is already in my life differently.

And to the energy we put out there, the universe responds. Tonight I am thrilled to be attending a stop on the Unconventional Book Tour to chat with Chris Guillebeau and Adam Baker (who appears in Chris' most recent book, The Art of Nonconformity, and who I learned lives (or lived?) only an hour north of me! Find him at ManVsDebt.com).

With hopes that you continue to find new ways to experience life,

It's Nice Until It Isn't

2010-09-27T19:37:00.002-04:00

A note.

I am so tired of hearing the excuses.

I am so tired of hearing, "It must be nice....".

It must be nice to live a life of privilege.

To be able to be ignorant of the color of the person's eyes who just died because they were so hungry that death was more welcome than the fight for life.

To have the freedom to whine about another hard day at work to someone else who had a hard day at work and to commiserate and find solace in one another so you can wake up and do it again tomorrow.

To bitch about the living conditions just outside of your neighborhood and the price of health care and the status of the educational system and the damn bank account that always hovers around zero.

To complain about the person who believes that and raise an eyebrow at the person who is placing items you would never buy on the checkout counter in front of you and the person saying things on t.v. or behind you in line that you would never say.

I will tell you from experience - it is only nice up until the point that you are aware that it is not nice.

Awareness changes everything.

Suddenly a life of privilege and people dying from hunger and the conditions of health care and the challenges of people around you are not "nice".

They are no longer reasons and ways to escape from life but reasons and ways why I must take responsibility for life.

It is hard. (And oddly, the more challenging it gets, the closer it gets to returning to "nice" - but a far different version of "nice".)

To start small, to start somewhere, to act instead of whine - that is all I can do.

It all starts with awareness.

***
A disclaimer: I do not pretend to claim for a second that I am unfortunate. I do realize how unbelievably blessed I am in life to have these freedoms. I do not believe that my hardships are measurable in comparison to those in different situations. I DO want to emphasize, however, the challenges that arise with living a life that is contrary to societal expectations, that challenges even the most fundamental of most beliefs. To live outside of right and wrong? To be constantly aware of the hardships and blessings we face as humans? To maintain this awareness while raising the kids, maintaining the household, going through life without a permanent lost look on my face? It is a challenge. One I feel blessed to face.
*****
I will hit publish on this as soon as I am done typing to ensure my true feelings are not lost in the electronic world once fear of what others think sets in. Obviously this is much deeper than my more recent posts but it too is what is going on in my life alongside 21 Secrets and art and yoga and laundry.

It is also a hint as to where LifeUnity - the new page, the newsletter, and so on - is headed. (Though with a lot more humor sprinkled in). :)

I would love to know - is there anything of which you are aware that is a challenge for you right now?

21 Secrets: An Update and Brief FAQ

2010-09-24T12:45:00.002-04:00

(More wisdom that I tapped into on my walk yesterday forthcoming. But first....)

If you've been here before, you've heard me praising the upcoming workshop 21 Secrets: An Art Journal Playground. (Designed and orchestrated by the splendid Connie Hozvicka of Dirty Footprints Studio.) (And Yup. She's one of the teachers. And so am I. Which, among other reasons, makes it totally awesome.)

(Please note: I have fixed all of the links...I just found out yesterday they weren't working. *sigh*)

I hope you have also had a chance to visit Paula's FAQ video (a.k.a. JournalArtista) in which she answers many of the questions about the workshop.

As I've been quite coy about everything that's being offered, I figured it was time to come forward and be straight with you. I've had a few questions come my way so thought I'd offer my own little FAQ! The teachers are all over the playground these days, tidying up their workshops, videos, lovely photos...and I cannot be more honest when I tell you that it is AMAZING. Seriously freakin' amazing.

Let me fill you in on the details:

21 Secrets: An Art Journal Playground.

Registration is already open.

The workshops will be accessible starting Friday, Oct 1st.

So how does this thing work??

You will have access to all 21 workshops (and all the goodies inside those workshops) on Oct. 1st. You will continue to have access through Feb. 1st. This is a limited time...however, there are countless PDF's available for you to download and keep. You can play in the morning, afternoon, evening, or late at night after everyone else has gone to bed. 24/7 the playground is open for you!

The 21 Secrets workshops are all on a NING platform. If you are not familiar with Ning - it is a very easy to use site. All of the workshops will be on one page and you can click forward and back to navigate through them.

What happens when I sign up??

You will receive very straightforward emails that will direct you what to do. You will fill out your NING profile but will not be let into the playground (i.e. have your membership approved) until Oct 1st. (You have to allow us time to get it all clean and pretty for you! We wouldn't want to you to get hurt on a rusty nail or something.)

What do I get?

21 different artists showing you a wide variety of techniques and insights. (Some going bigger than the journal, some using fabric, some on handwriting, some on paper-cutting, some on travelling, and so much more diverse wisdom!!)

I can only speak for mine and what I've perused over at the playground, but there are TONS of PDF's (you know - those things you download and can keep forever), Videos, instructions, suggestions, whimsy, ...even areas for students to chat.

So what about your workshop?

Oh, I'm so glad you asked. My workshop is "The Secret of Beginning". It is directed towards newcomers to the Art Journaling community as well as more veteran journalers who have lost their mojo when it comes to journaling.

I have four different discussions:

What Is Art Journaling?
Why Would Anyone Want to Art Journal (when there is so much else to do)?
Approaching the Page: The Materials
Our Stories (the place for us to swap stories)

Included in these discussions are: 28 minutes worth of video tutorials (a page from start-finish showing you oodles of materials and the process behind the page), PDF's describing materials - both a general overview and specific ones I use in the video, a fun artsy PDF I made with prompts to get you thinking about journaling (or just life!), and countless suggestions and techniques on beginning.

I have made a point to infuse this workshop not only with art journaling specifics, but also to encourage you to take the process beyond the page. Art journaling is only the beginning....

But I Don't Art Journal?!

Do you want to? Take the workshops. Do you not care about it? Don't take the workshops. I'm not trying to sell anyone who doesn't care a cookie about the creative process on these workshops. Just skip to my next post where I talk about something other than 21 Secrets.

I AM trying to encourage everyone who yearns for a more creative lifestyle, new ways to express themselves creatively, who is interested in exploring how art journaling can be done and taken beyond the page, and basically anyone who has read this far to SIGN UP.

If you have ANY other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at lifeunity (at) gmail [dot] com.

I hope to see you at the playground!

Here are the other awesome participating artists:

Andrea Schroeder

ABC Creativity

http://www.abccreativity.com

Angelia Thompson

Angelia’s Art Journals

http://angeliasartjournals.blogspot.com

Connie Hozvicka

Dirty Footprints Studio

http://www.DirtyFootprints-Studio.com

Dawn Sokol

D’Blogala

http://dawndsokol.squarespace.com

Effy Wild

Wild. Precious

http://wildprecious.com

Emma Peabody

Treehouse Jukebox

http://treehousejukebox.wordpress.com

Hanna Andersson

iHanna’s Blog

http://www.ihanna.nu/blog

Heidi Newstrand-Dilley

Heidiology

http://www.heididilley.blogspot.com

Jonathan “Blade” Manning

The Artistic Biker

http://www.artisticbiker.com

Kelly Warren

Artful Happiness

http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com

Less Herger

Comfortable Shoes Studio

http://comfortableshoesstudio.com

Lis Hofmann

Dandelion Seeds and Dreams

http://dandelionseedsanddreams.blogspot.com

Of course, moi: Lisa Wilson

Life Unity

http://lifeunity.blogspot.com

Mariza

Marizateria

http://marizateria.com

Natalie Malik

Awkwardly Beautiful

http://awkwardnbeautiful.blogspot.com

Paula Phillips

Journal Artista

http://www.messymindcreativesoul.blogspot.com

Samantha Kira Harding

Journal Girl

http://www.journalgirl.com

Sarah Whitmire

Caspiana

http://sarahwhitmire.blogspot.com

Spooky

The Paper Phantom

http://thepaperphantom.wordpress.com

Tami Chacon

Dream Wish Hope

http://www.todreamofstars.typepad.com

Tracie Hanson

My Blooming Life

http://www.mybloominglife.com

For You and For Me

2010-09-23T19:00:00.007-04:00

I feel so alive right now. It comes and it goes - probably by necessity - but I am trying to savor every last drop of this elixir I have been given.

Of note:

After much hemming and hawing, I decided to purchase Tara's (http://scoutiegirl.com/ & http://www.taragentile.com/) e-book, 52 More Weeks Of Blogging Your Passion. She was a hosting a free webinar (via Ustream) a few days ago for anyone who preordered the book. I literally hit "buy now" 5 minutes before the webinar began. You know what?

I feel I got my money's worth just out of the webinar. I've briefly looked through the ebook and related materials and have SO many ideas to implement. Practical and creative at the same time. During the webinar I had questions answered that had been floating in my mind for quite some time. As I review the ebook, I am getting clarity on where I want to head...and how to get there by using the blog as a tool.

I decided to add an affiliate link in case you are interested in purchasing her book as well. You can click HERE (Click here to view more details) or look over on my left sidebar and click the image.

On a related note:

I JUST REALIZED THAT NONE OF MY AFFILIATE LINKS WERE WORKING. I'm kinda bummed. Apparently you cannot link a photo or other text to an EJunkie affiliate code. Just FYI in case you ever try. I have corrected all of these and apologize if you had any previous troubles.

Please note that I did add a title on my sidebar showing my affiliate links. I want to be completely up front with you. I firmly believe in the value of these projects/ebooks or they would not be up there.

I am progressing with my blog, my website, my vocation and my life in a very conscientious manner. I have been contacted by other organizations with whom I have chosen not to associate - not because they are inherently "bad", but because they do not speak to my soul and thus the soul of LifeUnity. This may mean less traffic for this blog and my business, but it means a life filled with greater integrity. To me, that is a much greater success than thousands of subscribers.

And yet more notes:

These next few weeks are going to bring some big changes around my virtual world. As 21 Secrets opens on Oct. 1, I hope to have many of the changes I've been planning for months in place.

Without promising when they will be done, these changes include:

*A Newsletter: I'll be offering newsletter-only material, special offers & giveaways to my newsletter subscribers!

*A Move and a New Site: I've been researching Squarespace for quite some time now and am ready to make the move. LifeUnity.com (which now brings you to this blog) will become the landing space for web traffic.

Fortunately, this means a beautiful new design, an awesome background on myself and LifeUnity, links to photos, new PDFs, the return of Strength To Be Me Interviews, and so much more.

Unfortunately, this means everyone who follows me here will need to jump over there.

Don't worry - there's nothing you need to do just yet. I hope to make this super-easy and rewarding for anyone who sticks around through the construction!

*Yoga videos, Art steeped in LifeUnity wisdom, and More! The more I become me the more I am able to offer. I radiate a wisdom that isn't ego-based...rather, something that is passing through me. It's time I shared instead of keeping it to myself.

*****

Please don't forget:

Registration for 21 Secrets is Now Open!
(Click here to view more details)

If you have never art journaled (and are not sure you want to), I still feel that $59 is an amazing price for the wisdom that is offered. I made an effort in my workshop to go beyond the page....taking you into reflections on why Beginning is a crucial practice in every area of life.

There are countless videos, PDFs, pictures, and written lessons to absorb.

As I look around the 21 Secrets playground, I find that so many of the other artists are also offering so much more than technique. (Though there are some amazing techniques in there that I'm itching to try!) There are insights into creative living that go deeper than the page.

Sign Up HERE --> (Click here to view more details)

View my Post about it HERE

*****

Help Me. Be You.

2010-09-22T17:13:00.000-04:00

Today was a beautiful lesson in serendipity...and how when I get out of the way of myself, I find wondrous life everywhere I look.

What I found may benefit you too.

By sheer luck, my husband and I found ourselves with only one child last night and without any children this morning. (I love my children. I really do. But parents - you understand.) One at school during the day, the other at the grandparent's house for an overnight visit.

I've had ample to do recently...many of those things with an impending deadline. But last night and today, I reminded myself what was important. This mommy-daddy alone time with our 6-year old son is all too infrequent and fleeting. So, per his request, we did pizza and ice cream last night. If I would have been concerned about calories or fretting over not working on the things I "need" to get done, I would have missed out on his declaration on the ride home that, "This was the best night ever! I have the best mommy and the best daddy in the world."

There is absolutely nothing more in the entire world I would have wanted at that point. I let myself be a mommy and discovered, apparently, I'm the best at it. :)

This morning, after he went to school, I once again put aside those nagging Needs. (You need to get the house clean. You need to work more on the workshop. You need to do this and that and don't forget ...)

Hubby & I went out to breakfast at a local restaurant we discovered a few months ago. It felt completely surreal (beautifully so).

We then decided to go for a brief walk. We meandered past a local bookstore that I'm ashamed to say I've never actually gone in. Something caught my eye as we walked past.

To be honest, I just learned of Chris Gullibelleau a few months ago. But his name has been popping up everywhere recently...and I'm paying attention. He's one of those Big Presences in the online world...but I'd heard he is unbelievably personable as well. I connected to him on Twitter way-back-when and did some searching on his website. I was quite inspired by what I found. Because of this, his book (The Art of Nonconformity) has been in my Amazon cart since it was available. (I put books in my cart and buy them as we have the funds - great way to keep track of what I want!)

But serendipity had spoken up, and I knew she was saying it was time to buy. We went in the bookstore (and were greeted by three sleepy cats) to inquire as to whether or not they had the book. They did, I bought it - and now I feel good because I supported a local business, I have a delicious amount of reading material for this evening, AND I get to meet the author next Tuesday.

As if that wasn't enough...

We rounded the corner and I finally got up the nerve to go into the Waldron Arts Center. I've known about this place for years but for one reason or another have not gone in. It was recently purchased by Ivy Tech (a college) so the center itself has changed a bit - but they still offer gallery displays, space, and classes.

We took a quick tour of the place, discovering galleries (and thus the work of some local artists!), children's work from a summer class (giving me some ideas of things to try at home with the kiddos), and - my favorite - two classes in progress. I secretly watched as people shaped clay and listened as others learned about starting a sketch. I felt alive. I simultaneously was glad that I could go home and play on my own and equally enamored with the thought of being in a classroom learning about making art.

The point?

I learned more about myself and came home to be far more productive than I would have been had I first attended to the "shoulds". I still got what "needed" to be done accomplished...the house was cleaned, this blog post written, some further work done on the 21 Secrets workshop & the new website. I had more energy to do those things and was in a far better mood because I allowed myself to enjoy and explore in between the shoulds.

I allowed myself to not only peek behind the cracked door marked "What If" but to throw it open and dance in the brilliantly white sunshine so that I may return to work with warmth embedded into my skin.

Because I allowed myself to drench myself in....myself - my essence, my priorities, and awareness of that self...I can return to write this post. I can celebrate a "successful" day and prove that it is possible to both get done what needs to get done and live deeply at the same time.

I not only want to give you permission to do the same - because everyone knows they already have permission - but I want to challenge you to do so. Why? Because when you are You, I am given more freedom to be Me.

Namaste.

p.s. I have more lucky finds that have come my way recently -- I'll share those with you tomorrow! Be sure to stop back by...these are GOOD ones that you can benefit from as well.

p.p.s. I am HONESTLY blown away by the things showing up over at the 21 Secrets Workshop. It is AMAZING that you can get all of this for less than $3 / workshop.

Paula - a.k.a. JournalArtista - did an awesome video answering some common questions about the workshop. You can view that on her blog at: http://messymindcreativesoul.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-exciting-info-on-mixed-media-class.html .

Another karma reminder - it is an affiliate program. You can click HERE to buy through me (in which case you'll have oodles of love coming your way and I'm sure many good things in your future). If you read this blog just to make fun of me and aren't in the mood to give me money, please still go and sign up over at DirtyFootprints-studio.com.

Awake Enough

2010-09-21T18:32:00.002-04:00

**Don't forget to sign up for 21 Secrets. 21 workshops for less than $3 / workshop!!**

**Click --> Click here to view more details

(Or view the post below for more information)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Speaking of poetry, but applicable well beyond the written word....)

"Don't identify too strongly with your work. Stay fluid behind those black-and-white words. They are not you. They were a great moment going through you. A moment you were awake enough to write down and capture."
-Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones

Each moment I have to practice letting go - re-leasing my roles, my expectations, my fears, my guilt.

Each moment I must remember that I am bigger than any title and deeper than any one piece of art.

Each moment I also must remember that the next moment I will look and feel differently - and that this is neither good nor bad. It is just the way life flows.

Each moment I recognize that I have the capability to steer in this flow, to fight it, to flow powerfully with it, to either make choices consciously or blame others for the consequences.

Each moment I practice being open to the experience of what is - because this moment will only be open to me once in my lifetime.

Each moment I yearn to be awake

awake enough

that I may again stumble upon life.

Registration Opens TODAY

2010-09-20T10:04:00.001-04:00

21 Secrets: An Art Journal Playground.

21 Secrets: The Secret of Beginning - Teaser from Lisa Wilson on Vimeo.

Registration opens today (Sept. 20th). The Playground opens on October 1st.

Think about it - any one of these artists could offer a single workshop for that price. For $59, you are getting Twenty-One different workshops.

Don't miss this opportunity. Click HERE --> (Click here to view more details) .

(Karma note: This is an affiliate link, which means I earn a bit if you click through here.)

**

I know one person who won't be missing out: Sam Johnson of Gollywobbles. She won Connie's giveaway...which means she will also be hosting another giveaway for a spot over at the playground on her blog sometime soon! (Congrats, Sam!) Be sure to keep checking her blog for your chance to win.

**

If you have any questions about the workshop, please feel free to contact me or leave it in a comment below. I truly believe in the worth of this workshop and want to help everyone else feel it as well!

**

More to come outside of the workshop news very soon.....

A Giveaway!! -- 21 Secrets Workshop

2010-09-17T14:32:00.001-04:00

Wow.

Seriously wow.

If you are at ALL excited about the 21 Secrets: An Art Journal Playground Workshop, you can NOT miss this opportunity.

The lovely Connie is giving away not one, but TWO entries into the 21 Secrets Workshop (Click here to view more details)! You have the chance to win one and to get another to giveaway on YOUR blog! (See more details of the giveaway here.)

Think about this for a minute with me. You win Twenty-One different workshops from Twenty-One different artists -- enough information to get even the most fearful novice a huge push into creative living.

Not only that, but you have the opportunity to drive traffic to Your blog by offering this exceptional giveaway to another person!

There are so many reasons to jump in on this workshop. ( Enrollment opens on Monday. The workshops begin on October 1st.)

Right now I can fully attest for the workshop I am offering, The Secret of Beginning ..... I have put countless hours into this. I'm not kidding. My hubby & kids have kind of forgotten about me and I have made a permanent bum imprint in my desk chair. Discussions, materials list, videos, PDF....OODLES of goodness to take you on the page and into YOUR life.

Beyond that, you get access to TWENTY other workshops - all in one place. Please take just a second to look HERE at everything that is offered.

Just. plain. wow.

FYI I'll be making a little teaser video for my workshop. You know me - I love to tease.

So GO.
HERE. (http://www.dirtyfootprints-studio.com/2010/09/i-cant-wait.html)
Enter the contest.

Nothing to lose and everything to gain.

My Birthday Wish

2010-09-14T10:17:00.000-04:00

(First, the fun:)
Look who came to breakfast this morning:

Is that not the yummiest breakfast??

(I did only eat one muffin...while delicious, Shed Project begins today. See below)

Seriously, my hubby is awesome.

And then....well, then I go downstairs to try and catch up on a few things before we take the kiddo to the bus stop and go for a long morning walk.

And what greets me?

YEAH. THAT. Hubby MADE that gi-normous easel. For Me.

(I made the mess below. :) Leftover from a past-midnight effort for the 21 Secrets Workshop!)

I told him a while ago I really wanted a cloth drop cloth in my ideal studio.

Best. Hubby. Ever.

I am so absolutely giddy. He's even taking about making another smaller one I can have for travel. (This sucker is a heavy one...but absolutely Perfect for BIG painting.)

Seriously freakin' awesome.

****

My Birthday Wish (es).

1) The SHED PROJECT begins today. That it coincides with my birthday is absolutely beautiful. I will make a more official shed intention list in the upcoming days, but my birthday began this morning with shedding - and I thought I'd share:

Negative thoughts. (Especially when the alarm is going off)
A straight face before my feet hit the floor. (I'm gonna smile, regardless of whether or not I feel like it)
Stress About Schedule (Kiddo forgot his backpack and we made it just before the bus; we ran into a friend and ended up talking which pushed our walk way back - I'm so thankful for the opportunities)
So so so much more...this is just the beginning

2) I wish to recognize every day is as special as my birthday. Yes, I will only turn 33 once. (Yup. I'm 33. Which as a loving friend put it, rounds to 35. Which rounds to 40. It's all over. Hah! I LOVE my age!!) But there will only be one 9/15/2010 in my entire life. I will only get to celebrate 9/16/2010 one time. And 9/17/2010? One shot...and then it's gone.

So today, I am not trying to escape from my life and make my birthday one big old get-away. Instead I am doing a trial run of my ideal day - a healthy walk in the morning, time spent with family, some interaction with my project to-do's, some art, play with the kids, a chat tonight with my Tribe Sisters, healthy food sprinkled with a little diet coke in between, a bit of laundry and dusting, and an intention to savor every up and down moment and repeat again tomorrow.

3) I wish to feel the force of my inner drive so strongly that I can't help but to live authentically and strongly and with a peaceful awareness and a Dalai-Lama-like smile. And as I do, I wish to radiate it so that you can't help but to feel the pull in your own core. And I wish that you find all of the resources necessary to radiate as well until we are just one big ol' glowing group.

4) I wish to live my vocation. To sing my song whether I'm chatting with the person scanning my grocceries or an artist or a well-known superstar or my daughter or son or mom or simply alone with my own thoughts. I wish to feel no more tightness in my throat; that honesty flows freely and softly. That my art - that which takes form as my song emerges - passionately embodies and reflects that.

5) I wish....

You know what? I have so many. But instead of wishing, I'm going to go live. Starting with the video for 21 Secrets, a bit of play on my new easel, and lunch with hubby & daughter.

It is a BEAUTIFUL life.

May we all find reason to celebrate today.