January Rituals ~ Detox, Movies, and Man Made of Chocolate

Your imagination is your preview 

of life's coming attractions.

~Albert Einstein

Wow! I hadn't expected to take such a long break, from posting! Did you have a good New Years Eve? I hope so!

Mine started off with a little rocky with a dead battery in my Honda, but I managed to get over to my friend Shea's for a little celebrating and manifesting. We went to a neighborhood party, then headed back to her place with her family.

We wrote down the things we wanted to let go of, from the last year. And then wrote down what we wanted to bring into our lives, in 2014.

We bundled them up in burlap, with a little sage …

 

And just before midnight, we all through them in the fire and released them to the heavens!

For the New Year … it was time to head to the farmers market and start to detox. 

I had been on a big butter bender, and it was time to start eating healthy again. (I have fallen off the wagon a few times, but nothing compared with my out of control, eggnog induced, December.)

Being that I'm still a member of the Guild (Sag-Aftra) I got my voting information, and decided I would try to see as many movies as possible, before I voted. 

Fortunately, several DVD screeners were sent to me, and I was able to make it to a screening of Saving Mr. Banks, at the DGA. 

I hadn't been there in ages and I usually go as someone else's guest. It always feels kinda swanky, seeing a movie at the Directors Guild, because everyone is so respectful, no one talks, and there is no sticky food anywhere! They also handed out a big beautiful color "for your consideration" brochure. Actually, it was almost like a book, with all kinds of color photos of the making of the movie.

My next post will probably be all my movie reviews. I think I have seen every film Oscar nominated in the 6 major categories, except one, which I plan on seeing tonight! (Nebraska)

Every year, my friend's Caroline's mom brings her grandkids to L.A., after Christmas. This time Caroline came too, and they called me to meet up with them in Beverly Hills before they went to see Blue Man Group.

The Bulgari Building.

Badgley Mischka ...

Swanky Italian cars and tourists on Rodeo ...

Walking from my car to the Studio, on my first day back at The Wizard of Art ...

3 of my students, Ava Luna, Tessa and her sister Lilah, gave me a present, that day.

(I have to mention that the girls are always saying they are going to find husbands for Mekenzie and me.) 

Here are the squirrels, and their present for me. A man made of Chocolate. Ava said, "You can do whatever you want with him. Save him, eat him, bit his head off … whatever."

 Right now he is resting against the lamp next to my record player.

A few more images from January 2014

Ojai 

Ventura

Chicken

Fillmore

I had a busy January and I'm sure you did too! (Now, I'm busy trying to get over a cold!) 

More to share, but that's all for now! Hope to get around for visits this week!

You are what you want to become.

Why search anymore? 

You are a wonderful manifestation.

The whole universe has come together

to make your existence possible.

There is nothing that is not you.

The kingdom of God, the Pure Land, 

nirvana, happiness and liberation

are all you.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Hope you are all off to a great start, in 2014!!!

Winter Moment

Waking up this morning, I smile.

Twenty-four brand new hours are before me.

I vow to live fully in each moment

and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

~Thich Nhat Hahn

still life detail - unfinished

watercolor on paper 2011

Because you are alive,

everything

is possible.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Hope this weekend is bringing you

blessed moments

and much peace.

Gratitude and Breathing Deeply and Gently ...

Each moment you are alive is a gem.

You only need to breathe gently for

the miracles to be displayed.

Thich Nhat Hahn

Nasturtiums October 2011

Sanguine chalk on paper

Flower study for "home-work"

When we know how to listen deeply

and how to breathe deeply in mindfulness,

everything becomes

clear and deep.

Thich Naht Hanh

A HUGE Thank You to all the Veterans.

We are forever grateful!

And while on the subject of gratitude ... my sister Penny sent this to me.

It's so beautiful! If you have already seen it, its worth watching again!

Hope you all have a beautiful, amazing weekend!

Blessings and light!

Mindfulness in the Midst

Last week the monkeys took over the zoo! How else can I put it? Mekenzie (the other teacher) and I were trying to keep control of art camp (Week 8) but as I told my Mom, it was less like teaching art and more like herding squirrels. (4 were not yet in kindergarden and it's a 3 hour class)

It is difficult to find peace in the present moment when there is very little peace offered. I did notice in the moments I was able to focus in on just the child I was working with and really be there in the moment and present with him or her, everything else disappeared.

Of course, I was only able to get there about 3 times the whole week, for about 2 minutes each but alas, something to strive for!! :)

Breathing in,

I calm body and mind.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present

I know this is the only moment.

~Thich Nhat Hahn

Iris for Dawn

Oil and metal leafing on canvas board

2008

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,

as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves -

slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

~Thich Nhat Hahn

When we are mindful,

deeply in touch with the present moment,

our understanding of what is going on deepens,

and we begin to be filled with acceptance,

joy,

peace

and

Love.

~Thich Nhat Hahn

The past is gone,

the future is not yet here,

and if we do not go back to ourselves

in the present moment,

we cannot be in touch with life.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

I have read so many books and listened to so many lectures over the years about being in the present moment but the book, The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Naht Hanh, is the one that truly made me understand the connection between mindfulness and living in the present moment. One story he tells is about eating a tangerine and having a conversation at the same time. If you are chatting while eating the tangerine ... you are not eating the tangerine. You aren't really experiencing the tangerine. You aren't in the present moment. Well, I am paraphrasing and he is much more eloquent! See? You should read the book! ;)

Another wonderful work of his, is an audio CD that my sister had me listen to during the most challenging time of my life. It's called The Art of Power and it helped me beyond words. The title makes it sound different than what it is or what I expected it to be but it's amazing.

Each moment is a chance for us to make peace with the world,

to make peace possible for the world,

to make happiness possible for the world.

~Thich Nhat Hahn

Many blessings and much mindfulness to all of you this week!

Venice in Pastel

After all the art documentaries I have been watching, some of which included beautiful paintings done in Venice, I was inspired.

I got out my little, purple velvet, photo album that I put together after my first trip to Italy in December of 1996. My parents were living in Pakistan in '96 and instead of spending two days on either side of the trip in transit, they decided my sister and I should meet them for Christmas in Italy. (wahoo!)

It was a strange time for me, having just gone through a very difficult break-up, but Italy was amazing (of course) and very healing. My crying stopped and I fell in love again, but this time it was with Italy. We spent our time in Florence and Venice with a lovely day trip to Siena. I remember thinking on that very first trip, I could live here! I had done a lot of traveling and loved many places but that was the first time I'd thought that. The connection was there from the beginning.

Here is the pastel (below), with a watercolor underpainting, that I did over the weekend. Although, I didn't end up covering up much of the watercolor! Sometimes you have to let go of your plan and just let things happen the way that they are meant to. A good life lesson ...

For things to reveal themselves to us,

we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Venice, Italy

Pastel and watercolor June 2011

Here are some photos from my old Minolta that I pulled out of my little velvet album and scanned this morning. It was freezing when we were in Venice, by the way. Part of the canal froze, fountains froze ... My mom said she had never been so cold. (And we'd lived in Alaska when I was little.) Nothing like a Siberian cold front to make things interesting.

Much to my family's dismay, I was determined to take a gondola ride, so the gondolier (who I am sure thought we were nuts) piled us up with blankets and off we went.

Venice Italy December 1996

35mm film camera

We have more possibilites available in each moment than we realize.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Hope you are all having a beautiful week!!!

New Beginnings

I can't quite believe the year is almost over. Where did 2010 go? Only a few hours to go. Faster and faster time goes, it seems. But as fast as it's gone, the last decade has brought deep change in how I see myself, how I relate to the world, my priorities and how I feel about my responsibility in being on this planet.

When I ask, "Who do I want to be in the world?" It's not so much the "who do I want to be" that has changed but the how. How do I want to express the best and most loving, creative version of myself.

Do you see yourself differently in the world than you did 10 years ago?

Have your priorities shifted?

Who do you want to be in the world in the next 10 years???

Pastel on La Carte 2010

I hope your new year and your "New Years"

Are filled with many miracles.

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.

But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air,

but to walk on earth.

Every day we are engaged in a miracle

which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves,

the black curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes.

All is a miracle."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

The Pumpkin Patch ~ Boccali's in Ojai

My favorite thing about October, outside of seeing my nephew dressed in his costume, is the pumpkin patch. I love a pumpkin patch. And my favorite thing about a great pumpkin, is a great stem.

And if it has little curlycues ... that's the best.

I went to housesit for my sister in Ojai a couple of weeks ago and I was so excited because this was my opportunity to head to Boccali's pumpkin patch. Boccali's is actually a pizza place out on the east end of Ojai, at the end of the main road. They have a farm out back and in October they have a pumpkin patch! I headed over in the afternoon to go hang out with pumpkins, squash and tractors, amid oak trees and haystacks. The weather turned out to be glorious while I was there and just as I left, the clouds rolled in. My timing was perfect!

It turned out that they have "Haunted Hay Rides" there at night, so my friend Lynn and I decided to go last Saturday night. It was fun and pretty hilarious with ghosts and ghouls jumping out of the cornfields. Well, fun except for the traumatized 3 year old sitting near us. Poor thing. Oh, and the scarecrow hanging from a tree overhead with a rain-soaked wet sock that hit me on the back of the head! (which was not exactly scary - but kind of gross.)

The great thing is we laughed a lot and with grins on our faces, felt like teenagers again.

"Life is available only in the present moment."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,

but sometimes your smile

can be the source of your joy."

~Thich Nhat Hahn

Mindfulness

I thought I'd share the followings words by Thich Nhat Hanh on mindfulness ... something to think about for the weekend - or rather, not think about! :) The photos are from my parents cactus garden in Ojai this summer.

Mindfulness makes life beautiful and meaningful.

When I am mindful of my in-and-out breath and relax my whole body,

I am in touch with how good it is to be alive.

I am in touch with my state of health

and feel grateful for everything that is going well in my body.

Then with mindfulness I can be aware of the beauty of the sky,

the smile of the flower,

the singing of the birds.

I can be deeply in touch with my own suffering

and hold it with love and tenderness,

rather than suppressing it or running from it.

Because if can be truly present for myself,

I can be truly present for those I live with,

listening deeply to them and speaking words that inspire hope and self-confidence.

In this way, I can bring joy to someone each morning

and relieve the pain of someone each afternoon.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Have a beautiful blessed weekend!