Happy New Year Everyone!

I wish each and every single one of you a happy and wonderful New Year!
Now...go buy some art! LOL
( I am so not kidding! :)
Love to all,
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Some of my Favorite Videos

Post #708 is looking at the sunset sky

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Looking up at the end of the day
***
Well I thought it would be a good idea to show you all the sunset because I started today with sunrise pictures...
So, I hope you enjoy the view from my porch,
and the Kentucky Sunset.
Taken in a minute by minute time line until the moon rise.
Have a wonderful night,
Love to all,
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

New Artwork - Release of Sorrows - Done

Another New artwork complete!
BAD! Kitty Art Studio
'Release of Sorrows'
18" X 24"
45cm X 60cm
Oils
Finished Sides, no frame
$285.00 + Shipping
***
"To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk being called sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk being called naive. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair, and to try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live. Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave, he's forfeited his freedom. Only the person who risks is truly free."
~Leo Buscaglia
***
I hope you enjoy this new work.
May you find your way to release your own sorrows and be free.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

post #706 is about looking up

I went outside and looked up...saying my prayers for the morning,
the sun had just risen to carry my hopes for the day
in the pure first light and this is what I saw.
I thought I would share.
Here's to looking up.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Attention, Attention...where is your focus?

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Topic for today...Attention and Awareness
***
The ability to control where you focus your attention allows you to create your environment. It's something we're all born with, thought that's easy to forget, and it gives us the energy to do work, finish projects and succeed in our endeavors big or small. By increasing your awareness to include the whole picture as well as the details (something that's not easy for everyone - we all tend to get caught up in our own personal minutiae) you enable yourself to react to situations with enough rationality to direct them toward your objectives.

Let's analyze this.

Awareness is influenced by our surroundings (and what we perceive that to mean as individuals). You can consider your environment to be your home, your neighborhood, your state, your country, the world and so on… But the more you're aware of, the broader your scope. The narrower your point of view, the smaller, and conversely, seemingly more important your thoughts are to you. But really, the opposite is true. If you're caught in your own head, stuck only on the details, small things seem bigger and more important than they are. This happens all the time because awareness can only include things we take the time to notice.

But if you recognize that we're all connected, part of a universal energy wherein our individual highest good benefits the greater good, whether or not you had a bad hair day seems insignificant. Likewise, your concern over a rocky relationship lifts to reveal the real issue. If you stay in a situation where you're unhappy without trying to fix it, you're not benefiting anyone, least of all yourself or your partner. There is a world of love out there, waiting for you to be a part of it.

Consider that we become aware by placing our attention on something. Before placing your attention on that thing, it didn't exist for you. Once you became aware of it, it's real and part of your consciousness on some level. By observing, you make things alive in your own universe. On the other hand, when you put less attention on something, it tends to disappear. Problems don't go away, no. But by focusing on the solution, you may find you get there quicker. Remaining focused on bad brings bad. Finding the positive incorporates it into your reality.

Is your life precisely what you wish it to be? If not, no matter the reason, you can still learn to control your attention, and thereby, learn to create it. Does that mean you can materialize something out of nothing? No. Awareness and action work hand in hand. But without the former, all the work in the world may prove useless.

Armed with greater awareness, you can be the change you wish to affect, in your own life and in the world at large.
***
I am looking into my heart, mind and soul today to see where my attention is needed and where it is not. After working all day at the easel yesterday, (see post below for the work done) I ended the day feeling drained and out of sorts. I kept thinking to myself that the work could be more...perfect I guess, I kept seeing the mistakes I felt I had made in the execution of the work. This led to a poor nights sleep and a tired, foggy me this morning. I did some grounding exercises, and open and cleared my root chakra, and felt better and more in tune. It got me to thinking about where my focus and attention were at. It's important, for me to get outside of my head and look around at the world, the people, the spirit of life, more closely.
My balance was off, I needed to ground myself and work from that place inside myself that allows for imperfection and growth. I realized that none of my works is perfect...and may never attain that level of perfection that we all strive for, but that does not reduce the value of the risks I have taken recently with my new works.
I am growing in my abilities and my focus, that is the real important thing here. Sure I could have stayed working with the forms of art that I am most comfortable with...and gone crazy with boredom...and yes it's a risk to step outside the professional box I am already well know for...but I can't stop myself from being a risk taker, it's who I am.
Realizing that my attention had been narrowed to one imperfect item in my life this morning freed me from going over to the dark side and losing my awareness of who, what and where I really am today.
So, where is your attention today?
What are you focusing on in your day?
Is it a broad focus or a narrow one?
Which one works better for you?
Think about it, and get back to me on that.
I'd really like to hear your thought on the subject.
Have a brilliant day.
Share your love with those around you.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

New Work In Progress- Release of Sorrows-day 2

New Art work in progress
'Release of Sorrows'
oils
Day 2
***
Almost there, I have to wait for it to dry and then I can do the fine detail work on the hand and feet...and some other places too...but the background should dry solid and good. I am really happy with the way it is going, I decided to do a monochromatic palette and that isn't easy for the queen of jewel tones to do. This time I used:
Earth Red, Earth Orange, Payne's Gray, Naples Yellow hue light and medium, and flake white.
I worked the charcoal drawing underneath first with walnut oil to give me my darkest colors and tones.
So, I should be able to work on it some more in a day or two...whew! It's been a long day at the easel and now I have to attend to household chores and dinner.
Yeah! (NOT)
So, off I go to play with the boys, make them help me with the house that they have totally destroyed while I painted, and then ask every ones favorite question..."What do you feel like for dinner?"
Belch!
Tell me what you think of the new work...this is a dance pose...and to be honest I didn't think I could execute the drawing, let alone the painting...it's hard as heck!
Love to all,
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Empty is really Full

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Empty is really Full
***
The universe abhors a vacuum. It will fill an empty space each time it appears. Part of the gift of the human experience is that we can choose to give. Part of the excitement of living a spiritual existence is that our ability to receive is only limited by what we hold tight in our hands. Empty your hands and you are left with two open palms - ready, to receive.

Your body already knows this. Most cells keep only three seconds worth of oxygen and fuel to sustain. The cell trusts the body to provide. Its existence is the act of giving; its survival is the act of receiving. It only receives to then give, again. This is what sustains the body and allows for growth and healing. There is no hoarding. There is no doubt, just giving and receiving in a symphony of metabolic processes.

You can make a conscious decision to clear space before you receive the new things. Clinging to the old only hampers the actual arrival of the new. Anything you are holding on to physically, emotionally and spiritually with the hope that something "new" will push it out of your sphere is actually blocking the path of the new thing. For instance, by replaying your worst relationship moments over and over in your mind, new healing energy that would lead to a more fulfilling and loving relationship is blocked by holding on to the past. But, by letting it all go and being open, vulnerable, transparent to the universe, you show yourself and your heart ready to receive. Don't wait for the new "thing" to push out the old, it cannot find you because there is no space for it. Open up the space and it will arrive.

Emptiness is not really empty. Space means one thing - something new is coming. Trust, trust, and trust. Throw your very survival into the universe and be a part of the whole. New ideas, new abundance and new gifts will find you. By clearing the way you are showing yourself ready and willing to the universe and with palms open you will receive.
***
Today I will be clearing the brain pan so the art can flow. I'll be putting the first layer of colour into my new work (see the post below), and I am excited to get started.

I also woke up this morning to find a nasty gram in my email...nice huh?
All I can say is let it go, the whole world has moved on, and you are still chewing on that silly thing? Make room for something new in your life!
(you know who you are and yes I am talking to you.)
Let's see...hmmm, see...one deep breath and I let all that nasty go...
boy howdy do I feel better for it too. :)
It was just a "whatever" moment anyway.

Nothing stops the BAD! Kitty train so hop on board and let's ride!
I hope you all have a great day,
and share your love with those around you.
Empty and Be Full.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com
Buy Art Today
Support Living Artists

New Work In Progress- Dancer 1

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
New artwork in Progress
Dance 1
***
Well I spent most of my day on this one, I look forward to now putting in the colour and "life".
Enjoy...a new work in progress...WooT! I hope I can finish it before the
New Year!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Weekly Goddess 101-Tara

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
The Weekly Goddess 101 - Tara
***
Her name has many forms, and her influence spans continents. In Tibet she is "she who saves;" in Sanskrit, "star." Tara is known among the druids, the Finnish and the tribal peoples of South America, but she is most prominent in Tibet where she is the mother creator, protector and bringer of wisdom.

The many shades of Tara (as she is celebrated in dozens of cultures) emerge in different symbolic colors; her two primary manifestations are green and white. In a popular legend, Green Tara and White Tara were born of the tears of compassion of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara's right and left eyes.

Travel far and safely
Let your adventurous spirit walk fearlessly. Explore new places, new cultures and new people. Tara is protector of earthly travel, as well as travelers on the journey to enlightenment. Trust that people along the way will be helpful and that you are capable of navigating any challenges that arise. Open yourself to new experiences and ideas without fear or judgment. And as you welcome those who are far from their own homes, you can help promote Tara's mission to protect and nurture those who wander.

Heal yourself and others
Known as the Goddess of Compassion, White Tara has seven eyes with which to see all human suffering. Both manifestations of Tara express gestures of protection, and she is widely celebrated for her role in comforting her followers and alleviating suffering. Notice the suffering of those around you, and know that you have the ability to change people's lives for the better. Human beings have a profound capacity to heal themselves, but they are also fragile and at times need reassurance, sympathy and forgiveness. Treat yourself with the same care. Acknowledge that, while strong, you too need comfort and understanding.

Seek truth and wisdom
Don't underestimate the power and satisfaction that comes with knowledge. Read, travel, observe and question. Learn as much as you can from others, while continuously challenging what is currently held to be true. Your curiosity and intellect are among your greatest gifts. Take full advantage of them as you pursue the path to wisdom.

Triumph over fear
Fears and insecurities are constants in our lives. Your self-doubts are part of your ability to self evaluate and make yourself stronger, but they can become crippling if you allow them to compromise your trust in yourself. Embrace Tara's power over anxiety and her grace in the face of adversity. Trust in your own judgment and competence, and recognize your anxieties for the tools for self awareness that they are.

Harvest energy
Green Tara is said to be teeming with the energy and ferocity of youth. Her pose depicts both contemplation and readiness for action. While both compassionate and pious, Tara is quick to respond to those in need. Don't let weariness and disappointment slow you down. Though older than the earth itself, the earth mother draws on ancient reserves of strength and energy when needed, and you can do the same. You are only as tired as you let yourself feel. Trust that you have all the energy you need to realize your goals and to lend strength to those around you.
***
I will be working in studio today, on a new work. We had a nice quiet Christmas here due to everyone being sick...I know... isn't that so much fun? We had three cases of the flu and one chicken pox. So anyway we are all recovering, and I am feeling better today so I want to work on a new painting...I am trying to see if I can get just one more done in 2006. I'm going to give it a try anyway.
I hope you all have a wonderful day!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com
Buy Some Art Today
Support Living Artists

Work In Progress day 4 - DONE- Leap of faith

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Another New Artwork DONE!
***
'Leap of Faith'
18" X 24"
oils
$285.00 + Shipping
***
"You must maintain unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, AND at the same time, have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."
~Jim Collins
***
I hope you enjoy your day and the new artwork.
Let me know what you think!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Happy Day before Christmas!

WIP~ - Day 3- DONE- Queen of the Unknown

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Another New Artwork
Done!
18" X 24"
Queen of the Unknown
oils
$245.00 + Shipping
***
"When we walk to the end of all the light we have, and take a step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe one of two things will happen: that we will land on something solid, or we will learn how to fly."
~unknown
Hope you like.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

The Father of Metaphysics

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
The father of science...Aristotle
***

Have you ever wondered who began the study of things that are beyond our material understanding, like psychic abilities? This Greek philosopher and royal advisor is not only the father of modern science, but the founder of metaphysics as well!
Aristotle is known for being one of the few figures in history who studied almost every subject possible at the time. Expert in sciences ranging from embryology to astronomy and arts from poetry to theater, his combined works practically comprise an encyclopedia of Greek knowledge and his most famous 'student' was no less than Alexander the Great, whom he began instructing at the tender age of 13!
According to Plutarch, Aristotle not only served as a practical instructor (on matters like ethics and politics) but he also imparted his most profound secrets of philosophy on Alexander. Grateful for the knowledge (which he likely found central to his own successes) Alexander provided Aristotle with ample means for the pursuit of his scientific investigation. Aristotle considered philosophy to be part of that pursuit, calling it "the science of the universal essence…" (what we may call the universal energy or life force). He continued, specifying that "the first philosophy" is "the knowledge of immaterial being"
And so it was that the study of metaphysics, a term with which we are all familiar that translates literally as beyond science (or physics) was born.
***
Being that I am really into science and physics I love learning about my hero's in the field. Aristotle is the father of modern science, and being that he was also a mystic (me too) he excites my imagination and my sense of wonder.
I have been clairvoyant ever since I can remember. I have studied the many (many) areas of meta-science my entire life. I have also been "reading or guiding" people for more than 20 years now. I have read for more than 3000 people worldwide to date. I do work for and with a few police agencies when they contact me for help, that work is rewarding but very hard on the heart. I spot health problems for family and friends, I interpret dreams and talk to animals...and that's just the tip of the iceberg for me. I like to call what I "do" Intuitive Life Coaching, because I am so much more than an average psychic, so much so that I never use that word to describe myself to others. As I have grown and aged one thing has never stopped, my abilities seem to continue to develop as I get older and wiser. Every year I seem to find another layer available to myself, a new skill or the development of greater ability (control) with a skill that I am familiar with. It's a fun and magical world for me most of the time. Working in the field of metaphysics for as long as I have I've learned several things...the most important being that I will never know it all. (Isn't that great?!) So, when I get stuck in my own life for one reason or another, I always turn to science to help me solve problems...no I don't mean chemicals, I mean meditation, physics, earth science and history to name a few.
I find science to be the most compelling of all religions...yes I said religion. I trust the world of science and natural law more than I do any one dogma of mankind.
So, my point in this post? Well I guess I just wanted to talk about myself a little, tell you a little bit more about myself and maybe explain a little of the why behind so many of my educational type posts and the subject matter of so many of my artworks. I love learning and studying...I am a lifelong student, and I really enjoy sharing my educational moments as I go.
I hope you have a day of learning and adventure ahead of you...
and don't forget to share your love with those in your life.
Now, off to the art studio...for another wild day with my inner world!
LOL!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

New Moon For the New Year!

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
New Moon for the New Year...a little Astrology for the New Year
***
It could be argued that there is no better opener for the year than a Sagittarius New Moon. First, the New Moon sets the stage for the month ahead, meaning that the New Year will open in a profoundly positive direction. The Moon in Sagittarius signifies that all of us will be inspired to reach for the dreams that emanate from our truest selves. So, if you've been determined to live life fully, to discover your true life's purpose - now is the time.

As you may remember the Sun is also in Sagittarius, magnifying this effect. The Sun in Sagittarius means that in the seasonal cycles, this is the time of hope, of generosity, and of sharing.

Adding enormous power to this is Jupiter who has also just come to spend a year in Sagittarius. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was the symbol for the Greek god, Zeus, then became the Roman god, Jupiter or Jove. He was the greatest of the gods, the father of gods, men and the Roman Empire. It was said that all things came from Jove, both good and ill. Yet, over time he came to be symbolic of luck, fortune and optimism. The word 'jovial' has its root in the name of this god and means warm, jolly, and buoyant.

Jupiter has begun its reign in the sign Sagittarius, its only homecoming here for the past 12 years. Since Jupiter rules Sagittarius this amplifies its power and magnificence. Astrologically, this heralds a cycle of great positive growth; it's a time to delve into education, travel and adventure. It's time to seek your own personal truths, to set down and achieve your goals. Right now, any goal that involves education, foreign cultures, languages or beliefs will have unusual ease and momentum associated with it.

If you think it couldn't get better - well, you'd be quite mistaken. Mars also entered Sagittarius this month, so it brings to bear its active, forceful and energetic and motivating energies to you. This will heighten any urges you'll feel for learning, travel and adventures of all sorts (just be careful to rein in any impulsiveness).

Then the life of the party, Mercury, also enters Sagittarius. Mercury is the god of communication and information, so he'll bring all his gifts to you. You'll find yourself to be unusually loquacious and perhaps uncharacteristically blunt. Yet, the heavens are demanding that you seek after your personal truth, and Mercury will help you gather all the information you need to develop a comprehensive plan.

And finally, the darkest and most powerful god, Pluto is on the scene. If you're determined to discover your own unique path through life, to unearth your hidden potentials and your untapped potential, Pluto is here to help. Yet, beware - if you avoid this truth-seeking quest with Pluto around he'll violently force the issue - it's either jump or be pushed.

Yet from an optimistic perspective, change - positive change is on the wing. You can no more hide from it than you can avoid air, so now's the best astrological time in many years to effect change that allows you to live fully and to bring your gifts out into the world.
***
I love the New Moon, it's my favorite. As I figured out that it would be happening this year on the New Year...I got really excited! I mean...what a great way to start the year, with all that positive new energy and power. I have had a really bad year, and this is great news for me personally, but it's made even better knowing that it will be good for the entire planet too!
The best thing is that big old Jupiter is moving into position for the year, I could really use some of his good loving. It only happens every 12 or 13 years so enjoy!

Well today, I will be working on the painting from yesterday and starting the rough out for another new one, I still have to name the last two and get them over to the web site for sale. The youngest boy in this house has woke up with the chicken pox! Great...that's what I want...chicken pox on Christmas! ARGH!
Poor little guy even had the vaccine...how could this have happened?! I'll say it again...A-R-G-H!!!
So, in between cleaning everything in sight to keep it from spreading, working on my painting for the day, entertaining the little ones, and doing the web site update...I don't hold out much hope for really getting much studio time in today...but I will try my best to fit in some time.
Love to all,
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com
PS. Buy Art Today!

New work in Progress - Day 2

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
New work in Progress
Day 2
Oils 18" X 24"
***
Well, I am more than 7 hours into this work now...and I have the background at a stopping point and the body outlined, shaded and ready for the final details. I have a lot more to do on the background, as I plan to add some more elements into it and the flying/jumping grrl has a ton more detail to go.
I hope to finish this work in the next couple of days...I figure it's got another 10 to 12 hours to go before it's done, because of the small detail work. Hope you like,
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

The shortest day of the year

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
(above) Tree Hill
oil painting by: HMBT 2006 (sold)
***

The winter solstice is not only a pagan holiday or an alternative to Christmas, it's a planetary event that impacts the world around us, both our cultural and religious traditions, our perceptions and our experiences. The conditions that cause the solstices (one in summer, the other in winter), are largely responsible for the seasons, which impact our livelihoods, the supply of food, and the rhythms of life that we live by. A deeper understanding of the solstice can help enrich winter traditions of all faiths and cultures.

What is the Winter Solstice?
Solstice comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (standing still), and literally means sun standing still. This root meaning is easy to understand once you know what a solstice is on a planetary level.

In relation to our sun, the earth's axis is tilted. This tilted axis is measured at about a 23.5 degree angle. Because of this tilt, as the earth orbits the sun over a one-year period, some parts of the planet will be closer to the sun than others, receiving more or less sunlight depending on the time of year. This is the primary cause of our seasons. When the earth's Northern Hemisphere is farthest from the sun, it is winter. Conversely, when the earth reaches the other side of the sun, the Northern Hemisphere will be closer to the sun, and we will experience summer. The reverse is true of the Southern Hemisphere. The winter solstice in the north is thus the summer solstice in the south. In this article, we will concentrate on the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.

The root meaning of solstice, sun standing still, makes sense when one thinks of the point at which the Northern Hemisphere is farthest from the sun. The distance growing between parts of the earth and the sun has ceased to increase; therefore, the sun is standing still. Winter solstice is often called the shortest day of the year because it has the fewest hours of sunlight.

Solstice Celebrations
All around the world, holidays, rituals and traditions have grown up around the time of the winter solstice. Why might this be? We can look at it from an anthropological point of view. Ancient people noticed that around a certain time every year, the presence of the sun in the sky began to diminish, the weather grew colder and plants that once flourished began to die and go dormant. Later, they observed that around Dec. 25, the days began to grow longer again. Winter was waning, and the sun waxing.

Ancient peoples had to depend on their stores of food to get them through the harsh and unproductive winters. Many feared the sun would not return, and so rituals and traditions were born that honored the sun and encouraged its return. In the Northern Hemisphere, many celebrations and rituals have therefore come to be timed around the winter solstice. These celebrations and rituals are often related to the death and rebirth associated with the waning and waxing of the sun's presence.

Winter Solstice and Ancient Societies
In ancient Egypt, the man/god Osiris was said to have died and been reborn on Dec. 21. In very ancient Greece, there was a ritual called Lenaea (the Festival of the Wild Women), where a group of women would tear apart and devour a man. Later in the ritual, the man would be reborn as the god Dionysius. And later in Greek history, the human sacrifice would be replaced by the sacrifice of a goat. In Ancient Rome, Saturnalia was a feast day that took place in late December. There were many god-man nativity celebrations in ancient Rome, all celebrated around the solstice. All over Europe there are structural testaments to people's fascination with the winter solstice. Most famous is Newgrange in Ireland, a prehistoric circular structure designed so that a shaft of sunlight would be let in at sunrise on the winter solstice.

Christianity
It wasn't until the 4th century CE that Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. This was also when church leaders wanted to establish the birth date of Jesus Christ. There is no real proof of when Jesus was born, but there is information in the Gospels that suggests he may have been born some time in the fall. Church leaders settled on Dec. 25, because this was the time of many nativity celebrations for pagan gods already taking place in Rome. Many of the traditions that we associate with Christmas actually have pagan roots: mistletoe, evergreen trees, holly, ivy, the yule log and gift-giving. It is for this reason that certain religious groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses do not acknowledge Christmas as a legitimate Christian holiday.

Other Traditions
There are countless more holidays and celebrations that take place around the winter solstice. In Iran, many people celebrate Shabe-Yalda, a name which has to do with the rebirth of the sun. They sit around a low table, tell stories and read poetry all night long, while eating watermelon, pomegranate and a special mixture of fruits and nuts.

Today, neopaganist religions, which seek to reclaim many pagan traditions, have solstice celebrations. Wiccans, followers of the neopaganist Wicca religion, celebrate Yule (a time of deep thought and planning for the future) around the winter solstice.

Mark Your Calendar
This year the winter solstice occurs in North America on Dec. 21 at 4:22pm PST and 7:22pm EST. This will be the shortest day of the year, but also the beginning of the end of winter and the herald of the birth of new life in a new year.

By:Jamie Nishi
***
The shortest day of the year...I will be working on my next painting...and minding the children that are off for the holiday.
I'll post a picture of my work for the day later on, if it amounts to anything...
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

WIP~ New work #2 - Day 3

Day three, most of the big work is done, I have the body and fine details to complete...like her hand and fingers, body shading and detail on the crown and wings left to do.
Sorry for the crappy pictures, she really is very vibrant and rich in tone, I will try for a better shot when the sun comes up, later.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Coping with Loss during the Holiday

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Dealing with Loss during the Holiday

***
Trauma. The word brings to mind the effects of such major events as war, rape, kidnapping, abuse, or surviving a natural disaster. The emotional aftermath of such events, recognized by the medical and psychological communities, and increasingly by the general public, is known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Now there is a new field of investigation that is less familiar, even to professionals: emotional or psychological trauma.

What is emotional or psychological trauma?
The ability to recognize emotional trauma has changed radically over the course of history. Until rather recently psychological trauma was noted only in men after catastrophic wars. The women's movement in the sixties broadened the definition of emotional trauma to include physically and sexually abused women and children. Now because of the discoveries made in the nineties, known as the decade of the brain, psychological trauma has further broadened its definition.

Recent research has revealed that emotional trauma can result from such common occurrences as an auto accident, the breakup of a significant relationship, a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience, the discovery of a life-threatening illness or disabling condition, or other similar situations. Traumatizing events can take a serious emotional toll on those involved, even if the event did not cause physical damage.

Regardless of its source, an emotional trauma contains three common elements:

it was unexpected
the person was unprepared
there was nothing the person could do to prevent it from happening

It is not the event that determines whether something is traumatic to someone, but the individuals experience of the event. And it is not predictable how a given person will react to a particular event. For someone who is used to being in control of emotions and events, it may be surprising – even embarrassing – to discover that something like an accident or job loss can be so debilitating.


What is the difference between stress and emotional or psychological trauma?
One way to tell the difference between stress and emotional trauma is by looking at the outcome—how much residual effect an upsetting event is having on our lives, relationships, and overall functioning. Traumatic distress can be distinguished from routine stress by assessing the following:

how quickly upset is triggered
how frequently upset is triggered
how intensely threatening the source of upset is
how long upset lasts
how long it takes to calm down

If we can communicate our distress to people who care about us and can respond adequately, and if we return to a state of equilibrium following a stressful event, we are in the realm of stress. If we become frozen in a state of active emotional intensity, we are experiencing an emotional trauma—even though sometimes we may not be consciously aware of the level of distress we are experiencing.

Why can an event cause an emotionally traumatic response in one person and not in another?
There is no clear answer to this question, but it is likely that one or more of these factors are involved:

the severity of the event
the individuals personal history (which may not even be recalled)
the larger meaning the event represents for the individual (which may not be immediately evident)
coping skills, values and beliefs held by the individual (some of which may have never been identified)
the reactions and support from family, friends, and/or professionals

Anyone can become traumatized. Even professionals who work with trauma, or other people close to a traumatized person, can develop symptoms of "vicarious" or "secondary" traumatization. Developing symptoms is never a sign of weakness. Symptoms should be taken seriously and steps should be taken to heal, just as one would take action to heal from a physical ailment. And just as with a physical condition, the amount of time or assistance needed to recover from emotional trauma will vary from one person to another.

Read More...
***
Well this is the definition of emotional trauma, I am dealing with mine this year. Our oldest son who is 17, in February of 06, chose to leave home. He ran away to live with his girlfriend and her father. It's a very long story and not pretty...but the long and the short of it is that my boy is gone. He will not talk to us, will not come home and will not forgive us for mistakes we made during the event or after. I never threw my kid out, I did everything I could to get him to come home, I failed at doing or finding the thing that would repair our family unit or him. This is our first year without him, and even though I know he is eating, sleeping in a warm home and all that, I am scared for him every single day. He wants to do drugs, have sex, come and go as he pleases and have no rules...he said if we let him do those things he would come home...I said no. Being the first holiday without him, I am trying to cope. I am trying not to hate myself, I am trying not to hate him, I am trying to hold it together and remain sane for my other two children and my Mate. I do OK some days, others are not so good. I am crazy with grief. Today I will be working on my mental health, trying to keep it together and be a good parent for my kids. I don't have any close friends at this point in my life and Mate Man and I have no family other than who lives under this roof...so I feel isolated and alone. This is my way of getting it out of my brain a little so that it may be easier to get through the day today.
I miss my son, I love my son, I want him back.
I will never give up hope that someday we will be together again, and be whole in mind, body and spirit.
Shit, I am going to go paint...it's what I have and can do, so I continue...
and so it goes.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

WIP~ New work #2 - Day 2

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Work in Progress
Day 2
***
OK, yesterday I spent about 6 hours on this new work. I laid in the dark colours, the body outlines, the hair and left the space for her wings open, because I think I am going to go another direction with them today.
The colours used so far...BTW this is all in oils...
Hair - Prussian blue, radiant turquoise and lamp black
Body - mars black and flake white
background - flake white, Payne's gray and brilliant violet
I also used walnut oil for the blending and the gloss.
I dragged a dry brush through the background to create a rainy effect (purple rain all the way baby) and also pushed her hair and body into the background in places and brought other parts out to the front to create dimension...not to mention a really great texture effect that catches light and makes it look like shimmery rain! HA! I rock...and I am so modest too. :)
This picture came out a bit dark, she is really very vibrant and rich in tone.
So, I am off to start the work day...today I hope to finish the background, the crown and the wings...and start the other new work as well.
Busy, busy...what do you think?
Are you liking the day by day of a BAD! kitty creative insanity in the studio?
Let me know!
Have a good one,
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Your Weekly Goddess - Ishtar

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
The Weekly Goddess, this week...
Ishtar
(above) Universe Discovered
close up view, acrylics
By: HMBT 2005 (sold)
***

Ishtar was the great Mother Goddess in ancient Assyrian and Babylonian mythology. Believed to be the daughter of the sky-god, Anu, she presided over love, procreation, and war. Gradually over time, she absorbed characteristics of various goddesses and became a multi-faceted diamond.

This ancient goddess of the Eastern Mediterranean represents a complex image of the multiple possibilities of womanhood. Her energy encompasses all that is "woman" - nurturing mother, inspired companion, playful bed partner, wise advisor, and insightful leader.

Here are some important characteristics to help you channel Ishtar's power:

Cultivate Self-Belief

In this tale, Ishtar gets on a lion and embarks on a journey to the underworld. Armed with only a quiver and a bow, Ishtar feels safe and powerful. Despite the fact that no one ever returns from this awful place! It's her unwavering faith and self-belief that keeps her away from danger.

Use Ishtar to give you courage and super-charge your self-belief. Remember that your thinking manifests itself into reality. We are having an inside-out experience on this planet. And if you are going through a dark patch, remember that you always carry your own light.

"Having zero doubt, is like saying to the universe, 'I believe I have the power to attract what I need in my life, and I expect it will come to me in the best way possible,'" says Malena.

Then, (here's the tricky part) let go. Yes, let go and let the universe do its work.

Go Above and Beyond

Let's say you're in a relationship and you know you should part ways. Or rather, your higher self knows this. But you remain and let it drag on and on. You need strength. You need vision. You need Ishtar.

Ishtar sets boundaries; she doesn't settle for less. Call on her for will power, for she knows how to stand up for things that that are bigger and better, says Kelly Sullivan Walden, author of Discover Your Inner Goddess Queen http://www.goddessqueen.com. "She doesn't just say 'no, no, no' for the hell of it. She means it. She has what it takes to go above and beyond."

Adore Your Womanly Self

Ishtar represents the fullness of woman-hood and dares us to dream. Her power is strongest at the full moon, when the essence of womanhood heightens in response to the moon energy that is all-encompassing.

Ishtar reminds us to thrive in our sexuality and our sensuality. She beckons us to ask, "where can love take me?" And she welcomes us to adore our womanly shape for she loves being a woman and all that it entails. Remember you are able to create life. Think of this awesome truth and allow it to give you a skip in your step or a sway to your hips. Allow it to renew your energy and vitality.

Ishtar's message is this; you have the power to be yourself, your body is sacred and beautiful. Period.

Tune Into Your Needs

Are you feeling that someone is making you feel like a workhorse instead of the wondrous being you really are? The only way to truly have enough to give, is to care for you. Ishtar reminds you that it's time to tune into your needs and pay them some attention in order to rejuvenate your core style and grace. Don't be a martyr. It's really not attractive. Take some quiet time for your self.

Bring Ishtar's loving warmth to your heart and home on the night of a full moon. Wear clothes or jewelry that contain Ishtar's symbols - stars, the moon, the lion or the dove. Play a drum, listen to your heartbeat and send it through your shoulders, arms and hands and back to the drum. Feel the infinite power of connection to the earth as the vibrations travel back through your body to your core. Energy flows, love grows.

Ishtar is not much different than women of today. We have the same power available to us as the ancient goddesses of yesteryear because heaven is still interacting with us every day. Yet we need this realization in order to regain our power as individuals.

***
Today I will be painting, for a look at what I will be working on...just scroll down. I am so down with Ishtar today, I can't wait for my wondrous day to begin. I spent a lot of time outside and I played drums yesterday to get myself really grounded, my hands hurt like hell because of it, but do I care? Hell No! I will strap paint brushes to my freaking toes if I have to. I have to get the boys ready for their last couple of days at school before the holiday, and I want to make the most of my quiet time while it lasts...I can't wait to get started.
Have a happy, powerful day.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

WIP~ New work #2

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
New work in progress day #1
Work #2
***
As you know I like to work on more than one thing at a time, and I thought it would be fun to show you day by day what goes on in BAD! Kitty studio when I work. These are the two that I will be doing side by side, this is number 2, she is a fairy queen. This one is a fantasy work...completely different than the first one I showed you yesterday (scroll down a post for pictures of it) in the sketch form which will be a realistic impressionism work.
Fun huh? I like to keep the works completely different so that I can work from all areas of my brain at once. The rough out is done for this one, and I will start flinging paint in the morning. I am considering starting a third as well, a nature- scape...just to do a total mind warp. :)
Enjoy...the BAD! kitty-ness!
Woot! I am really working now...bwahahahahah!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Sunday's spiritual discovery-Sufism

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
(above) pen and Ink on paper
"Making Magic" by: HMBT 2006
Sufism, what is it?
***

By now, most of us are aware of the existence of Kabbalah, or the tradition of Jewish mysticism. However, mysticism can be found in many belief systems, and Islam is no different. The central belief of Sufism (an ancient branch of the Muslim faith) is that love is a projection of the essence of God to the Universe. Sufis believe that love is all around us - quite literally - in everything and everyone. Indeed, they say, the totality of existence (good and bad alike) is a reflection - and manifestation -- of God... and that we can find God within ourselves!

Sounds kind of "New Age" doesn't it?

Dervishes - or people of the Sufi faith - believe that God wants to recognize beauty. In turn, they believe God sees, in each of us, himself within the dynamics of nature. In other words, we're all divinely inspired expressions of god - just as we are, no matter how flawed we perceive ourselves to be.

So what is the aim of Sufism?

The goal of the Dervish is to let go of all notions of duality (and therefore the individual self) and realize the divine unity of all things. In this purest form of existence, we become our truest selves, shining brightly as the aspects of god/the universal energy that we, individually are meant to personify.

But how does this translate practically? In other words, how does one practice Sufism?

Put simply, Sufism is a religion concerned less with worship than it is with personal experience. Like Zen Buddhism and Gnosticism, Sufism teaches that meaning can only be derived from life when one goes through the process of seeking truth, knowledge and the self. They also believe that the energies we need to do this are dormant, but inherently existent in each of us. Guides lead Dervishes through process work with the Six Subtleties (or Lataif-e-sitta, which are most relatable to the tantric chakras) and in turn, they are believed to become whole, realized human beings upon completion of the process.

What does this boil down to?

In short, Sufis are expected full, active participants in their lives. They seek to experience god by fully experiencing themselves. As one old Sufi metaphor goes:

"There are three ways of knowing a thing. Take for instance a flame. One can be told of the flame, one can see the flame with his own eyes, and finally one can reach out and be burned by it. In this way, we Sufis seek to be burned by God."

***
I have studied many of the worlds faiths, ancient and new. It's a hobby of mine. Sufism is really interesting to me because it is ancient and full of great stories, and it's really a religion about the celebration of life. I do not subscribe to any one faith myself, I do like learning about them and what I learn always influences my work. I did a huge series of works a few years back (all sold now) about the dervishes, Rumi (My favorite sufi mystic and poet) and seeing God in everything around me. The beauty of being alive, the magic in every moment, the grace and edge of hell that can come with every breath. I thought Sufism was brilliant at showing humans a way to live with Passion and Grit.

The above drawing is one of my private, not seen by the public eye, journal pages. I draw and write in my journal daily, the practice has brought many paintings and artworks to the surface and saved many others from the depths of memory.
I thought it would be nice to share some of them here with you, every once in a while.

I hope you enjoyed the information and the peek inside my private diary.
Happy Sunday to you.
Live with Passion today!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

New work in Progress

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
New work in Progress
***
Day one.
Roughing in is complete, a little left in the background...but I'll do that with the paint.
Whoop! I am working again.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Old post that's New Again

"Looking up"
By: HMBT
Pen and Inks on paper 2006

NOTES TO THE NEW MOON

Fear is a cold and dry woman. I have slept with her hard breast pressed
against my back, her stringy arms around my waist. Her navel a piercing iron
mouth, pressed against my spine, slowly sucking my warmth, never taking too much, for I was someone to feed her never-ending hunger; I was a good host. She caught me while I was still young and tender. My marrow still growing and my
understanding slight. Her withered legs wrapped around my stretching limbs, she
was the tourniquet to my rising sap. I thought that pain was normal, what
everyone was feeling, what life was all about. It was what I saw all around me; I knew not of love. I can still smell the unsatisfied lust and need in her hair and I feel the strength and ferocity of her embrace.

I learned as a girl what love was, (for me that is). I learned that fear was the
only thing that you can trust, a base emotion that doesn't sneak out the back
door or leave you high and then below ground. I began to love my fear, I comforted my self against those long years with the knowledge that I would I'd never be barren, I always had my fear. Something I could count on…
I could count on it in any situation, in the face of any confrontation. I became reckless, bold and indestructible. Fear was my friend my solace.

I went deep sea fishing once, when I was 10; as we cleared the bar and
headed out into the open sea of the Gulf of Mexico, I remember thinking that we
had just left earth, safe and solid earth. Just the open sea and the sky, (remember
I was young). I was shown by large men with callused hands, how to set out my line and adjust the drag if I got a bite. They talked of putting the hook in
and when to ask for help as they patted me on the head and laughed at my
eagerness.

When I felt the first pull of the pole in my hands fear hugged me so
tight that my breath came in short bursts and my stomach lurched. I fought the forty-pound pound grouper for 3 hours, and the whole time the men wanted and waited to take the rod from my frail little girl hands. They encouraged me to give up, to hand it over to them; they would let me have the picture that they took of the fish at the dock. Nobody would ever know that I didn’t bring it in by myself.

I was so scared, I felt as though that rod were part of my arms, the
line was coming from somewhere deep inside my belly, tethering me to my pride. That fish swam with its fear of death, and I hung on with my little girl fear. By the
time it gave up and rose to the surface I was tired, bloody, sore and completely in love. All of that battling and warring had taken my fear and turned it into love for that wonderful denizen of the deep. I had fought hard and won. I wanted
the fish thrown back, free to swim again in it's cold, deep blue home.
The men laughed and pulled (the not really all that large for a grouper) grouper over the side of the boat, and whacked it with-the gaffing hook.
Its giant lidless eye stared up at me, accusingly dead, and I cried. We were never enemies.

I have this dream periodically, the fish isn't a fish anymore, it's the
cold, dry woman. I am still fighting her hard as she takes my line, and circles back under the boat, diving deep below me; engorged on my love and warmth, she hungry for more. Her Capture means my freedom. I strap myself to this back-less chair and take in my line inch by painful inch, fighting when she is trying to rest, and resting when she is trying to dive. I fight her until I pull her over the side; hit her over the head and gut her clean. I look for her eye, I feel good that I won. I have only just begun to leave her and that life.

Combining faith with trust has brought me to the door of love. I have
through the years, been digging a well, one deep and wide, one that has filled with the
Pure waters of my personal successes and failures. In that well, I dive from time to time and soak up what experience has left me, and wash with the soap of desire for my future. On the sandy beach of my dreams, I lie in the sun and let the wind dry me, evaporating the pain of my past, leaving me lighter each time. I wish to be whole, to be able to love; without fear of what could become of that love, or of myself. I am getting closer to that place. I am still but a child of this world let me hold that sweetness in my mouth for as long as I can stand it.

There is a saying that I am fond of, "You can't find out, until you go in."
I am on my way. ­
******
This column Originally published (the first time) in The Deepwater Journal in Sept. of 98' in Tampa Florida Written by Me...HMBT otherwise known by my Pen Name HuMBle True

I found this today, and thought how true it still is for me…I’m still on my way, and yes I still have this dream sometimes.
It’s still powerful and provoking for me. Have a great day.
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Reprogramming the Mind

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Perception...it is what you think it is.
(Above) Just Ducky
By: HMBT 2006
Oil Pastels on heavy paper
***

Perception is your state of mind projected outward and, in this way, your mind can make your life a living hell or a daily celebration. It is for this very reason that mind training is absolutely essential.

Whether your goal is to build a multimillion dollar company or simply focus on daily peace of mind, the achievement of your goals starts by directing your mind properly.

There are two ways to direct the mind's automatic imaging process. First is to challenge and overturn negative pictures that dis-empower you. Second is to deliberately put into your mind pictures of what you would like to experience in your life. Both have their role and place in getting motivated, and becoming successful.

When we set out to change our mental process, it's important to realise that you can tell your mind not to do something; rather you must redirect your mind to an alternative. If for instance you have been looking for a job for ages, your mind might be giving you pictures of you never ever getting a job again. When this happens run the following mental sequence:

Technique 1: Imagine taking a red pen and drawing a thick red line around the negative image of not having a job. Once framed in this way, imagine shrinking the red frame smaller and smaller until it is a tiny red dot.

Then see a big hammer smashing the red dot into a zillion pieces. Once your negative image is removed in this way, bring in the positive opposite - such as you finding a magnificent job in the very near future.

Technique 2: To help your mind be trained anew to think on your goals and objectives (rather than all the negatives of life), write down or depict on paper your ideal vision for your life in five years' time. Look inward and ask yourself what you were put on this earth to do - and then put that down in pictures and words.

Every morning and every night look at this vision and deliberately imagine yourself living this new dream life, the one you were born to live. It's a quick exercise, that takes only a few minutes of your day, but these minutes construct a mental foundation for a whole new life. Here's how:

Before you get out of bed to start your day, close your eyes and turn your eyeballs back to look at the inside top of your head. Count backwards from 50 to 0. Then make a positive statement in line with your ability to live your dream; for example: "I can do this."

Allow your eyes to come to normal position, but keeping them closed - imagine that your mind is a big movie screen. Imagine yourself walking onto the screen from the left, and then stop in the centre of the screen. See yourself big and bold and bright. Now start imagining yourself living your ideal life.

When you've got the image clear in your mind, connect with the feelings of success it will bring to you, and holding that feeling in place, watch yourself walk off the screen to the right. Finish. Repeat again before you go to sleep. Three minutes of deliberate imagination a day will translate into 300 miracles of success in your life.

When we tune our lives up to a sweet celebration note through positive mental imagery, we turn our back on the bland and dull M-zone that binds most people to mediocrity.
By: Catherine Glennie

***
Well my mother told me that if I turned my eyes up in my head they would get stuck that way. (LOL) This practice is however very helpful to me, and I have used this exercise repeatedly over the last couple of weeks. I re-discovered the practice and thought what the heck, it can't hurt. So, I have been reprogramming myself for living my dream life ever since. The thing is this, it takes time...and now I think I have to find a re-programming tool for learning more patience. *Grins* I am seeing some light at the end of the tunnel these days, and that alone is a blessing. Still no recent art sales...but I am thinking positive and working for the day that I make more sales than I can keep up with again. The art is coming along in between bouts of terrible joint pain, and I am working on a couple of new canvas's. I will be submitting a recent work to the Art Crit blog soon as well, and that I hope will go well, I am visualizing a rave review.
The day ahead is a long one, so I need to get started on it...and I will visualize a healthy, prosperous, filled with good things day before I pull out my paint brushes. You never know...today could be the day that one of those 300 good things happens!
Here's to looking up, and moving forward!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com

Having a life filled with 'More'

BAD! Kitty Art Studio
Topic for today...More
***

Nothing can stay the same. Things do not stay the same. Things are always becoming. Becoming more or becoming less and if the individual seeks to interfere in this process by trying to artificially keep things at a predetermined level, then the whole order of life as it is meant to be becomes distorted. Things will naturally tend toward becoming less.

Life is intended to represent a natural process of exchange. Just as breathing itself describes an exchange of used air for new air, a lifestyle of rightness depends on a similar kind of flow. Clinging interferes with this process and creates aberrations. For example, if we try to cling to the inhaled breath. If we were to adopt the same kind of clinging in breathing as we do in life, one of two things would happen. If we succeeded in the clinging, we would eventually deprive the body of oxygen and we would die. Life depends on the exchange of the breath taking place. The other more likely thing that would happen is that the natural urge to exchange breath would become so great, that we would be forced to exhale and to take in more air.

The body is naturally equipped with mechanisms to ensure that exchange and flow occur and in the case of breathing it is possible to see that the mechanism is almost foolproof. However, in life we have developed the ability to override the natural tendency toward rightness and towards flow and exchange. We have enabled ourselves to introduce clinging and maintaining, which directly oppose a natural exchange.

With a lifestyle of having more, not only is the goal self-perpetuating, but the lifestyle is truly open to change and to the exchanges that must take place in order to have more. With an achieve and maintain lifestyle, we impose clinging against our natural will to be open and as a result, in endeavoring to maintain what we have, we instigate stagnation and certain deterioration and are enslaved more and more by having less.

In choosing to have more and making more a way of life, we imply many things. We can never reach the end of such a goal as the objective always remains relevant. We can always have more. Through the appreciation and acknowledgment of what we have now, we imply our ability to do the same and continue to have more. For example, in having a desire to be stronger, we imply that we are strong now and that we are stronger than we have been and that because of these two acknowledgments, our desire has every probability of success. We have proven it by what we have already done. If we have a desire to have more abundance, in doing so, we are naturally implying that we have a degree of abundance now. In other words we cannot deny our achievements to date, we cannot hate others for their abundance or we would be unable to appreciate our own and thus, we would also be prevented from wanting more. So wanting more depends on the acknowledgment of what we have now and indeed on the love and appreciation of what we have now.

Wanting some pinpointed goal or level of achievement encompasses more pitfalls. For example, wanting to be strong, to be wealthy, to be fit. These all imply an absence of them in one's life now. Wanting to be strong implies that we are not strong. Wanting to be wealthy implies that we are not wealthy. Wanting to be fit implies that we are unfit. These are of course falsehoods, because there are always degrees of achievement.

Wanting to be fit, for example, negates any fitness we might have. If we are able to walk and drive and climb, then we have a degree of fitness. We may not be as fit as we could be, or fit for particular tasks that we might want to undertake, but this is very different from the kind of blanket judgment of being unfit. Wanting to be more fit then, becomes a more desirable goal because it allows for the acknowledgment of what we can do, while also carrying a desire for more. Wanting to have more money implies an appreciation of the money we have, while carrying with it a desire to have more. Wanting to be stronger implies an acknowledgment of our present strength, while carrying with it a desire for more.

In wanting to be strong we also come up against the problem of deciding when we have achieved this goal. What is strong? How strong is strong? How will we know when we are strong? Or is it a goal that can never be achieved, because we have a vested interest in feeling weak and therefore the goal might always exist, but the attainment and use of the strength may always remain in the future. In desiring to have more, we do not set up goals that can never be achieved, because we are achieving them at every moment. We are experiencing a natural exchange of one for another. There is no end point to reach, no final achievement, the achieving goes on. Having more is a kind of fluid goal. In fact it is less of a goal and more of a direction. Having more is a way or direction for life. It is completely allowing, it is completely effective in producing results, it is completely foolproof.

We cannot have more if we do not have. We cannot have more strength if we are weak. We cannot have more abundance, if we are deprived. We cannot have more fitness if we are inadequate and so on. There is no way to fake a lifestyle of having more, because it is reflected in the life and the attitude of the individual. One cannot pretend to want more and maintain a vested interest in not having, or in hatred or, in weakness. It cannot be done. One can however, pretend or fool oneself into thinking that there is desire for happiness and prosperity and strength, because these are goals that can exist as goals while the individual is also able to retain aspects of not having these things.

An individual can spend an entire lifetime professing to want happiness, harmony, strength, compassion, love, the list goes on, and yet feel no requirement to do anything about having these things now. There is no implied requirement in these goals. They can go on being goals, yet the individual can maintain a deprived, weak, hateful, jealous existence with no motivation to begin any kind of process of change. Despite this, we could still be convinced that when the person talks about the things that they want in life, sometimes perhaps with great passion, their desire seems to be genuine. It can seem that they do indeed want these things and that they are working toward these things. However, if there is no willingness to express any kind of appreciation or acknowledgment for what they have, no willingness to be allowing of others, or to begin having what they want now, the goals for change are false. The only way to truly commit oneself to change in life is to make of it not a goal, but a direction and to adopt a desire for more and be prepared to embrace all that this entails.

*** To read More of this article just hit the link below!***
Wayfarer International, Copyright © John & Melody Anderson
***
So, I was looking around the net for inspiration for writing on today's topic, and I found this website and writer. This is just a small part of the article and you should check it out in it's entirety.

The lifestyle of living with more is a powerful one, because of it not being a limiting way of looking at your present moment situations. It does not negate your NOW, it empowers you to continue, to change and grow.

I think this applies to every aspect of living a good life, and also applies my art creations. For myself, creating one work always leads to the next work...therefore the exchange of ideas and growth is always happening and I stay motivated and energized. Perpetual creativity.

It also helps to create a life where there is always room for change and the taking of risks, to achieve, to learn, to value what's in my now. I thought this was a good topic for discussion today, being that the last few days of the year are fast approaching and we all have the feeling of time speeding by, change happening and things to re-focus on...when setting your goals for the New Year remember the theory of living with More!
It'll make setting those goals much More fun and easy to accomplish!
These are my top three More Goals for the upcoming year:

1. Increase my fitness and strength.
2. Enhance my art career with More shows and sales.
3. Create More social connections and friends in my life.

What are your More Goals for the upcoming year?
To all I hope you have a More Wonderful day!
Heather
www.badkittyartstudio.com
Buy More Art!
(Sorry I just couldn't resist *Grins*)