collage

Stacking Wood, Collage, and a Mind that Wanders Back to Center

While the wren image – a photograph I took – dried on the collage piece I worked on earlier this week, I decided to stack some wood – wood we use for our chiminea.

Stacking wood, just like creating the collage is like an art form, I think. When we first got our chiminea I would get upset if John hadn’t stacked wood and we’d have to take time out to gather it before we could build a fire. But then one day I decided I’d stack it myself, and keep it stacked, even though I wasn’t too crazy about the idea at first.

But now I’ve really come to enjoy it. It makes me think about how sometimes we grumble about household chores, which I can still be guilty of at times. But when I remind myself to do them with mindfulness or view it as an art form, it feels centering and also makes me feel a sense of accomplishment.

Fitting the pieces of wood together to get as much as I can on the stand, is somewhat like doing a collage too – keeping an eye out for how everything fits together.

As I worked some more on the collage after I was done stacking wood I had the movie Bridges of Madison County playing in the background. 

That scene where Francesca and her husband are in their truck and behind the truck of Robert Kincaid, at the stop sign, the rain pouring down, and Francesca puts her hand on the handle of the door, torn between whether to stay with her husband or run off with Robert, is palpable.

Each time it makes me think how sometimes the grass can seem greener on the other side. But how often it does not turn out that way. It brings me back to thinking about how when things were getting difficult with health challenges with Gidget two years before she passed and how I felt like I was missing out on so much in life. There were times, I too wanted to run.

But in the end, as I wrote about in my new memoir, it was a wake-up call to do the inner work I’d been called to do to come back to what really mattered to me – that was the path I was meant to take. Even though it wasn’t easy, and at times I felt torn, the more I stayed with what I was feeling, the more that yearning subsided.

Over a year later since she’s been gone, this is what continues to deepen in my gratitude for her – that the last year of her life was so beautiful as our relationship grew exponentially. I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on that as it remains with me as some of my most fond and meaningful memories.

Going through the pandemic of the virus this year has also been a reminder to me of how much I love my home, my gardens, my time with John, seeing wildlife outside my windows, fires in the chiminea, etc. How often it is that all we need is right here in front of us and within us.

These are the moments of a mind wandering that bring me back to the center of my heart that I’m grateful for.

xo,

Barbara

 

 

 

Connecting with Gidget through SoulCollage® and Oracle Cards

I recently completed a SoulCollage® card in honor and memory of Gidget. It’s an intuitive process I’ve been trained in as a facilitator and have held workshops with different themes. Something I’m giving thought to for the future and facilitating some online classes.

Every one of my dogs has a card in honor of them and what it was they brought to my life. Central to the process after collaging on a 5 x 8 card is to journal with the prompt I Am One Who. 

It’s a sacred and beautiful way to connect with our dear animal friends who are no longer with us. I find it so soothing and healing.

Sometimes it takes me a while to put the images together and then journal. But allowing the process to unfold in a natural flow, I think, is all part of the beautiful teachings my dogs taught me – and to be in the present moment.

So I thought I’d share with you my recent connection with Gidget through the I Am One Who prompt and then working with oracle cards to gain some additional insight from her.

I Am One Who…

…sat quietly with you sharing my energy of truth as a way to guide you to yours.

…was content as who I am as a reflection for you to do the same.

…came into your life to hold your wounded heart as you found the courage to witness and accept your worthiness.

…resides within you always as the princess of your heart.

…sees deep into the soul of truth.

…took on your childhood pain, shook it loose for you to see and so you could set yourself free.

…watched your heart expand in compassion for yourself.

…provided unconditional love and support in your deepest, most excruciating moments of grief.

…loved you without judgment through it all.

…loved to entice the little girl within you to come out and play.

…rejoices and dances with you whenever you wish. Just think of me and I’m there.

…will always envelop you with the purest and deepest love as my everlasting gift to you.

…knows you will now carry the light of compassion within you and allow it to guide you through your remaining earthly journey.

I pulled an oracle card from the Wisdom of the Oracle asking Gidget what more she wanted me to know right now?

 

We are always connected. The key to being able to be with me is through quiet time and attention to the love we shared. That love is still here for you.

Our relationship has only changed form. I see you, I feel you, and I hear you. Rest sweetly in what you can’t see and know that it’s what you feel that matters. 

I’ll be your forever friend.

Thank you to Linda Su of ArtLin Creations for the beautiful and sweet gift of the memorial card in honor of Gidget. It’s such a lovely addition to my altar and I love how it looks next to the SoulCollage card of Gidget.

XO,

Barbara

Subscribe here to receive my bi-monthly newsletter which includes a digest of my blog posts, oracle readings, wisdom from the animal kingdom, first to know special offers and more

and/or

Subscribe here to receive my blog posts as they are published.

On Grace Becoming – My Words for 2019 and My Vision for How I See It

On Grace Becoming - My Words for 2019

Like last year, I couldn’t pick just one word for the year and chose abundant depth. Part of my intention with abundant depth was that I wanted to have deeper conversations with others. Whenever I have the opportunity to have deep and meaningful discussions with friends and family, and also experience with my clients and my oracle reading and guidance sessions, I feel so uplifted!

What I realized this past year was that in order to continue to have meaningful conversations, I had to first begin with having those conversations with myself. Now, not like talking out loud to myself, but I do that too. ha! But about really focusing inward and tapping into what really matters, which I did quite a bit of in 2018.

As 2018 drew to a close and the thought of what I’d like to invite into 2019, I was given some poignant signs recently. From receiving a book as a gift earlier this fall (which I’d read years ago) called, A Return to Grace by Cheryl Richardson, to receiving another book as a gift I’d not read before called, The Way to Grace by Miranda Macphearson, to being nudged awake at 2am one morning two weeks ago by that magical, unseen force that supports us, and hearing the words, Grace Becoming.

When I heard those words I knew this was it as I felt a rush of excitement run through my whole being. It was as if I sank into a warm, swirling pool of water. I just felt it

Grace Becoming for me is about trusting there is a divine purpose in guiding me to evolve with a deeper understanding of myself when I experience difficult times, while appreciating that this is part of living a full and meaningful life. Every day I have the opportunity to flow like I imagine grace does.

So then I thought, what would Grace Becoming look like in terms of an image? What oracle card would represent it? What animal oracle card would it be? What number is Grace Becoming? And what color?

This is how I came up with what I guess you could say is a type of vision board. I’ve never really cared all that much for vision boards, or rather those that are done with the intention of material things. Not that I don’t like material things cause I do! But what I created digitally using Canva and this collage is more about how I want to feel, how I want to move through my days, and how I want to be in the world.

Grace is not reacting, but rather allowing a natural flow and why I chose water as how I see it and also in the image of the woman depicting all the many facets of who we are. The bluish green color of water which is calming and how I imagine the color of Grace Becoming. The number 8 I feel represents Grace Becoming beautifully in its fluid and continually movement.

The horse, such a large animal, but moves with such ease and grace, feels like Grace Becoming to me also. And when we adopt more grace into our lives, freedom for how we want our lives to be seems to come more naturally. It’s those challenging times that when we embrace them as opportunities that we become poised (represented by a card from The Wisdom of the Oracle deck) for the life we envision by being more often here and now in this moment, soaking up all that it has to offer, and that by default is a stepping stone, that leads with grace to yet another and another, and to a life well lived.

XO,

Barb