Am I an Artist?

Happy Heart

Hanging out in my art studio watching the birds fly outside the window day dreaming: I wondered Am I an artist?  I look at my paintings and feel joy as I remember what the painting represents to me. I think of driving down the gravel road in the middle of the desert and I smile at the beauty.  The shadow I see by the tawny grass.  The ridged side of the mountain walls in the winter sun.  I definitely think I have the soul of an artist, I see beauty in almost everything.  Whether it is a representative landscape or an abstract energy painting I enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy painting them. I feel like an artist, although I do not earn a living as one I have sold paintings.  It is more a way of expressing myself and the beauty all around me.  Like writing poetry used to be, for now I paint. 




Dictionary.com Definition of artist

noun

Condor Flying

1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2. a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor.

3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.:

a commercial artist.

4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer:

a mime artist; an artist of the dance.

5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.

6. a person who is expert at trickery or deceit:

He's an artist with cards.

7. Obsolete. an artisan.

I guess I could fall into one of those categories to be considered an artist.  What really matters however is how I define myself.  I say yes, I am an artist.  But that is only one of the many things that I do.  I am also a poet as I have written and published poetry.  So than the question really is not, Am I an artist/_______?  It is that I am Linda.  A spiritual being in a human body living on planet Earth  and I do many things, one of them being painting, creating art! 

Dancing Sycamore by Linda G

The I am question is always an interesting one.  We do many things and in our culture we than label ourselves based on those things that we do.  But really those labels are not who we are, they are what we do.  I am an artist, I am a driver, I am a manager, I am a daughter, I am a sister, I am a friend, I am a lover, I am a wife, I am . . . "I am that I am."

If you are ever wondering yourself who and what you are remember you do many different things, but you are you no matter what you are doing.

In love and gratitude,
Linda G

 

How to handle the Precipice of life.

I wrote this in July 2015 for my business blog.  It seemed to fit for where the world is today and has some good reminders of how to handle the stress.  So I thought I would share it here at Let Spirit Lead The Way.  

Photo by Linda G

It feels like we are on the precipice of something big.  I woke up at 4:44 am a few days ago, then the next day I saw the clock at 3:33 am and fell back to sleep.  Later that day, I saw the clock at 3:33 pm and had a receipt for $3.33.  (I of course looked it up in my Angel Numbers book, but that’s another story.)  Isn’t that odd and interesting.

There was a time not to long ago, when I had a regular schedule and I knew what was happening when, so I just followed my schedule.  That old way of being seems to have vanished.  It has vanished because I am creating my world and feel like I am living so much more in the moment.  I have no idea what tomorrow will bring.  Okay, maybe a little idea, but not much.

I still have to breathe through some of these days when I cannot see the forest for the trees.  Mostly, I trust and have faith.  I am doing what I love to do.  I call on the Angels for clarity and support, I ask for guidance if I’m not sure what to do next and I get out in nature and meditate.  I am learning to think differently.  I say to myself, “In this moment all of my needs are met and I have an abundance of Joy and Love in my life.”  What more could I want.  I pray for those who I may be of assistance to and ask for their abundance as well.

Then I remember, “In my entire life I have always received what I needed and usually, so much more!”  And I am grateful, very grateful.  Worrying about something brings more worry, letting go and trusting you will receive, brings what you desire.  As someone else once said, “Have an attitude of gratitude” and I do.

In this ever changing world where reality is seen through the eyes of the beholder, it is necessary for all of us to close our eyes, take a big deep breath, release the breath as we open our eyes and look again.  What is right in front of us may not be seen if we do not look at it with clear new eyes.

Whatever is going on in your world that is causing you to wonder, What's up? Have faith, trust that you are right where you need to be and do what is in front of you to do.

In Gratitude and love,  

Linda G

Do Monuments Honor or Re-Victimize?

I have been feeling like writing in the last few weeks and realize it is Spirit nudging me.  I decided a good way to start would be to look at previous writings.  In doing so I found this blog posting and it seemed fitting to re-post now. This was originally published on my website   Spirit Heart Sedona. 

June 24, 2015   

by, Linda M. Garcia

Do Monuments Honor or Re-Victimize?

While visiting with friends who had just returned from New York City, I found myself pondering a question.  Do National Monuments, like the 911 National Memorial Monument at the site of the Twin Towers honor those who died or re-victimize those of us who experienced it, by keeping it alive.

Listening to my friend I could see she experienced all kinds of emotions at this site.  By the time she was done sharing her experience all I could think about was how it sounded horrific to be at this monument.  It seemed to me she relived the experiences of that day when the Twin Towers came down and was extremely overwrought.  I stated, “It sounds like you were re-victimized by this experience.”  I found it interesting that her adult daughter who had been with her, heard my statement and with big eyes, nodded, affirmatively.

That conversation occurred a few weeks ago and yet it keeps popping into my head.  Part of what we teach here at SpiritHeart, Sedona is to look at the stories we tell ourselves, and if we do not want to continue to live those stories we need to change them.  For example, getting fired from a job is scary, but instead I allowed it to catapult me forward in beginning my own business.  It was something I had thought about, but had not moved toward because I was comfortable and stable where I was at.  I needed to get uncomfortable to begin the process of creation and development of my dreams.  Something negative can be turned into something positive!

There is no excuse for the type of violence that occurred on 9/11 or that continues to occur around the globe.  However, let us not forget how 911 brought us together as a country and a world of humanity that grieved deeply, for those lost and their families.  For a Country that was shaken to the core, that something so horrific could happen on our land.

Is there a way for us to change how we view that “story?”  It may be difficult at this moment in time to change the story as so much more violence has occurred since then, in the name of those who lost their lives!  Yet, I believe we can choose what we remember. We do it all the time!

In this moment I will choose to change the story in my mind.  I will remember how people from around the City of New York rallied to rescue those who were near and still alive, the boat owners who offered an escape from the city to those who needed it and how Humanity as a whole, felt empathy and love for those who were suffering as a result of this occurrence.

I will remember where I was on September 11, 2001 and how we came together and grieved and celebrated our oneness and the fact that we were/are still alive.

I ask you to think about our Monuments, and ask yourself, do they really honor those who lost their life, or re-victimize those who see them and keep us in fear?  What are their purpose? 

In Gratitude,
Linda G

Coming Home

For a little over a  year now, I did all of my blogging from my business website.  However, I recently closed down that website as it was costing me more money then I was earning from it.  I had a wonderful experience developing the site and with the help of Gaian Consulting, I asked myself questions I had never asked before.  It was fun to look at what do I really want to do?  How do I want to be of service?  How do you tell people what you want to do and how it will help them?  and On and On. Deciding to close the site, there was a question about whether I keep the business and build a site on my own that I maintain and see what happens. 

It was a beautiful site, based on a wonderful dream.  That dream however has changed and I had to go with the changes.  As the title of this blog says, Let Spirit Lead The Way.  I have decided at this moment in time I do not want to do the work it takes to really get a business off the ground.   When I started that adventure, I was working for someone else 15 hours per week, and was earning enough to pay for expenses and have extra cash to devote to a new venture.  Just before the site, Spirit Heart Sedona was launched I was let go by that employer.  Thus, I had no money for marketing and had to release the consultants.  I do not have a great deal of knowledge about marketing myself and although I tried for awhile in the end I have decided to re-assess what I want to do and how I want to do it.  So rather then have a blog posted on a website.  I have come home to this site.

Of course I also had to deal with all of the doubts and wondering if I was a failure because it was not a prosperous endeavor.  Was there something more I could have done and on and on.  It can be quite heartbreaking to see a dream not work out.  At this moment in time I can not say it was a failure.  It was something I tried and it didn't work the way I thought it would.  I love working with people.  Helping them to see the world from a different perspective, to trust their own inner guidance and to believe in themselves.  But it was very difficult for me to be there for people when I was caught up in all the business pieces of the services I wanted to provide.  I guess for me it was hard to be in my logical 3d brain and my intuitive brain providing healing and guidance. 

I feel good about trusting my own inner guidance.  I made a decision to try something and found it took me to far away from the actual work I wanted to do.  So it was time to let go of all of the business aspects of the work I want to do and get back to the intuitive, healing, loving work that I know I can do.   

I will offer intuitive readings, healing sessions and now vortex and land tours through Aligning Light.  In this way I can work with pilgrims that come to Sedona searching for themselves, without having to do all of the business aspects.

This blog will remain, Let Spirit Lead the Way, and I will write about guidance received that I think will be helpful to others as well as experiences that may be of interest.

In Gratitude,
Linda G 

We've Moved!

What a ride it has been.  Earlier this month I wrote about how I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride and how in the end it was a realization I was actually giving birth.

It has been quite a learning experience.  There are a lot of steps to doing your own business and I am realizing the amount of structure and discipline it takes to do it right.  For a while I was under the illusion it was going to be so easy.  Put up a shingle let people know what you offer and bang, magically they will appear.  Now I am learning about social marketing, regular marketing and budgeting, accounting and the list goes on.  I've decided this is fun and exciting because it's new, not something I've done before (own my own business.) But it has had it's challenges as well.

Our new business has now birthed and is ready for business.  SpiritHeart, Sedona offers Nature Retreats, Energy Healing and Sacred Ceremony.  The website, www.SpiritHeartSedona.com.   I will be writing this blog from that location.  go directly to the blog ~>  Let Spirit Lead The Way

Please be sure to look around the website and subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of new blog postings.

In Gratitude,
Linda G

It may feel like a roller coaster at times!

A few weeks ago, I posted a comment on the shifts occurring and really tried to help us all to know that we are not alone and to remember to take deep breaths.  Well, last week was even more difficult for me.  I couldn’t figure out what was going on.  Why was I in such FEAR!  I was having a hard time keeping it together.  You see I am in the process of starting my own business and was let go before I was ready.  Meaning no income!

Yet rent is paid, all of my bills are up to date and really, I can only live one day at a time.  Right!  Isn't that what we know and tell each other?  Even though I could tell myself till I was blue in the face, everything is going to be all right and many others told me as well, I just could not shake this feeling.  I knew I needed to get out in nature for a few days and trusted that would take care of my fears, I would be good again. 

View from the road to our campsite.

The weirdest thing happened. As I was driving to the campsite along a very windy, steep cliff road, I kept getting this ominous feeling.  One bit of loose gravel and I could go off the edge.  Who was the person in this body that was in all of this fear!  It could not be me!  I even had an image pass through my head of me swerving to miss a car and going over the cliff.  At this point I had to stop!  Not driving but thinking like this.  I was driving alone following a friend and I simply started speaking out loud.  I said, “I have too much left to do and I am not ready to die so get those thoughts out of here.  Angels I know you are always with me and I do not call on you for help, but I need your help!  I am dealing with fear and anxiety and I do not understand it.  Please help me to understand it and to know that I am safe.”

I remembered I had some Rescue Remedy in my purse and popped a lozenge in my mouth.  I was feeling better.  We arrived at the campsite.  Only 80 miles from home and I was in a different world.  It was damp and cool and we were surrounded by tall Pine trees and all kinds of wild animals.  The squirrels were in the trees and on the ground gathering fresh pine cones for the winter.  We were gifted with the bugling of the Elk one night and many many birds.  

My campsite.

The first morning I awoke to all of the sounds and coolness of the north woods, only I was in the mountains of Arizona.  While sipping my coffee a squirrel circled my entire camp, stopping two times and staring at me.  One of those times we just looked at each other.  It was amazing.  I knew squirrel medicine was about gathering so, it felt like she was reminding me to plan for the future, but to be light and just do what is in front of me to do, not to stress.  I then pulled out my Medicine Card Book, by Jaime Sams and David Carson, to see what else there was.  I would like to share the entire last paragraph as it was so perfect for me at that moment and may help you. “Squirrel has another lesson which can aid you if you observe what is obvious, and which can prepare you for anything.  It has to do with the safe place in which to put your gatherings.  This safe place is an untroubled heart and mind, and that which is gathered to put in this place is wisdom and caring.  The energies gathered will set your mind and heart free, so that you will know that all will be taken care of in its own time.  Apply this to your fears and they will vanish.”

Wow, did that fit where I was at.  I had a wonderfully relaxing camping trip, not all of my fear disappeared, but I came home with renewed energy that everything will be alright. 

My story is not quite done.  We have a Medicine Wheel in the backyard and after I got home my cat was bugging and bugging me to go out back with her.  She sniffed around and than lay down under the fire pit.  I walked over to the Medicine Wheel and began circling it, stopping to create sacred space and go into meditation.  It finally became clear.  While I was in the mountains all of the cards I picked were very apropos.  One was the Bat, Death and Rebirth.  Yeah, I knew that.  But it was not until I was in the meditation that it became so clear.  I am giving birth!  It’s not about the dying to the old, which I kept thinking it was.  It’s about birthing a new business and all of the pains and anxiety you go through during birth. 

The old Me is already gone! But I was holding on!  I am not an “employee” anymore!  I am in service to humanity.  This is what I wanted, it just looks different and I needed to experience both the releasing (death) and the re-birthing.  I guess I was more used to releasing and letting go as I kept feeling the death stalking me.  The reality was I had already died to being an employee, I just had not yet allowed myself to become a small business owner.  But I am.  Whereever you are in your process, know that it may feel like a roller coaster at times.  When it does put your hands in the air and scream and laugh and enjoy the ride.  

We hope to launch the new website this week, which means launching the entire business.  Wow that is exciting.  Last time I talked about the difference between fear and excitement.  Breathe into it and see what comes up next.  Ahhhhhhh all is in perfect divine order.  If it is difficult I do recommend trying Rescue Remedy to get you through those tough moments.  You can find it at your health food store.  

In Gratitude,

Linda G

Look for www.SpiritHeartSedona.com later this week.   

The trip down from the rim was joyful and beautiful.