-
HIRE OUR Photography Services Serving Tampa Bay and Beyond
Weddings, family gatherings, special events, portraits, promotional photography, corporate imagery, head shots and more. Click here for our contact information and to learn more about photography bookings.
Tel: 813.786.3627
SURREALMUSE STUDIOS ONLINE STOREFollow us on Twitter and Facebook for special promotions and offers.
Meta
Category Archives: Spirituality
Wishing Box
You might call it a prayer bowl, or perhaps, a wishing box…whatever you little heart desires…it’s the place to share and write down your dreams…the things that seem so far away and yet so possible if you just put your mind to it…so take a deep breathe, close your eyes, and try to imagine what you might wish for…what you desire…what you are thankful for…it’s the place where you share all this and more…it’s the place where everything is possible…
Making the transition from Subliminal Altars
About two years ago, I wrote an entry about subliminal altars at my original journaling site. For those of you who may not integrate the spiritual element into your daily life, you probably already have created subliminal altars all around you. Subliminal altars are those places in our homes that we carefully arrange objects that are important to us. For example, look around your computer desk, bookshelves, or dresser. These are all typical places were we create subliminal altars. You may have photos that are special to you or other items collected over the years that you just cannot part with.
Subliminal altars are the places that we subconsciously create to display the things we value most, and it doesn’t matter how much space we have…if it is an important object…we always somehow make room is display it. To some, it might be a collection of knickknacks from traveling, to others, it might be freshly cut flowers from the garden. The transformation of subliminal altars occurs when we consciously create a sacred space.
In Altars by Denise Linn, she discusses the different type of altars we can create in our homes, and her ideas go far beyond the traditional idea that altars are solely created in honor of our faith and spirituality. She covers the idea of creating altars in honor of our creativity, relationships, and major life transitions to name a few. You could even combine her ideas to make an altar that honors several different elements in your life.
For me personally, I have been considering creating an altar in honor of my creative pursuits. As Denise Linn states:
One of the most exhilarating and stimulating processes is the creation of an altar or a sacred place in your home devoted to creativity…Creativity is the heart and soul, the very essence of Spirit. It has been said that we are closest to Divine Spirit when we are creative. The possibilities for joyful self-expression are limitless when creating this type of altar.
And while the idea of actively creating an altar can seem overwhelming, as with all things in life, take small steps in creating your altar. Look around your house for elements that might already be part of an subliminal altar. To get you brainstorming, here are some items that you might find or might want to incorporate down the road as your budget allows:
- Candles
- Affirmations
- Collages
- Sculpture/Statues
- Plants
- Water
- Fountains
- Incense or essential oils
- Music Instruments
- Prayer bowls
- Stones, shells, and other elements from nature
You might even consider having two spots for a creative altar. One of the spots should be a stationary spot that you display the items that honor your creative self. The other spot is an active altar. One that might not be in use all the time such as an coffee table or the kitchen table for those of you who might be short on space.
Back when we used to live in apartments, our coffee table was often the place I would go to work on my collages, and over time, that coffee table started to hold a feeling of sacred divine energy. Thus, even though I don’t exactly have the space for it in my artist loft, I still managed to fit it in. In the upcoming weeks, I might share a couple shots of my creative altar in progress, and if you have one of your own, please feel free to drop me a note and share…
Where is my Zen Buddhist monk?
Sometimes I think the hesitation to write comes from the respect of the crisp, whiteness of the page. It is as though I don’t want to ruin it with my thoughts. Fill it with all the thoughts that bounce around in my mind. Yet fill it, I must. Releasing all those thoughts is therapy. It is freeing. To simply let go of all that clutters in the mind. And it is soothing to form in on the page. Watch the thoughts take form.
If I was ever in the need of a Zen Buddhist monk, today would be that day. I like to imagine the monk lulling my poor, battered mind into some peaceful trance. A safe place, where I become one with the world and all becomes clear. I see the answers to my questions. And I leave the monk feeling renewed, inspired, refreshed, calm, cool, and collected. But I don’t know of any Zen Buddhist monks, and really I wonder if they truly have all the answers. Their life is spent in meditation. I’m sure if I could meditate all day long, I would experience nirvana. But no, I work in corporate America with the most diverse group of individuals. So my Zen Buddhist monk became the bookstore today, but really it just left me with more questions than answers.
Sometimes I feel as though I am one of the few people in the world that ponders the meaning of life, that raises questions, and yet still tries to find solutions to those questions. Majority of the time, it’s an enlightening experience. But then there are weeks like this one, where you feel lonely, frustrated, at lost at what to do.
A Tealeaves Reading
I came across something interesting today that I thought I would share from tealeaves:
He prayed as he breathed, forming no words and making no specific requests, only holding in his heart, like broken birds in cupped hands, all those people who were in stress or grief.
~ Ellis Peters
You can pray without words. You can pray to the universe simply by holding yourself in an attitude of prayer. No matter what you believe in, you must believe in something. Believe in God, believe in a Higher Power, believe in yourself. Believe in your own power to change things, both for yourself and for the world.
This reading captures my thoughts on prayer perfectly. There is often this inner dialogue with God, but it has no words, no visual elements, just a feeling, an essence. However, to embrace this feeling, I have to shut out the noise that fills my mind and sometimes this can be difficult. Writing can be a great way to filter out the noise, but sometimes I am hesitant to capture these words to paper. Seeing my thoughts in black and white can be a wake up call. It can also be embarrassing in a way. That is, sometimes the thoughts are just a rehashing of old emotions that don’t want to perish. You think to yourself, I’ve dealt with this, I moved on yet the words on the page tell another story.
A couple weeks ago, I had a thought come to me about Christianity. One of its basic tenets surrounds the concept of forgiveness, and it wasn’t until just recently that it really hit home. All throughout my life, I have always held the belief that everything happens for a reason, the good, the bad, and the ugly, all of it holds meaning and lessons to be learned. Needless to say, this philosophy on life has helped me process those trauma events in life that otherwise might have scared me for life. However, I recently had an experience that is hard to accept, learn from and move on. The events of this situation have in raged me literally and I have a hard time forgiving those involved. I suppose in time I will be able to move on, but at the moment, I have a hard time doing so. Thus, the concept of forgiveness entered my mind. And I realized that sometimes the power of forgiveness lies within. The ability to forgive can hold greater significance for the individual that needs to forgive, and it can be hard, so hard to forgive those who have wronged us sometimes. Yet if we cannot let go and forgive, the people that have wronged us will only continue to haunt us in our dreams and waking hours. It can also turn us bitter, and that is no way to live life.
Even though life can be filled with such pain and heartache, there is much beauty and joy that life can give us if we are willing to open our hearts and minds. Taking that step to transform the pain into joy can be a journey in itself. Often there is so much emotion that must be felt, experienced before we can move on. It’s not a simple task of simply sweeping up the pain and placing in a little jar to throw out to the sea. Rituals such as this can be good, but sometimes we need more. We need to write, let those words flow no matter how ugly the page becomes. And sometimes there are not even words to capture the feeling and that is when the visual element comes into place.
Get out the finger paints and the colors tell the story. Sometimes you might be surprise by the images that comes out. And sometimes it’s just the boldness of the colors that reveals the thoughts and feelings you have bottled up.
A couple years ago, I set aside a Saturday for a healing retreat in my own home. It wasn’t anything lavishly planned just a simple little retreat to mark the passing of a painful moment in life. It started with a large sheet of paper. And I wrote little messages, empowering message on the piece of paper. Then I started to just cover the words with color. On top of the color, I placed clippings from magazines, images of things that made me smile. And to top it off, I glued pressed flowers to the collage. So in one afternoon, I was able to transform that experience into something empowering, something beautiful.
So although I am not quite ready to transcend this experience quite yet I know I will in time.
Tagged Prayer, Spirituality, Tea Leaves
Leave a comment
Spiritual Practices
It’s been awhile since I last wrote an actual journal entry. I’ve been so busy with work, taking my cats to the vet, dealing with car troubles, the usual day to day stuff, that I haven’t sat down to just be. To think, to ponder, to reflect . . .
One of the thoughts I have started to ponder this week is my spiritual practices. About a year ago, I had several spiritual practices that I engaged in. At that time, we didn’t attend church or belong to some type of spiritual community so I did a lot of self-study. I had a couple inspiration/meditation books that I would read on occasion. But there were also a lot of things I did that felt like spiritual practices to me such as taking a sea salt bath or even dancing to spiritual music. Around December, when we moved and got married, there wasn’t much time to engage in any spiritual practices so I got out the swing of things, but we did start attending church..
Since we come from different religious backgrounds, my husband and I have always practiced our faith in the home. In our own home, we could find a nice common ground between his Southern Baptist upbringing and my Catholic heritage. However, when we decided to tie the knot the importance of deciding how to merge our faiths became more pending.
Unlike most couples that take months, sometimes even a couple of years, we planned our wedding in two weeks. And no, I was not pregnant, and we did not run off to Jamaica. But somehow, whether through a miracle by God or simple luck, we found a wonderful church to be married in that embraced both of our faith backgrounds. However, the downside of our church is the service length. Now that we are in the next stage in our lives, and we are trying to find our first home, we just don’t have four hours to devote to church on Sunday. Now, I know your jaw probably dropped at the sight of four hours. But that includes the roundtrip one hour driving time. Not to mention, part of the time is spent eating a potluck lunch that is after every service, which is a great way to actually discuss what went on in the service or to simply chit chat if you have the time. But even if we didn’t attend the pot luck, the actual service does run around two hours since we sing around four songs before starting the rest of the service, which is similar to Catholic mass. And while the sermons do run long, they are the best ones I have ever heard. Unlike some sermons that put you to sleep, these sermons make you think, and they also often connect with what is going on in the world around us. So all in all, it’s a good thing. But with us, hunting for houses, we haven’t been to church in over a month. And with me, being the weird person that I am, I feel the loss of this spiritual practice.
Of course, the alternative to church would be personal prayer or meditation or even the simple act of lighting a candle. But as I mentioned, I got out of the swing of things. When we started to attend church on a regular basis, I started to devote my free time to my art, which is another equally important aspect of my life.
When I first posted the question to ponder this week, I was curious to see how others would respond. Often, the word “spiritual practices” brings up traditional expressions of the word . . . church, prayer, meditation. But to me, spiritual practices can mean many different things. To me, a spiritual practice can be anything that makes you feel closer to divinity, anything that enlightens you. Honestly, I consider gardening to be a spiritual practice in certain circumstances. But keep in mind, even church is not a spiritual practice if you are not in that frame of mind.
To me, one of the most spiritually powerful acts is simply walking. However, as I have mentioned before, my husband doesn’t like the idea of me walking alone. Not to mention, no matter what time of day it is, it’s hot and humid where I live. And no, treadmills don’t count. To get the effect, I have to be outside. While this might sound funny, I feel disconnected from life if I am stuck inside a building all day. There’s just something to getting away from our technology driven lives and being able to experience nature. The funny part is that I married a techno nerd. However, it does have it’s advantages . . .
Last night when I posted the question to ponder, I decided to do a simple spiritual practice. I got out my cd player. Popped in one of my favorites . . . delerium. I lit some candles and incense. And then I took a shower. Yes, a shower and not a bath. But with the lighting, the music, it was enchanting.
Sometimes music alone is enough to send us back to a moment in time. It had been awhile since I listened to the cd. But it still conquers up feelings of being at peace, of magic and wonder. And the funny part was that my cat, Cleo, even got excited. She loves when I light candles and incense and play this cd. To her, it represents happy, magickal times.
As I was in the shower, I thought about what exactly was the common theme in my spiritual practices that called out to me. And the first thing that popped in my head was the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air.
Most of the spiritual practices that call out to me can be connected back to the four elements. When I am walking, I feel a connection to earth. When I take a bath, I feel a connection to water. And of course, fire and air represent candles and incenses.
One thing that is left out is our spiritual connections to the people around us. Engaging in church, bible study, meditation groups, all of these activities can be spirituality enlightening. While we can do a lot of self-study on our own, nothing can replace the power of human interaction. To me, there is something that can occur when you engage in a powerful conversation with another person.
Is God Asleep?
Belief in a distant God creates in the believer a feeling of powerlessness and oppression. Simultaneously, it creates a feeling of resentment. “Why,” we ask, “didn’t God do something about the Holocaust? Or poverty? Or the violence in inner cities?” If these things are blamed on God, we’re off the hook. We do not need ask “What can we do?”
~ Julia Cameron
The past couple of weeks I have been pondering what I could say to someone who blames God for everything bad that occurred in their life. And the answer . . . nothing. They don’t really give a shit what I think. Their version of God, is asleep, is dead. He has forgotten about us. And if I point out that he’s just around the corner, I think they just might throw a pillow at me.
A distant God, however aliening, is a convenient God. How much more troublesome and demanding is the notion that God is eminent, available to us all times and all circumstances, always ready to fuel and guide our endeavors no matter how small or large. There is no evading responsibility with a God so close, so personal, and so available. In every circumstance, at every turn, such a God may be called upon for insight, inspiration, and right action. Is it any wonder we prefer the idea of a distant God that must be cajoled and flattered?
~ Julia Cameron
It’s strange. Everyone I meet has in one point in their life if not most of their life doubted there is a god. I might get lost sometimes. I might feel disconnected with life. But I always feel a connection to the God no matter how dim the lights get.
Do I challenge the church? Yes.
Do I challenge what we have done in the name of God? Yes.
Do I challenge the image we are given of God? Yes.
Do I believe all traditions are worthless? No.
I don’t believe in throwing away the blueprints of the past. We can study them. We can learn from them. We can build stronger foundations. Think back for a moment . . . what were some of the most powerful moments in your life? What was happening around you? Who was there with you? What did they say? What did it feel like?
Whispers
I envision God as another fellow artist, the master artist with a touch of scientific knowledge, but an artist all the same. Who else but an artist would create such beautiful scenic beaches and mountains? With the same token, the dark side of God’s artistic vision is illustrated in the creation of angry, fiery volcanoes. But God also has a sense of humor, who else could create a platypus?
When God isn’t busy creating and painting another landscape, there are moments when God whispers in my ear. Sometimes it is just a quick passing whisper to inspire me to create my own landscapes by sculpting and tending to my plants. But other times, those whispers have profound meaning and sentiment, and right now, God is whispering with such passion and energy that I don’t know which way is up or down because it’s not just one little message. It’s been several whispers all at once.
While in my heart, I know that even if I don’t make the “right” decision, I will always learn from my choices and experiences. And sometimes there are no easy answers. Life isn’t black and white as much as some of us would like to be.
With this common sense approach in mind, the first whisper came earlier this week when I was talking to mom. Ever since I became engaged this summer, she has been so excited. In the beginning, she would call me up with ideas for the wedding, but eventually, those calls faded when I didn’t return the same amount of enthusiasm about the wedding. It’s not that I have doubts of about my fiancé. It’s just that I have never understood modern day societies view on weddings. Most couples put more time and effort into planning in their wedding day than their actually marriage. Months are spent planning and debating over this color or that color. This dress or that dress. Silk or real flowers. Honestly, I could go on all day. I listen to my fellow engaged co-workers each and every day. Even a relatively small wedding takes all the thought and planning of a big wedding. And while all this energy is being place on one day, your relationship with your soon to be husband or wife could be falling apart. Even with marriage preparation classes, I don’t believe that one of my girlfriends at work has seriously sat down with her fiancé to discuss their views on money, children, and future goals. Right now, she has so much money invested in one day, and she doesn’t even know if he is the one anymore. But she keeps making those wedding arrangements because the bottom line in her head is that she has to much invested in this one day, which is sad because it’s not just one day, it’s her entire life that is being committed to this one person. And yes, while there is divorce, there is always a way out later down the road, it will only get more icky and tricky as the days pass.
While I have a solid foundation with my fiancé, I have a hard time envision myself spending all my energy towards one day. I would rather spend time working towards our goal of getting our first home, of building a life together.
So when my mom asked me if I have given any thought to our wedding, I told her. I told her I had concerns, and I asked what she thought if maybe we just had a simple ceremony over this Christmas. My parents were already planning on flying down to meet his parents so my mom was ecstatic at the news. But my fiancé, while open to the idea, is a big family person. His concept of immediate family goes beyond the traditional model of parents and grandparents, which is one of the reasons I love him and his family. Since I moved down to Florida, I have felt distant from family outside of my parents and grandparents who I talk to on a regular basis. When I met my fiancé, I basically became adopted into a big family that is within traveling distance, which is wonderful. And when it comes to wedding stuff, his mom will be there by my side. She is a wiz at event planning. So even though my family is far away, I do have lots of help.
With whisper #1 out of the way, the next whisper I heard was to get a new apartment–something closer to work and less expensive so we could save more money for a home. When I mentioned the idea to my fiancé, he was thrilled. He had been thinking the same thing, but he knows how many times I have moved within the past four years. And this last time around, I stated that it would be my last until we buy a home. So this weekend has been spent apartment hunting. Of which, I have to get ready for round two, so I will keep you posted on how it goes. If you wonder why I don’t find time to write as often, at least, you’ll know that some major life changes are in the works. Hopefully, everything will work out for the best, and I’ll have time to set down and ponder life and art once more . . .
Also posted in Art
Leave a comment
The Art & Spirituality Connection
I started to ponder the art and spirituality connection when by chance I picked up a book by Jeanne Carbonetti at the library on Thursday night. She is author to several books on how to create art. The particular book I came across at the library, Making Pearls: Living the Creative Life, is not one that I have seen at the bookstore, but after reading the first chapter over lunch on Friday, I became very intrigued. To give you a glimpse, this is her opening passage to the first chapter:
We are all creators. It is the birthright of each and every one of us; no one is left out. In our true nature as conscious beings, we shape our world through the power of imagination and thought.
I have always felt that we are all given the power to create. I first explored this concept in a college newspaper article I wrote titled, What is your art?.
Honestly, in my personal opinion, our society has pretty messed up perspectives on what it means to create. When it comes to art, typically, the first thing that comes to mind is a painting in a museum. Not the wonderful Sunday dinner that our mom made or the garden that Dad slaves over.
Art doesn’t have to just be a dusty painting that some famous painter made centuries before our time. Art surrounds us everyday. It is sparked when the muse comes out in our journal entries. It is revealed when we re-arrange our furniture. Art is infused in our everyday lives.
Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the beauty that life holds, and it saddens me when I see people blinded by pain, enraged with anger, lost in delusions . . . we have all been given life, a moment in time, to feel, to experience.
I know we all struggle. We have our moments of darkness. We feel lost and disconnect. But through it all, I feel the connection of something larger than myself. You can call it whatever you want. Definitions really do not matter when you come down to it.
As a child, I do not remember being taught religion or faith. I suppose spirituality was something that was infused with our daily life without a second thought. While my family was never overtly religious, we were deeply spiritual people. We recognized the spiritual power that everyday activities held. From cooking to working in the gardening, each endeavor was an action of creation. As Jeanne states, “Creation is always an act of faith, faith in ourselves and in that which is larger than ourselves.”
I suppose as far as my dreams are considered, my only truly profusely felt mission in life is to open the eyes of those who are lost. I don’t desire to convert anyone. Or to demand this is the way it is and always shall be. No, I simply wish to share this experience with the divine, this element of convergence with art and spirituality. I cannot image life without this feeling. And yet, I have encountered many friends in life who finally labeled themselves as an atheist because they either gave up hope of a god or they never had a moment when they felt the presence of a God.
I believe we have to discover God in our own little way. But sometimes, it takes the help of the muse. She is a creator in her own right. She works behind the scenes in all we do. The muse plays a very powerful role in our lives, and yet, she knows she does not encompass everything in her being–she is solely the inspirer.
When I take on the persona of surrealmuse, I solely wish to be the inspirer for something larger than ourselves. Maybe I’ll help point someone in the right direction. Maybe I’ll give someone hope. There is no denying that we live in challenging times. But honestly, most decades are a challenge. There will always be struggles, issues, conflicts. That is simply life. But sometimes, we just need to feel the muse to inspire ourselves to something grander, to feel the beauty that life holds.
Also posted in Art
Leave a comment
Guidance
I seek help and guidance in all things. I hear my guidance clearly and respond to it with attention. I am free to choose and free to honor my choices. I act with faith and freedom, moving to express that which is God within me. As I open my life to God’s guiding care, my life is transformed.
~ Julia Cameron,
Heart Steps
Last week, I purchased Heart Steps by Julia Cameron. Each night, I have randomly been choosing passages and reading. Tonight, this is the passage that my finger seemed to find by chance. While many people seem to randomly go about their days, I just cannot shake the magickal dust that seems to fall into my hair. I feel the presence of God, the Goddess, the Holy Spirit . . . the words have no meaning to me. It is simply an experience, a feeling, a trust, a bond. I have witnessed the power of guidance. I also remember the nights where I shed all guidance, and they were horrible nights at those. I felt lost. I felt what it is to walk into a world where you feel abandon from all hope. And I didn’t like it. Those memories still haunt me. And I wish I would wash every moment away. But you can’t. You can’t take it back. You can only learn and move on, which I did (or thought I did) . . . but yet, those moments still haunt me no matter what I try to do. It isn’t an everyday thing anymore. The flashbacks occur only occasion. But you can never let go of the past. It is a reminder. A lesson.
We tend to forget sometimes that every moment is precious. Every moment makes an impact. Our thoughts can be conveyed and picked up by others in the room and make a rippling effect. While we cannot go through every day with a smile plastered on our face, we can make an attempt. One of the girls I work with told the story of her little boy.
The entrance to our first apartment in Florida with blue morning glories to the right of the pictureOne day, when they were getting ready to drive him to school, he walked out onto the driveway, looked around, and just exclaimed, “It’s a beautiful day.” And the tone of his voice resonated deep and profound sentiments of a little boy who is just in awe of the world. To this day, he echoes those sentiments just to tickle his mother pink every day.
I don’t know about you, but I dread every morning. And the sad part is that I have a wonderful job, I’m just not a morning person. One of my own personal rituals that I have to bring a smile to my face in the mornings is to grow morning glories. They are a beautiful flower that blossoms in the morning and slowly close up the rest of the day. Their entire existence revolves around the morning. Where there is glaring suns and no coffee, there are beautiful morning glories to brighten the day.
Challenging What We Believe
Last night I was flipping through the channels and came across Stigmata, a movie about a raver chick who suddenly finds herself possessed by the spirit of Jesus. She experiences stigmata, the act of receiving the wounds that Jesus experienced during his crucifixion. She also writes passages from the Gospel of St. Thomas, a lesser known gospel that the church does not recognize. The movie paints the Catholic Church as an institution that guards its ways at all costs. Similar to the recent controversies that we see illustrated today in the news.
I have heard of the Gospel of St. Thomas before, but it wasn’t until last night that Brian and I looked it up on the internet to find out what it is about. For Brian, it was very enlightening to read the secret sayings of Jesus, but for me, much of what is said in the Gospel is something I have felt for a very long time.
As a child I felt confused about Christianity, I never understood why a religion was made in the name of Jesus. While I never doubted his existence or his message, it just didn’t make sense that a religion was made in his name. Jesus was brought here to challenge the church, and our opinions of what it means to live a spiritual life. While it is important to have a spiritual community, it is also important to think outside of the box when it comes to our faith. When we set rules and dictate beliefs, we lose the message that Jesus wanted to share with us.
In someways, I felt as though we haven’t grown as a society spirituality since the days of Christ. We still face many of the same challenges. But there is an undercurrent of change occurring. The pendulum is swinging as floods of people flock to paganism to answers. While there is much to learn with paganism, it can also be a dangerous undertaking.
I firmly believe that we can be in charge of our own destiny. But by doing so, you can also twist reality.
Whether you call it pray or a spell, they both can be powerful ways to transform your life. But everything has a cause and effect. And if you are not careful, your desires could effect someone in a negative way just so you can receive your wish.
Through my studies, I have not shut the door on any faith. They each have something important to say.
One of the teachings of Christianity that is an important lesson is to understand that none of us are perfect. We can never obtain or live the perfect life forever. There will be periods where everything clicks and we amaze ourselves, but with everything there is a time and a season. We can not experience pure joy without feeling the depths of pain.
There are some writers that say we are coming upon an age where faiths merge as one. If this is true, I would love to find a religious community that embraces a holistic spirituality. Maybe someday I will. In the meantime, I am blessed in the fact that I have Brian to share my faith with.
