Bland to Bliss!

A year and many phone calls and emails later, I’ve actually finished my process with business coach Susan L. Reid of Alkamae. I’m going to record an audio testimonial for her website, and so I’m thinking about what I will say. I could say that she was instrumental in helping me organize the things about my life that I love, and encouraging me to turn them into a business. I could say that she’s unbelievably patient, and that I’m grateful she listened and encouraged and gently pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the world. I could say that she understands energy, the ebb and flow, the yin and yang, the give and take, the action and reaction of it. She can take any situation, any high or low, and show you the power in it. She can light you up on your worst day. She can let you be right if that’s what you need. She will pull you up to your highest self and set you free to fly as high as you can go. She will thank you all the way through the process for what you’re giving her.

I could say all that and it wouldn’t fully express the value of her coaching skills. If you have even the faintest glimmer of an idea that you’d like to try something on your own, anything at all, call Susan. She’ll turn your life upside down and you’ll be so happy she did! Listen to how it all happened for me in this interview at Susan’s blog.

Thank you Susan!

You can visit me now at Nine Tomatoes. Come on in and rearrange your energy!~

Last week, I reconnected with a friend I haven’t seen in a year or so. She’s an artist, transplanted to New Jersey from California. She has a point of view that’s different from most, and I really appreciate her for it. She has this quote hanging in her studio, and was kind enough to send it to me. It was written by Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille -

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.

No artist is pleased… There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others.

I think we’re all artists, with the capability to tune into that source and become more alive in every moment. Thanks to my friend for reminding me…

I don’t watch much tv, and I especially avoid so-called news shows full of fluff pieces. But someone sent me a link to this bit from 20/20 about Shakira. I know who she is, but I had never heard her speak until now. If you have 7 minutes, and you want to know what dreaming can do for your life, watch this -

Pretty cool.

I’ve been off for the last few months drawing, and I put up a new website to display what I’ve done. It’s called Nine Tomatoes. The name came to me during the summer, when I was sitting by my pool. In my view was a planter that I had filled with tomato plants. I thought it was really odd that no matter what I did, these plants would only produce nine tomatoes at a time. I’d walk by and count, or I’d see the pot from my office and say out loud, Nine Tomatoes. I started to think about the meaning of the number nine, and how it represents transformation or transition from the end of one thing to the beginning of another. And that seemed to describe the path I was on. So there I was, about to meditate, staring at those plants, when it hit me -

Nine Tomatoes, Entertainment for Your Third Eye.

As I mentioned a while back, I did a drawing of the Letter T, which turned out to be the image my coach, Susan L. Reid of Alkamae, chose for her new book, “Discovering Your Inner Samurai - The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Journey to Business Success.” The book just launched last week, and you can buy it here. There’s a journal that goes with it. I’ve done a few more letters now, and added shapes and designs. Each one starts out simply, then takes its own journey to completion. I’m mesmerized every time!

Come over to Nine Tomatoes and take a look at these lines and shapes. Get a free greeting card while you’re there, and let me know what you think!

Just back from another fantastic kirtan with Jai Uttal and Daniel Paul at Saraswati River Yoga in New Hope, PA. Have you ever heard them sing?? It’s such a great experience to sit in a room with a bunch of people who love kirtan, and just sing your heart out. It’s call and response, and Jai knows how to get the crowd to feel the music. He also knows how to make us laugh!

Jai and Paul always start out by chanting Sita Ram, two of the many Gods they revere. Then Jai describes how in India, people greet each other with the name of a deity, rather than first names, to show respect for the God they see in every pair of eyes. Jai sees God in each of our eyes, he says, but as soon as he stops singing he doesn’t remember that we’re Sita or Ram! I love that he’s so honest about that!

He has lots to say about Gods, the Infinite, what it feels like to connect to that even for a second, and how blessed he is to be able to share his music. If you want a taste, visit his site and listen. And for the full experience, go to one of his events.

As you know, I’ve been working for several months with Susan Reid of Alkamae, on the launch of a web-based business. When we started, I didn’t know that what I intended to create would change dramatically. Susan works with clients from the inside out. She starts with your idea, then takes you on a journey through yourself. That’s when I discovered how to connect the pieces of my life - my true desires and passions - to form a whole that not only represents, but IS the real me. Which, consequently, is completely unrelated to our original purpose for working together. In retrospect, the significance of each step along the way is clear.

Luckily, Susan has written a book - Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Journey to Business Success. I can’t wait to read the whole thing, and I highly recommend it for another reason. I drew the illustration on the cover. It’s the symbol that Susan chose for her new Inner Samurai image, and I never would have drawn it without her. (There’s a short explanation inside the book of how this symbol came to be.) If you want to know more about Susan, her book and her “T”, visit her at Alkamae and stop by her blog.

You’ll be glad you did.

Wow, it’s been such a long time since I posted anything. I spent the summer silently dreading the imminent departure of my twin sister and best friend. Nothing else seemed that important. For four solid days now, it’s been rainy, dark and cold, and so I’ve been home looking deeply within myself for comfort. It’s there as long as I let it reveal itself, which means I must avoid all inquiries on the topic. You know what I mean - you’re fine until someone asks how you are.

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised today to see a comment on my Donna DeLory post (June 7) from her assistant, Paul Yanez. I love Donna, and if you haven’t heard her music yet, take a minute to listen. I went to see Donna at Twisters a month ago and I was keenly aware that it was my last time alone with my sister before she moved. As such, Donna holds a special place in my heart. She also inspires me to carry on and enjoy life - after all, my sister’s still alive.

Thanks, Donna, for your music and your light.

Have you seen the movie? July’s Spiritual Cinema Circle dvd arrived in my mailbox on Friday, with this feature film. I knew that Michael Beckwith was in it and I was looking forward to watching it. My favorite of all the guests, though, was Don Miguel Ruiz, who started with “Don’t believe me. But learn to listen.” His point is that we all have our own story about who we are and what the world is about - so believe no one, not even yourself, because none of it is true. Look for the truth in the space between the stories.

I also loved what Eckhart Tolle had to say. His message, as you know, is all about the present moment. He laughs and points out the simplicity in his ideas. We make it much too hard, and take it all too seriously. (Just listen to one of the channels from The Crimson Circle for a humorous look at humans and spirituality.) Each person in this film presented their point of view - their story. I believed none of it. But I loved hearing all of it.

If you haven’t subscribed to the Cinema Circle yet, you’re really missing out on some great films.

Have you ever fantasized about having a week all to yourself in your own house? No kids, no chores, nothing but you and your favorite things to do. This week, my family’s away, and I’m here with my pool and my cat. It’s sunny and beautiful and I have nothing to do but listen to podcasts and read books. No meals to prepare, no laundry, no shopping, no cleaning, no serving. I’m all about me and I couldn’t be happier.

What would you do with all that time to yourself? Would you fill it up with phone calls, coffee dates, shopping and dinners out? I get those offers, but I can’t stand the thought of denying myself one minute of time alone. I guess because I get so little of it the rest of the year, I just want to indulge myself in my own company for this one week. I learn so much and it feels fantastic. The danger is in loving it too much. The challenge is to take what I experience and bring it into my daily life.

How do you feel about being alone?

Don’t you just love it when you find someone to talk to who is just as interested in and enthusiastic about the same things you are? I took my cat to the vet the other day for the usual energy work. Conventional medicine has never helped my Himalayan, but a little holistic voodoo has worked for over 11 years. Anyway, somehow I ended up in a most satisfying conversation with the doctor about energy, healing circles, channeling groups, and lightworkers.

In exchange for my referral to Limitlessness, she recommended a book called “The Pleiadian Workbook: Awakening Your Divine Ka,” by Amorah Quan Yin. I know you’ve checked out Lee and Story by now, but have you read this book? It covers all kinds of fascinating topics, like clearing chakras, de-chording, psychic contracts, beliefs, thought forms, etc. I bought it of course and have just gotten through the first several pages. I’m bumping up against some resistance, but I love it when that happens.

There’s peace on the other side of resistance if you look for it.