Collaging your affirmations

I love using affirmations on my collages because they inspire, encourage and uplift my spirit. In reality we use them all the time sometimes consciously and sometimes not. One of my favorites iz, "MONEY LOVES ME" and sure enough money haz appeared throughout my life in magical and unexpected ways. One of my least favorite iz, "I'm dis-organized" and sure enough no matter how much I organize my car, closet, desk or house it just rarely stays that way for long. So that's why I consciously prefer to use affirmations to help break through negative thought forms or beliefs that are running on automatic. Abraham-Hicks, one of the teachers in the movie, "The Secret" haz thiz to say about affirmations.

A: Affirmations are wonderful because it is much better to speak positively than to speak negatively. But the universe isn't responding to your words; it responds to your vibration, and your vibration is being indicated to you by the way you feel. If you don't believe what you're saying, your vibration hasn't shifted, so nothing changes for you.

The key to affirmations is to work yourself into a place where you really feel it. We have never talked about this before anywhere, but a very good application of an affirmation would be to affirm your way up the emotional scale. Start with an affirmation of where you are emotionally then keep reaching for a better feeling thought. Here's how that might work:

I don't have enough money. - That's an affirmation.

I'm sick and tired of not having enough money. - A stronger affirmation going in the wrong direction.

I really would like to have more money. - A better affirmation.

I don't know how I'm going to get more money. - Not as good an affirmation.

Maybe something will happen and I will break loose. - A better affirmation.

I've been waiting a long time and nothing has broken loose yet. - A worse affirmation.

Other things in my life work pretty well. - A better affirmation.

I'm going to start watching for the evidence of what I want financially. - A better affirmation.

I bet the evidence is there and I just haven't seen it. - A better affirmation.

I'm looking forward to seeing the evidence of my improved vibration. - A better affirmation.

I think I'm going to figure this out. - A better affirmation.

I can hardly wait until something happens and I can say, I know that I did that. - A better affirmation.

Things are already turning around for me. I can feel it. - A better affirmation.

About then, 99% of your vibration is in place and the universe must show you manifestation.

Joseph Campbell spoke the best words we have ever heard when he said, 'follow your bliss.' For as you follow your bliss, you will be the true extension of who you really are. When you worry about money, you can't get a whiff of bliss - it's too far away on the vibrational scale.

So set an affirmation that says, 'I will reach for the best feeling thought I have access to right now. And I'll be proud of myself when I find even the slightest relief.'

When you try to feel better, you will. When you feel better, you've released resistance. When you've released resistance, you are on the trail to all of those things that you want. All those magnificent things that you desire, some of which were set into motion for you before you even got into this physical body, will be. It is law.

Take care.

Fear Body

Lately I have been inperincing feels of sadness, lose and pain. Actually these feelings aren't new to me, but my awareness of how I'm feelings iz heightened now that I'm more aware. In my meditation yesterday it came to my consciousness awareness that everything haz a body. Water haz a body, fire haz a body, joy haz a body and fear haz a body. Say that again fear haz a body! Yes, thiz body holds various thought forms and inperiences from past lives to my childhood life to my current life now. Thiz idea of thiz separate body that haz a life of its own caught my imagination my brain started buzzing I knew their waz a healing taken place. A chance to clean up and dissolve more of the izms in my life. I drew a stick figure representing thiz fear body and all the thought forms that are attached to thiz body like, "I'm not lovable", "my voice doesn't matter", "others people thoughts/feelings matter more than my own", "I'm not good enough", "something wrong with me" etc. etc. Putting it in my art journal on paper allowed me to see Oh! that's the body that the world sees most times when I'm out and most importantly when I'm in my depressed mood at home. When I'm at home my fear body manifest az cravings for sweets. Chocolate cookies are my temporary feel good remedy for the intense feelings of sadness and loneliness i feel. And no matter how many cookies I eat I'm never satisfied for long. The thing iz thiz fear body iz so familiar to me and when the dark clouds shower me, its so normal many times I get lost in the dream. Thiz fear body izn't bad per say nor iz it my enemy, for it may at one time protected and saved me when I waz younger. But now its time to transform these fears so they will no longer inhibit me from living my best life.

Awareness iz the key that unlocks the door. Because just like I noticed thiz about my fear body, I also noticed the thought forms and subsequent behaviors of my joy body. When I collage my joy body comes out open hearted to play like a child. It only knows of joy, love and peace. It craves nature, flowers, heart felt connections with people, animals, tennis, open and honest inpression and expression and foods that love my body. So like I said, its not about making one good and the other bad, its all about awareness and choosing a life where I get to shine and radiate the magnificence of God just because.

Lessons in Life

I had a fun time collaging with the kids az usual. A hispanic man in hiz late to early thirites waz uncouraging hiz son to color at the next table. He waz in a wheel chair and had some use of hiz arms but hiz energy waz warm and loving. The tone of hiz voice waz comforting, I could tell he loved hiz 3-4 year old son. I marveled at hiz spirit I don't know if he waz in an accident or waz "abled" from birth. But clearly in that moment he waz living from the larger part of himself, the Self that waz connected to the truth of hiz beingness.

Before I just wrote thiz I waz having a pity party and I had wrote a whole paragraph. But then I remembered thiz man and decided to focus on something to appreciate and be grateful for. I am so thankful for the sacred work I get to do. For all the spirit beings I get to interact with. All the love I get to release, share, receive and witness. Its all amazing! And I actually "get" to do thiz! Yes, their are ups and downs, but if I just breathe in between the spaces I'm okay. In the spaces I touch infinity and the beauty of divine love that see's the best that life haz to offer. Thiz man inspired me just be living hiz truth, that he iz more than a body, more than a label, more than a condition he iz God expressing in, az and through him. I'm a lucky woman indeed!

Collaging Your Relationship with SELF

I'm sure you've heard it said, "The first most meaningful relationship you will have is between you and YOU". For a long time I didn't get thiz, I like most people looked for love from my parents, friends, boyfriend/husband, co-workers, animals and/or society at large. I waz like a beggar who didn't know she had a million dollars in the bank. Even though I had it, in my mind I waz poor on receiving and allowing more love to come into my life. You see the problem wazn't that their weren't loving people in my life, but because I didn't really love and appreciate myself I couldn't accept or allow it in except in exceptional cases when I totally forgot my story and breathed in love naturally without trying to chase after it. One of the ways I've tapped into thiz love power inside waz through art. Somehow the creative process moved me to surrender and expand my love compass. One of my first collages I did waz one of various pictures of myself smiling playful while dancing, writing and just feeling good without an agenda or perceived outcome. When I look at my self-love collage it jolts me back to reality-I AM LOVE- I AM LOVED- I AM LOVING! Thiz iz the true nature of my being! Divine Love iz my Soulmate and it all starts in thiz human incarnation with SELF-LOVE. So go ahead find some pictures that you love of yourself, that brings a smile to your face and makes you feel good and post a collage of them on your wall. Add saying, quotes, power words and other images that inspire you az well and let your relationship with life and with love be transformed!

Relationships by Abraham-Hicks

I love Abraham-Hicks cuz she's she funny, real and straight forward. Here iz a little what she haz to say about relationships.

The greatest gift – the ultimate relationship

Do you know the relationship that you are all looking for? Do you know what it really is?

You want the relationship between you and you. And when you meet a person who looks fondly at you, or who is appreciative of you, or someone you look fondly upon, or someone you appreciate, it just hooks you up to your Inner Being, which is what you want all along.

So the relationship you are all looking for is the relationship between you and you. And everything else is just helpful in that, really.

Don’t you find that interesting? That what you really want is a reason to vibrationally connect with who you really are.

And so, you ask so much of people because you say to them, “You need to be the one who causes me to feel good.” And what we want to say to all of you is:

If any of you are without the relationship of your dreams right now, that’s a wonderful thing. Because now you have an opportunity to work on the relationship that really matters first and foremost. And then, in that connection, the relationship of your dreams will come.

But you are going to discover the relationship of your dreams is really your own Inner Being. It’s that infusion of clarity and confidence and wellness, that’s what you are reaching for.

And it is nice to have a human friend who holds you as their object of attention and adores you right into your connection. But we want you to experience greater independence than that. We want you to say to you lovers, “I love you, but I don’t live for you. Because Source Energy flows through me. You are a catalyst to my well-being, but you are not essential to my well-being. Because I’ve got that figured out on my own. I have reached for thoughts that give me relief and I have relieved myself all the way into my full connection of who I really am. And now we can just dance and play together.”

Can you feel how you take them off the hook? In other words, do you know how many men would flock to you…? (ALL OF THEM!) …if they knew that you would allow them to be as they are and you would not hold them responsible for your happiness.

That’s what everyone wants. How much bondage is there in believing that your happiness depends on me, so I’ve got to figure out what you want, and stand on my head in all those different ways, and it’s not even possible!

The greatest gift you can give anyone is to be happy. And we will take that further. The greatest gift you can give to any partner, past, present or future is to be so connected with who you truly are that they are irrelevant to your connection. And when they are irrelevant to your connection, then you are going to have a really good time together.

San Diego 2/7/04B

Amazing!

Love haz many colors, textures, smells, sounds and sights revealing the face of love. I had soOOOOOOOO much fun collaging with the kiddies.When I look at them I feel waves and waves of pure lovejoy flying out of their little spirit bodies.My whole vocabulary consisted of BEAUTIFUL! FANTASTIC! AMAZING! AWESOME! COLORFUL! ORIGINAL! UNIQUE! AND MAGNIFICENT! And I throw in alot of high fives and the Love stew haz been served. It iz so good serving Love and being served by Love : ) A boy named Danny wrote out my name in a wonderful artistic prose. A 4year old showed me her butterfly and laughed when I took flew it over her head making strange noises. Another little girl got hooked on high fives. And another young boy around 9 years old first looked at me with apprehension, but later warmed up, I could tell he waz searching my eyes for approval and acceptance.

It's so easy to love little kids and furry creatures. How I would like to be so free with adults. One of the ladies in charge of the free arts program worked with me today. She's kind of a perfectionist and haz a slightly controlling personaility which isn't good or bad its just the tone of her voice and some of her comments sometimes pierce my open heart. My heart iz so big and open with the kids, but when she speaks I feel a stabbing sensation in my chest area. I'm not blaming her, but its just something I'm noticing. Thiz iz my challenge, how to remain open with love and heal my own wounds so people's lower vibrational energy iz not a match to my own and therefore can't hurt me. Afterwards instead of remembering these beautiful kids, I'm spending time reliving our interaction. I no longer think being senstive iz a curse or iz some how inferior, but how do we navigate without absorbing others vibrations.

Okay I'm going to answer myself because I already know. Love transmutes and transforms all negative vibrations. How do I know? Well, those kids are proably carrying their own bag of stuff, but somehow I'm able to bypass the negativity and jump to the joy. How? because I have no expectations of the children, I have no agenda on how they should or should not be. Because of thiz whether their "good" "bad" or "indifferent" I'm not attached to the outcome. I simply accept them right where they are. That's something I want to be able to do around "adults" too. So I can see everybody of every age group, hue, nationality, race, gender, political affliation, religion etc. az beautiful flowers that God iz playing az no matter what form it comes in.

Aha! but the children they were so sweet today, not because they were"perfectly" behaved or that they all had "pleasing" personalities, but because they authentically showed up az themselves. So my question for thiz moment iz, "How may I become even more accepting and loving of myself and others?"

Our Voice

Yesterday in my first hour of collaging, the kids were making masks with another volunteer at the other table. I invited a woman who waz eyeing my table of pictures and glues to collage. She accepted and before I knew it two other woman joined uz. Seeing them collage and inpress themseleves warmed my heart. I could feel the healing energy surrounding uz! One older African-American woman of about 55 years old az she collaged told me about her daughter on drugs. I saw the tiredness in her eyes taking care of her two grand kids 5 and 8years old. "I'm making thiz for my grand daughter, she like dogs and flowers. She said, "I just hope my daughter gets her act together because I want her to take care of her babies like she suppose to do". The first woman who came to the table, didn't say much. A Latina in her early to late 40's with a big tattoo just above her breast placed words like laugh, love, dream and an array of flowers and smiling people on her collage. She like the grandmother before looked like she had had a rough life full of ups and downs, but she was mapping out what she wanted more of in her life. The third collager, a Mexican woman in her early thirties who didn't speak English, face lit up az she collaged. She selected woman in frilly colorful outfits, pictures of several dogs and flowers az well. I felt a connection between all of us, like we were sharing out true soul in the wordless realm of love through our art work. We all have our false stories of not being good enough, not lovable, not worthy enough, not being supported etc. But the truth of our art spoke volumes about what our real self on a soulular level knew and that iz We are beautiful, We are love, We are enough, Our voice matters and that our life has a divine purpose.

Ruth

Today I had a new collager in clazz at the Senior Citizen center by the name of Ruth. She smiled, laughed, juggled around, spoke about making oneself happy and talked about her husband she loved for 70 plus years. Ruth said, he adored me I was his baby. We made love up until his 90's(he died at 100). She said I knew how to work it, I found hiz soft spot and would use it over and over again. She said our 10 children would say Mom, Dad iz spoiling you. Their waz such affection, respect and joy flowing from her its like she waz a cascading waterfall of love. When she left the room briefly Pearl said in a half whisper, "Do you know she told me she doesn't experience pain anywhere in her body? I said, really? Yes, its true we were doing our excercises and I could barely cross my legs and she crossed her's like it waz nothing! Of course Ruth makes sure I know, she can do nothing without the power of God. What an inspiration she iz at 90 years old. I told her she should write a book cuz the world needs to hear how organsmically she lives her life! Hey if Ruth can have a relationship like that with a man who loves and adores her for 70 years SO CAN I!!!!!

Free Arts for Abused Children

Had a very eventful day collaging at the court. Its wonderful to see their faces brighten up az they color or collage. One little girl wazn't very talkative, but when she saw the cut outs of the dogs especially a funny one (a black pug with a red rose in its mouth) she giggled. What a nice sound. Later I witnessed her crying with her mother shortly before being called to court. That waz beautiful too. It feels good knowing that her two collages that she took with her will hopefully reignite that joy that created it. I also talked with her teenage sister who came to see what she waz creating. I asked her what she waz passionate about and she said reading science fiction books. But then she went on to tell me how bad her memory waz and how she skipped alot of the words she didn't know. I shared with her how I thought its awesome that she haz an interest in reading a 800 page book in the first place. I asked her what it waz the book about and she preceded to explain the intricate plot full of dark demons and human angels with super powers. Her eyes lit up with joy, I could tell she injoyed recounting the story with me. I said that's amazing you can explain such a intricate plot in such a straight foreward manner. We talked and shared on those little kid sized chairs and tables for about 30 minutes. Afterwards my cells were buzzing with enthusiasm, its so amazing to share sacred space with other Spirit beings without attachment to outcome or any expectation that anything "should" or "could" happen any other way than its naturally occuring. They all have various stories attached to them, but all I see iz their wholeness az Spirit Beings. That's one of the reasons I love collaging, my small i let's my big I take over and Love iz the only language it ever speaks.

Just Izing!

Collaging takes me on an inner journey into my Soul. I never know what's going to come out and be revealed in the moment. I start out with the basics cut out pictures, glue, my art journal or a piece of construction paper. After that its anybodies guess where I'll end up. That's why I love collaging so much because in my normal everyday life I think, I plan, I think and I plan and I think some more and plan another useless list. I need a break from all thiz over analyzing, dissecting, picking apart and trying to problem solve life's infinite garden variety of issues. I have to admit though half the time its fun, its only when I get to blogged down in the problem side that I feel weighted down by life. Collaging allows me to surrender so deeply that I forget my small i so my big I can come out and play in the world of infinite possibilities where blue butterflies talk insect language on my heart, space ships of love float on my eyelids, pink bubbles of watery oceans fill and transform my mind and heart. If ever you just wanted to want what you want, have what you have while opening your heart to the dance of life just collage or do whatever makes your heart sing. Cuz that iz your gift to the world!

Six Steps to Take Next: by Jack Canfield

I got thiz from a great book called, "The Vision Board The Secret to An Extraordinary life" by Joyce Schwarz. I will be sharing little tidbits from her book from time to time. However, thiz iz something she got from Jack Canfield Founder and CEO, Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises.

1. Every morning: release and visualize.

Every morning take five minutes to focus your mind on your desires, goals, and intentions. You may want to begin by facing your vision board for inspiration. Relax, close your eyes, and visualize your desires and goals as already being fulfilled. Release any negative limiting beliefs. Don't fight or argue with the thought, just release it. Spend thirty seconds to a minute on each of your core desires. Focus on feeling as if you are already manifesting your desires in life; the intensity of that inner feeling is what fuels the attraction to you.

2. Continue to use external images to focus on your desires and goals.

Throughout the day keep focused on what you want to manifest by surrounding yourself with visual images of the things and experiences you want to attract into your life. When you look at any of these pictures, do what Bob Doyle, who is featured in The Secret teaches: Think the thought, This is mine now! This is who I am!

3. Think a Better Feeling Thought.

Throughout your day, pay special attention to when you feel disappointment, resentment, frustration, or anger about your experiences. Remember, it's your feelings (which are created by your thoughts, opinions, and beliefs) that are attracting your current circumstances. Consciously make a vibrational shift by changing your thoughts to ones that make you feel better. Focus on thoughts that bring you joy (your lover, your best friend, your grandchildren, your favorite vacation spot) and take action by doing the things you love (petting your cat, working in your garden listening to your favorite music). Encourage your spouse, your children and your colleagues to join you in this exercise.

4. Practice an attitude of gratitude.

Focus on all of the things in your life (most of which you take for granted) that you are grateful for--your health, your children, you job, nice weather, electricity, running water, a nice sound system, your flower garden, you pets, and your friends. Share this practice with your children and colleagues. Record what you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. You might want to consider keeping two journals, one for business and one for family.

5. Take Action

Here are two different ways to take action: through obvious actions like test-driving the exact model car you yearn for and arranging for automatic withdrawal from your checking account of 10 percent of your weekly income to a special "car savings account. " Be open to inspired action when the universe begins to respond to your obvious actions by sending people, resources, and opportunities to manifest your desired goal. As you begin to have inspired ideas, act on them. Follow the gentle proddings; often your intuitive impulses may lead you to a path of wonderful fulfillment. Are you going in the right direction? If you're feeling joy, you are on the right path. Follow your joy!

6. Acknowledge that it is working

Start to look for signs that your life is changing for the better. Be sure to appreciate these changes. When you find the perfect parking space acknowledge it. When you get the table you want in a restaurant, acknowledge it. When you receive unexpected income, acknowledge it. When you meet someone who can help you achieve your goal, acknowledge that the law of attraction is working. The more you acknowledge, the more it will work. If you want to know what you are thinking about, notice the results you are producing in your life. To change those results, change your vibration by changing your thoughts and feelings.

www.ihaveavision.org/dreambig

How do I get started?

It may seem obvious, but really its not. I am still learning, expanding and incorporating new ways to express more of my souls passionate yearings for creative self expression. But here are the basics to get you started.

1) Home pictures/Magazines/reading materials and even food cartons with words or images that inspire, uncourage and support you

2) Glue and/or glitter sticks

3) Colored/white construction paper

4) An Art Journal

5) Stick ons of every kind and variety

6) Any arts and crafts materials that turn you on

7) Crayons, markers and/or colored pencils

The Art of Collaging

The Art of Collaging in a nutshell iz a process of visualizing and visioning your life through words, pictures, colors and textures. Their iz no right or wrong way, its just your way and that for me iz what makes it magical and transformative. No one to compare yourself to, no right or wrong, no grades, no great or no bad collagist-just your own uniquely creative masterpiece.

Collaging iz a way to play like children without an attachment to ourcome. Many times we start with a beginners mind emptying all of our preceived ideas, concepts and beliefs on how things in our life are or "should" be in favor of a new vision that wants to emerge. But at other times we bring all of our precieved ideas, concepts, beliefs and pain into our work, to heal, transform and dissolve negative imprinting we've picked up from our family dynamics, society, gender roles race consciousness etc. In other words everything iz sacred ground because if we have lived or inperienced it, it haz a purpose and haz brought uz to where we are today.

Some people wonder what can words, pictures and colors do and I say Everything or Nothing. A collage iz not a magical board that will overide one's own consciousness it iz but a reflection of one's consciousness showing you both the light and the shadow aspects of yourself. Through Art you get to release more of your authentic self and discover new terriotries of your own soul. And when a shift happens in your inner world the seemingly external world of time, space, past, present and future all are molded to one's new emerging landscape.