Celebrating Autumn's beauty

Autumn's gorgeous variety of change. 

Each tree, each leaf each texture... 

changes, in its own time.

 Here, I Am.  

Grounded.  Connected. 

Thankful to be, and to be here.  

Thankful to witness...

the beauty of life... 

...and love of life.

Here, I stand.

Harmony around me...

....within me

...and beyond me.

Beauty

...in a variety of shapes...

sizes.... colors.... 

sounds....and scents

unique beauty....

everywhere...

even beneath the surface....

....and soil

...and more beauty

....embracing the sky.

Trees....

home to scampering...

....and winged creatures.

Branches reaching out....
in grace....
...arms open

welcoming...
embracing us with their beauty....
and essence...
at every turn.
Even when we're unaware
...we benefit
from the ever-giving presence of
nature's unfolding.
This stirs Gratitude-Joy within me
...a gift to my heart...
....to share
...throughout my days.

Here, I am.
~  ~   ~
Thank you.

Autumn Haiku

We are in the heart of Mother Nature's kaleidoscope of vivid, colors changing and emerging; leaves falling and disintegrating to embody the fullness of their cycle of life.  All the while, the soil is tilled,  subtly  for creating "what 's next".  The beauty of this reminds me of a few haikus that found their way through my heart this time last year. Ahh, autumn's gifts keep on giving and my heart and mind are overflowing with gratitude and keen awareness to each and every one.  Thank you, autumn for your ever-present beauty, gifts and grace.

Autmn Haiku

Sunshine through the leaves

autumn's true colors reveal

the beauty of "what is"

~   ~  ~

Bright autumn sun streams

like a shower through the trees...

Vivid colors glow

Here's to... the gifts of the season.

Autumn blessings to all...

Autumn's Grace

With the first day of Autumn, a day behind us now.... 

I pause to reflect on the beauty and teachings it offers all of us who

 seek to learn and embody its wisdom. 

 I honor the spirit of  Autumn with the above SoulCollage® card.  

I gathered found-images and arranged them as Intuition guided me...

my heart rejoices in gratitude for this wonderful, 

creative practice founded by Seena Frost over 25 years ago. 

So dear Seena and family at SoulCollage®, Inc.,

I am thankful to you for the inspiration you are....

the depth of self-discovery that SoulCollage® offers...

and the expanded horizon of my life...

which now spans the world...

because SoulCollage®

connects us to one another...

 and more deeply with ourselves.

Thank you.

~   ~   ~ 

To see the essence of  what "Autumn's Grace" shared with me, click here.   

To bask in the Ode to September inspiration, see the post below.

To learn more about SoulCollage® click here ...

for an inspiring video, featuring Seena! -

 or visit the official website, here.
To learn about the Principles of SoulCollage®, click here

With immense gratitude... ~Cheryl

Ode to September...

  

Ah... the aperture opens... 

September's on the brink of bloom. 

 It's the month that widens the threshold

 and ushers us  into a new season. Fall.   

....a season of release, and harvest

..and reflection and gratitude...

 a season for allowing release...

 and surrendering to it.

...a season of turning inward and 

opening ourselves wider... 

to the nourishment...

and wisdom of spirit

...and Spirit.

..a time of remembered blessings

...a time of gathering and steeping 

of our inner-richness, gratitude...

...and resources...

...and renewal of our inner-resources.

... a time of remembering... 

...and heart-smiles

...and release yet again.

...a time of contemplation 

and surrender.

...a time of strengthening

...a time of  integrating "our Heart's Knowing"

...that come Spring....

or whatever the next natural "season of our life" is...

...we will spring forth with all that September...

...and Fall has opened us to within ourselves.

September, I do love you.

~   ~   ~

My deepest gratitude for September and its gifts, its promptings...its beauty and its inspiration...and its uncanny ability to turn me inward, with its nourishment, with its grace and its immense gratitude...for my acceptance of its invitation and gifts.   September gives me so much!  Indeed something comes over me when September dawns in my being, and winks at me.  Thank you, September.

Gratitude-Joy Abounds...

In this moment, I am aware of my blooming gratitude for:

1. waking up to the sounds of a cool Saturday summer morning have filled my heart with gratitude and brought a smile to my face and heart...and a sense of lightness I've not felt upon awakening in ages....  Glory be!
2. the sunshine, the sounds of the cicadas, the gentle sounds of folks being up and about 
3. the countless modalities and treatments and practitioners and practices and friends and acquaintances that have gotten me to this place, and are still a part of my recipe for well-being and innate self-expression; some of which include:
4. Pure Reign Eco Lifestyle and their excellent, outstanding education and experience in environmental health.. that was the beginning of cracking open the egg-shell of health well-being and awareness; and doctors: Shepherd,  Howard and Desert-Alchemy flower essences.
5. Rev. Michael Beckwith, Ricki Byars Beckwith...their music, messages, lessons and generous offerings  through the Agape International Spiritual Center; as well as the Oneness Bleessing/Meditation
6. various Expressive Arts practices: SoulCollage® and the expertise and compassion of Creative Spirit Guidance,  and KaliedoSoul; the offerings at Full Circle Retreat, where I was introduced to the practice of creating mandalas which inspired me to create the Mandala Oasis; creating "mandala medicine" as I call it...has been an instrumental pearl in my self-awareness which in turn opens me to deeper healing on all levels; Denise Linn's Soul Coaching® Professional Certification Course at her Summer Hill Ranch, as well as the creativity trainings with Jill at The Muse is In , and the infinite inspiration from Chris Dunmire's Creativity Portal ;  The wise and effervescent Jamie Ridler, and compassionate, creative Susan Cadley;  and Pat Allen's wonderful Studio Process 
7. my daughter, Kamaria ... and my family of origin and otherwise... who are in my heart, forever
8. the fascinating, incredible worldwide web which has brought all of this to my fingertips and allowed me to meet so many kindred spirits
9. Laura, at Shine the Divine and Mary at Lush Riot... and Amy at the Mother Bear Project... I swear... knitting those bears, seen here... bring me so much joy! ... and to see it come full circle is the lasting memory in my heart.
10. spa services at Ruby Room and the Spring Dragon tea they introduced to me

Last but certainly not least, I am immensely grateful for God, the Infinite Great Spirit and its presence within me...which without, none of the above would even matter; It is indeed a beautiful day.  And hearing those words, "beautiful day" I can't help but think of Mr. Rogers and the wonderful contribution he's made to our world.  I love PBS' salute to him in this video remix as he reminds us of the "Garden of Your Mind"...   Gratitude-Joy does indeed... abound!

Conscious Connection

Flowers of Summer Hill, May 2011 

As I reflect on the week, I am aware of and thankful for the Living Connection that permeates All That Is.  It's the Original Wireless Connection that has been in existence for a countless number of years.  From the birds flying south for the winter, to winter  giving way to spring... the connection is illustrated again and again, throughout the universe.  It's the connection we feel when someone is hurting, or is joyful...and we reach out.  It's the unspoken connection that's understood with a nod, or a smile...or a tear; or in our heart's knowing that someone "gets us" ...hears us...and truly understands.   It's the essence of compassion.  Our sense of connection, or disconnection, has a ripple effect on the entire Web of Life and every being and every thing in it.  So..it's beneficial to seek out and recognize our connection to others... in ways we are more alike, than different.

So today, I am grateful for my awareness of connection far and wide... visible and invisible. I am glad to realize that the joy as well as the pain (like sunshine and rain)... nourishes the connection within myself first -- and then I can better consciously connect with others in a way that's nourishing for all involved.

This mandala from my archive... I share with you.  It speaks of "Reaching Out" and how when we do, we connect.  I gave it a voice, which is the last paragraph of the above link...just some food for thought :)

May your Conscious Connections be all you need and want them to be; and if they're not... think on what you ARE connected to that feels good... like: your breath.  Conscious breathing  connects us to the Essential part of ourselves, feeds us in countless ways...and opens us up in ways beyond description....and what better connection than that!

Feeling...

Today, as I try to fathom and deal with the loss of life in Colorado recently, my heart and condolences go out to the families; as well as prayers.  How do we even begin to comprehend what the families are going through.  I feel the ache in my heart toom but of course, not like theirs.  I send my heart-felt blessingsn for comfort to the all the familie,,, and all of us too, or we are all connected.

As I was out for my walk by the river today at lunch time and began to feel the emotions of all this... I was reminded of the healing qualities of creative expression, and the process I call Mandala Medicine.  This practice was an integral part of my life for 3-4 years, and yet I've not created in a long time.  It's times like this that draw me to creating Mandala Medicine - as this is what the process is about:  emptying the energy, emotion, color and shape of what I am feeling (or not feeling) int the empty circle. A circle I recognize as  "sacred"- (mandala means, "sacred circle").    It's no wonder that often, either afterward or in the midst of tragedy or upheaval, children are given paper and crayons so they can draw to express how they're feeling... at a time when words escape them. 

I know, when I create that  mandala with the intention of expressing my feelings and  honoring those who have been killed, and their families -- that energy will set in motion a wave Love and Compassioon that will not only reach the families, but everyone who's touched by this....and even those who might not realize they are... and for that, I am deeply grateful.

(You too, are invited to: create Mandala Medicine with me.  Just click the above Mandala Medicine link - which serves as a guide... and to share your experience of the process, as well as what you've created...if you'd like. It's in the creating and sharing that we are made whole)    Godspeed, one and all.

Beginning again...

The wonderful thing about life is, at any moment we can decide to begin again.  It's never too late...it's never too early.  No matter what has happened or hasn't.  We can begin anew in the soil of our mind - where everything begins (and has the power of Infinite, Deeper Mind) to carry it thorough.

Whatever I'm being urged to do is what's needing to be brought forth...not just for me, but for all people who will be touched by it in some way.  This is true for each an every one of us.  Everything we do, think and say... the meditations of our heart, has an impact on not only our life, but the state and energy of the planet (and universe).

Beginning (this blog) again, after about 18 months... is my way of reminding myself of the Gratitude and Joy that awaits recognition, within me - despite what's happening in the world and our lives.  And, it's that piece -  that can be the seed of a whole new perspective... as I... as we "begin again".

My gratitude-joy today honors and celebrates this insight.  ...and it's in that spirit, I send it out into the world...  It's coming your way!  Look out for it... :)