This summer has been filled with deep, soulful, purposeful movement. I’ve spent a significant portion of my days pondering, researching, designing, creating, fine tuning, facilitating, painting and writing as I fully stepped into the questions of why am I here, what am I here to cause and create and who am I serving. Mountains have moved as I’ve gained clarity and insight into my big “Why” followed by the “How’s.” The results are being released throughout this week as I’m excited to share and ready to pull back the curtain. Before I take you down that path, I want to share my newest painting. She played a key role in my discoveries as she took me on a sacred journey over the course of the last few months during which time she slowly revealed herself to me on the canvas and, more importantly, transformed my life.
This painting was created as part of my Color of Woman course and this is my Talisman. The purpose of this painting was to enter into a creative inquiry inside of my being. I had the opportunity to choose conscious creation in every area of my life. I went on a journey of awakening. A journey to find out who I am and what I’m all about. It was not for the faint of heart, but a shero’s journey never is.
I started the process by writing my intentions on the canvas, which is a 36×48 inch canvas:
I pondered my past, present and future and glazed the canvas using 3 vibrant colors.
As I entered the journey, I did so with a desire to consciously create. I looked at my current self and asked the tough questions: Who have I been being? What doesn’t work? Who am I no longer willing to be? What wounds hold me back? What is the fear that prevents me from taking my space on the planet that’s mine to take? I was on a journey of awakening.
I traveled through 9 doorways, each teaching and revealing something deeper about myself. Each requiring a key only I could use to unlock the door.
My keys took many symbolic forms….
One of the early pathways of the journey was to gather together the lost parts of who I am. Over the years, I’d allowed parts of me to be cut off, which causes fragmentation. I took a journey to find the missing pieces and stitch them back together into the fabric of who I am and who I am becoming.
I released what was no longer serving me, while inviting in what I desired to create in the form of a declaration: I invite and usher my dreams into my present, current life.
I wrote a message to myself using a water color marker and then listened to the 4 Tenors sing “Forever Young” and moved to the powerful music as I sprayed water over the message and watched it melt away, never to be read by anyone, but felt by all as the energy emanates from the canvas. I painted over it using white paint representing a purity from which to create while swaying to the music, getting ready to call forth the face of my sacred being.
She was ready to emerge….
Symbols were also starting to be revealed to me. The headdress on her lioness mane is her version of the Excalibur sword. She is reading from a book of wisdom as she becomes heart-centered with her life as she begins to take flight as a rising Phoenix.
The book of wisdom now contains my declaration: I’m ready to make an impact.
Her headdress was taking a more ornate form and the earrings were a representation of the universe, of which she’s a part and can access through conscious summoning.
The heart is the center of all, which guides her actions. The candle is to light the way for others and to shine within to add light to the dark places. The lotus flower grows above the heart, but takes roots in the experiences of life, especially the murky, dark places and times, from which it rises above in beauty and purity.
She is a rising Phoenix
A compass to guide the way
The gateway to the universe
A personal key to unlock the gateway to the universe
Crystals connecting the heart
Window to the soul
The finished lady, my talisman, now hangs on my studio wall, greeting visitors and reminding me of my Shero’s Journey that first guided my summer and now guides my life. As part of my sacred journey, I wrote extensively about the experience. At the end of the pilgrimage, we were instructed to craft an adventure story of our transformation, of my conscious creative act to build a consecrated self – a talisman – a self that I invented from the self that I was, to the self that I am, to the self that I’m causing. Here is the ending of one story, and the beginning of another.
My Sacred Journey
As I look over my shoulder, I see the flames shooting into the night sky from what remains of the shell of my torture chamber, burning to the ground never to entrap me again. My gait is solid, intentional, bold and certain as I leave behind the ring of fire that held me in its dungeon for far too long.
I couldn’t find my way out sooner. I found false doors, trap doors and illusionary doors. The real door and its key patiently awaited discovery as the carnage melted from my carcass, fanned by my explosive new plumage allowing me to take flight and soar above the ashes, unfolding in a rainbow of color and sizzling my chakras into purposeful action.
A phoenix rising. An amazon warrior. A high priestess. A shaman.
A shero’s journey through an odyssey beyond the labyrinth, destined for greatness if successful in navigating the darkness; if able to resist the demon’s temptation to return home to end the unbearable pain of being lost and severed from source.
The darkest fears lurking in the ordinary moments. The abandonment of sacred; the governance of story. The ending unknown until the fire burned high and hot, adding certainty of the alchemical purity to the resulting body, mind and spirit.
Success reigns true.
The consecration of the Talisman. Pure in purpose. Clear in vision. Certainty in action.
From the hellish depths of the dank dungeon of rotting flesh of self-doubt, fear, insecurity and invisibility blossomed the lotus flower. Burgeoning pink petals fill the heart space, illuminating truth and love, melting away carnal cravings and anchoring an audacious spirit to her higher consciousness, at one in body, mind and spirit.
My compass guides me, steering from my true north star while navigating this world and the portals to the next. My headdress is my personal Excalibur containing a key, accessible by me alone, to unlock the gateway to the portals of my consciousness.
Each day is an adventure of my making. It is the sum of my parts, of this world and the next.
No more ordinary moments.
Title: The Shero’s Odyssey Home
My entire life has been in the pursuit of what stirs my heart, daring to follow it and having the unstoppable conviction to achieve it. Purpose, passion and values aligned to create my path while audacity nudged my courage to help me excel at taking on big change to go after it.
I am here to help you find your way and learn how to confidently use your authentic voice, unlock your potential and courageously build a purposeful life you love!
Carpe Diem!
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