just sayin'.....

...infinite.....INFINITE love and gratitude........

my 2nd Chakra Dream Chart

Well, here it is. At home, in my art space....my first inspired wall chart. This is a personal chart inspired on Monday morning by reading this from The Chopra Center April Newsletter. 

Below are a few notes about the chart and then a few notes about what I learned about technique as I completed the work. 

Dare to dream has always been a personal mantra of mine so the core word DREAM really popped out when I read the newspaper.  As I saw each of the subtitles. DIGEST, REST, EXERCISE, AWAKEN and MEDITATE...I KNEW I had to draw what flashed before my mind. 

I centered it around an image of the 2nd chakra:

The Sanskrit name for the 2nd chakra is "Svadhisthana." This word means "dwelling place of the Self."

I am generally open here and resonate with the image and the concept. The emotion associated with the 2nd chakra is passion & the element for the 2nd chakra is water.  Yep...that pretty much sums me up. 

I found the E for exercise the most difficult section because for now it feels lost in my life.  I have every intention to re-root myself here and thus chose the brown colors for grounding.  S•T•R•E•T•C•H  &  B•R•E•A•T•H•E are my starting points in the journey. 

Regarding Technique:  

• I will always remember my early work for the dimples caused by the uneven wall I am working on right now (gotta get to home depot and buy and 8x4 foam core board). 
• I can also tell that some markers I like better than others (they tend to be the ones that bleed through and have 2 edges instead of 3).  I will practice my lettering to become more consistent with the density of my lines and letters.
•  For getting low, and staying in my body, I sat on a exercise ball.  I did find that this let me get low, stay with my core and body to the area where I was working and it allowed for a natural movement better than me shuffling across the floor.  
•  My floor- HA!...the poor beige carpet.  I've dropped a few markers, and the chalk dust is everywhere.  Sorry honey, I guess I'll get a little mini vac for my 4th beroom-turned-art-coaching-studio.  

In all...I'm in heaven.  When I started this Monday, I hooked up a USTREAM session (there are a few boring videos of the process..bad sound and apparently I couldn't be bothered to dress up or make up my face for the camera).   Today even, on a group call I used the wall and did some graphic facilitation of our topic via the web with large chart paper on the wall.  That is a whole new area...actually using this live with my clients...and the feedback from them was great.  They loved the visual tools...and so did I.  

my heaven these days

I've been doodling so much lately, I haven't been writing.  I've been reading and thinking so much, I haven't been writing.  Have you ever had a rebirth or rediscovery of a gift in you...that at one time you thought was lost? Last year during a turbulent time I picked up my markers again.  And so it began...again. Now i find my self holding 4-5 markes or pens in my hands at all time. I've got pads of paper in all sizes EVERYWhere. 

 

I'm inspired to go through old things and pull out this history of the visual thinker in me....and watch the rest of the story unfold.  The coolest part is, I know there is a Future...with a capital F in this story. 

I've had all these crazy cool teachers show up in my life....

Christina Merkley

Deepak Chopra
Abraham Hicks

Ron Patulski

i just met Bryon Katie last week!

MAPS BOLD program has supported me financially and emotionally over the last year. 

Lee Mannix taught me so much in his death and I find myself beginning to really become a bit more comfortable with who I am.  I'm shedding some layers and getting comfortable in the layers that are really me. 

Courtney Crow Wyrtzen teaches me all the time....and did especially in this editorial about moms.  

Dr. Wayne W. Dwyer (listening to the power of intention on itunes)

Oh...and all the beloved books by my bedside....(thanks nikki for sharing the Renard book).

At this moment....I'm in heaven in my life....and I'm thankful.

I wanna be like Lee Mannix

Shit.... Lee Mannix..did you really have to die this week? I keep seeing your smile...and hearing the straight talk things you've said to me, and to hundreds of other folks.  I read the posts of your friends and clients and I realized another of the many reasons you are so loved.

I have dog stories...you have worked with all three of my mutts...and they are no different from the thousands posted here on the Lee Mannix Center for Canine Behavior fan page. No need to write about them... Talking to Kimberly Burgan, whom we both loved...who you LOVED SO WELL......it hit me as to EXACTLY what it is that endeared you to us all. 

You chose to be fully yourself....your unfiltered, smart ass, funny as hell, sly, prankster, laughing, crass,  boot-wearing-beer-drinking-copenhagen-dippin, smiling & magic with us all, self.  We love you so much...because you were able to do what the rest of us struggle with. You chose to live life exactly as you were....for the authenticity of it...and not the popularity.  Yet...you gained popularity and even more.  You earned massive love and respect...and a heart in the homes of thousands of dog- loving families. We love you so much, for not just what you did...but for who you were...because in our own little way..we long to be as brave as you were...and live this life TRULY being ourselves... exactly the way you did. 

I choose today, to be more of my true self...to be brave and live fully me...because you inspired me to do that. And...I will do it in my cowgirl boots more often! 

Love, 

Allison....and Hank (the dope)...and Daisy (the freak)...and Lulu (the little bitch)

I'll be at your party tomorrow...and I will wear my boots...and celebrate your fine ass and your magic spirit!

what im paying attention to today

This is EXACTLY what I feel today!

and what I choose to feel EVERY day!

Let me introduce you to my new best friend

This post is probably a little airy-fairy for some of you....so warning. I am pretty airy fairy sometimes and this is my blog. That being said, let me introduce you to my new best friend.

I was recently introduced to my angel-ness and her purpose for my life. I'm grateful for the introduction and for the many messages she has been giving me since I met her. Today was the day I first drew her and put her to a visual symbol. She is the very best version of myself. The one God created me to be. She is here to remind me that I brave and strong and the words on her spirit tail are just some of the qualities that I know I have and am growing every day.
Here are a few of the other messages she has helped me uncover:

• Watch out for downplaying who you are
• Leave the small shit behind
• Validation comes from the SPIRIT, not from the world.
• You have an infinite capacity to grow and love and evolve
• You are an artist--always have been.
• You are able to trust completely...those wings are strong and will guard my heart when needed.
• Life is meant to be enjoyed abundantly...this abundance is for all of us...including you, Allison
• Laugh
• Don't take life so seriously
• God takes care of the birds doesn't he? and they are just birds...
• Delight in the people you love
• Just be. Just be has been your motto for a long long time...bring it back...and be all that you want to be. Be love-don't DO love...just be.

I guess I share...because I'd love for YOU to have the gift of hearing what your angel-ness has to say for you? How can he/she/it contribute to your spirit...and then your life?


To the one who introduced me to my angel-ness, I am grateful for your contribution to my life..I look forward to speaking again soon...and learning more.

Birds and Worrying

I've been worrying a bunch lately. After stepping out of a crazy lucrative job and health benefits...I chose a different path. I'm still coaching...and I re-started my business with MAPS. I've also stepped back in to my real estate sales business. I pulled the stability out from under my family a bit and they have been gracious as I build it back up. I've got two houses on the market- one under contract-negotiations-repairs-more negotiations...blah blah blah blah ulcer blah. Kids becoming teenagers, friends with cancer, insurance bills, clients dropping, unsure about the next path to take, a million problems to solve, and more blah blah blah blah...WE all have the crap to deal with. Overwhelmed one day a few weeks ago...I went out to the hammock and as soon as my head hit the pillow a bird flew right over my head....and INSTANTLY....this came to mind:

"Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you? Can any of you add a single hour to the length of your life by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Consider the lilies in the field and how they grow. They don't work or spin yarn, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won't he clothe you much better-you who have little faith? So don't ever worry by saying, 'What are we going to eat?' or 'What are we going to drink?' or 'What are we going to wear." Everyone is concerned about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need all of them. But let your first care be for his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these other things will be given to you in addition." -Matthew 6:27-33

photo credit: Swami Stream