11-11-11 Experience

"Alignment" by Primal Painter

Wow....what a strange weekend this has been.  Friday was 11-11-11, that was the culprit! According to the website Earth-Keepers.com, Arkansas was the site for a big crystal activation with Eureka Springs (my town) being at the north apex of a triangular vortex that covers about 150 square miles or so.    Whether or not all this true, I don't know, but I like knowing about things like this, just in case!

What I knew for sure, though, is that the energy of the collective consciousness would be very high on this date if for no other reason than the sheer numbers of people focusing on an energetic activation and setting intentions for a higher purpose.  That alone was worth acknowledging  and participating in.

So I went to Magnetic Spring (a power place with noticeably high vibes) here in Eureka at 11:11 a.m. on 11-11-11 to do a little meditating, to release some old crapola and to set my intentions for a higher vibe of being.  There were about 10 other people doing the same thing.  Eureka is a big drumming town, so someone started to bang a drum and chant, but fortunately stopped after a minute or so because it very obviously was not resonating with the high, fine energy buzz..

I found a nice spot in the sun, had a bag of recently found crystals between my legs (at the root chakra) and experienced about 30 minutes of major goosebumps and emotional surges.  It was exciting! I set my intention to release all the old emotions and experiences that no longer serve a higher purpose.  Anger, fear, resentment........all that stuff.  Then I set my intention that my life purpose would be crystalline clear and that everything I think, say and do would be for the highest good of all.

I don't know what other people felt, but afterwards, there was no "TA DA!!!  I"m healed!!!!" moment.  I felt strangely disconnected for the rest of the day.  Super tired and just kind of blank.  On Saturday, I woke up pissed. All these old scenarios of anger and resentment kept running through my head like never-ending reruns and I was feeling it all.  (Poor Jamie, my boyfriend..lol) Needless to say, it sucked and I was a first class bee-yotch!!!

Finally, I decided to make some energy art with the intention of releasing all this crapola.  This is what I came up with, and thankfully, it worked.  (I still have to work on it some).  By 4:00 or so, I was feeling somewhat normal again.

On Sunday, I woke up tied up in knots with some kind of generalized anxiety.  Nothing specific, but just a  fear-based, strange  "I'm skeeered" feeling  This also sucked!  What the.....?!! Where's my "TA DA" moment?  So I made another energy art image for releasing fear and anxiety.  This is what I came up with.....

I thought it was interesting that this image is full of bubbles, because that's what this whole weekend felt like....bubbles of stuff bursting through the surface.  All upper chakra colors, though, which I thought was unusual.  It seems like it would have been lower chakra colors. Strangely, after I made this, I felt some relief from the fear and anxiety, but I started feeling pissed again, with a whole new set of memories!  Crap!!!  Layers upon layers upon layers of shizola stored up for God knows how long.....lifetimes, maybe.

I don't know what I think I'm doing dragging all this crap around with me for all these lifetimes. (In a  snarky voice) "Oh, I have to pack my bags with this sh*tty experience and this crappy emotion that nobody even remembers except me and drag them around forevah....."  Stupid!!!!!

Today I feel better, but still no "TA DA" moment, but it's still early.  Maybe it takes a while to integrate and kick in.  My hands have been feeling really hot, they're usually cold, so maybe that's an indication. By the way, my daughter and I went crystal hunting  a week or so ago, found a bunch of beautiful little crystals, and now they feel really strong , very buzzy.  But that's another story.....a Celestine Prophecy kind of story!  I plan on using some of these crystals in some future wall sculptures.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my strange experiences.  Anybody else feel weird stuff this weekend or is it just me?

Have a good one!

Laurie

Abstract Art and Finding Balance

"Balance" by Primal Painter

For the last month, I've been struggling with being productive with my artwork and I was just wondering why.  Don't get me wrong, creating art is super fun, but the marketing and the writing of the descriptions and the BS (Blatant Self-promotion)  involved in selling art is a real drag.  It hangs me up and I get to thinking that I HAVE to do this or that before I create anything, then I just head towards the nearest fantasy book and a spot in the sun.

 I need to find the right balance, which is why I created this energy art print "Balance".  I'm thinking of having this one printed on a large canvas, like say a 16" x 20" and if nobody buys it, that's ok because it'll look awesome on my wall!  Maybe I'll change up the colors and make it more purple-ey.

Maybe I've been approaching selling art online with too much emphasis on the HAVE TO's.... I have to make money has been a big motivator, but apparently it's not enough because I'm eyeballing that book on my coffee table and that spot out in the sun.

Money sucks because I HAVE to have it, and I  rebel against the Have To's.  Or maybe I just need to work on my underlying "money sucks" attitude.   How about this......I LOVE money, I want to roll around in it nekkid and smell it and throw it in the air and spend it on unnecessary things...wheeeeeee moneeeeeeeyyy (maniacal laughter)!!!!  Well maybe that's  not exactly right either...  (One extreme to the other... yay for whoremoans)

My intention with making  art is to tap into its healing and energetic qualities while still keeping it visual and fun eye candy....to create  something  that makes people say ooooooooh, or ahhhhhhhh, or  lifts the mood, or  makes them feel  happy, or triggers an insight, or gives them goosebumps or elevates the vibe and well being. (That's a lot of "or's".....)

So maybe I need to approach all the  marketing tasks with the attitude that this is an opportunity to possibly help someone or make them feel a little bit better in some small way.  It's a way to spread some light into the world,  an opportunity, not a job.  Hey now that sounds awesome in words, quotable even,  I wonder how it'll translate in real life....

(The next day)

Oh noooooooo!!!!   I just bought two big bags FULL of tempting books at the library book sale for  $2! .............I'm doomed!!!  I wonder if I'm sabotaging myself ...or maybe I'm testing my will power and self discipline.  Crap.  I rarely pass  self imposed testing scenarios out of sheer rebellion against myself.  (Do other people rebel against themselves or  is it just me?)      Doomed...haha... I'm Dooooommmed..   Now there's an example of self sabotage if I ever saw one.

It seems like I would have grown out of this rebellious stage by now but instead of rebelling against other people and their rules, I mostly just rebel against myself.  Good Gawd, that's sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud.  lol

Well I have to go do something productive.......after I look through my giant bags of books.   Look at that, I'm doing it again.....Gah!!!

Have an awesome day!

Laurie

Check out my Etsy Shop for wall sculptures, abstract art, energy art and reiki jewelry

Crown Chakra Angel and Energy Work Insights

"Crown Chakra Angel" by Primal Painter

This energy art print is all about connecting with the Source and our Higher Selves and finding our true path, our spiritual purpose.   It's crown chakra oriented, with whites and violets.  The angel has on a crown, and the energy is swirling and moving and sparkling.  She's riding the waves towards enlightenment with grace and ease.

So I can't believe it's October 20......What the....?!!!!!!  How did that happen?  I feel like I've just awakened from some kind of daze and a whole month has passed by.  Have I done anything productive in that month?  Well let's see here......there's got to be something.......several unfinished projects, that doesn't count......I've done several new energy art prints so that's something at least.  Other than that I think I've been lost in a whole slew of fantasy books about other worlds and alternate realities.  

I just finished reading Stephen King's "Insomnia".  The main characters develop insomnia and start to see auras around everyone and everything.  Eventually they discover that there are many levels to reality that go higher and higher up.   Of course with Stephen King, there's a little gruesomeness thrown in there (hehee).  Still though, I thought it was interesting that I randomly picked up that book and there it is,....auras, energy, and levels of reality that exist just beyond our ability to recognize them.  Timely....no surprise.

Maybe we need a little mental vacation every once in a while, especially if we aren't taking "real" vacations.  Or maybe I'm just using that as an excuse for a terrible bout of procrastination and lack of self discipline.  I'm feeling a little more grounded today, so maybe I just needed a little fantasy vacation.

The other night I had a really bad nightmare.  My boyfriend said I was thrashing around, moaning, and breathing really hard.  Of course being male, he thought  it was a sex dream,  lol. Noooooo, I was being bitten by a snake.....On second thought, maybe that was a .........noooooooo, lol.   Ewwwww!

I was sticking my hand in a hole or someplace I didn't belong, and this big fat two foot long snake unhinged its jaws and latched onto my right hand.  I.....was.....freaking.... OUT!!!!  It happened a second time during that dream, and I think I woke myself up with a scream or a cry.  Jamie said I spoke out loud "Please God, don't let there be any snakes in here". 

My take on this dream is that I've been meddling in places I shouldn't be meddling.  I've been doing several distance reiki sessions lately, and typically we just let the energy flow from the Source, through us, and into the recipient with no tapping into their conditions or emotions.  But I've been picking up on all kinds of things that probably are none of my business.  I feel things in my own body that they feel in theirs.  

For example, this last one I did (the day before the snake nightmare), I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach by a horse. It was really painful and anxiety producing.  It turns out that the person had a bad asthma attack that day that left her feeling sore and bruised, and she even used the term being kicked by horse when she described it to me afterwards.  Typically I only feel these aches and pains for 15 or 20 minutes, but this time I felt this pain for a couple of hours despite my intention to let it go.  That's probably not a good thing.

I've been depending on that clairsentient ability to show me where to put my hands, but really I should be using the sensitivity in my hands when I do a scan to give me that information.  It's almost like I'm showing off when I use my clairsentient  skills. "Look at me, look at what I can do, isn't that Amazing!!"  Ego has no place in energy work, and I think I've let my ego butt in.

Ah well, lesson learned I guess.  But I have to admit, I feel a little let down that I need to block that ability because it is kind of amazing, but it really doesn't serve much purpose.  I just need to adjust my intentions when I'm doing a distance session.  Refinement, it's all about refinement, not just in energy work but with artwork.  It's all a process, an evolution.

Maybe that's why I get hung up on reproducing something I've already done.  I mean, I can do it, no problem, and it'll get better every time, but I don't feel that same thrill as when I create something entirely new. Then I procrastinate and nothing gets done. Man, I am spoiled rotten!!  And I thought my little dog Bobo was spoiled, geeze.....

Well, I'm going to tie up some loose ends today and finish some things up that I've been putting off for weeks now.

Have an awesome Thursday!  or Friday or whatever it is....

Later,

Laurie

An Overview of Energy Medicine

"Through The Veil" by Primal Painter

"Through the Veil" is one my latest energy art prints.  Wow, it's dark....the dark side....the light is there through the veil but being guarded jealously by a little gremlin warrior dude brandishing a spear.  What the....?!   This is a far cry from my usual angels of light and love.  Wow. Does anyone else see this little gremlin dude, complete with tail and horns?  Geeze, I must have a blockage ( I wonder what it could be? Surely not....the computer?!!!)

I think once again, I've gotten all sucked down into the dark world of the internet.  You know, editing listings for the dreaded Search Engine Optimazatation, (gotta please the friggin' google gods) and now Etsy has their search based on relevancy, so editing, editing and more editing.    I've reached the point that I'm referring to Etsy as Blehhhhhh-tsy.  That's mean, lol.   I've had the best month for sales ever, so it's starting to pay off financially.   I'm grateful,  I'm just being a brat.  Anyway,  time to take a break and make sumthin' purty!

Maybe I need to do some energy work on myself, something new.  I have a guest poster for today, and she's written a great overview of some different forms of energy work.    The following was written by Melanie Bowen.   She  has a blog but is in the process of re-working it, so I'll include a link  at a later date. 

Energy Medicine Promotes Better Mind for Healing

With the endorsement of a growing number of medical professionals and a plethora of books on the subject, energy medicine is becoming better known to mainstream medical communities. Although there are many techniques, the goal is basically the same in each modality: restoring the body’s natural flow of energy.

While some forms of holistic treatments, such as yoga and qigong, are ancient, almost all of them have undergone transformations in recent years. Modalities like EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and Healing Touch are relatively new developments designed to use old concepts to meet contemporary needs. Each method has its own lingo and style, and understanding them can be confusing. A brief description of some of the most popular might make it easier to distinguish between the many modes of healing.

12 Popular Kinds of Energy Healing
• Reiki is a form of Japanese hands-on healing and relaxation. Reiki energy is transmitted through attunements from a Reiki Master to a student.
• Healing Touch is highly regulated and was developed by medical nurses in the 1980s.
• Quantum Touch practitioners focus on breathing in order to circulate healing energy.
• Acupuncture is the use of needles applied along the meridians by trained practitioners to restore the flow of vital life energy.
• Emotional Freedom Techniques is a trademarked name for tapping done along the meridians. It is sometimes described as acupuncture without needles.
• Energetic Bodywork, such as massage, craniosacral therapy, or shiatsu, affects the body’s energy system through manipulations by a therapist.
• Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that uses slow, deliberate movements to circulate qi, or energy, through the body.
• Yoga is centuries-old spiritual practice that has eight different limbs, or steps. The most well-known are meditation, poses, and controlled breathing.
• Meditation is a broad term that describes the process of focusing the mind in order to increase awareness and experience divine oneness.
• Shamanic Healing originated from the Native American culture’s invocation of help from the spiritual realm.
• Theta Healing is done by a practitioner who enters a theta brain wave state to clear blocked energy from the client.
• Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to enhance physical and emotional well-being.

While none of these techniques promise to heal diseases, all of them have the potential to decrease discomfort and promote good physical, mental, and spiritual health. Cancer centers are now recommending complementary medicine as an aid in coping with the side effects and symptoms of cancers—from rare aggressive diseases like mesothelioma that is triggered from asbestos exposure to more common types like breast cancer. While they might not change breast cancer or mesothelioma life expectancy, they have the potential to return the body to a state where it has greater capacity to heal itself. 

By Melanie Bowen

.

This was really well written, and I'm totally looking forward to reading Melanie's blog.  It reminds me that I used to use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) quite a lot and with noticeable success.  I'm going to try it again and see if I can shake this funkity funk. Sometimes things need a little shake 'n bake (ok maybe not the bake) to get them moving again.  Tapping on accupuncture points while focusing on the issue at hand sounds like just the ticket.

This video is a real quick overview of the accupressure points used in EFT and the general technique.  There are tons of videos on youtube about it, but if you want to get the official and original version, Gary Craig is the founder.  His website is http://www.eftuniverse.com/

I'm going to add a little twist to my technique and look myself in the eye in the mirror while I do it.  Hey now, there's an idea......Manifestation Mirrors!!!! Uh oh, another thing to add to my "to-do" list. (Let's see here, page 12, number 124:  Create a manifestation mirror.)

Thanks for the heads up Melanie!  The right information seems to come along at just the right time, and the timing is right to explore some new things and rediscover some old things.

Later,

Laurie

PS:  I've got a bunch of new poses for chakra girl wall sculptures ready to be manifested into reality, so I may be missing in action for awhile.  They're going to be totally cool!!

Chakra Girl Energy Art

"Chakra Girl" by Primal Painter

So I was thinking, "What is the definition of my art, what is the purpose, what am I trying to accomplish here?  Is my art in in the category of energy art? (yes) Is it in the category of visionary art? (yes) Is it in the category of spiritual art? (yes)  Is it in the category of healing art? (yes)  Is it in the category of chakra art? (yes)  Is it in the category of reiki art? (yes)"  That's too many frickin' categories...

"Chakra Girl" is the first in a series of wall sculptures where I'm attempting to translate energy into a three dimensional form.  She's sold already, within about 12 hours of listing on Etsy (yay, thank you Myra!), and she generated some buzz in terms of views and hearts.  A good sign!  All of sudden, my head is once again in the clouds (did it ever leave?) with visions of bigger and more ambitious projects.

The purpose of "Chakra Girl" is to open and stretch the chakras.  When writing the description, it occurred to me that it might be good  to more clearly define not just a purpose, but a category for the kind of art I'm creating.  

Some definitions:

Visionary Art:   "Visionary art encourages the development of our inner sight.  To find the visionary realm, we use the intuitive inner eye:  The eye of contemplation; the eye of the soul". - John Grey 

Energy Art:  Energy art  is the process of creating art that intuitively taps into the energy of an intention, a thought, an idea or an emotion and translates it into a visual form with healing properties.  I wrote that definition, but  there are other definitions such as this one, by Dr. Sylvia Hartmann:

Energy art is any form of art that takes the reality of there being other dimensions than just those we can see, hear, feel and touch, smell and taste into consideration.

The purpose of a work of energy art is to create something which has not just a physical reality but also an energetic reality, and that actually does something at the energy levels.

Chakra Art and Reiki Art also describe what I'm doing but they seem to be more sub-categories than the main category.

Visionary art sounds kind of arrogant in a way.  Come to think of it, Healing Art also sounds arrogant.  It implies that I'm a healer and I'm not. I'm just the delivery guy, the tool.  Energy Art is the most applicable, but maybe that's because I wrote the description. lol   It's not exactly something that a person might think to search for, though.


Anybody have any thoughts on how a person might categorize my art?  I've confused myself (not hard to do these days!)




I'll think about it another day.....


Well, Happy Labor Day! (Labor Day, what a strange unholiday sounding phrase....labor day......It should be Unlabor Day)  Oh no, my brain just short circuited.......Words.....Gah!  Colors......Wheeee!


Later,


Laurie

"Tree Spirit" and Thoughts on Duality

"Tree Spirit" by Primal Painter

So I was thinking (oh no, not that again) about that short-lived phase I went through about two weeks ago where I seemed to be tapping into the energy of the trees.  The post I made during that phase was a little "out there", I have to admit.....but the energy was interesting......and pure......and flowing....full of swirls and shapes and colors and light....totally non-verbal or mental.....and at a very high vibe.  I liked it.  It was very far removed from human energy, though.  

 I crashed and burned after holding that vibe for only a short time.  Blew a fuse! Short circuited! Then I came tumbling, tumbling, tumbling down and landed flat on my back looking around going "What the....?!"   Apparently I'm not to a point where I can sustain that pure of a vibe.  Bummer maaann!!

Those trees, I tell ya, they got it goin' on!   No worries, no words, no thoughts....just being......the essence of the "I am". 

I made this energy art print "Tree Spirit" during that phase.  It was created from a photo of trees on my property, and I warped and twisted and morphed and pulled out a tree spirit.  She's pretty, isn't she.  I'm very drawn to this image.  Her face has a hard line through the center of it, with light green on one side and dark green on the other.  I take that to mean there's an element of duality in there somewhere.  Probably because I, a human, have that duality, that element of light and dark, and I've projected that quality into the image.  


Maybe there's nothing wrong with having that level of duality, maybe it's just the human condition, or maybe it runs through everything even trees.   I doubt that, though.  The energy of the trees felt very simple, pure,  and unconfusing for the short amount of time I was able to hold it.


I think duality is part of being human though.  There's the dark side and there's the light side.  For some people, the dark side might only entail a little self-indulgence in say, Dove Dark Chocolate, even though it triggers migraines.  Or maybe the dark side is more emotional and when, say, someone in our life behaves badly, we get caught up in their drama and have mean thoughts about them.  What a crock!  Who am I? Judge and Jury?  Since when?  Since alwaayyss!  Geeze.  Trees don't do that!  A lesson to learn.....


Part of it has to do with holding onto things....(I think).  The tendency to take an old experience and the emotions it generated, and projecting  them onto a new experience even though they don't really fit....(but I'll make it fit, by Gawd!  It's all about me, me, MEEEEE).


Then I ran across this daily channeled message by Dyan Garris that seemed to sum things up nicely.  I don't know who this Dyan Garris chick is, but she comes up with some relevant sh*t!




Daily Channeled Message® by Dyan Garris

Today's energy asks that we examine the concept of narcissism. Is there something that makes you think someone is thinking about you 30 years later? Is there something that makes you think that whatever is happening is all about you? Or perhaps it is that you know someone like this. When we are self focused like this, we find that we have trouble getting rid of old patterns, stuck energy that gets stuck not in the craw, as one may think, but in the root. And the root is where we create. The root feeds the plant. If we can't get over the past, then we effectively block our ability to bring in any new energy whatsoever. If you're still pouring weed killer - or even water - on a plant that is long since dead, it may not even occur to you to stop doing that and spend the twenty five cents for a new bag of seeds. 



Dang, girl, that's good!  I'll have too look her up and insert a link somewhere.


Ok, that's enough blah blah blah for today.  


(What's with the weirdness of the font and the highlighted stuff?)  Mercury Retrograde still in action, no doubt.  Eh, whatev.....


Later,


Laurie

Abstract Art, Auras and Energy

"Third Eye Open" by Primal Painter

So I got to thinking about how energy, my energy in particular, is tied into what's happening in the immediate environment.  I noticed earlier that my energy, my auric energy, seems to be very tied to nature. The trees dropping their leaves in order to preserve their energy and then re-directing their energy into the root system seems to be so symbolic of what's happening to me right now.

It seems that with energy healing, there are things, emotions, thoughts, and identities that start to shed and drop away...like leaves.....like an alter ego.....like a false self......like a low vibing flawed human with fear and judgment running the show.  I don't really believe that I'll ever reach the status of unflawed human, but I think my goal will be to become a higher vibing less flawed human! How would I say that though if I were to sit down and make out a specific intention?

Speaking of specific intentions, I wonder how important those are?  When we put our intentions down into words, doesn't that mean that we're trying to take control, and ultimately, isn't releasing control the end goal? I mean, I know that what we think is what we are, but what if the goal was to transcend literal thought and enter the realm of pure high vibing energy with the freedom of accepting what is and flowing with the twists and turns, the ups and downs...like a graceful dance. Like a willow tree blowing in the wind.  If I were I tree, I'd want to be a willow tree..bending and flowing, twirling and curling, long hair, like a goddess.  Willow trees are the yoga goddesses of the tree world. lol

I noticed that I haven't done any energy art digital paintings lately, and I think maybe it's because I got into being too specific with the intention...too literal, too controlling with not enough pure flow, not enough interpretive abstract.  I enjoy it when it's more free-flowing and less pressured to perform the intention. I mean, what do I know? For all I know, the intentions I set might be totally off, timing wise.  Something else might need to happen first that I don't even know about. I think the intention needs to be more open, less controlling and energetically higher and finer, more like something that's completely beyond the five senses,  more like light and movement, a higher vibe.  Then, when the imagery is finished, it'll be subject to individual interpretation based on what the viewer needs in order to acheive a higher vibration.

I think it comes down to this: "My intention is to be a a clear and open energetically artistic channel for light, love, and healing for the highest good of all. "  Then step back and let it happen, let it flow.

Maybe I'll do one right now and see what happens.....

3 hours later:

Hehee, fun! .  My first impressions are of an abstract aura, chakras and the meridians.  The aura is the energy field that surrounds us and connects us to our surroundings and the Source,  the chakras are the vortexes of energy that pull in the energy that the aura has collected, and the meridians spread that energy around the body through a weblike network. The moon and the sun are both present in this one. I would say that we need to be aware that we are significantly influenced by the activities of both the sun and the moon.  Strong gravitational pull, solar flares, coronal masses, magnetic fluctuations, all of these things can affect our brain chemistry and the physical aspects of the human body.  What to do about it? I would say that being aware of these things is the first step, then make a concentrated effort to allow those energies to flow through us, transmuting into an energy that balances and raises the vibe.  Make ourselves into a light source that emanates in every direction, reaching around the planet, even around the universe, and see light streaming in through our aura and crown, magnifying, then spreading out through a web that connects everything and everyone. We transmute the negative and turn it into the positive. We take it in but we don't own it, we infuse it with the light and the love that comes from the Source and pass it on through.

So I can talk the talk but now I'll have to see if I can walk the walk.

Wow, that's some deep sh*t..lol

Later,

Laurie.

Rain!!!!

"Fire Angel" by Primal Painter

It rained!!!!  And the temperature is 68 degrees!!!!!  Wow, what a difference that makes in the energy around here.  For the last three weeks, we've had temperatures above 100 degrees with about a week of temperatures above 108.  That's craziness!  Two days we hit 114!! Combined with no rain since mid June, it's been a brutal time for the environment around here.

Several of my oak trees are completely dead at the tops, and the leaves are dropping like it's winter.  I have to wonder if my own energy levels and moods are tied into the energy levels of the trees.  I sit outside on the balcony and survey the scene, and for weeks now have felt so withdrawn and forlorn, like I'm running on empty.  I imagine that's how the trees feel which makes me think that maybe my empath abilities aren't limited to people.  

A couple of days ago, I was sitting on the balcony feeling melancholy and was thinking about auras and magnetisim and how those things might influence the immediate environment.  I thought that my aura must surely be stuck to my body, not expansive at all, with limited light and magnetism.  Right then, this huge beautiful yellow and black butterfly floated by very slowly, checking me out.  I thought it was going to land on me, but it just hovered around me for a second or two, then floated about five feet away.  Then it came back for a second pass, hovered around me for a couple of seconds then floated away.  

Maybe this was a sign that my aura and energy are still intact and active, but I've allowed my energy levels to reflect that of the trees?  If that's the case, the same challenges will exist with living among the trees as it does living among humans. A lesson to learn from the trees:  They probably don't get forlorn, they just accept what they can't change and adjust themselves to fit the circumstances. They drop their leaves to reserve energy and focus on strengthening their roots.  I need to strengthen my roots.

The last couple of weeks have been strange.  Computer issues out the ying yang! Frustration, time spent on the phone with nice people whose accents I can't understand, cell phone problems, air conditioner problems, airbrush problems, camera problems...Good Gawd!  Mercury in retrograde is a Bitch! 

The sun has been shooting off some significant solar flares lately which affects everything too, although I don't think many people realize that. They affect the earth's magnetic pull which can trigger volcanoes, earthquakes and extreme weather so you know they have an influence on us puny humans and our devices.

I decided to track down all my internet connections the other day to see what the problem was, went out to the phone box on the outside of the house, opened it, and right at face level is a wasp nest filled with angry wasps.  I froze, they froze, then they swarmed me and chased me all around the yard! I got stung four or five times, three times on my face which promptly led to a massive migraine. Man!!  In retrospect, it was probably funny seeing me screeching, flailing my arms, and running in circles, lol.  I swear, if I could make an exact duplicate wig of my frizz bomb hair and put it on the end of big stick, I could market it as the best wasp catcher ever!

The high point, though, was the package I got from Melinda at Inspiration Earth yesterday. I won her giveaway last week and got a bottle of organic sweet vanilla body scrub, a bottle of lavendar bath salts, and tinted grapefruit splash lip balm.  I instantly filled the bathtub and soaked.  Oh....my.....gosh......!!!!  I swear, Melinda, you could make a fortune selling this line to upscale spas and health food stores.  Beautifully packaged in glass bottles, and talk about superior products!   That sugar body scrub made my skin look 10 years younger, the bath salts eased the chronic migraine I've been having, and the lip balm has just the right amount of tint and makes my lips so soft.  I can't even say enough about how wonderful these products are!  As usual, everything that comes from Melinda is top notch!  Thank you, Melinda!

Well, I'm taking full advantage of this beautiful day and am getting out into the studio.  I've been doing some things in the studio, like the top photo. The frame doesn't really look that blotchy in person, but the camera is picking up on color variations that aren't visible to the naked eye...or maybe it's just my naked eyes. lol   I  also painted  several mats (just out of matboard) in different colors for the prints. I have two more color combos for the frames, but I'm changing direction.  Too boring! And all those listings I have to write up...gah!!! And the photos I  had to take for the listings...double gah!! And the editing I have to do for the photos....triple gah!!  #@*%)#@(*  How I wish all I had to do was paint and create!

I have a couple of new projects up my sleeve that should be fun.....for a minute! lol

Later,

Laurie

Amethyst Spirit Quartz

Oh my gosh, I got the most beautiful crystal ever from Jennie at LadyGraniteJen over at Etsy!  She contacted me a week or two ago and asked if I'd be willing to trade my print "The Angel's Way" for her amethyst spirit quart crystal.  I said oh heck yeah!

It's about 3" tall or so, I haven't measured it, but it's as big as the palm of my  hand and fits there like it was made for me!  When I opened the package, the first thing I saw was this iridescent bubble wrap, and went ooo, purty.  Then when I unwrapped the crystal, I could only bring myself to glance at it for a second because it  was so beautiful!  I squeezed my eyes shut and held it away while waves, and I mean HUGE waves of goosebumps went coursing through my whole body, and I was saying "Oh my Gawd" over and over again in a high squeaky voice.

So I looked at it again, and could only do a glance before I had to look away and let the goosebumps surge and squeals of excitement spew forth. The dogs were all sitting around staring at me and looking at each other like they were wondering if they should do something about my fit. Finally, I was able to stop and gaze at it, hold it, and feel it's totally amazing energy!!  It's strong but smooth, I love it!  I got goosebumps for several hours! Wow!  I hold it a lot and the energy just resonates perfectly and feels like exactly what I need.

I've always had an affinity with rocks and crystals, but I've never had a reaction quite like this one.  This crystal wanted to work with me (at least for awhile) and Jennie, bless her heart, was generous enough to let go of it.  She had lived with this crystal for about a year and a half before being compelled to pass it along to me.  Thank you Jennie!

Check out her Etsy Shop if you get a chance, she makes some lovely jewelry with beautiful stones.  Here's a blue quartz necklace with amethyst and citrine beads that's really nice.  Click on the image to go to the lisitng.




My boyfriend is also a rock and crystal person and he's very drawn to it as well.  I see him looking at it and sometimes holding it every so often.  When I read about the properties of an amethyst spirit quartz, I understood why we're both so drawn to it.

Here's a little information about the properties of an amethyst spirit crystal.

http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/spirit-quartz.html

Spirit Quartz carries the vibration of universal love. It may assist you to let go of issues you have been holding onto... and forgive both yourself and the other person.

These crystals radiate a very high vibration. They may open the third eye chakra, thecrown chakra and the higher crown chakra or soul star chakra... and may align and purify the entire chakra system. Spirit Quartz are powerful stones to heighten metaphysical abilities.

They have the ability to align the lower self with the higher spiritual self... and manifest into your life those spiritual attributes. These are stones that will assist you with your ascension process... and they may activate the Lightbody.

Each of the different colors will resonate strongly with different chakras and this is useful as you may choose which area spiritually you wish to work on. All types are highly spiritual... but each has its own specific vibration.

Nice, huh!  I did a couple of energy art images from the photo of this crystal.  I'm not done, I'm still playing around with capturing the essence of its energy but here's a couple of them.

This one retains more of the visual elements of the crystal itself with some energetic imprints showing through. I like the colors, very sixth and seventh chakra.

This one is more energetic in nature. I like the movement and the spiral, the light source and the feeling of  an emotional landscape in the background but the color isn't right, plus  it's too dark.  It reminds me of the crystal healing room in Atlantis.  I say that as if I've been there or something, lol. (Maybe I have...in another life!)

Thank you again Jenny! For you to initiate sending me the perfect crystal at the perfect time shows a true connection between us!

Well I'm off!  Later!

Laurie

"First Chakra Activation" Healing Energy Art

 

"First Chakra Activation" by Primal Painter

"First Chakra Activation" is the latest in the series of first chakra digital paintings that I've been working on in an attempt to activate my first chakra.   I may tweak it a little more as things get moving, or I might feel compelled to do an entirely new one.  One thing I've noticed is that things are always in flux, nothing stays the same for long, and for me, I function better when I go with the flow.   

For this series, I wrote down an intention statement, memorized it, then repeated it to myself as I worked through the process.  The statement was "The process of creating this image will open and clear, heal and strengthen, balance, align and activate the first chakra for myself and for viewers. This image is infused with healing reiki energy and can be used as a tool for healing, transformation, and manifestation."

I also repeated affirmations related to the first chakra during the process so the images can be infused with their energy.  "I am safe and secure in my environment, physically, emotionally, financially and mentally. An abundance of money flows to me.  I have healthy relationships with the people in my life and my environment. I have a strong life force with an abundance of energy and am securely grounded. My hormones are balanced and my endocrine system is healthy.  I welcome challenges as opportunities for growth. I create my own reality. I communicate with God and my Higher Self and always know what to do."

"First Chakra Unmoving"

This is the first one I did. It's a little dark with some areas of cloudiness with possible blockages, and seems to be just sitting there.  It's kind of cool looking visually, though.

"First Chakra Communication"

This is one where I asked for help from the Source and my Higher Self to get things unblocked and moving.  If you look closely, (click on the picture) at the center is a bearded moon (symbolizing God) speaking with an angel (symbolizing the Higher Self), both starting to swirl their energy and wisdom into the chakra.

"Starting to Spin"

This one is the beginning of activation.  The clarity and colors become a little more defined, balance and alignment are leveling out, things are starting to move.  Then I ended with the top image which represents a fully activated and healthy root chakra, although it might still be a little dense..  I'll keep working on myself and    do another in the future, maybe it'll be more translucent. 

Wouldn't it be cool if  I could actually get them to spin? I saw someone with a spinning avatar on twitter, I wonder how they did that?

So I was curious, do you have a favorite? How do you feel when you look at them?

Well I'm heading out to the studio while I'm migraine free!  

Have a great Sunday!

Laurie

First Chakra Healing

"First Chakra Healing" by Primal Painter

So last week when I made my latest Chakra Angel called "The Angel Way", I thought it seemed like my  first and second chakras were too small.  I created this digital painting to help with the issues that might be clogging things up.  Throughout the entire process, I focused on clearing and activating the first and second chakras, colors red and orange, with issues being thrown into the violet flame for transformation.  The angels are overseeing the process and providing protection and guidance.  I still need to tweak some things here and there in it, though, like changing the color of the moon, maybe making it smaller, and working on those flames so they aren't so blocky.

Before I did this one, I started another one that was also root chakra oriented.  I wanted to see what was happening down there so I could address the issues more specifically, although I don't know that being specific is really necessary or even desirable. Just jump in with both feet and be done with it! I don't know why I have to drag things out.....

"The Quest" by Primal Painter

This one is almost scary, the designs in the border look like serpents. Ewwww, I'm not really into serpents. She's (me) focusing on the source of light and pulling herself out of the muck and mire.  She's holding energy balls in her hands for courage and to light the way, illuminating the shadowy places.

Here's a little more detail about the first chakra, or root chakra as some might call it.  It's all about basic survival, primal sex drive or the desire to procreate, and bodily life energy.  It's also associated with the endocrine system, hormones, or whoremoans as I like to call them.  There are chakras in the bottoms of the feet, and the first chakra is connected to those as well.  If the first chakra is compromised, grounding might be difficult and hormones might be out of whack.  Uh, yeah, that would be me....

The root chakra is also the seat of the kundalini energy. When kundalini explodes upwards through all the chakras and out the top of the head, it can be like a huge rush of hot energy

I experienced the kundalini being unleashed during my reiki I training. For hours, it was like I was on fire on the inside.  I was convinced I was burning up with a fever, but my skin felt cool to the touch and I wasn't running a temperature.  My brain was all fired up and I was jittery.  The next day I felt like I'd been hit with truck or had the flu,. it was wild.  Energy work is not imaginary!  There was one other person in my class who had experienced the same thing, so I wasn't crazy!

Some people try to get that kundalini rush and even try to sustain it indefinitely, but it takes a toll, or at least it did on me. I think I felt a little of that energy while I was working on that second digital painting, and now I'm feeling the crash.  There's got to be a better way......  Maybe a third painting to level and balance things out, a painting that shows a healthy, open activated first chakra with strong grounding cords..... Oh ok! (lightbulb) 

Well, I'm off....

Have an awesome day!

Laurie

A Little Cowboy Portrait and Garden Woes

I just finished this portrait of my niece's little boy, Read.  He's a cute little ole' cowboy!  It's been awhile since I've done a realistic anything, let alone a  portrait, so it was a little challenging but not too bad.  It's cut out of wood and then mounted on an 8 x 10 wood backboard for framing.  I used to do woodburned portraits for a living years ago.  This one isn't woodburned, it's airbrushed and I've never actually airbrushed a portrait before..  I could have (should have) accented the highlights and deepened the shadows now that I see it from this perspective of a photograph.

And my lettering leaves something to be desired....I'm no Sara!  I just kind of free-handed it on there and didn't try very hard I'm afraid. Lettering, eh, not into it.  I've already sealed it, though, so it's done and I just have to accept it. Airbrushing doesn't leave a whole lot of room for expression like brushwork does, though.  In retrospect, if I had to do it over, I'd probably brush paint it so there would be little more character in the rendering. (Stop it, Laurie, it's finished..gah!)

My niece Kris works with my sister Nancy who has a very successful tax and financial consulting business and she did our taxes this year.  In typical Laurie style, I assume that she might like something more personal than cash for payment. I hope that assumption isn't one-sided!  Maybe I should've asked.....

Well the deer ate my ENTIRE garden and started in on my precious purple phlox. Right down to the stems.   Man, I was just like, ERRRRRRRR.  They even ate the tops off my giant sunflowers and my morning glories. The only thing left is a bumper crop of passion flower vines.  By the way, passion flowers are super cool looking, but they spread like alien freak plants.

Between the early flooding, the hail and the cold followed by record heat, draught, and now deer, it's not been a good year for growing things.  If that's not bad enough, my cherry tree has no cherries, my apple tree has no apples, my mulberry tree has no mulberries and my pear tree has maybe six pears.  What in the world... ?   I don't know if it's crazy weather or if the honeybees have taken a hit and things just didn't get pollinated. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any honeybees this year. I bet it's because of that damn electric company and their toxic herbicide program. I'd rather have growing thngs than electricity.  We didn't even get any black raspberries this year and those are always copious.

Ah well, whine whine wah wah wahhhhhhh.  I'd better get out into the studio and make something before I depress myself and everyone around me!  Gah!

Have an awesome whatever day this is!

Laurie

"The Angel Way" Abstract Energy Art

"The Angel Way" by Primal Painter

I really love this one.  The colors, wow, sunglasses worthy! (heheh.)  The imagery has a nice flow,  the hidden angels and moon face are super cool, and the vibe when I look at it is high. I'm going to put a moon face in all my digital paintings from now on, it'll be my signature.  Back in the olden days, I made a decent living making a celestial line of mirrors, chimes, wall sculptures and mobiles, and I still dig that celestial vibe......and pyramids, I like pyramids......and spirals.

My desire to communicate seems to be at an all-time low, but my creative juices are flowing pretty well, so that's a good sign.  During this  phase of non-verbalism (or non-verbalocity, or no-talk-aholicism) which I have come to call "The Great Silence of the Yams 2011",  (Yams is code for vocal cords), I decided I should do another chakra angel to check in on the condition of my energy flow.

I was surprised to see the blue throat chakra so open.  I thought it would have a "Closed Until Further Notice" sign on it or maybe a "Danger-She's Gonna Blowww!!" sign nailed to it.  There must be something else going on with me because I sure do feel strange....cocooned......internal.......like I'm in a womb, all wrapped up and closed off to the outside.  Not stagnant or stuck, just inside myself, like in the eye of a tornado where everything is still but all around me is a wild whirlwind of debris, Wizard of Oz style. Weird sh*t, maan....

What she would look like matted and framed

The Crown Chakra - White, the combination of all colors, (some say violet, I say white) Our connection to Source, our connection to our higher selves, everything is one, part of the whole,  the spiritual aspect of believing in something greater than ourselves and the knowing that everything could make sense if the veil came off.  The veil is thin right now, I get glimpses but not the whole sh-bang. The glimpses keep me hanging out in the crown because of the mystery, that curiousity, that burning desire to "know". (Know what?). It's so big and sparkly and bright and shiny and happy and safe. No wonder I like to hang out there although according to this diagnosis,  it's  probably out of balance with the rest of the  chakras because of it's gi-normous size. Balance is everything, but then so is timing....patience, grasshopper.

The Sixth Chakra -Purple (some say indigo blue, I see purple) - The Third Eye - The Seat of Intuition -  "I see you",  Na'vi style from the movie Avatar, seeing the issues behind the pain. This one doesn't look too bad.  I've been working on blue and purple digital paintings lately while focusing on the fifth and sixth chakras and I think this process has cleaned out some of the cobwebs in both of them.  Cool.

The Throat Chakra - Blue - Communication, change, committment, verbal self expression, speaking your truth.  It looks fairly open and clear but it's out of alignment, not by much, but by enough that it needs attention, more work, the next step. I'm still convinced there's something stuck in my throat but I can't see it in this picture. (Maybe it's behind, maybe I should do an image from the back side, yeah)

The Heart Chakra - Green - The Bridge between the upper and lower chakras, the mediator, love, nurture, empathy, compassion, understanding, Christ-like. (I wish I was more Christ-like).  It looks open and cleared out, but not very vibrant or active. I recently finished the heart chakra painting with the intention of opening and clearing, so this is good.  The next series of chakra paintings will have movement, activation,  spin, and spiral. (spirals!!!)

The Third Chakra - Yellow - The Solar Plexus- thinking, intellect, self worth, self-esteem, self identity, who am I?, what is my purpose? why am I here?   There's something I'm supposed to do. I know I can do it.  I'm slightly out of alignment with my higher purpose but it's close....I think too much and don't feel or do enough, possibly because the second chakra isn't open enough.

The Second Chakra - Orange - Hara - the center of emotions, (easier to shut them down and pretend like they're not there) male or female identity, sexuality, intimacy, bonding.  Poor ole' second chakra, it's open but needs more,  lots more. The color is good though, so some clearing has taken place so at least there's been some progress..

The First Chakra - Red - Root - Kundalini -  Procreation, survival, safety and self preservation, bodily life energy, stamina.  And there it is, that puny first chakra.   The plant is only as strong as its roots.  It's not dark, so that's good, it's just small and needs to be more open and activated.

And the grounding cords, what grounding cords? There's a red light at the bottom of the angel where it looks like the grounding cords have disconnected and pulled back into a dark cave.  That's not so good, but this is a typical problem with me.  I have a tendency to float....

So now I know what to focus on.  I love chakra angels!

(Disclaimer: These chakra attributes are how I understand them and are not necessarily how an expert might define them.)

Until next time, whenever that may be......

Laurie

Butterflies and Lilacs

"Through a Butterfly's Eyes" 

Ruh-Roh Raggie...  Not everything has to be totally abstracted out I've discovered.  How about a little realism/abstract combo action.  This image was just my first attempt, so it's not a finished product or anything. I thought I'd share the very first one so that months later I can see how far I've progressed..

Man, I tell ya, that gimp is a fascinating tool.  As I learn more and more (all completely by accident) about the wonderful things gimp can do, I see endless possibilities.  Or maybe it's just the drugs I've been on for the last few days for an incessant migraine, I dunno! Not that I like the drugs, I hate the drugs, they make me tired and I know my aura is filled with black clouds because of them.  Nothing can really be done about a brain injury though, so I just need to feel grateful that I don't get seizures which were also a possibility when the brain injury occurred.

I don't know if it's the migraine, the creative burst I'm having out in the studio, all the eclipses and solstice energy or the disturbing discovery that some people lack integrity and will steal my images and words, but I've been strangely mute for the past week or so.  I'm still feeling pretty mute, but thought I'd stop in and say hi.

It just occurred to me that I'm also gearing up for some throat chakra work so that could have something to do with it too. Much of the imagery I'm creating right now is in blues with some purples thrown in which is a good indication that I'm moving up into the higher chakras.

I really want to put a chakra guide page at the top of this blog, but being mute doesn't seem to be conducive to writing.  I did manage to get a "What is Reiki" page up, so that's something at least.  If only I could multi-task like my sister who can do a million things at once and do them well!  I'm not like that.  Working out in the studio takes away my interest in writing and words (and cleaning and reading and everything for that matter!). .  The creative process for me doesn't include words.  My brain thinks in terms of imagery, shapes, colors and patterns.  I like fantasy land better than literal words so I might be there for awhile.

Well I'm already talked out......

Later!

Laurie