Oldie but Goodie

 I love to create from home, but sometimes I'm missing the space of a 'real' studio. I now have a HUGE studio, and it feels a bit lonely there. When I teach classes it's awesome, women, laughter, music, food and wine. But when I'm alone I'm super aware of how silent and alone it is. So I have a home studio for smaller projects,sewing, journaling and blogging, and my away from home studio is for teaching, yoga classes, meetings and big paintings. I do think i tend to work better when others are present, but leave me to my own devices. Weird huh?

 I'm STILL rearranging my home studio for more space and just because, you know, I'm a hoarder, and something has to go! I've been so preoccupied with making art, I'm avoiding making a space for art. Someone stole my phone, which was my camera too, but as soon as I get a new one I'll post new pics. For now enjoy my oldies but goodies...

Visual Journaling with the girls.

My Intuitive painting created with a live band...awesome!

I've been painting!!!

I've been painting!!! Again; Finally!!!!

For so long I'v e just been making stuff in my journal and making papers for my books, but I haven't really painted in a month. Last night I finally got my supplies together and while I watched a very disturbing movie -Sleeping Beauty- on Sundance, I worked. Simple but fun, I love simple beauty and I love LOTS of color!! I'll be putting them in my Shop today as well as some other handmade goodies...I'm spinning again too! I hope you are all doing well, more on the Chakra's next week and more on the Self Love series Monday...I'm so happy to have so many new readers!!! Please let me know if there's anything I can do better less or more.

xxanastasiaxx

Muladhara

this is a self empowering series that I will offer on Wednesdays- let me know if you enjoy it!

Survival- Security

(I've been working on my Chakras for a while now, and I feel like it's an ongoing process, but that I'm really starting to understand the process and myself a lot more...here is just a bit of what I've learned for you to start your own practice and healing...)

What are Chakras?
 Chakra's (pronounced Cha-kra, like chocolate chip...thanks Sam and Kaoverii!) are mental and emotional energy centers placed along your spine. Asana's (yoga poses) were invented to help heal and release blockages within your chakra system. ANYONE can work on their Chakra's- without going against their religious beliefs.  Learning about your chakra's gives you access to your bodies physical responses so you can minimize the negative effects and maximize the positive ones!
 There are currents of energy that course throughout your body - like a road map they are plentiful, but there are 4 main highways...the first two are-
 The upward current-Mukti or the freedom path runs from the earth and rises through the body toward ever more awareness.
The downward current Bukti or manifestation  starts at the crown of your head and goes down towards the earth growing more and more specific until it manifests on a physical plane.

Peoples issues are almost never physical but always tied to mental or chakra energy. Heal that and heal yourself.

Muladhara is your first chakra, also called the root chakra.  It  represents how you participate in the physical realm...body, home, work, environment ..it's self preservation...it makes sure you survive so you can continue to grow and enjoy this journey.

So, I recommend journaling everyday, and also meditate and do asana's. While working on your Root Chakra ask yourself a few questions while sitting grounded and concentrating on the chakra such as...

What keeps me grounded?
How do I connect with my physical body? With Nature?
Where do I feel safe?

As you journal, really listen to your truth. Envision your self; safe and sound, and open your self to the energy around you. This may bring up issues you never realized you had, with yourself, environment or your spirit. That's okay! Getting to know the real you is scary. Admitting your different than what you thought you knew is weird to most people. But, the better you understand yourself, you give yourself the gift of growth and truth and change. Open up and experience all that life is offering, it's an amazing trip!

If you feel as if this is a journey you cant handle on your own, you are welcome to email me ( happysappytrees@gmail.com) with questions and comments. I would be happy to help in any way I can. I'm no expert, but,  I have been working on myself since I realized I was alive. It's a never-ending journey and I'm constantly being taught by others around me as well as my subconscious. You can never have enough knowledge or growth! I'd love to hear about your journey!

 I will be offering an on-line workshop based on healing, chakras and intuition starting in January. I hope that you will join me for that as well!

Love Your Body

Raise your body image with the begining of my Official 

Body Consciousness Plan

I'm really working on myself inside and out. In doing so I've been figuring out things that work for me, and I think they'll work for you too! Let's follow these together and I'll post my results monthly...I can't wait to see what December will hold for my soul!

 1. Become aware of your negative body talk. Negativity affects you inside and out, I can't say it enough, there are enough negative people saying negative things about you, don't add to it! Only point out what you do like and repeat it to yourself daily. I love my butt, it's big, and round and well; baby got back. I love it...it makes my jeans look amazing and my dresses fit awesomely!

 2. Do an energy scan- Once a day (I do it after yoga, before meditation) sit down and close your eyes. Breathe in and out with deep evenly counted breaths. Turn your attention towards your body- starting at the tips of your toes, Notice if anything feels weird, pained, or tense. If it does, place your hand on that spot and concentrate on "breathing" positive oxygen into that spot.Continue to do that throughout your body. Dis-ease can't live in a place that is oxygenated. And it never hurts to envision light pouring into your hand as well!

 3. Talk with your body image- Sit in a comfortable position, breathing deeply and evenly. Close your eyes and envision yourself sitting across from you. Notice every detail of your image. Ask it questions- Are you okay? Do you have anything to tell me? To teach me? Make sure to tell your image how much you love it. Visualize giving yourself a hug and really loving yourself.When you are finished, journal your results. It's amazing what doing this monthly or so and journaling about it, what a difference you'll read in your writings.

I'll continue to add to this series throughout the month. Let's make November POSITIVE IMAGE MONTH! It never hurts to give yourself some lovin'!

Today I Believe

If you pull back my skin this is what you would see.

 Today is the day I make a move...I have to decide which path at the fork in the road to take. And it looks like its going to be the one overgrown with weeds and briars, potholes everywhere. But i'm sure I can forge through and create a beautiful path with flowers along the sides and no feral animals in the wooded areas, it's just going to take me actually DOING the work. I tend to plan and dream and start...and fizzle...so my goal is to finish everything I set out to do today...and for the rest of my life! I need completion, but when you finish something- then it's open and bare and available to be criticized and judged...and that's something i'm still not comfortable with...the non-attachment to my work, my life, me...I think I've held the thought tight in the back of my mind, that if I'm always a work in progress, I can never feel the sharp sting of the criticism that's sure to follow. And who says there going to be criticism? Well, I can only assume my inner critic; that jerk that tells me constantly i'm NOT good enough, he's the ass that's been fueling my fears for 37 years. And I'm putting a stop to his whiny sniveling voice TODAY. 

I AM ENOUGH

I AM AN ARTIST

I AM BEAUTIFUL

I AM A GOOD MOTHER

As I write these mantras statements, I KNOW that they are true, I own them, but then, right when I'm about to finish a project, I feel the fear creeping up on me, and I find something else, "more important" stuff to work on, procrastination...it's a hell of a crutch.

So no more!

I WILL BELIEVE...

in me

in my art

in my life

in my abilities

I'm awesome, I just sometimes forget it!

Process Not Product

If you asked a student of the fine arts to define my works I bet they would call it juvenile, immature, or just plain ugly. But the thing I have so much trouble trying to convey, is that I don't create art to hang and admire. I'm not in a competition to win awards or ribbons, and I'm not wanting to take part in the fine arts groups who snub other creatives. I paint and make to improve me. I work through mental issues or times on paper and canvas. I disassemble my dreams and thoughts through paint and ink. 

I PAINT FOR PROCESS

If more folks painted because it feels good, instead of trying to make money or be admired at how 'talented' they are, I think the stress levels of the world would decrease exponentially. I'm happiest when i have paint on my hands or words flowing through me onto paper. You can't fake the kind of freedom and joy I feel when I create. And you cant buy that feeling either.

Making art IS the art.

 The final piece is just a material thing to collect dust and be seen. When you teach someone how to create, you don't use a finished painting or object and say "copy this". You talk about the processes you used when creating the piece, how you approached it, and what you did. Anyone can create. Teaching the ins and outs of art is an amazing craft and with practice you could create an image so fine it can look like a photograph.But is that FUN? Are you enjoying recreating a replica of an object already in existence? Wouldn't it feel better to start a painting or poem or song or drawing, and being a lighter and better person when you finished that piece? What if you could solve a personal dilemma just by painting? 

YOU ARE A CREATIVE SOUL

Don't let the fact that you "can't" draw keep you from scribbling or doodling or drawing. Make something! There is no difference between you and Van Gogh or Warhol or Kahlo. They were humans, who had a vision, and the confidence to follow through with it. They believed in their creativity and art regardless of what others thought. And you should too! Believe in yourself, trust the process, all will be 

AWESOME!!

The Lump in My Throat

I got a very validating and terrifying call today. A gentleman contacted me and said he had gone into my studio and saw a piece of my work that would fit perfectly with a project he was working on and could we meet?

 Holy Moly- someone is actually drawn to something I created?!?  I actually started to cry when I got off the phone...I never realized I doubted myself until someone I've never met before complimented me!

And then it hit me...EVERYONE doubts themselves...everybody has that inner critic, something that tries to tell them they are never ENOUGH...And, guess what? That fear has no real power...it can slow you down, you can let it trick you into sabotaging yourself or even not following through. But when you get to the real root of it , and all that's there is fear, you HAVE to push it aside. The lingering what if's and self-doubt cannot be a part of your plan. Fear has no power. It can't stop you...you stop yourself. Tell that fear to fuck off and go ahead with your plan. You are amazing, and once you believe that, the what ifs and fearful thoughts disappear like smoke.

YOU ARE ENOUGH!

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