Subtle Wisdom, Success and Giraffes

"When you talk about what you want and why you want it, there's usually less resistance within you than when you talk about what you want and how you're going to get it. When you pose questions you don't have answers for, like how, where, when, who, it sets up a contradictory vibration that slows everything down."

--- Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in San Antonio, TX on Saturday, January 29th, 2005 #448

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For the past three months, I've been involved in a discussion of Success with a Landmark Education seminar and workshop in Sarasota. The discussion revolved around the questions: What is success? What are the standards of measurement of success? Where did these standards come from? and, finally, What is success for me?

I've enjoyed the conversation immensely. I've come away from the three months having discerned that what I want is to fully embrace the powerful creator that I am. The "how" seems to be revolving around the question at any given moment, "Who am I being?" The "why" is all wrapped up in my main goal in life: to be the best I can be, to polish the golden chalice that I am and fully express the gifts within so that they are made manifest for others to see and experience. For me, success is being free to fully embrace, express and experience life, self, art and relationship with wild abandon.

Photo copyright 2010, Kiaralinda and Todd Ramquist, http://www.kiaralinda.com/

Magical Egret pays a visit to Heartful Art

While on the phone with my agent yesterday, this beautiful creature paid us a visit. It followed my voice from room to room as I went to find my camera. Even though our studios are in a bird sanctuary and we see many lovely birds in flight and on the ground here, the visit from this egret was particularly magical.

Ted Andrew's "Animal Speak" includes egrets in the chapter on herons, saying the "waders" are a group of birds who are "symbols of balance, and they represent an ability to progress and evolve." Also, heron people go deeper in their exploration of life, must be able to stand on their own, and follow their own path, without the pressure to keep up with others.

Whatever this bird was communicating to me, whether expecting food or delivering symbolic information, I accept the experience as magical and for a few moments in time, this bird and I were one. Sharing the magic. Loving the diversity of life.  - RV

Heartful Art poster at Minneapolis Yoga Studio ... fun discovery by my daughter

Here's a link to the poster she saw: "Breathe in Breathe Out"

Tulips of Grace by Raphaella Vaisseau, in honor of my Daughter and Mother's Day

My most recent tulip painting reminds me that I first started painting tulips because they were my daughter Cate's favorite flower while she was growing up. We lived in Minnesota then. Tulips were the first sign of Spring. Their stems would burst through the icy ground, sometimes still snow covered. The tulip buds would blossom like a song happy to be sung.

Over the years I've painted many tulip garden paintings and still they remind me of the hope of Spring and my daughter's love. Mother's Day is coming soon and my thoughts turn to mothers everywhere. My Mother has a gallery of my tulip paintings as well. I guess for me, tulips and Mothers go hand in hand.

Cetacea by Theresa Foley - a Key West novel

Theresa Foley (of cat rescue fame), is my friend, my teacher (writing and hypnosis), and also a published author of five books, including Cetacea (my personal favorite), Love Prevails, and 3 collections of short stories by Key West authors. I've added Cetacea to my website or you can buy it on amazon.com. If you like Key West, dolphins, mystery books, and/or people making a difference, Cetacea is a good read. If you really love Key West, you may want to get all five of her books. Enjoy!!!

New paintings by Raphaella Vaisseau debuted at Tringali show

photo by Nancy Chapman, reporter for Englewood Edge online newspaper

AP Economics Writer, Martin Crutsinger reports Retail sales rise 0.3 percent in February

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Retail sales posted a surprising increase in February as consumers did not let major snowstorms stop them from storming the malls. The advance, the biggest since November, provided hope that the recovery from the Great Recession is gaining momentum.

The Commerce Department said Friday that retail sales rose 0.3 percent in February, surpassing expectations that sales would decline by 0.2 percent. Read full story on NPR