Review of 2008 in the life of Raphaella Vaisseau

From discouragement to rebirth, what a great year 2008 turned out to be for me. Never one to get stuck in discouragement for long, and always the seeker, I found the fuel to reinvent myself. Again. I'm reminded of my favorite Alice Walker quote: “I thank God for the optimism of my Spirit”.

Early in the year, in an effort to lift myself up, I jumped with both feet into all forms of new sources of inspiration and spiritual study I could find: from Joel Osteen's weekly Lakewood Church television messages to books, services and study groups with Ernest Holmes' Church of Religious Science. By early spring I'd discovered the live broadcasts of Louise Hay's www.hayhouseradio.com which eventually led me to the magnificent work of Jerry & Ester Hicks and the teachings of Abraham. My “ah-ha” moment came in April when I understood a new interpretation of vibration and thought. From when I claimed myself as an artist back in 1981, I've known that my intention while creating art was integral to the outcome. It's why changing my last name to Vaisseau (vessel of light) was so meaningful to me, and why I committed myself to painting from my heart not my head. Abraham affirmed this in a discussion of vibration, saying “The vibrational imprint of what I give to a painting is more important than the image itself.” In listening to the hour-long seminar, the mathematical part of my brain awakened to a new understanding that “whatever I'm giving my attention to generates a vibration.” Everything has a vibration: every action, every thought, everybody.

I started paying attention to my vibration, to how I was feeling and to what I was giving my attention to. I learned that a belief is simply a thought we keep thinking and to change a belief we need to change the way we think. I learned we can only deactivate a thought by activating a new thought which replaces it. I began to practice, practice, practice. Results immediately appeared in my life which fueled even further study.

I embraced Abraham's mantra that “life is supposed to be fun” and set about finding a new place to live where I could create the next adventure in my life and my business. I picked Venice, Florida and moved there in the fall of 2008. Since then, I've met many new friends, I am enjoying the beauty of Florida, and I am enjoying the satisfaction that discovery affords. After two years, I've moved through the stages of grief I experienced as a result of the closure of Heartful Art Gallery in Sausalito in October of 2006, and have now moved on. I thought I would be there for the rest of my life, but alas, it wasn't to be. Inspired by the wisdom of Abraham, I am now seeing life as a grand adventure and I am embracing every experience as an opportunity for expansion and growth. I love where I am. For me, 2008 was a great success.

Path to Dog Park

This is something you don't see in Minnesota, California or Oregon. Can you read the sign by the bridge? "Beware of Alligators" - It's on the path going to the Paw-Paw Dog Park on Venice Beach here in Florida.




I am thoroughly enjoying my grand adventure. See more photos on my Flickr site.

Numerology

I'm packing for my move to Venice, Florida next week and found a page I'd taped to my kitchen wall last New Year's Day. It's the write up for 2008 being my #1 Personal Year, the beginning of a new nine-year cycle. Briefly, it said things like "important new beginning" "What you do this year will influence the course of events in your life for the next eight years" "new direction ... for long-range project" "by October your new direction will begin to emerge" --- voila! I hadn't read this since then but it was in April I started searching for a new city, May when I connected with Serenity Gardens in Venice, June when I checked out the possibilities and I make the actual move next week on Sept 26th. I will be in my new home by Oct. 1st and ready to begin!!! I've been feeling a shift in the focus of my work as well. I am excited to see how this all unfolds. How the change impacts my creativity and where I go from here. What fun!!!