Turn Your Love My Way: Every Day As Thanksgiving Sharing and Gratitude

Turkey Power Animal Medicine (Giving, Giveaway)

ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE: November 26, 2015. 

Now that the deep duality that exists within us has been brought more fully into the light, it seems appropriate to remember our common values that this holiday inspires in personal and very practical ways.

Last year, I did not expect Thanksgiving to be celebrated in the usual way. Typically, it's been shared with my family (my two sisters, my brother, my aunt, my nieces and nephews who live in New Jersey). However, it was the first year that my brother (who died in January 2014) was not with us, and my aunt who died in 2013 would not be at the table, and my mother, and grandmothers, plus many other family and friends who have died many years ago are also passed on.

Instead, I spent it in Pennsylvania with a good and unconditional loving friend of mine, Holly, who I had been longing to see and spend time with for a while; and despite best laid plans for what to share doing on Thanksgiving, the Creator (God/Goddess/Great Spirit/Higher Power/Jehovah/Allah) had something else in store for us--though we didn't know what it would be. So I was set to expect the unexpected.

Our plan was to be of service by working in a soup kitchen or a shelter serving food to people who can't afford a traditional Thanksgiving spread for themselves or their families. Well, we learned that all the places serving food had all the volunteers they needed. This is good news! This had me thinking about the origin, the beginnings of what has become a national U.S. holiday, and how it's about SHARING and GRATITUDE.

Crow Power Animal Medicine (Sacred Law)
Photo: http://birdcamoncheltenham.blogspot.com

I'm thinking now about anyone who may be feeling low or sad about not being able to sit at a table in the traditional way on this holiday, because self-pity and guilt was beginning to snap at my heels because I wasn't celebrating with my birth family, and Holly and I were not needed to prepare and/or serve dinner as we planned. The image that the Creator awakened me to that Thanksgiving morning, was me sharing a piece/crumb/morsel of multi-grain bread with a crow. For those unfamiliar with animal spirit medicine, the CROW represents THE MESSENGER, SACRED LAW (and TURKEY represents GIVING, SHARED BLESSINGS, SACRIFICE). In that moment, I realized that nothing is too great or too small to share whether it's funding, housing, a ride, listening, food, a smile, a story, a free haircut (see post with video about Mark Bustos) whatever I have to share with any creature that is open to receiving the love that I turn their way (and that is turned mine. ALWAYS, 100% by my Creator).

In this spirit, I want to share with you a song and some words that I received from D.K. Brainard, a man I really like a whole lot, in his e-newsletter that he sent out with his own take on Thanksgiving last year titled, Miracles and Gratitude. Thank you D.K.! (Listen to D.K. as a guest on The Healing Artist Studio Project's Radio Channel. It's a podcast titled, "The Greater Reality: Soul Healing and More". Some highlights include: What has been the most challenging concept for us to accept in the Greater Reality consciousness? How close are we as adults to our childhood career dreams? Is "not being enough" an aspect of spiritual consumerism?)

Also, I remember one person I spoke with at one of the shelters on Thanksgiving sharing with me the fact that they have a great need for people to help prepare and serve food EVERYDAY, not just on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and other holidays. So this year, a friend and I are planning to volunteer on days other than the holidays.

Happy "Everyday is" Thanksgiving! Thanks to you all for what you've shared with me, and thanks to Godd, who for me, all blessings flow in one way or another.

But I love Thanksgiving because it's so easy for me to forget to be grateful for all the blessings in my life. The holiday itself is about food and relaxation and the fact that Life offers us lots of help - including from people we've never met and may never see again - if we're open to receiving it. I believe on some level the Native Americans knew what the white man was bringing their way. But Pocahontas and her tribe had compassion on the poor, suffering pilgrims anyway. 

Photo Credit: http://allaboutbirds.org

Creator's Corner: Card Decks and The Mystic or Visionary Persona

NOTE: Creator's Corner is now being published on Wordpress, so you can access and read all of the columns (past and future) easily at one location. Click Here.

The Creator's Corner is dedicated to sharing ideas that come to mind after reading and selecting articles for The Creativity & Spirituality Magazine (as the editor) that may be useful to you in a professional or personal capacity. Interest in creativity and spirituality as content, for usage in arts & entertainment, and as lifestyle choices for businesses, projects and services (groups that have a way of life that may or may not be included in their brand identity), can be relevant to anyone anywhere in the world covering a variety of professions.

Column Inspiration:  

This Lisa Frank Tarot Deck Will Bring Out Your Fifth-Grade Inner Mystic: In your future, I see lots of . . . rainbow bears holding some sort of concert (huffingtonpost.com)

Credit: Ariel Hart, Illustrator & Social Media Maven

Have a seat. Let's take a close look at the cards. I see two creative ideas in your future for you to manifest using the content in this article for your business, project, service, and/or spiritual wellness.

1) Create a card deck as visual content to inform, educate, inspire, attract, promote, aesthetic (purely as art for arts sake ), or for fun and play to help achieve your goal or purpose. The Lisa Frank Tarot Deck is so eye-catching with it's rainbow color-palette and the use of animals that focus on the child within us. It's also very feminine in tone and energy. Of course, your deck will have it's own special, unique character, attitude, colors and design, responsive to your audience, clients, customers, fans, or personal needs (healing, growth, change).

2) Use the persona of the Mystic or Visionary as copy and/or visual content to inform, educate, inspire, attract, promote, or otherwise engage people in an interactive or passive format. Are you certain about what you can provide or share? Are you confident in your voice as a leader? Do you have the knowledge, talent, skills, heart, or soul to deliver on your promise or vision? What story can you tell about the future behavior, attitudes, feelings, status, environment, concerns, etc. of your audience, clients, customers, fans through the solutions you have to offer through what you create, produce or provide?

MAY YOU DISCOVER MORE CREATIVE ideas and spiritual support now (and in the future) by exploring the Creativity & Spirituality Magazine, and previous Creator's Corner columns: How To Work (And Play) Well With "The Others" To Succeed; Best Visual Content = Storytelling Solutions via A&E Professionals, Lies & Storytelling: Strange Bedfellows in Shades of Gray; Best Storytelling Has Sensory Empathy (or It's Important to Engage the Senses), Get Up To Speed On Quality Do-It-Yourself Storytelling: On a Low Budget, Best Storytelling is Copied, Stolen Content? (or The Lighter Shade of Led Zeppellin), The Joy is in the Story Journey (or Mission Impossible), Best Story Content Grounded In Our Past & Current Life; Conflict Has Creative Value, Learn How To Use It; Card Decks & the Mystic or Visionary Persona, Here Comes Play-Doh, and Sacred Geometry–Visual Storytelling Content: One Of Top Four Creative Trends 2016.

Dare to shine and love this life.

Valerie

Hashtag keys: #marketingtips #contentstrategy #entrepreneur #creativity #spirituality #leaders #leadership #marketingstrategy #writing #self-publishing #authors #thumbsup #marketing #technology #content #creator, #creativeindustry #ahealingartist

Creativity & Spirituality Magazine: March 21, 2016 (Published Weekly)

TOP STORIES

1. Creative Courage
"Creative Courage is a term loosely thrown around in today's new world of startups, entrepreneurial mindsets, and new age millenials. Just this week, I came across a thread asking, 'What does creative courage mean to you?' . . ." (Read More)

2. In the Spotlight: 5 Inspirational Leaders To Follow

3. Being: The Source of Creativity

4. Tarot Deck Brings Out Your Inner 5th-Grade Mystic

5. Painting Your Life: Using Art To Become A Creator

6. Drawings Show Truth Of What We've Done To Mother Earth

7. 9 Sacred Ways To Walk In  Beauty

Plus Much More Content!


Top Visitors/Top Countries to this Blog (Last 30 Days)

1) Brunei - Salamat Detang! 2) United States - Welcome! 3) Brazil - Bem Vindo! 4) India - स्वागत!
5) France - Bienvenue!

UPDATE: What's Up, Twelve?

Chumpi Stones from Peru

The original date on which I published this post was October 19th. I couldn't stop thinking about the number 12 and various connections to it (12 Disciples, 12 Chumpis, 12 Seeds of Faith, 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, 12 Concepts, 12 Ideals, 12 Star Sigils, Angel Number 12, 12 __________ (fill in the blank). Usually, when something keeps entering my consciousness and my senses begin to become flooded with something, I know I must pay attention. My personal understanding is that the Creator (my Greater Reality) is trying to get through to me, and wants me to pray, meditate, contemplate, and perhaps DO something concerning: What's Up, Twelve? Also, I had a strong sense to invite people in my network to be a part of whatever this was becoming. 

This all led to inviting friends by text, email, and Facebook to be guest bloggers here for the month of November. I am connected to many gifted and talented people who could easily share their thoughts, experiences, stories, and creations about 12, but most are quite busy with full work schedules, don't see how this fits into what they are doing, and November was so very close. I'm happy to say that a few of them will be guest bloggers this month about the 12 (or something entirely different they want share with you and me). They are in the process of planning what they want to write. Me too! I'm not certain what I will be writing, photographing, singing, drawing, or videotaping.

Blog posts are scheduled to be made on Mondays and Fridays this month. 

A few stats for ya . . .

- Pageviews last month: 860+

- Pageviews by country (Top 5):

1) USA

2) Russia

3) Germany

4) Slovakia

5) France

While in the process of inviting people, a question came up about what I do: what is The Healing Artist Studio Project? Are you a therapist or a practitioner? In what modalities do you work? Good questions. I've been grappling with it for years now, and at this point in time, I do have a response for them, you, and me (Stayed tuned during November for a post titled: The Healing Artist Studio Project: It's What?).

Who are you? Well, I don't know who you all are but I do know in what countries most of you reside. Recently, I learned that most of you who visited this blog last month are from the USA and Russia (the Top Two countries) followed by 3) Germany, 4) Slovakia and 5) Portugal.

Welcome!

In the words of the child character, Tiny Tim, in the story A Christmas Carol written by Mr. Charles Dickens . . . "God bless us, Everyone."

My Power Chair is Paid in Full

My Power Chair is Paid in Full. Wish I understood what this means. I'm here in North Carolina at the Quality Inn in Roanoke Rapids sitting at the computer in the lobby area. The family members with whom I am traveling aren't up & dressed yet. We are here for my six-month grand-niece's chistening.

I awakened this morning wondering if the Creator is going to put any feathers in my path. "You haven't shown me any feathers in a couple of days," I was thinking. I left the room and headed for the free breakfast in the lobby. I noticed a huge, blue cadillac with a big feather hanging from the rear view mirror. I broke into a huge smile & just laughed out loud. I struck up a conversation with some folks in the lobby & learned there is a big pow-wow this weekend about 30 minutes away from here: The Haliwa-Saponi Pow Wow.

I don't think I can get there because a family barbecue starts at 2:00 p.m., it's now 12:00 p.m. and my family isn't into the native side of our heritage & haven't been called the same way I have been.

I know I'm really where I'm supposed to be today. Lately, POWER & PAID IN FULL are two things that are strong in my consciousness & path. As I am typing here at the computer, I have just heard the following words on a commercial playng on the TV: "My Power Chair is Paid in Full." I KNOW it's for me to hear & to pay attention.

What does this mean? Here we go again . . .