Hello fellow artists,

I don't know about you, but I always need another tool to help me relax before falling asleep. Natural Healing and Holistic Health has an article today with the seductive title of "Relaxation or Insomnia...What is Your Choice?"

I am more creative in that space between wakefulness and dreaming, but some nights this goes on way too long. It's wonderful to have tools to fall back on so I'm alert the next day.

Technorati Tags: relaxation, insomnia

Hello fellow artists,

Intuition is an integral part of creativity if you want to express a deeper part of yourself. Relaxation is a direct link to your intuition.
Here is a classic and easy-to-do relaxation technique:
-- lie down, be comfortable, loosen any tight clothing, turn off the phone and TV. Relaxing music is ok -- whatever is relaxing for you.
-- tighten, then relax your toes, say to yourself, "my toes are relaxing."
-- tighten, then relax your foot muscles, then say to yourself, "my feet are relaxing."
-- continue this throughout your body, covering small areas at a time -- ankles, calves, knees, thighs, genitals, pelvis, abdomen, chest, neck, shoulders, head, upper arms, lower arms, hands, fingers.
-- lie there for a few minutes and enjoy the feeling of relaxation. Your memory of this time will help you return to this feeling of relaxation when you are in the car, at work, talking with friends and family.
-- If you do this exercise regularly -- once a day, would be terrific -- you will go deeper and deeper into relaxation. This is a good way to fall asleep if you are having difficulties sleeping, but if you want to just relax, it is better to stay awake during the exercise.
-- Check out any parts of your body that have especially benefitted by this practice and which still need attention.
-- Stand up slowly.

A classic breathing technique:--
Sit comfortably, keep a straight spine, loosen tight clothing, turn off the phone and TV. Relaxing music is ok.
-- Breathe in slowly on a count of 10 to 20 -- whatever is comfortable for you.
-- Breathe out slowly on a count of 10 to 20.
-- Do this 20 minutes/day. You may want to work up to 20 minutes.
-- When you are finished, stay seated and enjoy the feeling of relaxation. Check out any parts of your body that have especially benefitted by this practice and which still need attention.
-- Stand up slowly.

A special treat: unwindradio

Technorati Tags: intuition, relaxation exercise, breathing exercise

California Coast
Patricia Roshaven

Hello fellow artists,

This is a continuation of the discussion about how to boost your ability as an artist by developing your intuition.

Staying alert while being relaxed is another component of a well-developed intuition. To be in touch with the thoughts and feelings flowing from within, you want to be aware of your inner voice as well as your environment.

Most of us "go unconscious" a good part of the day. We may have a stream of thoughts, but they are not about what is happening to us in the moment. The stream of thoughts are often about past or future events. Reviewing past events and planning for the future can be worthwhile, but if you want to know what is happening right now, set aside time for planning and reviewing and do your best to be in the present at all other times. This is not easy to do, but when you change your habits, you will be amazed at all you have been missing in the present. The present is rich with experiences, thoughts and feelings to be used creatively. Rehashing events is mostly a waste of precious time.

Awareness exercise:-- walk into a room -- any room will do. Notice every item and person in the room. Do not analyze or evaluate what you are seeing. Just see. Keep breathing. Notice how high the room is, what kind of ceiling it has, what kind of lighting, which colors stand out, where the doors and windows are, what kind of curtains are on the windows, what people are wearing, what they are doing, who they are talking to, what music is playing, etc. Notice with care. Pay attention to details. Notice how you are feeling as you do this. Do not judge how you are feeling. If you do, just notice that you did this and return to noticing how you are feeling. Keep breathing. For thoughts that you might like to go back to, keep a notepad or small tape recorder handy.

-- try this same exercise while driving, while walking outside, while gardening, washing dishes, giving your child a bath or playing with a pet. If thoughts from the past or future begin, just notice that this has happened and then bring yourself back to the present. No harm done.

After you have been doing this for a few weeks, ask friends and family members if they noticed a difference in you. Did you notice a difference in yourself? Did your art work change as you became more aware?

Technorati Tags: intuition, awareness exercise, art tutorial

Midway
Patricia Roshaven
Photo Album

Hello fellow artists,

Here are three more intuition exercises that develop positive thought from "Sense-Think-Act" Wiki:
exercise: Positive Frame of Mind B Write out a testimonial to some quality you have enjoyed in yourself in the last week. Having difficulty? O.K. Try this way... write down something positive about yourself, the smallest thing will do. Expand it with examples and anecdotes. If you get stuck not remembering anything, don't stop... fantasize. It's better to have a positive fantasy than to be stuck feeling glum - and it may even make you laugh. Repeat weekly at a set time until your notebook, and your head, is filled with how well you are doing (when everything you have had to deal with is taken into account).

exercise: Positive Frame of mind C Negative events must be seen as learning experiences. Choose a negative event and see all of its constructive aspects. Take a sheet of paper. At the top write a title for the bad event. Then below make a list of all possible positive aspects that ensued or might have ensued. Let your imagination run riot. There is always some value in the troublesome. It is of prime importance that this is brought to the fore if intuition is to work well.

exercise:Positive Frame of Mind D Each evening as you go to bed prepare some positive thought with which to begin the next day. Make a collection of such pleasant and inspiring thoughts. Keep it as a direction through the day. Any suspicion of melancholy should be combatted with reference to the thought. Such positive directions can be associated with an amulet or 'charm' which will act as a constant reminder of the 'realness' of that which is without substance.

Technorati Tags: intution, art tutorial, positive thinking exercises

Foggy Trees
Patricia Roshaven

Hello fellow artists,
To create something original, one must delve into parts of oneself that have not yet been explored. Pulling up something that is useful in a specific situation depends on intuition. One must have a "feel" for what will work in a painting, sculpture, wood carving, business transaction, etc. Because of this, intuition is one of the main ingredients of creativity, and having a positive attitude will make it more likely that you will find useful ideas. The more one is successful in this endeavor, the more likely one will feel free to rely on intuition. Some ideas, of course, will not be useful, but eventually your intuition will let you know which ideas are useful and which are not.

I had a friend once, now a former friend, who would think deeply about me and then inform me of my worst flaw. She was right -- I did have whatever flaw was pointed out to me, but I was working very hard to change my worst points and to be supportive of my good points. I wanted friends who would help me believe in my good points. Intuition can be used to find the worst or the best in a situation. There is a Zen saying that "the rock is too hard and water is too wet." It seems more useful to find the good points about rocks and water, friends, jobs, ourselves and our art work.

Intuition is a difficult concept to grasp if you have not had direct experience with it.
Definition: 1. immediate cognition without the use of rational processes; 2. a perceptive insight gained by the use of this faculty (intuition) -- from Wiktionary

It takes a leap of faith to develop one's intution, but starting with exercises can make you feel less vulnerable about taking the leap. The following exercise is from the "Sense-Think-Act" Wiki and focuses on reaching inward for positive information:

exercise: Positive Frame of Mind A Spend a week pushing yourself to notice the positive aspects of people and places you would not normally exude enthusiasm towards. Each day go up to someone and fearlessly compliment them on some positive quality you have noticed. Repeat this 'seeing positive' week occasionally until the practice becomes a permanent habit. Once you have the knack of always taking a positive direction or viewpoint it won't seem such an effort.

Technorati Tags: intution, art tutorial, positive thinking exercises

"Mixed Media #9"
Patricia Roshaven

Hello fellow artists,

I thought you might like to have some recommendations for places to buy your art supplies. These are some places I go. The prices are good, the stores are reputable, they are online and, so far, everything has arrived on time and in excellent condition.

Cheap Joe's Art Stuff for all kinds of paints, brushes, paper, canvas, easels, etc. Although I've stayed with Cheap Joe's, Dick Blick Art Materials has been recommended to me several times.

To purchase two of my cameras, I've used B&H Photo Video. Before buying a digital camera, see Digital Photography Review for their very detailed reviews.

For a variety of beautiful photo paper, go to Hawk Mountain Paper.

Are you ready to mat and frame your photos or paintings? Studio 500 has good prices and sells at a discount if you buy large quantities.

Technorati Tags: art supplies, camera equipment, mats and frames

Hello fellow artists,

It's not so easy these days to talk about spirituality without running into someone who disagrees passionately. I think it is terrific that spirituality is so important to so many people, but I think the anger that people express when the subject comes up indicates that people have not looked at the subject very deeply. To me, if a person is spiritual, he or she respects others. The "I" respects the "thou" in the other person, even if the "I" disagrees.

People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within. --Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

There are many definitions of spirituality. In this discussion, I'd like to promote the idea of spirituality as a sense of connection to a greater whole. No matter how different we all are, if we can see others as one and the same, we become more objective and compassionate. This doesn't mean you agree, but it means you have a greater understanding and tolerance for differences. As an artist, your work will have meaning for others if you can share your objectivity, understanding, compassion and connection. Besides that, your work will have more meaning for you. This is why digging deeply into your own psyche and connecting with your own spirit are valuable artist's tools.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. -- anonymous

First, one seeks to become an artist by training the hand. Then one finds it is the eye that needs improving. Later one learns it is the mind that wants developing, only to find that the ultimate quest of the artist is in the spirit. -- Larry Brullo

John F. Kennedy University in Orinda, CA has an Arts and Consciousness program for those who want to delve into their spirituality and their artwork. The Saybrook Institute offers a certificate in Expressive Arts for Healing and Social Change. Check it out.

Technorati Tags: spirituality, religion, tolerance, compassion, objectivity, John F. Kennedy University, art tutorial

Hello fellow artists,

Dreams are a rich source of visual information. They can help you understand yourself on a deeper level and give you imagery to use in your artwork. Here's a Wikipedia article for detailed information about dreams.

Keeping a dream journal next to your bed is a good way to keep track of dreams as they happen. Dreams have a way of evaporating in the light of day. Some people who have difficulty remembering their dreams set their alarm clocks for the middle of the night in the hope that they will awaken during a dream.

For inspiration, here are a few dream websites:
Roswila's Dream and Poetry Realm
Dreams: Artwork of the Collective Unconscious
The Dream Tree

Technorati Tags: dreams, collective unconscious, dream journal, art tutorial