GRATITUDE Day #4: Hold the bone, envision the dolphin

HOLD THE BONE, ENVISION THE DOLPHIN. I am grateful to be connected to all of creation, including you! This dolphin vertebrae expands my experience of being here on this Earth, to times I felt more secure and content. This joyful sense of abundance is always present waiting to be summoned by us all through our own symbols.

Hallelujah for celebrating our lives through the lens of  GRATITUDE! Hallelujah for all of you on the Daily Creative Practice and those of you visiting this blog BEING PRESENT to the good. Hallelujah for our beautiful Mother Earth and all of her CREATIONS.

Today, I am grounding myself in Mother Earth. As I rose from bed this morning, I planted my feet on the ground and kneaded them heel-to-toe several times, experiencing the sinews of my calf muscles stretching and connecting me to bone. It felt good to feel the weight of my body and the heft of gravity pulling me downward. Then off I journeyed to the YMCA with my husband Chiboogamoo to exercise this wonderful miracle of my body, which let me know that I needed to release its tension from the dismaying results of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections.

Outside it was dark, but I could see the silhouettes of trees swaying in the breeze often accompanied by the rising sun. The leaves from the oak tree cascaded down around us as we climbed into the car. The workout at the gym filled my body, mind, heart, and spirit with ease and inspiration!

I felt a strong urge to open the pages of Mark Nepo’s “The Book of Awakening,” upon my return home. The sky was pink with an emergent sun; children bracing their jackets around them and carrying book bags were ambling up the hillside of my townhome apartment complex, their parents towering over them as leaves continued to fly and sail around them.

Opening the pages of this book randomly, I came across the passage titled, “The Power of Symbols.” Mark Nepo wrote:

If you truly hold a stone,

You can feel the mountain it came from.

And he explains that “Symbols are living mirrors of the deepest understandings that have no words.”  These symbols at their best expand beyond ideas but “call” us into an expansive world of being filled with others, experiences, and memories.

In times of stress like now, we might ask ourselves, what GOOD can come from this. I suggest finding those symbols in your life that encompass a broader way of BEING and summon you to a depth of experience that contains the GOOD. The GOOD is not only all around us—it is also IN us!

As I asked myself what symbol might be the “right” one for me now, the answer came immediately! The dolphin vertebrae! I found this marine mammal artifact on the barrier island Wassaw on the coast of my beloved state of Georgia! Several years ago, when I arrived on the Wassaw beach with an Emory class conducted by Chiboogamoo, the dolphin vertebrae was waiting for me sticking upright in the sand. Before I knew what it was, its shape struck me as an ancient symbol holding important information for me.

This morning, as I yearn for a way to CREATE gratitude, I laugh at how easy it is to find! Our Earth is rich with abundance. We only need to be embodied, present to ourselves and the world.

Hold the bone, envision the dolphin!

I am reminded of my multiple communities that I have the good fortune to be a part of in Decatur, at Emory University, Georgia Tech, Little Five Points, Agnes Scott, Georgia State, and ever expanding circles around me, radiating out to the coast where the dolphins swim in the Atlantic. And the Atlantic connects to Europe, Africa, India and beyond….well you get the picture!

We are all connected! What a joyous thought!

The dolphin wisdom I found from the book, “Animal Speak,” by Ted Andrews offers a way to BE today. He suggests that learning to breathe like the dolphin can be beneficial and help us align ourselves with the present and perhaps other times. And like the dolphin, we can play around with sound and breath to engage ourselves more fully in our lives.

That’s Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me. What symbol might you hold today that will fill you with GRATITUDE?

HALLELUJAH TRUTH on the GEORGIA COAST. Headed out to Wassaw Island, we suspected we would see dolphins and we did! Such joy in observing these intelligent playful curious beings. (photo by Chiboogamo, aka Tony Martin)

GRATITUDE DAY #3: The Practice of Finding the Good

HEART ROOT. This image expresses my practice of being grounded in the GOOD. I believe the Earth is GOOD. I believe in the GOOD that is present in us all. I believe in the power of perpetual regeneration of the GOOD. (Art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Hallelujah for the Daily Creative Practice! Hallelujah for the season of practicing GRATITUDE! Hallelujah for you all here with me looking for the good.

This morning, I am especially grateful for you dear Reader and a community of online Creatives supporting each other in our lives as we move forward after the results of the presidential election here in the United States.

How do I "move" or "dance" around such a devastating choice made by the majority of U.S. citizens? I am saddened that we are not celebrating the first woman as American president.

How to manage this cataclysmic loss?

First of all, I am thankful to Phil Porter and Cynthia Winton-Henry, co-founders of InterPlay, for teaching me the practice of "noticing the good." How can I make a shift from this negative state of loss--to celebration?  I know that affirmation will have a strong positive impact on my physical being. 

SNAKES ARE SYMBOLS OF HEALING

I am celebrating YOU. I celebrating the faith that I have in all people to do the right and just thing. 

Meanwhile, as I search for other things this morning to celebrate, I will practice the "shaking medicine" that Bradford Keeney writes in his book by that name and that was introduced to me by Cynthia Winton-Henry. Would you like to join me? 

Let's do a simple shaking activity together:

Shake one hand, shake the other hand. Shake your foot. Shake your other foot. Shake what you have been sitting on. Shake your whole body. Shake your voice.

Now, you are ready, if you'd like, to put on some music and do as much shaking as your body needs to release any of the "information" that you are carrying around and no longer need.

That's Coffee with Hallelujah. SOUL BLOG with me. I will continue looking for the good to celebrate and shaking "it" all out as I need to. What are you affirming today? What are you thankful for?

GRATITUDE DAY #2: I'm thankful for the order of the United States and that today is Presidential Election Day!

I LOVE MY COUNTRY. For all the wonders and good things that my country, the United States gets right, I am thankful. Today's Daily Creative Practice image resulted from my sincere thanks for the garbage collection that occurs today and every Tuesday in my city of Decatur. Thank you. Is my image symbolic? Perhaps that the "trashing" of our political system that has been prevalent in 2016 will be taken out with the election of the 45th President. Let's focus on solving our problems systematically with love. (art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Hallelujah for TIME for it cures most wounds. Hallelujah for the orderliness that we have in this country of the United States. We are fortunate. 

As we select our 45th American President today, I am thankful for simple things that are vast in their simplicity.

I am thankful for...

our democracy and the freedom that we have as United States citizens...

our opportunity to elect our country's leaders...

the actions we can take to make the changes we think our country needs... 

and there is so much more....

However, as Americans go to vote today, I am satisfied that we have our organized municipalities, states, and nation. We are so fortunate!

Since today is garbage collection day in my quaint city of Decatur, Georgia, I want to embrace those individuals in big trucks that come and remove the trash from our individual households. All the systems that work in our country at every level. We have electricity, water, and gas. Our streets are maintained. There is law and order. 

I know there are many things to improve, so let's move forward to solve those problems together. Let's use our TIME productively and in harmony.

That's Coffee with Hallelujah. What are you thinking about today on this historic election day? SOUL BLOG with me. Share your views.

GRATITUDE PRACTICE. Join me in creating and expressing gratitude from now until Thanksgiving 2016. You are invited to post your CREATIONS on the Daily Creative Practice on Facebook. We are a warm online community that applauds your creative work. Thanks to Tony Martin, my companion in the Daily Creative Practice and who took this photo of me. I am the Hallelujah of this blog, Coffee with Hallelujah. If you have time for a cup of coffee, you have time to create. Will you take that time today?

GRATITUDE DAY #1: Creating and expressing gratitude through the mind-body connection

THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY! (art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Hallelujah for this day! Today signals Day #1 of my conscious effort to create and express gratitude. Hallelujah for Karen Drucker's song, "Thank You for This Day" (Acknowledgement to Christine Gautreaux for introducing me to KD), which will be the theme song for me through Thanksgiving.

What does it mean to "create" gratitude? 

In simple incremental steps, I have been exploring the way the "body" can "change" the "mind." 

The first and most easily accessible way is through MOVEMENT (Thank InterPlay). For example, this morning before sitting down, I put on the music "Thank You for This Day" and stretched my arms, swirled my hips and stepped around the perimeter of my two bedroom condo. The lyrics of "thankfulness" flowing around me. Step #1 towards creating gratefulness completed.

Then playing the song for a second and third time accompanied by the "act" of being at the computer to write this blog post is another "embodied" action holding and creating a way of being in GRATITUDE. Step #2 towards creating gratefulness completed.

Finally, a preliminary act....In the Ichno-Art Cat Palace that I share with Tony Martin (science author and artist extraordinaire), we have the good practice of preparing the night before for our "Daily Creative Practice." Therefore, last night, I rummaged through a precious collection of 100 images made across a three-month plus time frame in 2014 and processed it through the app, Paintbrush. (My resourcefulness is being called upon since I am fortunate enough to have numerous teaching engagements right now which limits my time making originals). This incremental act, prepares both mind and body to "create" in the morning because I have a plan which I only have to enact! Step #3 towards creating gratefulness completed.

Did I succeed in "creating" gratitude through my actions? Absolutely! I am awakened. And I am anticipating sharing this created gratitude with my Facebook Group, The Daily Creative Practice. I think it might be fun to create gratitude up through Thanksgiving! What do you think?

THE GRATITUDE STAR!

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me. What are you grateful for today? What do you think about creating gratitude through movement? Give Karen Drucker a listen! 

ABOUT THIS IMAGE: Ta Dah! This is part of many images made for my "Cosmos of Hallelujah." Here, I have surrendered to the energy in the middle of my body, that today I have named the "gratitude star." On one side is my Mother Snake, the primal creator and on the other side is my feline companion. Often I draw the sun and moon to bring in the sense of timelessness and eternity. (Hallelujah Truth)

YOU ARE INVITED TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE: Join the Daily Creative Practice November 7 to Thanksgiving

EXPRESSING GRATITUDE, THANKSGIVING 2016. I'm curious. How might gratitude impact your Daily Creative Practice? What if from now until Thanksgiving, each day, you make a creative act via the premise of gratitude. What would that creative act look like?  (Art "Wonder" by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Hallelujah for CREATIVITY! Hallelujah for practicing that CREATIVITY each day. Hallelujah for communities in which we support each others CREATIVE ACTS!

I'm so thankful for social media, for this blog, "Coffee with Hallelujah" in which I share more in-depth ideas with you and for my Facebook group, "The Daily Creative Practice," in which I post my drawings and photos regularly in community with other creatives. Because of these online forums, I have expanded who I am and how I interact with people practicing their creativity.

What does this word evoke in you?

In 2014, expressing gratitude around the time of Thanksgiving became more formalized in my FB group, "The Daily Creative Practice." Members moved the idea forward of sharing what this gratitude might look like. So, I decided this year to establish GRATITUDE as an event, complete with invitations and a schedule. Here it is:

/ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/

NOVEMBER 7^th to NOVEMBER 24^th

GRATITUDE is a noun meaning gratefulness, thankfulness, indebtedness, appreciation, etc…

Join me in the Daily Creative Practice of expressing the essence of “gratitude” from Monday, November 7^th to Thanksgiving. In this season giving thanks, let’s flex our creative muscles and discover what emerges from us “solo” and as a “group body.”

You are invited to participate in this daily CREATIVE GRATITUDE PRACTICE in any way that your body, heart, mind, and spirit desires to express thankfulness:

Do you have your own photo or that of someone else? Share.

Do you want to draw/paint new images or offer us ones you generated in the past? Yes to either or both!

Do you generate fabric art? Show us.

Are you writing poetry or have poems you treasure from someone else? Please post.

Are you dancing, singing, telling a story, or playing an instrument? Video yourself.

As an educator, what are you thinking? Explain and post.

A chef? We need to see your creations and recipes.

Any mode of expressing gratitude is welcome.

Please post your gratitude offerings in the FB Group, The Daily Creative Practice, and not on this event page. That ensures the greatest number of views in our community.

Stay tuned for the Winter Solstice Creativity Challenge, Wednesday, December 21 to Sunday, 31^st.

 –Ruth Schowalter, creator and administrator of The Daily Creative Practice

 

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! Soul Blog with me here or join me on the Daily Creative Practice on Facebook. I want to know what you are grateful for and how gratitude might inform your daily creative practice.