DANCE CHURCH: ANOTHER IMPROVISATIONAL ACT OF THE SPIRIT

DANCE CHURCH: MOVING WITH WANDJINA. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for DANCE CHURCH! In my small community of Decatur, Georgia, DANCE CHURCH takes place on the second Sunday of every month. Local citizens gather together, bringing music, objects for an temporary altar, and the SPIRIT to MOVE!

Since I have dedicated myself to MOVEMENT for 2013, I journeyed out to DANCE CHURCH on this second Sunday in January and was enlivened!

PILGRIMAGE: WADING INTO THE WAITING

WADING INTO THE WAITING. (Art by Hallelujah Truth)

Greetings SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIMS! The JOURNEY, at times, appears to have stopped! This "stop-ness" is an illusion. Instead, our lives are in constant flux. This image represents my "Wading into the Waiting." 


"Wading into Waiting" was drawn in July 2009 as part of my daily practice of drawing but was not completed until yesterday morning. I discovered it among a group of incomplete images, and it spoke to me! Yes! I have been continuously "wading" into MY LIFE! On the back of this image, the words I had written in 2009 are the following:

SUNBIRD

FINDING
DISCOVERING
PILGRIMAGE
NATURE ONE
WAVE BIRD
SUN BIRD
HEAL BIRD
JOURNEY...
WADING INTO THE WAITING...

WAVEBIRD

CREATIVE SOULS!!! FLAME YOUR CREATIVE SPARK AND REVITALIZE YOUR COMMUNITIES

MYRTLE THE TURTLE AT SAN SALVADOR, BAHAMAS. This image of Myrtle the sea turtle, was one of the first images I drew during my 15 minutes of creativity every day. The process of discovering how to illustrate Ron Shaklee's children story, "The Misadventures of Maria the Hutia," was an adventure into myself. I learned to listen to myself each morning and experimented with ideas that I wanted to see manifested. As it turned out, this image is not a part of the completed book. Myrtle and the rest of the characters in "The Misadventures of Maria the Hutia" do not go to San Salvador. (Art by Hallelujah Truth, aka Ruth Schowalter)

Hallelujah for CREATIVE SOULS seeking the realm of their individual creativity! PILGRIMS--everyone of one of us is CREATIVE. We have powerful IMAGINATION that celebrates and rewards us and our entire community when we ACTUALIZE it! Hallelujah!

If you haven’t read The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer by Sergio Bambaren, you might take a look at how Daniel the dolphin’s love of surfing and pursuit to find the “perfect” wave revitalizes his pod of dolphins. Their routine and fear of leaving their cove, restricts every dolphin, including Daniel, until he embraces and honors his need to JOURNEY away from his pod and cove. After a turbulent and exciting ADVENTURE and discovery of the “perfect” wave, he returns home and impacts his fellow dolphins positively. If Daniel has left the physical and cultural boundaries of their pod, and in doing so become more alive, so can they! PILGRIMS, our communities grow stale if individuals do not SEEK the fulfillment of their dreams and EXPRESS what is UNIQUELY theirs!

I implore all of us to PRACTICE CREATIVITY every day! I am passionate about my CREATIVITY and the potentiality of others’! I believe that when we are all accessing the MAGIC within ourselves, that our neighborhoods, schools, and political arenas are awakened and electrified (Thank you Daniel Dolphin)!

This past week, I was talking with a CREATIVE SOUL who reminded me of an unplanted seed ready to be sowed, a Daniel dolphin waiting to go in search of the “perfect” wave. I have talked with her in the past, here and there in our walking community of Decatur, Georgia. My Chiboogamoo and I run into her and her Chiboogamoo at the Gazebo next to the Decatur courthouse, at the little French restaurant, and near the Brick Store Pub, etc…. This time it was at a celebration of Decatur authors, a pre-event to the Decatur Book Festival. Like a moth, I am always drawn to her CREATIVE FLAME.

Yet, this CREATIVE FLAME seems to be the pilot light and not the ignited flame or the seed and not the plant, the dolphin waiting to go in search of her dream! PILGRIMS, I become evangelical at this point and repeat one of Goethe’s couplets:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

THE BLACK MADONNA OF HALLELUJAH TRUTH. This image of the Black Madonna was painted in my old style,  pre-drawing every day. Instead, I held an image in my heart and mind's eye and began painting it by standing in front of the "canvas"--in this case, a piece of plywood, and using my fingers to outline the image and establish the base of the composition. Once that was done, I completed the image with a paintbrush. This image of Black Madonna brings together several themes for me: 1) Medusa (symbol of fertile transformation. 2) Black Madonna (symbol of the Great Mother. 3) Bird tracks (introduction of Chiboogamoo in my life and his ichnological interests. 4) Sun and Moon (symbol of balance between all things). Although I was in touch with my creativity in 2001, I lacked consistency of production and clarity of intent and execution. (Art by Hallelujah Truth 2001)

So dear friend (you know who you are), I encourage you to listen to your HEART and to respond to its needs. What action do you need to take today to move closer to your SOUL’s DREAMS? Here is a quotation from W.H. Murray (from The Scottish Himalayan Expedition) that we read to one another at every Artist Conference Network meeting:

Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man [woman] could have dreamt would have come his [her] way.

My blog, Coffee with Hallelujah, is about this commitment to my CREATIVITY. I know that if I ask myself to CREATE 15 minutes a day, that I engage the assistance of  “Providence.” Daniel dolphin also was assisted by the Greater Power in his sea adventure to find the perfect. You will discover this MAGIC too dear fellow SOJOURNERS!

SOUL BLOG with me at Coffee with Hallelujah and tell me your dreams. What is the “perfect” wave you are seeking? Join me in my CREATIVE PASSION and enrich those around you. We all need you to be YOU!

DEDICATION: This blog entry is dedicated to the unlit SOULS waiting to BURST into passionate FLAME! 


REVISITING the beginning! Here is a link to my very first blog and the reason why I started my daily Coffee with Hallelujah!


At the Center of the Star

ENLARGING ONE'S BEING THROUGH THE ACT OF CREATING: THE MAP OF MARIA THE HUTIA'S MISADVENTURE

Hallelujah for the CREATIVE PROCESS and the empowerment that accompanies the JOURNEY we call LIFE. Whenever we are authentically engaged in expressing the TRUTH within ourselves, we are enlarged. And our LARGESSE impacts others positively! Today, I am celebrating my own ENLARGEMENT resulting from my 15 minutes of creativity every day! 

ENLARGEMENT. EMPOWERMENT. A MAGNIFICENT WAY OF BEING. In this photo, I am holding an enlargement of my map of Maria's journey that I created for the children's book, "The Misadventures of Maria the Hutia," by Ron Shaklee.  The original map is 14" x 15" and this blueprint enlargement is 36" x 40".  This enlargement expresses my elation at completing the illustrations for this project with Ron and excitement at seeing the book go to press!

As the book, "The Misadventures of Maria the Hutia," goes to press, I have succeeded in completing a four year project! Ron Shaklee, Maria's author, musician, professor, geographer, has worked long hours getting the manuscript-- with 30 plus illustrations of mine--ready to be published. We are ready to give birth! And yours truly, Hallelujah Truth, is manifesting 4 years of plunging into morning creativity!

Thanks to a fellow ACNer, Elise Helfer, I learned about Kinko's blueprint enlarger! I am happily blown away by the way my black-and-white pen and ink image looks on this large scale. Last night, I brought this ENLARGEMENT to the quarter completion meeting of the Artist Conference Network. I answered a series of questions about my work, investigating my own authority on the matter. This is what I proclaimed:

The Maria the Hutia project helped me break down barriers between my everyday life of being an ESL teacher at Georgia Tech and the world of imagination. These two realms are not separate for me any more. The duration of this project and the creative practice I ensued succeeded in establishing a magnificent continuous flow of being. My life is not divided now. I am what I am--A SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIM in all aspects of my life. I seek TRUTH and AUTHENTICITY.

Celebrate with me today my fellow SOJOURNERS! Howl your TRUTH, and please have some of my AUTHENTICITY! Life is a PARTY with many tasty morsels and large decorated cakes! Clowns and giraffes too, as well as conga dancing and tango! HURRAY for LIFE'S CELEBRATIONS!

That's a party for Coffee with Hallelujah! Soul Blog with me and share your celebrations!

IN MEMORY OF BEVERLY CASSELL

At the Artist Conference Network (ACN) completion meeting last night, we remembered Beverly Cassell, founder of ACN, who died on June 10, 2012. It was the first completion meeting of ours since she died, and we grieve for the loss of such a great generous spirit who has impacted so many creative lives. Her work will continue to generate imagination and joy. Thank you Beverly. Rest in Peace.

GETTING ROOTED IN THE BEING YOU WANT TO BE: A JOURNEY THAT TAKES A LIFE TIME

MY SPIRITUAL ART JOURNEY STARTED IN 2009.  Introducing Pilgrim Hallelujah Truth with the emergence of her new baby self which later transformed into images of Wandjina. Also present is my dear feline companion Misha, who always reminded me to create joyfully and with ease like a cat napping. (All art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for TIME, SELF-KNOWLEDGE, and EXPANSION of the SOUL! Since I started this blog, Coffee with Hallelujah, to focus on 15 minutes of creativity every day (no matter what), I have become quite familiar with the ROOTS of my BEING. The process over time has become my JOURNEY as a SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIM. Today, I want to reflect on one aspect of this pilgrimage--the ROOTS of BEING, all the mesh of me and the environment I used to inhabit.


Back in the summer of 2009, just around this time, I surrendered to my fear, the fear that held me back and kept me stuck in the elemental ooze of doubt and worry. I recognized who I was--a burned-out workaholic English as a Second Language teacher dreaming of being an artist. I acknowledged that because I had created this way of being, I could also go to the roots, the source, and make a new way of being--based on NOTHING.


The word NOTHING has power and magic in it! From ZERO, or even the absence of ZERO, anything and EVERYTHING is possible. Using my active imagination with the assistance of my creativity coach, Lesly Fredman, I imagined the following scenario:


I see my gigantic self ROOTED in the muck of my existence--over worked, stressed out, unhappy, and fearful of striving for fulfillment as an artist. My tree-root legs are submerged in a primordial ooze, and I am surrounded by dark waters of a deep ancient lake. Lesly, a miniscule figure, appears on the lake in a tiny row boat and her human voice from far below me asks, "Do you want FREEDOM?" (pause to reflect)

HOW MUCH DOES FREEDOM COST? I was very concerned with how much it would cost to free me from my rootedness in the primordial muck of my dissatisfaction. When Lesly told me it would cost a priceless amount, I didn't want to do it. However, she emphasized that the 3 trillion dollars could be paid "whenever." Whenever? When is that! Ha ha, ho ho, the mystery of the unknown and the magic of all things alchemical!

REFLECTION on the question, "Do you want FREEDOM?"
It is of my opinion and experience that change, even change for the good, is often difficult to enact. We all want FREEDOM from pain, FREEDOM to grow, and FREEDOM to BE what we want. Yet, in some way, we are attached to the familiarity of pain and agony. We know how to function or dis-function in that mucky, icky existence. Besides, we ask, "What changes do I make? And what if the changes are worse than the current situation?" (continue to active imagination scenario)


Do I want FREEDOM? I hesitated. I knew I wanted something else but what and how? Yes, I wanted FREEDOM. Yes, I desired a new way of BEING based on nothing, but I had to deal with the ROOTS of pain and agony anchoring me in the familiar ooze! What could the remedy be?


Using active imagination along with me, Lesly calls in the MUD ROBOTS. They materialize from the river banks like huge TRANSFORMERS and dive down to cut me FREE from the old way of BEING. Surprise! The process of severing the roots tickles! Then I begin floating! Buoyant that I am no longer a giantess but am Lesly's size, I climb into her rescue boat tired but joyous! Cold and shivering, I swaddle myself in a blanket like a newborn baby. The boat moves effortlessly through the waters. (end of active imagination)

WHENEVER!

CONCLUSIONS ON THE ROOTS OF BEING


To BE and BECOME the SOUL you want to BE, you need to fully experience WHO you ARE now. Go to the ROOTS of your BEING. Who are you? What is preventing you from harvesting the ripe apples from your tree of life? 


In order for me to make significant life changes, I had to fully accept my long-lived stuckness. I relaxed into being "stuck amuck," by visualizing myself as a giantess deeply rooted and immovable. 


Once you know and accept who you ARE, revel in it because you are bidding that old self good-bye.  After farewells to the old way of being, begin the alchemical process of transformation! Use your active imagination to create scenarios that will LIBERATE you and prepare you for the SOUL WORK you want to do. 


The JOURNEY of a SPIRITUAL ART PILGRIM takes time--a LIFE TIME. I encourage and support your JOURNEY dear fellow SOJOURNER. Share your ROOTS of BEING with me by SOUL BLOGGING at Coffee with Hallelujah!


I am
FREE
FLOATING
UPROOTED and
ROOTING for HALLELUJAH TRUTH!

THE GINKGO DREAM NECKLACE: AN ORNAMENT OF INNER SELF

GINKGO DREAM NECKLACE (Art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for dream memory and the vivid images produced while sleeping. (If you are not having memorable dreams, try drinking ginkgo tea! It's really a steam engine for fueling dreams!) I believe in drawing every day no matter what. Judgement is suspended.  "Not good, not bad, just is," I repeat to myself.


I begin my image making with coffee while my mind is still close to the magic of the subconscious.


Two nights ago, I had my ginkgo necklace dream. In this dream, I was wearing a large ornamental necklace. Although I can't remember the details of the pendants on the necklace, its symbols resonated with my sense of self and felt more like an outer permanent physical fringe of my inner being. It was as if I were a frilled lizard or triceratops and my inner workings, my heart's blood would pour out into my necklace!


However, it was disturbing that in my dream world, when I entered the "big house," I was required to remove my ginkgo dream necklace. I felt naked and barren, immediately experiencing a loss of energy. What had happened to the feel of permanence?

BARREN WITHOUT MY DREAM NECKLACE

The dream continues and certainly has meaning to me, but might bore you dear Pilgrims! Yet I feel summoned to embrace and celebrate my gingko dream necklace, which was the focus of my drawing for two consecutive mornings. The necklace contains an important message for me!


Coffee with Hallelujah admonishes:  Honor your dream images in any way that you can.  When your SOUL continues speaking to you in a sustainable image after waking, LOOK and LISTEN. By merging our conscious and subconscious selves, we become healthier human BEINGS!


May all of you have a good deep sleep with meaningful dreams and a fine awakening. Try drinking your own cup of gingko tea! Hallelujah!

This is what one of my heroines, Natalie Goldberg, says: 
“We are important and our lives are important, magnificent really, and their details are worthy to be recorded. This is how writers must think, this is how we must sit down with pen in hand. We were here; we are human beings; this is how we lived. Let it be known, the earth passed before us..."

WORTHY TO BE RECORDED

15 MINUTES OF CREATIVITY AT A MINIMUM BUT ALWAYS MORE...ALWAYS MORE AND MORE!

ESSENCE OF WATER. (art by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for 15 minutes of CREATIVITY every day...at a minimum! Dear Fellow Pilgrims, there is always more CREATIVITY flowing from that 15 minutes. Once one begins the JOURNEY of AUTHENTICITY, it becomes an abundantly flowing river.


Hold your CREATIVITY dearly, close to your HEART and allow it to flow out into the world and into other PILGRIM'S HEARTS! Today, I give you my morning drawing, my 15 minute PLUS of CREATIVE work made today. I am not finished but I proclaim, "not good, not bad, just is"!


BLESSINGS to you my Fellow Sojourners! May your unique self flow into the world and enliven us all! That's Coffee with Hallelujah!

FIFTEEN MINUTES OF CREATIVITY EVERY DAY: BEING PRESENT TO WHO WE ARE BRINGS MYSTERIOUS AND SURPRISING RESPONSES

MORE FLOWER POWER MOUTHS. Speaking from the mind, heart, and soul! Art by Hallelujah Truth

Hallelujah Pilgrims! Interesting things happen when we are open to our CREATIVITY each and every day! Our brain, heart, soul (whatever you call it)  has a way of communicating with us when we open up a consistent WELCOMING SPACE in our lives. Making the WELCOMING SPACE is what this blog, Coffee with Hallelujah, is all about! If you have time to sit down with a morning drink whether it be coffee, tea, or orange juice, you have time to BE with yourself and to CREATE! Get your pencils, pens, or paints! BEGIN something NOW!

FROM MY HEART. Being present to what is within often brings surprises to me in the way an image is composed. What new element enters or what symbol re-emerges is also exciting! Here in this drawing, OWL returned! I love the way OWL arises out of me, Hallelujah Truth! My constant companion Wandjina is there at my heart center!

WELCOME OWL! (Blue Fire's owls will always speak to me!)

Each of us is UNIQUE and the expression of that UNIQUENESS is often startling and surprising. We have all heard these following phrases: Nothing we do is new. Anything we might create has been done before. We can only regurgitate what has come before! Ba-hum-bug, I declare! LIFE is a JOURNEY! We are PILGRIMS, and it is up to us to TRAVEL. In order to CREATE and summon what is YOURS UNIQUELY, you must depart from the KNOWN and go into the UNKNOWN. PERIOD. 

SNAKE, AN OLD FAMILIAR.  When I first started making art, I began with snakes that were occurring in my dreams. Snakes are wonderful symbols of renewal as they are constantly shedding their skin to make way for new growth. I also love the way snakes can be made into spirals, symbolizing for me an unfurling and unfolding infinity. We all can keep going deeper in our journeys of life!

KNOW THYSELF. Then get to KNOW THYSELF EVEN MORE! Go deeper and wider and farther! See what you can discover. This LIFE is YOURS! Claim it, own it, explore it, hold it, express it...and BE IT!


That's coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me about your JOURNEY and your 15 minutes of creativity every day!

WANDJINA SPEAKS TO ME. This aboriginal creation God speaks to me as I have embraced him to represent the masculine aspect of my psyche that Jung called the ANIMUS. Hallelujah for developing multi-perspectives of ourselves! Each of us is UNIQUE and can gather the known and unknown in the expression of our art!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:  Hallelujah Truth wishes to express sincere gratitude to her dear friend Edna Lorri Shipp, who took to heart our many discussions about daily creativity and began practicing it. Her clarity around this matter was expressed on Facebook, which then resulted in creating a Facebook group of 15 minutes of creativity every day! The number of participants who enrolled in it was and is inspiring! Clearly there is a need to express ourselves and to share in that process with others! Hallelujah! Thanks Edna Lorri Shipp!

SPENCER MOON'S LIFE TOLD IN REFLECTION OF FILM--REEL TALK: A CINEMOIR

MANDALA AND FILM SPOOL. How fitting for the cover of Spencer Moon's  autobiography to brandish both a mandala, a symbol of the self and universal truths, and a wheel of film! By integrating these two images, he has created a new symbol, one that magnificently expresses his life and the content of his newest book. 

Hallelujah for the CREATIVE LIFE and the way the CREATIVE SPARK manifests in an individual's life! At this moment, I am celebrating Spencer Moon, a man I met and worked with in my Artist Conference Network (ACN)group here in Atlanta in 2009. He joined our coaching community for the arts to support the writing of his autobiography, "Reel Talk: A Cinemoir,"  published in 2011. How marvelous is the term "cinemoir"! It succeeds in reflecting Spencer's  40 years  of working in the media (cine) and his individual perceptions and experience with that media (moir). 


Spencer is not new to the writing of books. In 1997, he published "Reel Black Talk: A Sourcebook of 50 American Filmmakers (which can be purchased here). 

REEL BLACK TALK. In this book Spencer documents the historic contributions of African American directors and producers to cinema. 

And before "Reel Black Talk," he co-authored with George Hill, "Blacks in Hollywood: Five Favorable Years 1987-1991."

SADLY OUT OF PRINT...

For me, Hallelujah Truth, as I celebrate Spencer's CREATIVITY and the completion of his autobiography, "Reel Talk," I would like to briefly reflect about what I have appreciated and learned from him as a FELLOW SOUL PILGRIM. First of all, it was such a joy to meet Spencer in the spring of 2009 and share in the creative coaching community with him. He embraced the ACN process with such devotion and commitment, it was inspirational to us all. I believe he had perfect attendance to all the meetings (He will be able to tell me if I am correct about this or not.)!

This past Sunday, March 4, 2012, when I went to the Pine Lake Art Salon to hear Spencer read from his newly published "Reel Talk: A Cinemoir," I was both surprised and pleased that he opened with the "vision" he developed working in ACN:

"I am a fountain of understanding with empathy for discovery who values the diversity of life." 

Our ACN visions--like Spencer's here--are mysterious, and I don't expect you dear pilgrim to fully grasp how we ACNer's use them in propelling us forward in our creative endeavors.  But I know how meaningful and wildly invigorating these words were for Spencer when he gave birth to them in our presence. It means so much to me that this vision is what opens up Spencer's autobiography.

ESTABLISHING BACKGROUND FOR "REEL TALK": At the Pine Lake Art Salon, before Spencer Moon introduced his recently published autobiography, "Reel Talk," he explained his 40 years of producing, interviewing, teaching and writing about the media. In this picture, he is holding the book, "Blacks in Hollywood: Five Favorable Years. 1987-1991."  It is his first book, that he co-authored with George Hill, PhD, in 1992. He and George co-wrote freelance articles together first.

 As a fellow ACNer, one of the things I greatly cherished about Spencer were his poetic "love notes," that he wrote me at the completion of showing work at our meetings. His words of acknowledgments displayed his keen listening abilities, gentle and inquisitive observations about my visual work, and a love of language. Each one seemed like an extended haiku!

If you want to learn more about Spencer, go to his short biography on his website or "like" his book, "Reel Talk--A Cinemoir," on Facebook. 

That's Coffee with Hallelujah dear FELLOW SOUL BLOGGER. Soul blog with me and tell me about what you are doing today to keep your spark of creativity burning.

"REEL TALK" READING AND BOOK SIGNING. On Sunday, March 4, 2012, Spencer Moon read at the Pine Lake Art Salon, in Pine Lake, Georgia. Here, I happily hold my own signed copy of "Reel Talk". Spencer, in his quiet but firm way, has told me he would really appreciate my writing him once I have finished reading "Reel Talk" and telling him honestly what I think. He is being true to his vision. He really listens with understanding and empathy and truly appreciates the diversity of life! Hallelujah!

POMEGRANATE SEEDS, GESTATION, CREATIVITY DURING PERIODS OF DARKNESS

GESTATING. While waiting for what is next, I draw. Working full-time at the Georgia Tech Language Institute diminishes my drawing time. Patiently, I meditate each morning...making the marks I can in the moments allowed me before I leave to teach my international students--many of them inspiration for the drawings I make in the morning. (Art by Hallelujah Truth)

Recently, I have started a new habit! As I sit down to draw, I put in a CD of Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Numerous times, have I listened to "The Creative Fire: Myths and Stories about the Cycles of Creativity." One the central myths she talks about is Persephone's journey to the underworld and her becoming the bride of Hades while her mother Demeter suffers above. Dr. Estes explanation of this myth is rich and merits repeated listenings. I would like to blog more about my understanding of this myth in the future when I return from my visit to the underworld. 


That's Coffee with Hallelujah! Soul Blog with me! Tell me of your creativity journeys. What do you know of the underworld? Of Clarissa Pinkola Estes?

#REVERB11: ORDINARY SPARKLING MOMENTS--HOW EXTRAORDINARY!

#REVERB11 (December 18) PROMPT: ORDINARY SPARKLING MOMENTS. Reflect on the ordinary moments that bring you joy. What moments would you like to relish in the coming year?

SOLITUDE IN THE WEE HOURS OF MORNING. Creeping out of bed to grind French roasted coffee beans, the release of their fragrance as boiling water seeps through the filter, lighting first a candle then nag champa or patchouli incense and having the soft candlight and fragrance create a haven around me as I draw from my subconscious seeing what surprise occurs before me on my paper, waiting for Chiboogamoo’s waking footsteps as he joins me. Repeat each day.

ACTIVITY ON TWO WHEELS. Mounting my bike, slipping my foot into the first pedal strap and feeling the force of my bike heave forward as I venture into the ride like an exuberant child. In and around my neighborhood, along the Silver Comet Trail or Mount Arabia bike trail, and the Georgia coast at Jekyll Island. Chiboogamoo is at my side!

BICYCLING WITH MY BABY! Jekyll Island, Georgia, November 2011

NEO-ICHNOLOGY. Observing animal behavior in soft earth surfaces and imagining what occurred without my presence. Feeling hardwired to interpret these animal tracks in my courtyard, along the route of my neighborhood jaunts, at Lullwater park on Emory’s campus or Sweetwater Creek, or the Georgia coast. Feeling a part of NATURE whilst in the company of my Chiboogamoo.

CREATIVITY OF OTHERS. Witnessing students and peers become exuberant as they experience a “burst” of discovery through creative acts of movement, laughter, writing, and visual art making. Being expanded by the power of EVERYONE’S imagination!

SO MANY ORDINARY SPARKLING MOMENTS:

Communicating successfully

Giving and receiving compliments

Walking, stretching—being in my body

Breathing deeply

Sipping good wine in the presence of good friends

Understanding something for the first time

Listening in a transformative way

Checking out movies and audio books from the local library

Meeting others for “coffee”

Suspending judgment

Being in awe of the GREAT MYSTERY

SOLITUDE IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING.  I draw every day. My preference is to begin a new drawing every morning. To start a new drawing often means leaving unfinished ones behind--like this image from more than a year ago in September 2010.  I allow myself to continue a painting to completion if that is what my heart is telling me. However, I also believe I will revisit images as the desire arises. During #REVERB11, I am experimenting with unfinished images and photoshop. How exquisitely fun! 

For 2012, I want to observe and collect “ordinary sparkling moments” in a more conscious and thankful way!

DEDICATION. This blog entry celebrates my 7^th Anniversary of being married to my loving companion Chiboogamoo, best husband ever! We met 10 years ago via Match.com and I will be forever grateful that technology brought me this charming, fun, and intelligent friend and lover! He makes every ordinary moment—yes—extraordinary! Thank you honey!

CHIBOOGAMOO AND HALLELUJAH TRUTH 2011.  Happy 7th Anniversary! This photograph was taken at the Douglas County art exhibit, where we both showed one of our respective artworks.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH CAN BE SUCH AN ORDINARY SPARKLING MOMENT! I encourage you to speak your own TRUTH now and in the coming days! You will experience unspeakable joy!

REVERB11: THE SOUL FOOD OF A CREATIVITY EVANGELICAL—GOING DEEPER AND WIDER AND SHARING THE PROCESS

THE UNIVERSE AM I. Soul Food is BEING here with YOU. (Art by Hallelujah Truth)

REVERB#11 PROMPT(December 10): SOUL FOOD. How do you nourish your soul? What activities are essential nutrients for your soul’s well-being? (Carolyn Rubenstein’s blog, A Beautiful Ripple Effect)

It is early morning--6:00 am on Saturday, December 10--and I am feasting on my SOUL FOOD. Surrounded by my watercolor paints and paper, micron-pens, a light wave of patchouli incense flows over me, as Donovan croons his sutras on the Bose. The red Christmas lights warm this cold winter morning as Donovan repeats the words NIRVANA, NIRVANA, NIRVANA. He sings, “with no obstacles and no fear liberates herself from illusion, now to realize perfect NIRVANA.  This is a typical “awakening” for me at the table of my SOUL FOOD. I am comforted by the fact that Chiboogamoo is up in bed drinking his Gingko tea and reading the latest New Yorker.

At the table of my SOUL FOOD, I am fed by the GREAT MYSTERY! I invite the UNKNOWN to visit me through my creativity. Recently, I began developing a mission statement for this SOUL BLOG of mine. In my JOURNEY, I look for ways to “clarify” my intentions around my creativity. Why do I have a presence in the blogging community? What is the purpose of Coffee With Hallelujah?  This is what I have come up with so far:

My mission is to be a joyful pilgrim in awe of the great spirit as I go deeper and wider in my journey. I connect and share with souls across generations who seek well-being and wisdom through playful artistic and scientific expression.

COSMOS EYES. I am fed by CREATIVITY. I believe we SEE the TRUTH through our understanding of the COSMOS.  ART EQUALS SOUL. (Art by Hallelujah Truth)

Like any food, SOUL FOOD can be shared. Sharing ways to go deeper into one’s own creativity FEEDS me (I have been called a creativity evangelical)! As soon as I had cultivated this mission statement for my creativity blog, I brought the same activity to my creative writing class at the Georgia Tech Language Institute. What a glorious way to enact my mission statement of “sharing with souls across generations”! How thrilling it was to see my students write on the top of a blank sheet of paper: WHAT IS MY TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE? (activity adapted from Steve Pavlina). I felt their energy consolidate. They hunkered down and became committed to penning their visions of self. Here are two results from this class activity:


A Venezuelan student, Vanessa, on her blog, Embracing My Inner Jackson Pollock, developed this mission statement:

No space is left unpainted in the unstoppable and dramatic representation of the subconscious. An 18-year-old naturally seeking the creation of a complete atmosphere through strong and rapid brush movements with no frame limiting the canvas of life. Innovation, depth, passion…Experiencing chaos within order.

Another student from Saudi Arabia, Fahad, wrote on his blog, Hope in the Dark Desert: I am the hope in the dark desert. I never give up. I always believe in God. I always believe in myself. I always know I WILL DO IT, but I just don’t know when. His mission statement:

I am here to expose myself. I am here to learn. I am here to think. I am here to thank. I am here to make mistakes. I am here to learn from my mistakes.

Universe Am I. (Art by Hallelujah Truth)

Shine ye spinning orbs of light

Shine ye crystal starts so bright

All ye harmonized by love

Set in motion, moved by love

Homo sapien am I no more

Beyond Beyond I soar the universe am I

From Donovan Sutras, Universe Am I

That's Coffee with Hallelujah!  I will continue to share my SOUL FOOD with you and I ask that you share your SOUL FOOD with me. Let's feast together at the table of LIFE! 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Thank you Gwen Bell for the 3-month course, Align Your Website, and for being true to yourself and calling. I am so glad to have met you online last year during #REVERB10. Great appreciation to Donovan for his beautiful album, Donovan Sutras, which I have been in love with since the late 1990’s when I discovered it. Your lyrical voice and words have melted into my life. Creativity Writing Students thank you for your willingness to explore the mystery of yourselves and to "try on" something new. As always, thanks Chiboogamoo!

SOUL FOOD. Coffee with Hallelujah (photo by Chiboogamoo)