Spirit Birds

I'm hearing the words 'Great Spirit' a lot these days as I randomly choose words from my books to collage into my Lefty paintings. I'm also very conscious of not littering the blogosphere with junk; mindless drivel, pap, chatter. Pared down simplicity rules my words and my art these days. I constantly question whether I'm just talking for the sake of talking or if I actually have something to say. Perhaps a bit of both right now ;)

So, I turn back to Return of the Bird Tribes (today's book) to see what else Ken Carey, the author has to say about "Great Spirit" and randomly choose this:

Even in the worst of tempests and storms -- storms that have crashed armadas, sunk galleons and seen angry warriors perish beneath their fury -- ever the birds have floated undisturbed, above the wreckage, above the turbulence, above the waves, gentle, serene.

That describes to a T how I feel when I sit down to paint my Leftys.  Especially in today's crazy world we need that feeling of gentle serenity. I do hope these Lefty paintings inspire that in you too. Blessed Be.

About the Creative Soul Guides ~ Art to Awaken Your Creative Soul

Creative Soul Guides help us enter into other realms; realms where inspiration, quirkiness, love, and being different are okay.

Kathy Crabbe painted the Creative Soul Guides with her non-dominant left hand. This awakened Kathy’s intuition and she started giving Creative Soul Readings using a deck of 88 cards.

NEW! Soul Essence Portraits ~ feed your sacred soul.

 “Juicy Alive! Your Creative Soul Guides make me feel like I’m not alone. They restore something in me…make me feel sane again.” ~ Tangerine Bolen, Revolution Truth Founder

http://CreativeSoulGuides.com

SharedBliss: Artist & Soul Reader Kathy Crabbe of LuLu Design

This blog article was originally written by Christine C. Reed for her blog BlissChick on May 13, 2009.

In the midst of someone's dying, it can be difficult to see anything but your own sadness over losing them. Your own grief that they will be gone -- or at least their gross self will be gone. Their subtle self is never gone.

A few years ago, though, I did not know that. Even after being given the gift of a near death experience, I still doubted, and I got to the point of utter denial. I got to that very soul deadening place of over-intellectualizing everything, and in thinking I was so smart, I was living pretty dumb. Then two big deaths came and cracked open my hardened heart. Thank God!

At the time, it felt like the crack might just do me in, but of course, it is that cracking open that allows the light to enter, allows the real life to begin.

With my newly opened heart, I decided to stop listening so much to my closed mind, and I headed, for the first time in my life, to a place near hear called Lily Dale to meet with a medium.

What?! My smarty brain self was saying. What the hell are you doing? Are you becoming some sort of freaking freak?

I told my brain, via my heart, that I would rather be a freaking freak with people who remain open to all possibility than to be closed off and cynical with the people who think they are so smart.

And that was that. I still fight that urge, sometimes, to question, to scoff, but mostly, deaths that felt so awful ended a part of me that needed to die.

People like Kathy Crabbe are here to help us with our hearts.

An artist and soul reader, Kathy Crabbe shows you where the cracks are and helps us to let the light in.

You can find her art here and you can even get a virtual reading through here.

Cards that Kathy designed and uses in her readings.

Describe the PrimaryBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimaryBliss?

Currently, my primary bliss is working as a soul reader, psychic-medium, and spiritual healer in a one-on-one relationship with clientswho are seeking transformation and inner knowing so that they can live the life of their dreams.

Previously, I had been a full time artist, but when I started getting closer to age forty I started yearning for an even deeper connection with my clients. I wanted to communicate with them, not just on a visual level, but through words as well.

What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

I made the choice to spend the majority of my time exploring soul, spirit, and the divine in ways that enabled me to express my own innate gifts and strengths. Instead of working with my weaknesses and trying to improve upon them, I decided to focus instead on my strengths. (The StrengthsFinder test that I learned about in my coaching sessions with Jenn Lee of Artizen Coaching helped me identify my strengths.)

I don’t feel as though sacrifice is a word that applies to my life. I prefer to work with the word ‘choice.’ I have chosen a life that allows me plenty of free time, solitude, peace, and quiet so that I can progress in a way that benefits my work and my clients.

How does your PrimaryBliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

My belief is that one should “walk their talk” so my hope is that by living my own life in a positive, caring, and soul centered way, it will inspire others to do the same for themselves.

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

Dancing, music, walking, swimming, being in nature, meditation, reading, laughing with friends, painting, sketching in nature, traveling with my husband, and playing with my dog.

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

I work on soul readings 5 days a week. In preparation for a reading,  I work to center myself in the present through 15 minutes of yoga, followed by playing my Native American flute, meditation, and prayer. I end my readings with prayers and healing blessings. I also get out in nature and walk my dog every day, which to me is a spiritual practice!

What music is your bliss?

I really enjoy Celtic music and electronic trance/dance music.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

My favorite author is Margaret Atwood, for her brilliance and biting humor, plus she connects me with my Canadian roots, as does the poetry of Al Purdy, another blunt, humorous and brilliant thinker, who also happens to write poetry about beer.

I love reading the Seth books in bits and pieces along with the astrological and channeled books of Barbara Hand Clow.

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimaryBliss?

Sometimes patience is all that’s required. It takes time to really understand what’s important. I never did find the perfect guide or mentor; I learned in bits and pieces from everyone and everything, taking and leaving what worked and what didn’t work – it’s all a patchwork quilt, every life is unique, so don’t expect any one person to have all the answers – that’s advice that pertains to me, but again, it may not pertain to you!

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

“When in doubt, twirl.” (Ted Shawn, Choreographer)

I think that may be one of my favorite quotes to show up in one of these interviews. I thought, yep, that would totally work -- just twirl.

I also love that Kathy points out something that is so obvious but that I think we forget in this perfectionist, Puritan-leaning culture: to do what comes naturally, to work with your strengths, rather than focusing on your weaknesses and trying, trying, trying to "improve" them.

Who said it was supposed to be that hard!?

We are sent here with natural gifts, and those gifts will lead us to our Great Work if we allow them to.

What would happen to your life if you simply focused on your strengths day to day, hour to hour?

A Healing Message Soul Reading

This is an actual real life example of one of my Healing Message Soul Readings. My wish is that it will help others understand my style of reading and perhaps, through osmosis even absorb some of the healing information within. What is A Healing Message Soul Reading?

This reading is designed to offer you healing guidance in your time of need. I will be incorporating healing messages, positive affirmations, visualizations and prayers designed specifically to address your concerns and issues. I believe we all have the power to heal ourselves body, mind and soul and my greatest wish is that this reading will encourage you to take the steps necessary to empower yourself in a healing and positive way.

This reading offers you a more hands-on healing approach then my other readings because you are given specific tools and exercises to enhance your innate healing abilities.

A Healing Message Soul Reading

*This reading is being shared with client permission* The card I pulled for you in response to your upcoming breast biopsy examination is from my Lefty Oracle deck and is called “Alice lives here now.”

Because the Lefty cards were all drawn with my non-dominant left hand, the ‘intuitive’ hand (controlled by my right brain) they do not come with any kind of written interpretation. That part is up to you. Go with your intuition and trust whatever images, thoughts or feelings come up in relation to this card. It’s time to trust yourself and put your intuition to work - Go!

I chose a gemstone called Chrysocolla for your reading to assist us in going to a deeper more spiritual plane of inner knowing so we can access your quiet inner depths. You can also work with this stone on your own as well. I recommend holding one stone in each hand or visualizing a deep lake-blue-turquoise and forest green color surrounding and protecting you.

Chrysocolla also helps in the releasing of grief, sadness and fear from the emotional body as well as helping to promote feelings of joy, certainty, and peace. It teaches one about letting go, surrendering pain and releasing worry to universal love.

I also want to welcome one of your Spirit Guides who has just shown up. She is a Native American Shaman.

A Healing Exercise for you: Please feel free to lie down or sit in a comfortable chair while allowing yourself to feel the cool, calming and refreshing energy of the colors and stones we have chosen to work with wash over you. Also, try and imagine yourself spending time beside, or within a cool, clear waterfall in a deep green forest.

Feel yourself relax and allow the green-blue healing vibrations of your chosen stones/colors penetrate every pore and cell of your body, filling your very being with peace and calm.

You can also cross your hands over your heart and bow your head in prayer while repeating this affirmation:

"I am whole and holy."

Now form your hands into prayer, relax and just let go of everything; all your worries, thoughts and concerns.

Affirmations: "I am _____________ "(state your name.) "I know I will be okay."

Now breathe deeply. Your Guide and I are using a blue feather and an owl feather to brush away all your worry and concerns by using our feathers to just brush the energy surrounding your body out and away from your entire body – we work in a circle all around you using our feathers. Feel a cooling, healing breath of fresh air all over your body.

I pulled another card for you from my Goddess Zodiac Power Deck and she is called “The Aquarian Goddess – Ix Chel.”

Ix Chel Among the Maya of the Yucatan peninsula, this was the name of the snake-goddess of water and the moon, of childbirth and weaving. This night-riding goddess spent her energies in nursing the women of earth through pregnancy and labor and taking special care of those who visited her sacred island of Cozumel.

Some Goddess Guidance for you: Keep your fire and your strength burning. Feel your strength and your femininity working together.

Affirmations:

"I am perfect just as I am." "I know grace." "I have seen Goddess and I know I am loved in every fiber of my being."

Blessed Bee.

And to end your healing session I chose a card from my Fairy Herbal Healing Deck and it is called “Meadowsweet.”

Meadowsweet or “Queen of the Meadow” has long been sacred to various Goddesses, and later was sometimes connected with the Virgin Mary. You can work with an image of this flower by holding it in your mind’s eye and feeling it’s soothing qualities of strength and softness. Feel strong and flexible but not rigid. (This herbal information is from the book “An Astrological Herbal for Women” by Elisabeth Brooke.)

**I spoke with my client shortly after her reading and she told me that the visualizations and affirmations had been very helpful and calming for her during her biopsy, and that all had gone well. Many months later she emailed me to let me know that: "It was so very helpful to me…and I’ll admit that I continue to use the imagery of the waterfall in the deep forest as a source of comfort."

If you are interested in booking a Healing Message Soul Reading you can do so here.