Mental Health Mantra 27/365 We have to take steps that move us out of our comfort zone. My friend H, first coined the term about 20 years ago when we were sitting round the fire pit in her garden, "it's the uncomfortable comfort zone where we always seems to reside J, we need to step out of this uncomfortable comfort space into something more, something else, something that may stretch us." This has stuck with me for all these years as I navigate this space that I find myself in. These ending days of January, as we have full moon in Leo tomorrow, I am safeguarding my energy, really bush tuckered tired. Be bold, Be brave, Be yourself. It's so important to focus on this mantra for the next few days as we exit January into February. Keep shining star seeds "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
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Mental Health Mantra 26/365 There are days when this is the mantra keeps the mood a little more balanced. Today is one of those days. This time is all about staying centred, grounded and sovereign. Keep shining sunbeams. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 25/365 If there's one thing that has been the deepest learning curve these past 18 months, it is to stay in the moment, or as I heard today 'Take care of your current day.' I have to keep pulling my mind back in from the overwhelm of what is still to come... in the next 6 months. It can lead me down the garden path of pure apprehension and I have to just stick with what I have in this current moment. When I heard this, it resonated with me as my mental health mantra for today. Just take care of your current day. What is in this now moment. Be there. It's a daily challenge to keep a check on mindset and mind chatter. This is where transformation occurs, it is however, a daily practice. How can you take care of your current day? Keep shining :) "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 24/365 Today I went to the storage unit where our home contents have been stored since August 2019. Long story but it was only meant to be for 4 weeks and the circumstances, grief and drama, that followed could not be made up by any Coronation Street scriptwriter. I had to give the key to the Manager and we went to have a look inside and whilst there, I picked up a big basket bag of mine and a curver box with a lid. Both items that held things from my studio, which I haven't seen in 18 months. Unpacking them and saying hello to things that were in my studio felt like I was unearthing a time machine. I sat fondly looking through sketch books, affirmation books, diaries, I found my tibetan singing bowl, my inking pen, a framed Muse Mantra, plus a new stash of watercolour paper. I felt lit up. I felt abundant.
Can we spend at least 10% of our day doing something that lights us up? If we can, we may begin to feel a little calmer. Whatever that means for you.... maybe singing a song all the way through, learning to bake something or stretching out. Start with 10%. I have been doing my upmost to shift this and vibrate on a frequency that is higher than the one we are seeing. Lighting up ourselves, individually has a huge knock on effect. Don't let anyone tell you that your light energy contribution doesn't matter as it won't change anything. It does and it will. Keep shining that light sunbeams. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 23/365 This mantra appeared just as I sat down to do this, I am seeking stretch, I feel I have got into limited patterns of moving, it doesn't feel beneficial for me at all. I then kept hearing in a North Eastern accent, "Stretch Love." It reminded me of the way DCI Vera Stanhope would say it (big fan) she was passing me a message - I heed the call. " Ey pet." I have two super gorgeous yoga mats that I designed myself and they are waiting for me to fall upon and stretch. This body of mine needs stretching and moving. Badly. I feel stuck. Today I woke up to a very large snowfall, I had my green smoothie, but didn't go to a new green place because, well, it was all white. Tomorrow is another day. Keep shining star beams. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul"
Mental Health Mantra 22/365 I may have written in earlier journal posts, I often see what message comes through as I'm creating the piece. Today it zoomed through like Speedy Gonzales. Let the green stuff be the guide. This is a huge message for me because I have felt quite hemmed in, isolated, not getting enough green stuff. Green stuff is very wide ranging and it means all sorts of things to me, and I am sure it will mean lots of other things for you too. Green stuff - obviously green stuff means grass, nature, trees, mountains. It also means houseplants, potting plants, soil (ok not exactly green but helping the green stuff to grow.) I'm a huge fan of pottering outside, gardening, clipping back. Green stuff also means green veg. kale, broccoli, sprouts, leeks, green apples, celery cucumber, all helping to reduce inflammation and provide me with a high dose of nutrients in a hit. Whether I'm out in the green stuff, eating the green stuff or tidying up the green stuff, for instance houseplants, or watering them, making them feel nice, my frequency barometer shifts up a notch, I can raise my frequency level and feel a high vibe. It may not last long because life throws us curve balls. The point is, I can let the green stuff be the guide and see where it leads me. The colour green is hugely calming too, whether that be a green face mask, painting with a green colour pallet, green nail varnish, green eyeshadow... you get the gist. This weekend I am connecting to the green stuff. Wake up and make up to a green smoothie Organise, water and tidy the houseplants, Tidy up my orchids / they need some more bark. (I have found my new love of orchids for 5 years I have kept returning year after year.) Visit some new green stuff that I haven't been to yet. Paint some green pallet Dig out some green eyeshadow/ I think I have turquoise but it's near enough. Let the green stuff be the guide. Keep shining folks, know that your light energy is always there shining bright. Despite the knocks. You Got This! 'Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 18/365 Be the Observer. My lovely friend Barefoot Doctor, Stephen Russell who suddenly passed away last January would always talk to me and write about it in his countless books and at workshops - that is - moving our awareness to the very back of the head, ie. physically imagine you're taking awareness of what you're seeing to the back side of your head space, Behind your skull. Once there, watch, observe, at what is going on around you. It's a practice like anything else. A skill. Try it. It's fun. It gives you a perspective where you can detach from the actual movie theatre playing right around you. It relates to our third eye, based right on your forehead, between the eyebrows, slightly above, and symbolically relating to the chakra point which is coloured indigo. Your third eye is the central point for your intuition, imagination and inner wisdom. It can't be seen per se, it's an energetic eye. However if you close your eyes and look at the sun and meditate there upon, you may see an eye appear behind your eyelids. Be The observer. Deflect. Reflect. Stand Back. There is alot going on, physically, emotionally, spiritually, energetically, world wide. Step back from judgment, flip it to compassion. We are all having very different experiences based on our frame of references in our life. Be the observer. Take your time to make decisions. Do your own independent research. Ask questions. Go with your gut. You'll know. Sending heaps of love. Keep shining starseeds. Thank you for being here and watching this unfold. It is great to be writing here again. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 17/365 It has been a fatiguey day today, tiredness pervades me. This feels familiar, making me feel a tad jittery because I was so incapacitated when in my 20s with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. I made my way through that tunnel by the time I was 30 but it was a decade's long haul. I find that all that I learnt then, about healing, wellness and holistic health has been the foundation pillar of my journey these past 32 years and I built upon these pillars to support me through my life. Today as I was finishing off this 17th Mental Health Mantra, the phrase kept coming through "Your light makes a difference." Lorie Ladd on You Tube who I adore, reminds me of this often, especially in these times. It made me recognise that even feeling fatiguey today I can choose to be light and sit in that space for a while. For me, it was about turning my attention to light, being outside in nature, in the garden, watching the seagulls circle me, we have a crowd of them that hang out in south Liverpool / considering we're really only 4 miles from the River Mersey, they're never that far away. I realised that my light can make a difference. Even when I feel fatiguey and tired. I made a lovely lentil shephard's pie early in the day, so that I knew it was ready and I could settle into the day. I played crazy tennis ball games with the girls who just loved it, lots of waggy tails. In my meditation practice I can beam my light out on to Planet E and beyond, I can channel Reiki healing blessings to all. It only stops when I stop. I will continue to keep that focus and keep that relaxation meditation practice so that I can send light beams out. We all need that right now. To step back into our bodies and connect to our soul, to raise the light and vibration and send that out to all - that does mean me too. I need this too. What I know for sure .... is that you don't need to be some meditating guru and sit cross legged, what you need is the commitment to sit. In a chair. On a bed. Inside, outside,. Just a commitment to sit and connect to your breathing. Start there. It really is all that it is. You will find your light, and yes, it makes a difference. I was introduced to this quote back by Peter Russell who I met in New Mexico in 2004 on my adventure. "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." I loved that when I heard it, made complete sense to me. My commitment to sit is here. Sending out oodles of light to you whomever your are, reading this. Trust your intuitive intelligence. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 16/365 As I am creating these Mental Health Mantras I wait for the mantra to appear to me. I do have lists upon lists of many of them over the years, and lots of new ones that appear. But I wait for the right one to appear. With this particular Muse, her hair went a little off the beaten track and I had to cut her hair off and start again with a backing sheet (the joys of art production). In doing so, what then appeared was this cracking head scarf, which I totally loved. It just made her feel different and quirky. I am a head scarf wearer but don't wear that many any more (who knows but I'm going to ponder on that one). It's something I will definitely be picking back up because as I was drawing it, I realised that there is something about wrapping colourful scarves around my head and hair that instantly makes me feel creative. I step into a mode of being, that I really love. Do they suit me - I don't know? But I love them. As my lovely Uncle Freddy used to say in his thick German accent "Who Cares ... !! " Bam, that's when the mantra popped up from the Muse. Do YouYes it could have been Be You, but actually Do You felt like a real powerful mantra as I look in the mirror wearing my scarf wrapped around my head. Do You. It's okay to Do You. Don't Do Anyone Else. Just those two words say more. I'll leave it there. Take this and go with it. You will know what Do You means for you. Sending heaps of huggles, keep that intuition shining. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Mental Health Mantra 11/365 I took my husband in to hospital this morning for his radio iodine ablation treatment, he'll be there for 4 days as he has to be in strict isolation. Dropping off this man who has been through so much this past year makes me upset, he has seen such a lot in his life, especially in serving in the British Army, my heart goes out to him as he becomes the ready brek man for a few weeks. We have to laugh, it's the only thing that is keeping us going. On being back home surrounded, by my the two Jacks, they keep me centred and sane. If there is one thing that this whole process is teaching me is to trust my own intuitive messages that I hear, feel, sense. I began listening to intuitive intelligence over 32 years ago when I was diagnosed with M.E Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and it is in listening to these messages that I healed into good health after 10 years of navigating that disabling path. On this day in January 2021, I sat quietly on the couch, listening. Breathing, hands over heart and chest. Listening. I knew I needed to deeply relax my body mind and spirit. This called for a big body relax. Switching off from all mediums. Deep breaths, deep exhales. oh... and a huge pot of rooted vegetable soup. Always a winner for me to ground and relax. Do you sometimes get a real gut feeling that gives you a sense of 'this doesn't feel right!' If so, go quiet, remove yourself and get some space between you. Breathe, hands on heart. Trust your own message. It's usually pretty spot on. If you then need to do more research to support your gut feeling. Do it. Rely on your self. Keep shining starbeams. Trust that intuitive intelligence. 'Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul'
Mental Health Mantra 6/365 Today has been a day when I could easily have stayed under neath the duvet. What with Parliament voting on lockdown here in England with only 16 against make my heart hurt for so many people who are struggling, me included. I generally have pretty good flexible mental health, and yet, this is a real challenge. And yet, I stay hope full. I know there is something very deep going on here, that will come out in the fullness of time. There is a methodology happening behind the scenes. I keep saying this to myself. Stay Hope Full. Stay Hope Full. Stay Hope Full. I hope that you're doing okay out there. Keep shining and trusting your intuitive intelligence. 'Art with heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul'
Mental Health Mantra 2/365
Sometimes I can get caught up in moment of apprehension, I go down that rabbit hole and eat myself down further, until I remember, that I have to somehow shift the focus and move to do something else.
Shift the focus is often connected to doing something for someone else but it can easily also be;- 1. take a shower 2. walk my dogs 3. stick on some White Light by George Michael and dance. 4. call one of my friends to connect. 5. play The Glad Game and write down all my gratitudes in that moment. 6. sit in stillness and breathe (I know that sounds like a tad twee but it really works for me). That's just a wee example but I find if I have a list of things that can shift my focus, it is my go-to and it helps. Often it's just an intuitive nudge that I need to get me out of the rabbit hole moment. I am really grateful that I was attuned to Reiki 18 years ago, it is in fact a tool that never leaves me, and I can sit doing a self healing if all things are not going well. If there was one thing I wished everyone had was level one Reiki attunement as you are taught how to lay hands on yourself and do a self healing #priceless (check out my Self soothing Affirmantra Meditation Video with 9 hand positions that you can do for yourself, I'll write more about that in another post.) Today the Muse Mantra for me and for you is 'Shift Your Focus.'
My nudge to you, is to take a moment and shift your focus. Whatever that means to you.
Your intuitive self will know what that means. Sending oodles of real time hugs to you Keep shining your light and trust your intuitive intelligence.
"calm your mind, soothe your soul"
Mental Health Mantra 1/365
It's the 1st of January 2021, I decided to step back into the Land of Blog.
For a few reasons. With everything going on in 2019/2020 in my own life and also in the country/the world, I have stepped away from social media big time. I had to focus what energy I had into caring and looking after my husband who was undergoing cancer treatment, the first major op being spinal stabilisation surgery then high dose intensive radiation (I may go deeper into this, but not just yet) I just could not cope with socials as well. I tried for a couple of weeks but I realised it was hugely draining. I was also seeing seeing something happen that was making me feel really uncomfortable - censorship. Maybe it's the Jewish woman in me that fights for human rights and deplores shutting down of voices, I was stunned - I couldn't believe the way people were not permitted to have open discussions, or differing opinions. I was astounded that medical interventions to boost immunity were censored - I mean posts about Vitamin C, Zinc, and Quercetin were zapped out. Having a honours degree in health and a debilitating viral illness for 9 years in my 20s I am a health investigator, researcher, and healer. It made me feel very uncomfortable so I stepped away. I still have my accounts I pop in here and there, I hadn't been very present these past 15 months. I stopped blogging and vlogging a few years ago because it all seemed to be about being on the socials. I was seeing less reach and it all became so complicated about widgets and coding .... bla bla bla and then I began to watch as accounts were deleted and taken down for holding a conversation about covid, I realised that I had invested 10 years in social media and bam, like that, all my stuff could be gone. Even if I delete my account, poof, it's gone. I hadn't put any time or energy into my own website for a long while, which is held on my own server. I used to write lots on there under various other blogging sites. In journalling every day, in my daily discussions with myself this morning, I made a pact. I would put effort into my own website and blog. Maybe even stepping up to vlog again or maybe even podcast. I still have so much going on in my life in a caring capacity and also so much more (maybe I'll share that sometime) that takes all the energy I have in reserves, I have to spend what's left in filling up my own tanks. My pact extended a little further, I wanted to raise my vibration by creating every day and I turn back to Muse Mantras - these have been a lifesaver over the last 8 years. In the past 15 months since losing Mum and the grief that followed and Dad with vascular dementia, who's now living in a residential home and I can only visit him through a window (that's for another post), and for the past 9 months looking after my husband with cancer, I have sought so many things to keep me somehow upright and functioning. Sometimes, I get it right, other times I collapse and cry in a heap at night because I feel I'm failing. But I am going to give it a whirl and see if I can merge the two... and get to the end of January by posting a Muse Mantra every day. I am revisiting illustrations that I have in my portfolio and will begin to upcycle them . Who doesn't love an upcycle, plus it gets me back into the flow. My intention is that these will help you to calm your mind and soothe your soul. Today I am OK - this affirmantra has been a huge focus for me over the past year as I have balanced all the plates in my life. It has been a life saver in the moment of grief, or sadness, or anxiety or despair, where I close my eyes, place my hands over my heart and say to myself and out loud. TODAY I AM OK. It soothes me. It keeps me in the now moment. I let go of fear. Here it is for you too. TODAY I AM OK. Sending oodles of love your way. Keep shining your light and trust your intuitive intelligence. Dearest She I have been writing to you since you passed, picking up a pen to write is my go-to because I know we shared a love of writing and the written word. I feel close to you when I'm writing you letters. Are you near? I hope and pray that you're now running, skipping and dancing free, just like the 7 year old ballerina in the DVD from 1942. I am so very heart broken that you're no longer here physically - devastated - I know how tired your physical body was and it just couldn't go on. I was singing the other day to Edelweiss on the radio, we loved singing together and especially those harmonies as we did the washing up.. I want to curl up and hide away but right now I'm needed here, I'm tired and need to rest. It's Poetry Group tonight, the title you all chose back in August is still Somewhere Else, it seems so fitting now. We are all reconnecting around your table, to honour you. I had planned to join the poetry clan anyway when I returned, now I'm sitting in your chair. I hope I'll be okay. I have found the beginning of your poem that you began in August, after the last session. Who knew you wouldn't be there, things took a turn for the worst and here we are, without you. I have also written my poem. I do hope you are listening. I bought biscuits. Somewhere Else S uddenly living in a new place O n a bed of emotions and grief M issing the very woman I returned to love E ntering a twilight world W atching the world go by H ankering after missed opportunities E scaping when I can, not R eassuring my heart E verything will be okay E verything will settle L eaning in, to acceptance S urrendering to what is E volving into someone somewhere else Julia Harvey October 2019 and now for yours. Somewhere Else Where is somewhere else In your mind, in your soul In your hopes, in your dreams In your thought, in your days Mind going back to your childhood When your worries were inside Sheila Dolowitch August 2019. Post Poetry GroupDear She
It was a lovely night, everyone was so kind and pleased to be back, celebrating you. We talked of you and they shared their stories. Stories are everything. Memories are what I crave. They shared their own poems, of Somewhere Else, and also Poems written about you. How wonderful these words were, you would have been so humbled, tears would have fallen, just as they did for me. I hope you know you are and were, incredibly loved by all people you came into contact. I hope you hear. Love your Jules x |