NOW I WALK IN BEAUTY

(if you read my posts in your email, i hope you will come to the site to view my photography)

I am truly blessed to be living on the North Coast of California. This morning, while I was editing these photographs, I heard Aleutian Geese honking as they flew overhead. Sometimes they fly low enough to hear their wings in the breeze.

Ever since I was a little girl, I drew my sustenance and strength from nature. Remembering laying down in the grass and drinking in that earthy smell, watching bugs crawling through the spikey green blades, being delighted? I whispered my dreams to caterpillars and marveled when butterflies emerged in the spring. I have always lived near water, so birds and ducks were early best friends.

Now nature whispers to me and I do my best to listen. Earth spirits welcome me when I walk in their woodlands. I want to honor the beauty I see everywhere around me.

Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above and below me.
~traditional Hopi prayer

I believe nature has stories to share with us and I have been called to portray their stories using the sacred mandala as the vehicle. This is my passion. I am but a conduit.

I welcome you to come and listen and share with me.

Bright blessings to you all.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

IS THAT FLICKER OR FLICKR?

Flicker Medicine Mandala (Mandalas for Peace Project) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: flicker feather


I enjoy making feather mandalas. When I chose this flicker feather for the source image, I knew it was powerful medicine; intuitively I wanted to use the master number 11 for the number of rays making up the mandala. According to Native tradition, flicker medicine can teach you about communicating, music, joy, nurturing, courage, protection, tenacity, and your connection with the universe. ( wolfcreekarts.com). Just as birds are often considered to be messengers, the meaning of the master number 11 is also Spiritual Messenger. In the ideal, the master number 11 is on a journey to find its own truth (illumination), using spiritual inspirations as a guiding light, and then bringing these illuminations to others to help raise spiritual awareness on the planet(magellannumerology.com)

I had to laugh at myself when I spelled the file for the feather as flickr. How easily the net has changed our thinking and our spelling. I wonder what the English language will be like in another 50 years?

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

WHO WANTS TO MAKE A MANDALA?

Are you interested in creating digital mandalas in Photoshop using your own photographs? I have created a mandala tutorial blog where I am offering personal tutoring via email to help you in the mandala making process. I am charging the unbelievably low price of $25 USD payable thru PayPal for my assistance as your instructor. I will work with you until you have finished your first mandala.

I just finished teaching my first student. We were able to sort through some good problem solving and we both came away feeling satisfied. I love to teach and I love to encourage people in their creativity and I love sharing my love of mandala making.

Because of the intense personal instruction I am offering, I do not want to work with more than three students at a time. If you are interested, let me know via email link on my side bar, and I will give you access to the blog. You must have Photoshop any version (Photoshop Elements unfortunately does not work), and a basic knowledge of working in layers and the Photoshop tool box would help. I will help you with whatever else you don't know.

Update 6/16/09: I have decided to do one class per month. Three people have expressed interest for July; please contact me if you are interested and I will add you to the waiting list or contact you if anyone changes her mind.

I have written other Photoshop tutorials that are posted on this blog. I write with the beginning user in mind. They are easy to understand. You can take a look at some of my other tuts to get a feel for my style.

I know that for some reason unknown to me, at this point in space and time, many people are being called to the mandala making process. If you have always wanted to know more about this calming, centering exercise, come join me for some mandala fun.

~Sue O'Kieffe

1.

OUTSIDE THE BOX - A LESSON IN MANIFESTING

A few years ago I decided I wanted, at some point, to purchase an Epson 1280 printer. Epson no longer manufactures that model. I have spent the last couple of months researching what kind of printer to buy; and, after a lot of consideration I decided to purchase the Epson Photo Stylus 1400. It came last week. (You can tell I was excited opening the box because these photos are so blurry)


I try to be aware of my thoughts and my actions and remain positive. I am aware of the Law of Attraction and practice it.

Abraham Hicks talks about sending out rockets of desire. Feel what you want, then make your desires known to the Universe.


It is not lost on me that this Epson model I purchased is their step up replacement for the printer I decided I wanted a few years back.

Im excited about this new printer. It will open me up to furthering some goals and desires I have for my art. I'll write more about those desires when the time is right.

Do you practice the Law of Attraction?