Playing with metal and glass............

It's been the coldest spring I can remember......and staying inside with the heat of the kilns......

I've been playing in the studio............

Adding to my collection........

of these..........










and.....


getting joyfully sidetracked by............

Squiggles...........

2 Views from Japan.........

For the last several weeks I have been taking an on line seminar with 'New Thought' Guru, Jean Houston.  In one of her live Q & A sessions last week she began her talk by reading this beautiful letter from a friend of a friend who lives in Japan.............

Jean begins........

I received this from a friend of a friend. It's pretty illuminating.

Love,

Jean

Hello My Lovely Family and Friends,

First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic

message to you all. But it seems the best way at the moment to get my message to you. Things here in Sendai have been

rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more

worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We

sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, and share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful. During the day we

help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or

line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out sign so

people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is

safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone

helped one another." Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and

helicopters pass overhead often. We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day.

Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things and

others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns

than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non‐essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring,

of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry

out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at

the same time. Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night, no cars, and no one out on the streets.

And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The

mountains of Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e‐mail

since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there.

Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if

they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no. They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and

even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, and rumbling.

I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is

better off than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is

occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I

can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't.

Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard,

and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,

Anne

Then today, I glanced at SRI Threads to see how they were reporting on their blog here, and discovered another view.  Scroll down to 'Snow in Ohara'........

I have been on a news and TV fast for a long long time........and thankful for it in times like these when so much fear can be spread.   So I have been uplifted by all the calls to send powerful healing energy in group form.........Jean has asked us to do this between 8 & 10 in the morning wherever we are......from all across the earth.........when we held up our hands in unison as she recited the thoughts for healing and help sent to Japan......I could feel the energy surge 'round the world.......

Namaste dear friends.........Namaste

Moon Blessings.........

I am attending an Enneagram workshop with Helen Palmer  this weekend.......hopefully to learn more about how to manage my 'type' and understand yours......while gaining Spiritual Clarity........in the mean time......

Happy Super Full Moon!

Learning new tricks............

I did it!!!!!!

With a suggestion and a tip from my friend down under..........

........a mosaic was born......


Courtesy of this place..........

And sorry for the repeat of images.......but this is how I thought to post them in the beginning and I do think they make a nice montage........

On being 'enough'........

Elsa-May posted this the other day.........and it spoke to what condition my condition is in.......I hope she does not mind if I repeat this video for my friends as I am a great fan of  TED, and she.

Connecting Dots..........

Looking forward to the Advent of an early Spring and being treated to Snow, after Snow days......I have retreated into the world of On Line Seminars.........I delve a bit into them here.

With the cleanse.....and the long winter.....and new endings......I look forward to change in my life.  What is that change?.....I patiently wait......wait.......wait......wait......

I have learned that 'action' does not cause change.  The way I AM causes change......  and therefore I remain confused.  However, I AM PATIENT.

So here I sit.......wondering what comes next.....what comes next?.......what comes next.......?

The 'finalizing' of a long due ending.......that opens the door to a new beginning?  Freedom to make plans.....to take responsibility for my life alone?  Big questions......

All to do with the things I want to write about here.....Travel, Art and Spirit.  Meld them all together.....my life of Travel, Art and Spirit.

So why do I have a separate blog on the Metaphysical part of my Self?........still wondering that on this end......

And why does it all seem so separate still?  I travel......I make art.....I commune with Spirit.  I am most successful and happy in my travels when they involve my connecting with Spirit......for instance going to temples......being in nature......writing there.....working with natural materials......

And when I make things......they are most enjoyable, successful and seem like meditation when I invite Spirit to join in with me......they become things that seem ceremonial......and reflect my state of 'consciousness'.......

And when I am with Spirit.......I am always following my bliss.

So why do I feel somehow these dots are not connected?

and need to be........

Still following my nose on this......

and making sure my heart is connected......

to the dots.......

Sated Down Under.........

Breakfast......

in Bali........







Pineapple Pancake..........

then Lunch.........

and on to.........

New Zealand...........

Squid like no other!...........

The Best Flat White.........

(Deserving of a second photo for scale!)

The Best Eggs Bennie ever!

Mushrooms and Feta......

And a Flower toooooooo.......

the Sushi.......Divine...........












And take it from an expert...........

I thank my generous hosts down under for the yummiest and most lovingly prepared meals and for the cafe culture of New Zealand...........food prepared and presented consistently more delicious and esthetically pleasing than I have ever experienced.....

Gratzi