Honoring my vision.

My Dad, 1952

He was a man of honor, he created a vision for himself and he achieved it. He made mistakes, but we all do. My vision of myself and my path is easier because of his example. 

Safe journey.

Mid-week Mandala

Oedipus Aegyptiacus: Amulet of Venus and Mars, Athanasius Kircher (1602–1680)

Mid-week Mandala

1st century millefiori glass, Roman & 2pairs gold posts 2nd century, Roman

All things change

 Mantra Today: impermanence 

 Walking on the path

I found myself looking back

And saw my future

Mid-week Mandala

The simple perfection of a flower, natures mandala.

Mid-week Mandala

Celtic Knot

Alter with Alters

Dream to believe

       New Years Eve is a time when many people make resolutions. We set our intentions to achieve our goals, by planning the best way to get there.  It feels great, but I have found, resolutions are easy to set and harder to keep. Why is that?

       I think it is all a matter of attention. When we first set out every thing is new and feels fresh, like starting out on a road trip. Every thing is going well, but after a while the scenery just feels like a worn out déjà vu. We become tired or distracted and with that we lose it.

        So what can we do to prevent entropy from overtaking our intentions. My answer is to create alters. A focal point in your environment to remind you of your goal. The beauty of an alter is that when it becomes stale, you just change the scenery and...ta-da...we are interested again, back on track.

        When making an alter, simple is best, no need to spend a lot of time or money, unless that floats your boat. My favorites are dream boards and altars. A dream board is a picture representation of the outcome of your goal. A piece of cardboard and some clippings from a magazine or photos downloaded from the web will do the trick. Not noticing it any more?  Just make a new one or update the original. Easy peasy! 

         Altars are arrangements of keepsakes, nicknacks, crystals, flowers...you name it. Whatever keeps you focused, whatever reminds you of your goals. When I was in college I had a teddy bear dressed as a nurse to keep me going. Place the appropriate items in a spot where you will see them frequently, arranged to suit your taste. When it begins to dull or gets covered with dust it's time to refresh.

        Remembering where we want to go is half the battle. These simple little tricks to keep the journey front and center will keep you on the road. Big goals are easy to remember, but can seem daunting. Break your goals into small manageable steps to  maintain your momentum and don't forget to add congrats when you achieve them. Then create a new alter for the next leg of the journey.

        We set our intentions because we want to achieve them, but sometimes life happens and we lose our way. Creating a dream board or small altar takes very little time and is a map to your destination. Check it and renew it often and soon you will be right where you wanted to go. 

               blissings, amberspiral