It's April - Time to Tend Your Garden !

So you know when you find a book that you feel is going to kind of change the path you are on big time ? I think this is the book that is going to do it for me for the present :

I just started looking around at Sheri's blog for the book and saw that there is a whole community of readers set up ! (a Ning community - new forum for me - research to be done, take a chance, try something new, ignore the fear of the unknown and do it anyways, you can do this Kimbo !) It looks like it could be a great place to connect to people who have decided to take on the challenge of working on envisioning their own dreams.

This is where I seem to be moving. It is a little scary, moving from a place where you feel like a dreamer with no dreams to a creator of your own dreams. Why scary ? Working on understanding that too. But I so love the idea of using art, my comfort and solace, my play and adventure, my passion and my fearless endeavor, as a jumping off place to my envisioning. Feels like a perfect fit !

Among the magnificent treasures in this book so far are these beautiful "Transformation cards" that are included in the back of the book. Each card is assigned a number that links you to a list of creative tasks that help in the envisioning process. Sometimes it is writing, or art journaling or just taking the time to envision, based on the "message" of the card.

Today I chose a card that read "Tend Your Garden of Dreams with LOVE. Your seeds will flourish." That card inspired this journal page, along with much thought about how I will tend my garden of intention so that my dreams can start to become clearer for me...

I am on a path upwards and forwards. (Why does it feel like I should just whisper this ? It is all so fresh and new and tender, I guess) That is good.

Every step I take seems to be making me stronger. That is also so good !

I have started showing myself some mad love in a multitude of little ways and I think it is beginning to stick !

This is what I have tried and you could try

-walking with a camera, (regardless of the weather !!!)

-walking and stopping to look up, especially as an escape from "crazy brain"

- eating less sugar

- cutting back caffeine

-laughing with friends, at yourself if possible,

-celebrating little steps,

- buying yourself little gifts (like magic books or a gel pen in a new color)

-surrounding yourself with color you love,

-joining a meditation class,

-finding a super counselor,

- creating fearlessly in your art journal, using colors you love,

- telling your doctor what you need,

-admitting you feel crappy, stop pretending, ask for help

-listening to birds sing mating songs of spring,

-giving your dog a massage,

-asking for extra hugs and kisses from your man

-giving gifts to loved ones and strangers...

Told you, showing yourself mad love in little, gentle, no punishment, just kindness, life-balancing ways ! ;-) Tending your garden.

It's April. It's time. And that's no foolin', baby !