Harness the law of attraction and visualise your soul mate. It worked for me and it can work for you. Here's how

Labels: happiness

"I have always been able to see what others were unable to see; and what they did, I did not see."

- Salvador Dali

Several years ago while in New York I stumbled on a book that was to change my life - "Psychic living: tap into your psychic potential" by Andrei Ridgeway.

"In this technological day and age filled with busywork, " he writes, "many of us neglect our psychic potential. Our instincts are repressed and our inner voices buried...."

"...For many, the word "psychic" is so big, so titanic, they can't accept it. They don't realize it is a normal state of being, that as a lover, and a friend, we use this part of ourselves all the time."

Today as I continued to feel my way toward my preferred future, my true path with heart, and needing a boost I decided to try one of the exercises in the book - evoking the seer.

"For an artist, whatever, he is looking at has meaning. He doesn't need to use the word "clairvoyant, " because the whole universe is holy. Whether it be a spirit that appears out of thin air, or a piece of fruit on the table, it has soul," he writes. Then he encourages us to see the world as an artist and expand our vision to see into other times and places. "It is a wake up exercise, like a cup of coffee for the eyes."

Seeing exercise

Try Andrei's exercise - I just did and it was extra-ordinary! (I've posted my experience at the end of this entry)


Step one Go to a bookstore, library, art gallery or museum and visit the art section. You can make it a filed trip with a friend or lover. Give yourself time. Pretend you are living in the Renaissance, before the invention of People Magazine, when art mattered. Go through the books as if you have never seen any of those painters before, and be especially open to painters whose work you have never seen before. If you have not been in the painting world for a while and feel the need for a starting point, try one of these artists: Salvador Dali,Alex Grey (especially his book Soul Mirrors), Georgia O'keefe, or Claude Monet.

The books that you are drawn to will contain images and colours that resonate with your soul. Go through the pages/view the paintings at a leisurely speed. When you find a painting that really moves you, that stirs your optic cells, sit there and stare at it for a while. Let the light and the colour fill you up.


Step two Write a paragraph about your favourite painting, why it touched you, what is was about it that awakened your soul, Write stream of consciousness (IE just free write without "thinking") I liked the painting because it made me think of god and being a little kid and no end to wonder with yellow warmth and excitement in my belly. Let your pen go wild. No censorship.


Step three When you enter back into reality - your home, office, or the coffee shop next door - see if you can perceive in the objects and people around you the same level of beauty you saw in the painting. Rarely do painters create strictly from the unconscious. Most of them combine their hidden selves with the world around them, blending spirit with matter int heir own masterful way. See what it feels like to perceive life through this double lens, to bring your soul vision into the mundane, to see in the face of a stranger the same wonder and intensity that lived in the painting.

If the painting you chose was famous, buy yourself a print and put it somewhere in your home. It will act as a reminder of how your soul sees the world, keeping your eyes attuned to beauty as you pass through the day."

(excerpt from "Psychic living: tap into your psychic potential" by Andrei Ridgeway, pg 43)

Seeing Cass


Leap Away Girl 1969, Ian Scott

Today I went to Te Papa and after wandering around the many walls of art this painting "Leap Away Girl" by Ian Scott immediately called to me.

Here's what I wrote:

"Fresh yellow greens, clear blue sky and white puffy clouds - the colours call to me as does the name of the painting - Leap Away Girl. "go follow your dreams" the painting called, "look to the horizons and keep following your dreams, allow the fresh, invigorating colours of nature to guide and inspire you - the red energy of passion and goals, of motivation; green the energy of pastures news, of the heart chakra , of feeling energetic and alive, connected to nature, of following the seasons; blue the colour of peace and calm of warm days and summer skies of mother earth and the heavens that envelope her; white the colour of purity, marriage, union, partnership and marriage - contracts of love."

The energy and vitality of the painting arrests me, stops me in my tracks, draws me deeper still - it's joyful, hopeful, sensual,epxectant . The curvy shapes of the clouds in the sky and of the hills - dancing, playful, irregular, creative, uniform - heralding surprises, defying expectations.

"Let go. Let live. Follow your dreams," it challenges and encourages me. Allow the green of the heart - of courage and positive emotion, growth and renewal to nurture you; the blue of the horizon and sea to guide you - to flow like their currents to distant shores and new memories awaiting. The white of the clouds to soften your fears to life you higher still."


Now that I am back at the office the painting lives inside me still, whispering to and challenging my soul. I have printed out a copy of the painting and placed it on my inspiration wall, saved it as my screen saver, and pasted it in my inspiration journal. I see myself in the image of the girl - colourful, jubilant, happy beyond belief. It reminds me of my dream "I dream I am on vacation, it's the perfect career for me" - taken from a song by the Eagles. And of my morphing back toward art, writing, photography and photo journalism - and there on my business card for all to see is a reminder:
Cassandra Gaisford - Artist, life coach, author, photojournalist"


"Art washed from the soul the dust of everyday life." Pablo Picasso


Try this exercise yourself - I'd love to hear how awakening the seer within transforms your life.

Labels: Colour, Cultivating Creativity, happiness, intuition, Life coaching, Motivation, Spirituality in art, Thecolourgirl.com

Last month a friend commented to me that my soul looked like it was tired. I nearly burst into tears. I guess it's the sort of relief people must feel when someone who has been ill gets a diagnosis. Finally, my dis-ease had been named - burnout and emotional exhaustion. Some of it was self created - some of it just happened.

It seemed as though overnight everything had changed. I was trying to juggle a new relationship, full time study, living between homes after renting my house out and on-going dramas with my family. My new relationship started to show strain and my partner pretty much cautioned me not to neglect him for the sake of our relationship. Something had to give so, prioritising my relationship, I gave up my course.

Now I find I have a bit more space but oddly enough my partner doesn't - a whole bunch of family dramas have hit him. All the negativity was killing me and taking a step back I realise that his total unhappiness with EVERY aspect of his life was taking a toll.

My girlfriend said what I needed was to get away for a while and take a retreat. Now what I'm finding is so many people I look up to are doing just the same thing - taking time out to re-centre and think about who they are and what makes them happy.

Last night my partner had a melt down and accused me of not being there for him - this when he cancelled the night out we'd been planning for weeks because of an ex-created drama. Today I went around to see him and he sulked and literally turned his back on me. I didn't feel anything - other than feed-up with all the drama.(He later rang to apologise - so that's progress.)

Importantly what I'm realising is that I really need to get away. And the Universe is telling me to go for it! Synchronicity is the Universe's way of saying "you're on the right path!). Today for example, my good friend Maartje let me interview her re her own transition - and told me she took a gap year in her mid 40's to think about who she was and what she wanted.

Last week, as I said, my friend encouraged me to contact a retreat in Australia and offer some of my services in return for a break. Either that or get a gap-job somewhere cruisy.

Then today I read Tina Su's post

For the next four weeks, I will be living in an ashram near Bangalore India. I will be attending a meditation and spiritual retreat called Inner Awakening that I have been anticipating for many months now.It’s an opportunity to learn directly from an enlightened guru in a serene environment, along with several hundred other spiritual seekers from around the world.

I’ve decided not to bring my laptop or cell phone, and to fully immerse myself in the experience. Besides, a month without technology sounds like a really nice cleanse of its own.(she's since said that she's extended her trip for 2 months!)

I don't feel like I need to go away on a spiritually lead guru-style retreat but I do feel like I need to grab some space and time to myself. So once my baby sitting task is over I'm going to grab some soul time and take off for a while. Somewhere quiet and somewhere warm - right now Samoa is looking good.(I have 2 weeks more to go before my mother returns from France and I can hand back her very cute, but needy,dog.

Here some of Tina's tips for creating your own retreat:
Create Your Own Personal Retreat

While I am away, I want to make sure that you guys are taking care of yourselves, by creating time out of your week (or day) to connect with yourself, to love yourself, and to give thanks for the things you are grateful for.

If you want to experience a piece of what I am doing, consider doing one or more of the following ideas:

* Cleansing Day - Take one day (a month or a week) off to spend with yourself. Spend the day on your own without the computer, phone, music players and tv (shut everything off). Spend the day communing with nature, going for walks, contemplating in your journal, and maybe reading inspirational things. Optionally, consider spending the day without speaking, unless you are addressed by another person.

* Take a Meditation or Yoga Class - at the local gym or meet up. Many temples of various religions offer meditation classes for free. It doesn’t hurt to be open to it and experiment with them. When I first moved to Seattle, I would go to a local Tibetan Buddhist temple for this.

* Moments of Stillness, Everyday - spend 10 minutes everyday with your eyes closed in silence. Start with some deep breaths and focus on your breath. Whenever thoughts come, just bring your focus back on your breathing. Extend it to longer than 10 minutes if you can. 21 minutes or more gives best results.

* Write a Love Letter - to yourself, to another person, or to the Universe. The point of this, is practicing of gratitude, and realizing the abundance of goodness you have in your life.

* Selfless Service - Do something for someone, or for some group of people without expecting anything in return, and don’t tell people that you did it (bragging that you did something counts as expecting something, and it no longer becomes selfless service).

* Inspirational Reading - Read something that inspires you, and gives your inner space a sense of peaceful clarity. I highly recommend “The Power of Now” and “Living Enlightenment” (Here’s the shortened version of the book). I also really liked “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari“.

Labels: Cultivating Creativity, happiness, intuition

I received an email today from a lady who attended one of my The Colour Girl workshops: " how colour and personal branding can enhance career and life success."

"after attending your inspiring workshop I know it's time to rid myself of black," she wrote

yay! I thought.... I can't wait to help. As my Dutch friend and dress designer says, "why does everyone in New Zealand dress like they are going to a funeral?"

here's what the ladies at the GBL sponsored function said:
"it's easy
it's slimming
we don't have to think
it's safe
it goes with everything
no one notices us - we don't stand out
it's strong
it's sophisticated..."

While black is not without its merits too much black can be:

bland
boring
depressing
aging
draining
tiring
sombre
unimaginative
career limiting
everywhere!

Do yourself and everyone who comes into contact with you a favour and create more joy in the world - wear more colour

Stand out from the crowd and watch your life soar - you'll be amazed at what a bit of colour can do. Wearing colour makes me feel happier, look younger, attract positive attention, generate business, inspires others, feeds my passions, led me to my life purpose, and attracted my soul mate

what will colour create for you?

Labels: Colour, happiness, Thecolourgirl.com

Out of the house. Out of your life.


A friend was helping me clean out my cupboards the other day in preparation for renting out the house to fund my return to studying architecture.

"I never realised you were such a hoarder, " he said struggling down the stairs with three boxed crammed full of folder and papers.

"It must be such a weight off your shoulders," he continued, turning his attention to cleaning out my handbag. "Out of your house, out of your life life, " he smiled.

I had to agree. Seeing all the stuff I'd accumulated and diligently storied for years - just in case I needed it - leave the house felt incredibly liberating - freeing me up to begin life anew.

Out went the tatty boxes of paper. Out went the course notes I'd kept for 18 years! Out went over 30 years of photos, out went 40 years worth of CD's. Out went VHS's - too old or too tatty to play. Never mind the fact that technology has rendered them redundant. Out everything that no longer reflected my preferred future - out into the garage! Shifting things from A to B is a strict no, no according to some anti-clutter purists. Still at least it's a start - letting go is hard to do abruptly - what say I 'need them!" But just the fact they are out of sight helps them to be out of mind. It's all part of the letting go process and frees up space to let in new life affirming resources - like my yummy architecture and design books.

Clutter according to zen principals, is a stagnant feature in a room and consequently creates poor chi energy. This stagnant energy can lead to negative feelings, apathy and depression. Perhaps this explains the desire to purge the darkness of winter and embark on a vigorous spring clean - symbolically leaving winter behind and welcoming better, brighter days.


Creating simplicity and serenity

Simply. Enhance feelings of space and serenity by simplifying your selection of furnishings, objects and colour. Less really is more when it comes to creating life enhancing spaces.

A few of your favourite things - resist the urge to pack in all your life's treasures. A few well chosen favorites create more joy then stacks on things piled on top and in front of each other

Pile, Pack or Toss. Start room by room and bundle up everything into a central pile. Systematically sort into 3 piles - "love it, can't lose it"; "love it; but over it" "Don't give a damn." Chuck out, give away or sell things that no longer give you joy, pack up the over it things - if you don't miss then in 6 months-1 year then you don't give a damn and they can go. Give your love it, can't lose it things pride of place.

Eliminate. Edit your possessions vigorously. Throw away stacks of newspapers and magazines that you will never get around to reading. Clear out boxes of photographs - keeping only the choice shots

Affirm who you are. Make a conscious decision about who you are and who you want to be. What do you value? What do you care about? What affirms "you" - surround yourself with objects and furnishing that excite, affirm and inspire.

Get a clutter coach. If you lack objectivity or just don't know where to start get your a nag buddy or clutter coach. Make sure it is someone you trust, respect and "allow" them to oversee/manage the declutter process. I've done this for other people for years but recently I've allowed other people to give me a hand and it's truly awesome!

Create a soul space
Click here to find out how finding your soul colours can help you attract more abundance into your life

For more decluttering tips click here

Create your own Zen interior here

Labels: architecture, happiness

Costa Rica tops happiness, 'green living' poll



SAN JOSE (AFP) — Costa Rica is the happiest place on earth, and one of the most environmentally friendly, according to a new survey by a British non-governmental group.

The New Economics Foundation looked at 143 countries that are home to 99 percent of the world's population and devised an equation that weighed life expectancy and people's happiness against their environmental impact.

By that formula, Costa Rica is the happiest, greenest country in the world, just ahead of the Dominican Republic.

Latin American countries did well in the survey, occupying nine of the top 10 spots.

Australia scored third place, but other major Western nations did poorly, with Britain coming in at 74th place and the United States at 114th.

The New Economics Foundation's measurements found Costa Ricans have a life expectancy of 78.5 years, and 85 percent of the country's residents say they are happy and satisfied with their lives.

Those figures, taken along with the fact that Costa Rica has a small "ecological footprint," combined to push the small nation to the top of the list.

A 2006 New Economics Foundation study designated Vanuatu the world's happiest nation, with Costa Rica at second place.

Sociologist Andrea Fonseca said Costa Rica gives its citizens the "tools" to be happy, but cautioned that happiness cannot be calculated just by looking at life expectancy and environmental practices.

She added that the country's rise to the top of the Happy Planet Index "has a lot to do with social imagination."

Costa Rica has a peaceful reputation because it does not have an army, and is also known for its protected ecological zones and national slogan "pure life," she said.

Read more about this fascinating destination here

Labels: architecture, happiness

The other day after an incredibly stressful week out of the blue I received this email. It came from a lady who had come to view  my house:

“I am totally in love with your art.  The little white painting over the dining table is singing in my heart still. I was so thrilled that I found your web page! I would really like to know if the small white painting is available. If not, I'd like to look at any work that is.” - Violet

These few sentences totally transformed my mind in one quick brushstroke and illustrates the power we all have to uplift each other.

Tip - go forth and sow the seeds of kindness. Give unsolicited positive feedback as often as you can. The benefits are two fold - the recipient will feel better and so will you. Try it and see:)

The  painting Violet fell in love with was inspired by the work of CJ Twombly - an American artist well known for his large-scale, freely scribbled, calligraphic-style graffiti paintings, on solid fields of mostly gray, tan, or off-white colors. 

Labels: Cultivating Creativity, happiness, Spirituality in art

47 Year old Susan Boyle wowed the judges with her performance in the auditions for Britain's Got Talent, singing I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables.

Prematurely writing her off as a joke the judges quickly admitted how wrong they had been to judge this very talented lady by her appearance.

"When you walked out everyone in the audience was cynical. We were all laughing at you - it's the biggest wake-up call ever," one of the judges admitted after they had heard her.

Even Simon Cowell (American Idol's most hard to please and scowling judge) was bowled off his feet. I don't think I've ever seen him smile so much.

View this amazing lady and hear her incredibly moving voice here

Here are the lyrics to the song

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used
And wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted.

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame.

And still
I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms
We cannot weather...

I had a dream my life would be
So different form this hell I'm living
so different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed.

Interestingly for Susan her dreams, unlike the lyrics, is really coming alive. The lady who said she had never been loved and never been kissed now even has her own fan club.

Susan Boyle Fansites :-
http://www.susan-boyle.com
http://www.susanboyle-bgt.co.uk/
http://susan-boyle.britains-got-talen...
Susan Boyle Bebo Fan Club :-
http://www.bebo.com/WeLoveSusanBoyle

I loved Susan the minute she stepped on the stage - she was funny, sparkly, lively and interesting - all this even before she sang and totally blew me away. I must admit I did feel my passions aroused when I saw people looking at her and rolling their eyes as she wiggled her hips and chuckled and told them about her dream - you can see the pre-singing audience reaction on the video footage. Shame on people for not being able to love a person for who they are - with or without talent.

Susan is adorable! I love her sense of humor and lack of "pomp"- here's here's one of the story items posted about her (source http://talent.itv.com/news/story/item_100074.htm)

No straight jacket required!
Britain’s Got Talent sensation Susan Boyle may not have made a living from her singing just yet – but that hasn’t stopped her making the most of her talents.

Susan is now a world-wide sensation – but her singing talents first appeared much closer to home.

She told us: “I do sing at church – and I also do a bit of amateur dramatics. I sing everywhere I can, to anybody who will really listen. They would be better off with a budgie though, do you not think?”

“I even performed at the Edinburgh Festival once, on the fringe. I was in a production of Romeo and Juliet. Was I Juliet? I don’t know what I was supposed to be. The tights were an embarrassment. But it was a laugh-a-minute magical for kids”.

If Susan makes it far enough in this competition, however, her audience won’t be school kids – it’d be Her Majesty the Queen! And that would suit Susan just fine.

She said, “Whatever comes my way, I am ready. It would be lovely to sing for the Queen. There would be less of the carry on from me, and more of the singing”.

“She is a very regal lady, very nice, so I would be nice too, and just get up there and give it a bit of wellie.”

And Susan isn’t worried that the showbiz life would send her off the rails like so many stressed-out stars before her. She laughs, “It’s a challenge. Life is a challenge sometimes but this is different. And I like to test myself”.

“If it all gets too much and they lock me up, I want a great big straight jacket with spots on it. A pink one…”

“…And a big zip on the back so I can escape!”

If your dreams could do with some encouragement click here. Who knows what talent you could unleash and where your dreams could take you. Or contact me to schedule a Passion@work coaching session - I'd love to help your dreams come alive.

Labels: happiness

Yellow! My personal favorite, and now according to global colour experts Pantone a world favorite too!


This from their website:

Pantone, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow, as the color of the year for 2009. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow.

"The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation."

Best illustrated by the abundant flowers of the Mimosa tree and the sparkle of the brilliantly hued cocktail, the 2009 color of the year represents the hopeful and radiant characteristics associated with the color yellow. Mimosa is a versatile shade that coordinates with any other color, has appeal for men and women, and translates to both fashion and interiors. Look for women's accessories, home furnishings, active sportswear and men's ties and shirts in this vibrant hue.

If yellow is not your thing don't despair....here's some of the other top colours for the year ahead.

COLOR MARKETING GROUP PREDICTS
HOT COLOR TRENDS FOR 2009

Choices Driven by Concern for Economy and Optimism for the Future


Color Marketing Group, the leading international non-profit association of color design professionals, has been accurately predicting color trends for more than 45 years. CMG predicts more evolution than revolution in color trends for the coming new season.

"We're finding comfort in colors that are familiar, and yet, at the same time, we're embracing colors that make us happy -- especially as accents," said executive director, Jaime Stephens. "Everyone’s concerned about the economy, yet the spirit of the country coming together after the election is powerfully reflected in these choices. Also, the demand for colors and products that reflect an environmentally 'greener' world goes way beyond a trend. It's now 'a given.' "

According to CMG, look for these color trends in 2009:

Purple, Purple, Purple! - Emerging as a hot fashion color last fall, purple is not just a fad -- it's an entrenched trend, strongly influenced by the election. (After all, red plus blue equals purple.) Look for a greyed-out violet that works equally well as an accent or a neutral, as well as redder, plummier purples and bluer-influenced fuchsias in a huge range of products. Purple is 2009’s “must have” color.


Blue is the New Green - Various greens have symbolized "green living” over the last few years, but in 2009 the "green" environmental message is delivered by the color blue. There are watery blues, sky blues and a whole range of blues that now represent our commitment to living on a greener planet.

Cooled-down, Greyed-out Browns and Greys - Complex neutrals satisfy our urge toward classic colors in an economically challenged time. They also bridge the area between black, which seems harsh, and brown, which doesn't seem strong enough.



Yellow for Energy – The neutrals may have greyed, but look for lots and lots of bright vivid yellow to give us energy as we re-build the economy. It's the stand-out accent color for 2009.



Bright Accents from India, China, and Turkey – The exotic has become the familiar. Oranges, turquoises and teals, reds, and yellows will abound in hues from far-away countries that now seem very near. They are the optimistic touches we crave.



White is now a Business Color – Technology has produced amazing new (and very practical) finishes, which helps explain why white is showing up everywhere, even in corporate board rooms. The contrasts are all in the finishes: matte versus gloss; shine and shimmer on reflective surfaces; textured whites versus smooth -- all washable and cleanable. White also represents purity of thought, motive and result – exactly what we want from businesses now.

The Return of the "M" Word - It's mauve. Remember mauve? An old color that looks new again, in dusty violet shades, mauve works as an accent but also serves now as a neutral, punched up by those bright Asian accents (orange, turquoise, teal, red, and yellow.)


Here's hoping that the power of colour can heal the world -expect a miracle.

Labels: architecture, Colour, Exhibitions and competitions, happiness

“Everyone knows that yellow, orange and red suggest ideas of joy and plenty.”
Eugene Delacroix, artist

Yellow and orange definetly count amongst my favourite colours. Whenever I feel a bit "blah" i know splashing these colours around will help lift my spirits immensely!




Yesterday for example. I created this Rothko inspired artwrok to give a dull wall a bit of a boost.




I also reduced visual clutter by colour coding my bookcase - I can't believe what a difference this makes!

Wear mote joy!
Feel great and look even better - wear the right colour for you!


If you could do with a colour boost check out the following resources:

Websites
Check out this very cute site....99.8% they got it right as far as my passion for orange goes...http://www.123peppy.com/games/peppy-color-girls

http://www.soothingminds.co.uk/Articles.aspx?artid=158
interesting articles including one on colour astrology – no surprise to see that not one of the zodiac signs is Black. Being a Libran my colour is green. Currently though my favorite colour is orange…but I am shifting to purple….but I thought it was interesting to learn what my astrological colour says about us “greenies:” Libra is the balancer and green is the energy of the heart chakra and harmony. Those who are born under the sign of Libra are known to be peacemakers. 'Green' people are the ones that you can go to when you have a problem as they are the most compassionate of all the astrological signs. So colour can also help clarify your vocation! As a life coach being compasssionate is essential! Check out the site to see what colour you are.

Books
Colour and Meaning- John Gage

The Complete book of colour - Suzy Chiazzari.
Includes tips on clothes and make-up, colour and interiors, colour diets for health, finding your soul colours, colour in the garden, healing with colour, your personal colours and more much more!

How to Heal with Color, Balance Your Chakras! - Ted Andrews

Color Psychology & Color Therapy - Faber Birren


Interesting facts

Several of the world's best musical composers have seen colors in music. Franz Liszt was known to say things like, "This is too black," "More pink here," and "I want it all azure."? Ludwig van Beethoven referred to B minor as "the black key." Franz Schubert described E minor as being "unto a maiden robed in white and with a rose-red bow on her breast."

In Thailand every day of the week is assigned it’s very own colour
Sunday - red
Monday - cream/yellow
Tuesday - pink
Wednesday - green
Thursday - orange/brown
Friday - blue
Saturday - black/purple
What is your lucky colour. Click here and go back and check out what day you were born to find out


Try it! It really works. My colour came out as orange! Anyone who knows me knows I wear a lot of orange – I even painted my garage wall orange!

Labels: Colour, Exhibitions and competitions, happiness

If you are not in the mood for celebrating right now the following creative tips may help:

Take a wide berth from negativity. I hadn’t realised what a gloomy effect that tapping into the media’s constant barrage of negative news about the economy was having until recently. We know it’s tough out there – what’s the point of reading and re-reading it? Nothing – it only increases feelings of despair. The same goes for hanging out with negative, pessimistic people.

Surround yourself with beauty. Creative works of art have tremendous healing power. Two of my favorite celebratory pieces right now are my quatrefoil by Max Gimblett called “Choice” and my recently acquired Len Castle bowl from his “Let The Molecules Dance” collection. And dance they do!
http://www.cassandragaisford.com/2007/11/spirituality-in-art.html

Listen and celebrate more. Get into the mood by custom designing your own inspirational sound track. Listen to songs with an upbeat feel and watch your spirit soar. Some of the songs on my 2009 motivation track include The Eagles, “Busy Being Fabulous,” the Bee Gees, “You should be dancing,” Duffy’s “Distant Dreamer” and Edith Piaf’s “Non Je Ne Regrette Rien.” I reckon there could be room for a Beach Boy’s number too!


Be grateful. The more grateful you are for what you do have the more life wants to give you. Take a note of all the things you cherish right now and put this list of gratitudes in a prominent place.

Boggie. Take up dancing or do something else that gets you moving and grooving. Exercise of any form is a great tonic – even more so when shared with others.

Celebrate with colour. Give your wardrobe or home environment a colour make-over. It’s amazing the difference wearing or surrounding yourself with the right colour can do. Artist Paul Klee got it right when he said, “One eye sees and the other feels.”

Many people drown themselves in black clothes and boring coloured walls. Black is incredibly aging and, in my view, it is also incredibly “depressing.” Too much white or Pearl Lusta can sometimes be plain dull!

If you would like help confirming what colours suit you contact me now. Call me now on 04 972 4663 or email me at Cassandra@cassandragaisford.com if you would like to book at appointment. Men and woman welcome!


Celebrate your successes. When was the last time you celebrated the things you have achieved in life? Sometimes we can be so busy pushing for more that we forget to celebrate the things we have already done.

Make a wish list of future celebrations. Wishes are motivational intentions followed by actions.

Barak Obama's wish-list includes: challenging and inspirational schools; equal opportunity to go to university, regardless of financial standing; well-paid jobs with benefits such as health care; and a pension plan that will allow people to "retire with dignity.” Barak’s wishes also include the ability to "push the boundaries" of discovery to encourage the development of new technology and inventions that improve lives and protect the environment. What are your motivational intentions this year?

Labels: Colour, Exhibitions and competitions, happiness

And the winner is..........

Last year I won another competition run by the wonder people at Wai Art. I used the prize money to go to Maui and take part in a wonderful Sumi Ink workshop run by Max Gimblett. You can see who won and finalled in this years portrait exhibition here

You can follow the journey from inception to completion of my own entry below

Following in the tradition of master artists I am tackling the challenge of a painting my "self".
I thought you may be interested to see the journey toward my self portrait...


Will post regular updates and notes re colour and technique least you feel inclined to paint yourself too


I am aiming to have it completed in time for the Wai Art Portrait awards in Feb - this and two others. It is always nice to have a tangible goal to work towards


02 Feb 2009 - here is the finished version which is now hanging in the Wai Portrait Awards. You can go along and check out other fabulous works from Saturday 07 February to Sunday 22 February. With this version I tried to work from a photograph instead of my own reflection in the mirror....plus I added more flowers and played around with skin tone a bit more....not sure about this version....wonder if working from a flat photograph kinda dulled it a bit or if all the flowers are over kill

One thing I do know is how much I admire portrait artists like Marty Welch who do such an awesome job rendering people "real"




24 January
After much procrastination I headed down to my studio and transferred the changes I had made from the photo's in the previous post - you know, teeth!



Here is another of today's versions.....a few people thought the tall sunflower was a bit dominating so I painted over it (I'd tried this out first on the photo too.) It's similar to the image below (which is just cropped a bit for the camera) but I decided I needed to touch up the neck line. I can't believe Marty can knock out portraits in 10 days! I've been working on this for months - mind you, I only do a few hours a week. I definitely think it is worth perservering - I'm enjoying the challenge. Lot's of people don't think it looks like me.....I think it does so it just shows that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder!


20 Jan 2008
I spent an awesome Wellington Anniversary day today hanging out at The New Zealand Portrait Gallery. The most amazing exhibition of Stephen Martyn Welch based on the TVNZ 6 documentary “The Sitting.” Click here to see more about this amazing exhibition.

I was blown over when I recognised one of his portraits called “P”. I had admired it at what those in the art world call “the prestigious Adam Portrait Awards.” The reason I was blown over is because I had finalled in this award with my first ever portrait of my grandmother Molly.

I know people there were good, but I didn’t realize how good until I saw Marty's (as he prefers to be known) work. He is amazing – and self-taught to boot! Whooo-hoooo...there is hope for us hobbyists!


I felt so inspired after watching re-runs of the programme and seeing his work that I rushed back to my studio and did some more work on my self-portrait.

This is what I look like now – hopefully you agree that I look happier. Everybody that saw the last draft thought I looked incredibly sad.




I am wondering if I should ACTUALLY smile - so have twinked in some teeth...better?



or better with a bit of crayon and stripping out the sunflower....as you can see i am not a planful type of painter!
At least by working on top of a photo when I have got to this stage I don't have to work my canvas (and expensive paint) so much. When I compare the previous images (previous to these ones) I can definitely notice more happiness...funny how I didn't see it before. Must have been concentrating! I learnt a lot from Marty's TV chat and the importance he gives of catching someone's essence - makes sense really. What's a portrait without someone's soul?



Flower Power.....here I am - still on 14 Jan but now with some flowers. Why flowers? People used to call me "pot plant" on account of the flowery dresses I used to wear; at work people say I am flowery (in relation to my emphasis on happiness@work; I love the Dalai Lama quote: "positive thoughts are like flowers, they have to be nurtured everyday"; and lastly - I am most happiest when I am surrounded by nature. The lavender symbolises calm, relaxation and is growing around my home. The other flowers are chosen for their colour - my favorite...I'm still working out how to squeeze in a sunflower - a flower which naturally orientates itself toward the sun, and which never fails to cheer people up.

I have been working on getting the skin tone a bit more like my own and used a mix of vermillion (who'd have thought we have orange in our skin!) Plus yellow ochre and white...I think I may have put a dash of rose pink madder as well. For shaded areas around the nose and nostrils I have used black mixed with burnt umber. This time while working on shading I have found it helpful to mix a variety of different tones using the skin tone base so that blending is a bit more natural. I also used a glaze medium so colour is less flat looking and built up layers....seems to be working nicely and I am a lot happier with the nose...so far noses have been my greatest challenge. I have a folder with pages and pages of noses




Here I am as at 14 Jan - just getting ready to add some flowers!










This is how "i" look today 01 January 2009 - New Years Day!

I've focused on creating a more "natural" hair colour. I've used a mix of Naples Yellow, with white and a tad of Raw Umber. For the darker area I have blended Paynes Grey and Raw Umber.

I also reduced the length of my neck - proportion is everything! (this I read in a book on human anatomy for artists that I got out of the library. Plus I got rid of the green oval chair and made the background a scumbled blue. Still not sure if I will leave the blue or add a landscape backdrop to better capture the essence of where I feel most comfortable - here at our life style block where I am painting over the New Year. the flowers you can see are the long grass that sprung up when I positioned the painting on the ground to photograph it. This gave me an idea that I may follow up on tomorrow - adding flowers and making the whole thing a bit more abstracted



This is how I was looking the other day







This was how it all began - as you can see I've had a hair cut since then!

Labels: Exhibitions and competitions, happiness

Tap into the law of attraction and manifest your heart's desire:

As Deepak Chopra powerfully sums up in my new favourite book, “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.” “Intention is the real power behind desire.”

Harness the spiritual law of attraction by creating your intentions and desires for 2009. Here are a few of my favourite strategies:

Make a commitment! Write it down, make it happen. When you write a goal down, you make it concrete and you make a commitment to it. Suddenly your subconscious mind wakes up and says, “Huh – you mean business”. Writing down your goals is the area where people such as motivational guru, Tony Robbins, say that the winners part from the losers because the losers always find a reason not to write their goal down.

Why is the mechanical act of writing so important?
Building on what I’ve already said, putting pen to paper now transfers those expressions which embody thoughts onto something tangible. We can now physically look at it. Even the act of using the eye in coordination with the hand holding the pen makes a much firmer impression on our mind as we write out the phrase or expression. Now when we read and re-read that phrase or sentence the impression on the mind becomes deeper and deeper.

Here is another important point:

When the words are written and then repeatedly re-written they have maximum impact. So don't be content with a first draft and keep rewriting out your goals on a regular basis to reinforce them.


Strengthen your commitment by communicating your intentions widely. Tell others; share your dreams with anyone who will listen. This strategy’s power lies in motivating you to follow through because more often than not other people will regularly ask you for progress updates.

Visualise your dreams and intentions. Imagine achieving your goal in your minds eye, or more powerful still, create a dream journal or image board. Click here http://www.cassandragaisford.com/media.html
to view footage on the Good Morning show re how to visualise successfully

Stay conscious –Look at your dream board regularly. Walk around with your intentions and desires written down in your pocket or scan a photo of your written goals into your iPhone or PDA.

Allow no doubt. As author Deepak Chopra says, “Attention energises, and intention transforms. Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger.” Keep your attention on what you want and off what you don’t. Obstacles don’t have to stop you. Don’t give them airtime - resolve to find a way around them instead.

Honour your intuition. You may find, as I have, that it is very challenging to move forward into a new and uncertain future without hanging on to a past that no longer serves who you are and who you want to be. During times of transition my intuitive guidance has held me in good stead. At times it has also given me the shove I needed to step into a new future by dramatically forcing me to take stock of my true intentions.

Feelings of joy, happiness, bliss and contentment are all signs of following your true path. When I follow my bliss doors open for me seemingly effortlessly, while others, tied to the past, increasingly close. During such times I am reminded to have the courage to follow my bliss and to trust that nothing I want is upstream. I have kept an intuition journal for sometime now and have found this an invaluable resource when it comes time to take a leap of passion and faith. You might find this helpful too.

Pursue your passion not your pension. The key to success lies in following your passion. As the very talented opera singer Placido Domingo said, “When you follow your passion you are where you belong.”

Working with passion is an important ingredient to developing a competitive edge. Letting your passion shine is also especially needed during times of recession where the number of people seeking work outnumbers the positions available. You need something extra up your sleeve to really stand out. Passion can’t be faked. You either have the edge or you don’t. As wonder businesswoman Anita Roddrick once said, “We communicate with passion and passion sells.”

Detach. Hold onto your desires but stay grounded in the moment. Trust in the unseen forces at work helping manifest your dreams. This can be tough especially if current circumstances are weighing down on you. Maintain a positive expectancy – expect to be pleasantly surprised.

Once again I find that tapping into intuitive guidance helps. Last night for example I opened a page of Sonia Choquette’s book, “Trust Your Vibes” at random to see what wisdom may guide me. Opening books and flicking to pages in magazines is just one of the ways I allow my intuition to show me the way. Low and behold I turned to the chapter “Expect The Best.” Now isn’t that what I have just been saying!

Here is an excerpt from the first paragraph,
“Perhaps one of the greatest distinctions between five-sensory and six-sensory people is that five-sensories worry about how they’re going to make it in the world, whereas six-sensories always know that the Universe will there to help them in everyway.”

2 Resources that can help

Career and life coaching:

Coaching can help you gain greater balance, reduce stress levels, overcome obstacles, get clearer about your passions and goals and tap into proven strategies to help you achieve them. Life coaching can help you achieve your health, fitness and energy goals. Check out our website www.worklifesolutions.co.nz for more information about career or life coaching or contact Cassandra at Cassandra@worklifesolutions.co.nz.

Colour Analysis and Personal Style coaching
Looking drained? Feeling tired? Or would you just like new year make-over? Boost your confidence and success - book a personal style makeover with Cassandra now! Click here to find out more

Books:

Click here for an update re "Happy@work; job hunting for mid-lifers+" - it's packed with inspiring tips and practical strategies to help you create more happiness at work and in life.

Download free sample chapters here or check out the range of fabulous eBooks http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/index.php?cPath=30

Here are just a few of the practical and inspiring eBooks I have written to help people clarify and manifest their dreams:

eBooks
Create Your Dream Job http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=64(passion,
purpose, career)

Create From The Inside Out - work with intuition
http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=154

Find Your Passion
http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=97

Click the following links to view other helpful eBooks designed to help you live and work with passion.

Click here to see some of my favourite goal setting books and resources by other authors.


3. Creative quotes: Manifesting your goals

“Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake.” ~ Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862, American Essayist/Poet/Naturalist

“I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come.” ~ Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, 16th President of the United States

"Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal and I'll give you a stock clerk." ~ J.C. Penney, Founder of the J.C. Penney stores.

“All successful men and woman are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work everyday toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.” ~ Brian Tracy, Author

"Traditional goal-setting often ignores the power of intuition, creativity and "luck" in creating success. We can get so focused on the goal that we over look opportunities that come out of left field." ~Philip Humbert, Coach

Labels: happiness

So many people ask me how I stay so happy - I think many people think it comes naturally. The truth is, like many people, it is something I have to work at. When a friend wrote to me the other day to ask what the secret to my happiness was I was glad to share a few of my favorite ways. Then I asked her for hers!

Here's what she said:

I hope you do write a book on happiness as one of the things that has
helped me hugely has been a book that actually belongs to my daughter called
Girlosophy, which has some amazing pictures and quotes/thoughts/tips
covering a range of topics, but have been able to relate a lot of what said
to what happening in my life. So its been great to flick through when i
have been down or confused etc.

I have had a lot of flowers around since living here, I am thriving on the
sun, the cream walls, the wooden floors, the light airy house, this being
my house, my sanctuary, with no male energy around, having minimal
furniture and STUFF, lovely having minimal clutter, its really important to
move to a house that feels right at a time like this.

The colours that i love surrounding myself in when down are whites, lemon,
pale green/turqouise.

Friends are also so important, i have found out who my true friends are
through this, the friends who are there for you WHENEVER you need them, so
I guess surround yourself with the people who are easy to be around, love
you for who you are.

I starting walking early mornings actually from the first morning I moved
here, and also joined the gym mainly to do the excercise classes with
weight which Im loving.

I also have been meditating which is great, its all fairly new to me but
does make me feel good.

I will focus on study, kids and my home here..rather than dwell on the past.

Thanks very much for the draft (I sent her a draft of my book re happiness) it all sounds great and yes I understand you
are only human but you do do happy well!!!

So well done

Labels: happiness

Reading self-help books can be a powerful catalyst to creating positive change.

If after all this talk of recession, you could do with a happiness boost, the books below could be must the tonic you need.

“How to Thrive and Survive in any Life Crisis: Unlocking your inborn survival skills”
Dr. Al Siebert

“The Resiliency Advantage: Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back from Setbacks” - Dr. Al Siebert

“Man’s Search For Meaning” - Viktor Frankl

"Girlsophy" - Anthea Paul

"Divine Intuition: Your Guide to Creating a Life You Love." - Lynn Robinson

“Compass of The Soul: 52 Ways Intuition Can Guide You to The Life Of Your Dreams.” - Lynn Robinson

“75 Proven Ways to Make Money Between Jobs” - Sherry Vaught Everett

“The Worrywarts Companion: Twenty-one ways to Soothe yourself and Worry Smart” - Dr. Beverly Potter

You can get many of the books listed above and many more at Pinnacle Books. Phone Colin or Laurel, free phone on 0800 888-004 or visit their website www.pinnaclebooks.co.nz.

Don't forget about my book either. Click here for an update re "Happy@work; job hunting for mid-lifers+" - it's packed with inspiring tips and practical strategies to help you create more happiness at work and in life.

Download free sample chapters here or check out the range of fabulous ebooks

http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/index.php?cPath=30

Labels: happiness

As you will see from my earlier thread I was feeling a bit grey myself. I was doing some research and came across something I had written 2 years ago.....just shows - we all need reminding now and then!

Here it is just for you!

It’s official: black is banned from everything I do. It’s fine as an accent but other than that does little to lift the spirits or inspire. John Gage, author of Colour and Meaning, believes that colour is more than just a physiological phenomenon. It affects feelings and emotional states. Just how and why it does that, he believes, lies in the particular historical context in which it is experienced and interpreted.

In parts of Asia for example, black is believed to be a very lucky colour. What about New Zealand? Other than the (normally) positive association with the All Blacks, black too often is a colour of mourning – the stock standard attire for funerals. I walk down Lambton Quay in Wellington and I feel like I am going to a funeral every day. Perhaps it is the same in your city or office building. Heaven forbid it may be the standard color you put on every morning!

As artist Paul Klee said, “one eye see and the other feels.” If you want to feel passionate, positive, motivated, excited or any other joyful state join me in the November Colour Challenge and banish black from your life too. If you can’t banish it completely try to do something every day to bring a little more colour in the world. You could accessorise with new shoes, a scarf or tie, a brooch or environmentalise (new word) with flowers on your desk, a lick of paint, happy music (see interesting facts) a colour screen saver etc.

The truth is that the more colourful you are the happier you can make others feel. Today it was rainy and cold so I put on my most colourful dress (purple, orange, red and white- recently purchased in sunny Hawkes Bay) grabbed my orange bag, popped on orange shoes and headed into town. The first thing my local barista said was, “here’s my little rainbow - you’ve brightened my day.” I didn’t even say a thing. What I wore said it all. What are you saying when you wear black? How do you want to be remembered? Maybe you don’t! Some colourists believe that black can prevent us from changing and growing.
"We often wear black when we wan to hide from the world,” says author Suzy Chiazzari.

Note: if you love the colour black, it suits your skin tones and it makes you feel good, then by all means wear it! Think “little black dress", think The All Blacks, think Audrey Hepburn. Put together well black can be ultra sophisticated. However my ardent, not evidenced by exhaustive research, intuitive sense, is that the majority of people wear black because mass produced clothing outlets offer few alternatives and people just don’t know what suits them. See a colourist, find a tailor - or fly to colourful Thailand and get your clothes there! If you can’t afford to travel, buy a colourful painting or purchase a photograph that puts some joy on your walls….I know just the place:) Come visit me at www.cassandragaisford.com



Websites
http://www.soothingminds.co.uk/Articles.aspx?artid=158
interesting articles including one on colour astrology – no surprise to see that not one of the zodiac signs is black. Being a Libran my colour is green. Currently though my favorite colour is orange…but I am shifting to purple….but I thought it was interesting to learn what my astrological colour says about us “greenies:” Libra is the balancer and green is the energy of the heart chakra and harmony. Those who are born under the sign of Libra are known to be peacemakers. 'Green' people are the ones that you can go to when you have a problem as they are the most compassionate of all the astrological signs. So colour can also help clarify your vocation! As a life coach being compasssionate is essential! Check out the site to see what colour you are.

Books
Colour and Meaning John Gage

The Complete book of colour Suzy Chiazzari.
Includes tips on clothes and make-up, colour and interiors, colour diets for health, finding your soul colours, colour in the garden, healing with colour, your personal colours and more much more!

'How to Heal with Color, Balance Your Chakras! Ted Andrews

Faber Birren Color Psychology & Color Therapy.

Interesting facts

Several of the world's best musical composers have seen colors in music. Franz Liszt was known to say things like, "This is too black," "More pink here," and "I want it all azure."? Ludwig van Beethoven referred to B minor as "the black key." Franz Schubert described E minor as being "unto a maiden robed in white and with a rose-red bow on her breast."

In Thailand every day of the week is assigned it’s very own colour
Sunday - red
Monday - cream/yellow
Tuesday - pink
Wednesday - green
Thursday - orange/brown
Friday - blue
Saturday - black/purple
What is your lucky colour. Go back and check out what day you were born to find out
http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blog=5&title=what_is_your_lucky_colour&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Try it! It really works. My colour came out as orange! Anyone who knows me knows I wear a lot of orange – I even painted my garage wall orange!


Note: if you love the colour black, it suits your skin tones and it makes you feel good then all means wear it! Think “little black dress, think The All Blacks, think Audrey Hepburn. Put together well it can be ultra sophisticated. However my ardent, not evidenced by exhaustic research but intuitive sense is that the majority of people wear black because mass produced clothing offers little alternatives and people just don’t what suits them. See a coloursit, find a tailor (or fly to Thailand and get your clothes there!)

Labels: Colour, happiness

Have just purchased a website domain "thecolourgirl.com" and all ready to get out there and fill the world with colours that incite positivity..I have been feeling a bit flat myself this week - has been a very taxing, trying week

I realised with a jolt that much of my flatness was due to the bleakness of the sky, the blandness of the buildings that surround me and the harsh grey road that weaves its way around the city. Plus, here in Wellington everyone looks like they are permanently going to a funeral - black reigns king.

So now I am busy injecting more colour into my world. So far I have been busy rearranging my paintings and moving more colour onto the walls and have just purchased the most amazing citrus orange shot dress and a zingy yellow one too - nearly purchased a red silk flowing number..but don't feel just ready for red yet - too strong......will post photos!

Colour always uplifts my soul. As fellow visual artist Paul Klee said, "one eye sees and the other feels." That's why surrounding myself with and wearing more of the colours that make me feel the way i wish to feel are an essential took in my wellness kit.

How could you wear more joy in your life? Right now I am planning to purchase another Gimblett - this one a juicy quatrefoil in succulent orange, meadow green and a dash of cheery red...ooh nearly forgot the dashes of heartwarming yellow...a very joyful piece indeed.....Common universe...send me some $$$$ to pay for it! As always I begin with my intent and challenge the universe, and myself, to catch up.

My new business line, I am sure, well definitely help! So many people have said it will be fantastic..a french can thought I could be the Gordon Ramsay of the colour world! (the C word!..c for colour that is!)

Am wondering if i need to decamp, sell up and move toward the tropics myself...will see what flows in weeks leading up to Christmas..everything so grey and windswept here - a domination of black and grey threatens to consume.

Talking about one eye seeing and the other feeling...take a good look at this image and consider "how does it make you feel?"
It's horrifying to think that this is the Child Youth and Family Mental Health Centre in Wellington. IF you weren't depressed before you will be once you clap eyes on it. What a nightmare....unloved, uncared for and painted an insipid mental ward green.

Labels: Colour, happiness, Thecolourgirl.com