Powerful Creativity

Enso - the circle of life and enlightened living

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:30:00 +0000

Ensō (円相) is a Japanese word meaning "circle" and a concept strongly associated with Zen.

Ensō is one of the most common subjects of Japanese calligraphy even though it is a symbol and not a character.

It symbolizes enlightenment, strength, elegance, the Universe, and the void; it can also symbolize the Japanese aesthetic itself. As an "expression of the moment" it is often considered a form of minimalist expressionist art.

In Zen Buddhist painting, ensō symbolizes a moment when the mind is free to simply let the body/spirit create.

The brushed ink of the circle is usually done on silk or rice paper in one movement (but the great Bankei used two strokes sometimes) and there is no possibility of modification: it shows the expressive movement of the spirit at that time.

Zen Buddhists "believe that the character of the artist is fully exposed in how she or he draws an ensō. Only a person who is mentally and spiritually complete can draw a true ensō. Some artists will practice drawing an ensō daily, as a kind of spiritual exercise."[1]

Some artists paint ensō with an opening in the circle, while others complete the circle. For the former, the opening may express various ideas, for example that the ensō is not separate, but is part of something greater, or that imperfection is an essential and inherent aspect of existence (see also the idea of broken symmetry).

The principle of controlling the balance of composition through asymmetry and irregularity is an important aspect of the Japanese aesthetic: Fukinsei (不均斉), the denial of perfection.

The ensō is also a sacred symbol in the Zen school of Buddhism, and is often used by Zen masters as a form of signature in their religious artwork. For more on the philosophy behind this see Hitsuzendo, the Way of the Brush or Zen Calligraphy.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ens%C5%8D

I have several enso inspired works in my office - painted while in Maui with Max Gimblett. And this years visual diary - representing all my hopes, dreams and plans for the year is a "chalk" enso on red card - symbolising passion, "oneness" and spirituality to me.

Circle of infinity...emptiness with fullness, all things visible. All things unseen. To end and to begin....circle of life.

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life." Federico Fellini

Photography assignment and Pōhutukawa in a glass

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:55:00 +0000

Inspired by the photography and life change of Carla Coulson I have signed up to do a photography course.

I was thrilled to receive the following feedback and an 8/10 grade for my second assignment:)

"A great shot – lovely use of shallow depth of field for blur and well focused, well done also for making sure that the fence lines didnt cut across it too much. It’s very professional to be thinking about the background as many forget to do this and it’s important, even if we don’t want it to be. The skill is in ‘removing’ the background as much as possible, whether by composition or blurring with shallow depth of field, so that it does not distract, if it has nothing to do with the subjectt

I like the composition and crop too. Well done though Cassandra.

Matt 8 March Photography course"

Meeting Sarah Dunant - truly inspiring

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:04:00 +0000

The other day I met best-selling (and let me add - best-writing) author Sarah Dunant - she was so inspirational. Sarah Dunant is the author of the international bestsellers The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan and Sacred Hearts - all of which I have read, adored and continue to cherish. Her last book rounds out a Renaissance trilogy bringing voice to the lives of three different women in three different historical contexts. Her thorough research vividly reconstructs womens’ secret histories in the characters of a Florentine Noblewoman, a Venetian Courtesan and with Sacred Hearts the spellbinding and fascinating lives of the Sisters of Santa Caterina.

When I heard Sarah was going to be in my home town of Wellington I didn't hestiate to rearrange my diary.

I felt so inspired as I listened to her talk about her passion for history, Renaissance Italy and telling the un-told stories of women living in historical times. Sarah oozed passion and I think that it's her passion, as well as her immense talent, that makes her writing come alive for me.

Inspirational quotes and inspirational people always set my soul on fire and reignite dormant passions and dreams of my own. Combining the two - the quotes and the people- makes it doubly more potent.

Some of the most memorable things Sarah said while in Wellington were:

"I was completely intoxicated by that period"
(for me that shows the importance of feeling passionate about what you are doing, or planning to do)

"I wondered what was it like to be an ordinary person during that time"
(forming a question in this way has helped my writing hugely - imagining and then bringing to life a fictional character)

"Writing a historical book is like painting - the dots are the facts, you step back and your have the story."
(as an artist I love the idea of thinking of my story as a painting - laying all the ingredients at separate stages to create the total work of art

All these things, and many more she shared re the craft of writing and her journey as a writer inspired me. But what really set my soul on my fire was when, as she signed my book, she said," I brought a house in Florence and the Birth of Venus" paid for it.

We laughed and I said, "Who said you couldn't make a living as a writer?!"

AS I drove away my passion soared. I pulled over to capture my feelings on paper. I knew what I was experiencing was huge and I didn't want to lose it. Here's what I wrote:

"I just met Sarah Dunant - one of my favourite authors - if not the favourite. I feel so inspired, and excited. My stomach is flipping and swirling, dipping - like it does when there is turbulence in an aircraft. It's exciting. A feeling of real thrill - the kind you hope will never end. It makes me feel giddy, delirious. It fills me with a deep yearning, ffills my eyes with tears. I cannot breath, cannot get the words down fast enough. I want to savour this moment - the moment I know with a passion what I felt called, compelled, excited to do - to write about ordinary women like me, living in historical times, a multi-sensory book filled with art, architecture, set in Italy, or France - beautiful and intoxicating. To write stories that make others feel as I do - hungry for more and so delighted to have met the author."

To learn more about Sarah and her wonderful books click here http://www.sarahdunant.com. You can listen to and watch fascinating podcasts here http://www.sarahdunant.com/Sarah-Dunant-Podcasts/podcasts-author-sarah-dunant.htm

The future of fiction

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:25:00 +0000

Forget eBooks - click this link and check out the future of digital story telling

How to Become an Author Entrepreneur

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:32:00 +0000

I'd like to share with you a great article I received from Julia McCutchen - www.JuliaMcCutchen.com. Julia McCutchen is the creator of the How to Write the Ultimate Book Proposal Online Masterclass Course and the author of The Writer's Journey: From Inspiration to Publication. A former managing director and publisher, she now works as a writers' coach, mentor and professional publishing consultant

How to Become an Author Entrepreneur
The landscape continues to change at a rapid pace in the world of publishing.

Increasingly publishers expect authors to contribute to the publishing process and be actively engaged in supporting their books in the world.

So much so that the description of author entrepreneur* now offers an insight into a new level of authorship welcomed by traditional publishers, and essential for success with self-publishing.

But what exactly does it mean to be an author entrepreneur?

In my view, there are two criteria:

Having a professional and business-like approach to published authorship at every stage of the journey from inspiration to publication – and beyond.

Taking responsibility for creating as many different opportunities as possible for reaching out to readers, being visible as an author and building a solid platform to connect with your audience.

In traditional publishing, agents and publishers are extremely cautious about taking on new authors and new books.

Yet the numbers of writers seeking representation and a publishing contract continues to rise.

As a result, standards are high because publishing professionals can afford to be selective about which projects to go ahead with.

So if you have fabulous ideas, write with an authentic voice which engages your reader, and can present yourself professionally, you will give people the confidence to take you seriously.

In addition, creating a community of people who are interested in your work means that your voice will be heard by those people when your book is published.

Add this ‘ready audience’ to the new readers who will ideally be discovered in large numbers when your book is published, and you have the makings of a successful book launch.

This is the combination of factors which traditional publishers are looking for and which you need to aim for if you are self-publishing.

So here are 3 tips to help you move towards becoming an author entrepreneur:

Take yourself seriously as a writer and adopt a professional approach to every stage of your writer’s journey.

‘Raising the bar’ is one of the themes which applies to all of the work I do with writers who genuinely want to achieve success as published authors.

This involves shifting your writing, and the other activities related to authorship, towards the top of your priority list.

One way to achieve this is to write in your journal about the ‘big picture’ of how important it is for you to fulfil your potential as a published author.

Then refer to this regularly to inspire you to establish a mindset which ensures that your intentions become your reality.

In doing so, you will feel justified in taking yourself seriously as a writer and making a commitment to the focus required for adopting a professional approach.

Prioritise authenticity, excellence and action!

These qualities are right at the top of the list of requirements for becoming an author entrepreneur because without them, your chances of success are greatly reduced.

So take some time to consider how you can adopt a truly authentic approach which reflects the truth of who you are and what you want to achieve with your book(s).

Make a plan of how you are going to achieve your intentions once you have clarified what they are.

Sharpen the focus on your vision of yourself as a published author and write out the many small steps you need to take to arrive at the destination you envisage.

Include a time frame for each stage of your journey - and start taking action straight away!

Embrace the requirement to build your author platform at a level which fits your intentions of authorship.

Creating a platform continues to be one of the most important tasks to devote time and attention to alongside developing your ideas and writing your book.

If this feels like a challenge for you, commit to taking a course, reading relevant information, and/or working with an expert in this area to help you learn what you need to do.

Stay out of overwhelm by choosing just 3 ideas to work on first.

For example, set up a blog (or write more for your existing blog), explore social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and look at the possibility of some ‘real world’ events such as speaking or seminar engagements.

These are all ways of building relationships with like-minded people who will be interested in you and your book.
Of course you will need to make a conscious choice regarding the level at which you apply these principles to suit your individual requirements.

Yet some degree of acceptance and action towards becoming more entrepreneurial in your approach to authorship is the way forwards for writers who genuinely want their books to succeed in the marketplace today.

Enjoy the journey!

* I would like to acknowledge Joanna Penn, who was my October Writer’s Journey Free Teleseminar Interview guest, for her work in supporting ‘author entrepreneurs’ and for inspiring me to write this article as my contribution to this topic. If you would like to listen to the recording of our interview on How to Identify the Right Publishing Option for Your Book you can do so by clicking here … You can see more about Joanna’s work for authors who are interested in self-publishing here www.thecreativepenn.com

_____________________________________________________________

© Julia McCutchen 2009. All Rights Reserved.

If you want to use this article in your ezine or on your website I’d be happy for you to do so as long as you use the complete article, including the copyright line, and include the following paragraph in its entirety:

Julia McCutchen is the creator of the How to Write the Ultimate Book Proposal Online Masterclass Course and the author of The Writer's Journey: From Inspiration to Publication. A former managing director and publisher, she now works as a writers' coach, mentor and professional publishing consultant. She has over 20 years' experience and a publishing track record which includes UK # 1 and international bestsellers. Julia is passionate about opening the way for you to find your true voice, discover your Self in the process, and write consciously, creatively, successfully and with soul! For more information and to access free articles and audios for writers, visit www.JuliaMcCutchen.com

Cassandra's upcoming art exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:20:00 +0000

Art exhibition! See some amazing creations created by me and other artists who have studied with Jane Kellahan.

Come along to Ohariu Valley Hall on Saturday or Sunday 7th and 8th of November between 10am and 4pm.

The opening do is on Saturday 7 Nov at 12 - boutique wine, food and music - and child friendly. I'd love to see you there!

I completed Jane's very first art workshop and subsequently went on the win the Wai Art Award - so I'm a big fan of Jane's work and her fabulously, encouraging style.

See the below re details and be sure to come along!

How to create your soul mate

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:29:00 +0000

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

How I plan my paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:18:00 +0000

Do ever stare at your canvas and never know what to paint? Starting from scratch can be a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be this way - here are a few helpful tips to get you started.

I'll use my current project - a painting for my brand new, first ever niece, Freya. She was born in October this year. Freya lives in London with my sister, Sophie and her husband Dean. So far she has not been to her home-home as she was born 6 weeks premature and is in the Neo-natal unit. I am going over in November to see her and want to take a yummy painting over to christen her room. I also want the painting to be a source of comfort and spiritual strength while she is so young and vulnerable.

1. First of all I think about who the painting is for

2. Then I let my intuition guide me. Int his instance I received clear instructions to paint a fairy.

3.Then I start to do some research. I goggled images of fairies and saved them to a folder called Freya's painting.

Part of this research also means going back to who the painting is for. I looked up my nieces name, Freya. Here is what I found on Google:

In Norse mythology, Freya is a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses. She is the patron goddess of crops and birth, the symbol of sensuality and was called upon in matters of love. She loves music, spring and flowers, and is particularly fond of the elves (fairies). Freya is one of the foremost goddesses of the Vanir.

She is the daughter of the god Njord, and the sister of Freyr. Later she married the mysterious god Od (probably another form of Odin), who disappeared. When she mourned for her lost husband, her tears changed into gold.

Her attributes are the precious necklace of the Brisings, which she obtained by sleeping with four dwarfs, a cloak (or skin) of bird feathers, which allows its wearer to change into a falcon, and a chariot pulled by two cats. She owns Hildesvini ("battle boar") which is actually her human lover Ottar in disguise. Her chambermaid is Fulla. Freya lives in the beautiful palace Folkvang ("field of folk"), a place where love songs are always played, and her hall is Sessrumnir. She divides the slain warriors with Odin: one half goes to her palace, while the other half goes to Valhalla. Women also go to her hall.

The bits I have taken out of this to help inspire and guide my painting are:

She loves music, spring and flowers, and is particularly fond of the elves (fairies).
(see how my intuition already told me fairies were going to be important!)

Freya is a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses

Her attributes are the precious necklace of the Brisings

Freya lives in the beautiful palace Folkvang ("field of folk"), a place where love songs are always played

SO from this I am also sensing that a beautiful love poem may need to be included on the paper - perhaps just a few words. (I'm going to ask my daughter to come up with some words for her cousin - Hannah is a very gifted songwriter and singer.

4. Next I think about colours

NOTE: Nothing has been painted yet. Learning how to plan has helped my painting alot. I used to go around and around painting and re-painting because I had no idea what I wanted to paint. This was frustrating and also expensive as I went through lots and lots of paint.

When Planning colours I think about how I want Freya to feel when she looks at the painting. I want her to feel soothed, looked after, cared for, loved, strong, resilient, blessed, comforted, peaceful - all these things add up to happiness, but happiness as a colour is too loud, to bright - at least the way I see it.

I also want to capture and evoke the qualities and themes I have found in my research - growth, love, music, spring, flowers. So I am thinking about the colours of a delicate spring bouquet. So far I am seeing whites, pinks, blues and yellows.

As part of my colour research I am looking in florists shops and to nature. I am also looking a interior designers like Designers Guild and Nina Campbell who do great kids ranges. Children's books are another source of inspiration.

I also need to think about the room where she will be sleeping and where the painting will be hung. Given they are in London and I have not seen pictures of the room this is challenging. But I imagine it will be reasonably soft and neutral - how many people do you know that paint a new born babies room in loud, crazy colours.

5.To further cement my choice of colours and theme, I researched Freya's astrological sign - Libra. The following site revealed some interesting things http://www.novareinna.com/constellation/libraluck.html:

The lucky number for Libra is six (also known as the Hexad). It is the mystic number of Venus

Six represents family and symbolizes the home, parents, healers and counselors. It is representative of domestic bliss, responsibility, compassion, marriage and devotion. Six is also associated with fraternity and brotherhood...or sorority and sisterhood. It is the common bond of closeness between people, representing love, nurturing, harmony and justice. Six is the perfect divider of the circle

A mystic number represented in nature by the formation of crystals, honeycomb, snowflakes and flowers, six is a happy number with the power to ward off evil.

It is the number of luck and chance...life and strength...honesty and beauty..

he colors associated with the number six are all those within the blue family. Its peak tends to be during the daylight hours, with its natural element being earth and its associated gems being emeralds and turquoise.

Lucky Colours

The lucky colors for Libra are those in the pastel family, particularly sky blue and rose pink, which symbolize the heights attainable by spiritual and romantic love.

BLUE
Blue is the traditional color for sweethearts, possessing influences of love, peace and expressions of happiness

Blue is both serene and mentally calming. It is the color of clear communication. Blue is said to inspire the sense of infinite perspective. It enlarges the space and manifests the subconscious, giving the impression of clarity, affection and friendship. Blue separates from the reality, being attuned to dreams, and the endeavor of the supernatural Blue has the form of a circle, widening and dissolving into space. According to research, blue is the world's favorite color

Traditionally, blue is symbolic of the Virgin Mary and thus, is associated with girls who display similar pure qualities. In addition, it is the color of water and the sea, indicative of femininity and life. It symbolizes peace, stability, security and loyalty

Traditionally, blue is symbolic of the Virgin Mary and thus, is associated with girls who display similar pure qualities. In addition, it is the color of water and the sea, indicative of femininity and life. It symbolizes peace, stability, security and loyalty.

According to certain tradition, blue mirrors the color of the vast ocean surrounding the Japanese islands and is very commonly seen in Japanese art and clothing. In Christian symbolism, blue signifies the blue skies and/or the life-giving air. It is generally associated with hope or good health. Blue is an alternative color for the Season of Advent. It is symbolic of heaven and indicative of truth. In heraldry, blue is symbolic of truth and loyalty.

PINK
Psychologically, pink is a powerful color...a combination of the purity of white and the passion of red, which results in a color symbolic of gentle love and desire. It represents the feminine principle and survival of the species, symbolic of harmony and friendship as well as romantic love and affection. Pink is considered to encourage feelings of comfort and healing.

Considered to be a color associated with good health and life, people are often referred to as being "in the pink." In a sexual sense, pink is often thought to be symbolic of purity and pure love. This color is also associated with honor and morality. By tradition, pink is the color of baby girls as well as being the color of many newborn animals. Thus, it is representative of gentleness and new birth.

Other Favorable Colors: Orange - White - Lemon - Lilac - Lavender - Royal Blue - Navy Blue

Libra individuals generally prefer clothing in cheerful yet rather muted colors that create a mild, harmonious or soothing effect. They also tend to gravitate toward all types of understated and beautiful patterns ranging from damask to floral.

FLOWERS
Lucky Flower

The lucky flower for Libra is the rose. One of the earliest flowers known to man, it symbolizes love, hope and passion, as well as representing beauty and perfection.

The meanings of the colors of the rose are many. Below are a few examples:

Burgandy - Unconscious Beauty
Coral - Desire
Damask - Freshness
Dark Crimson - Mourning
Dark Pink - Thankfulness
Deep Red - Shame and Bashfulness
Lavender - Enchantment
Pale Pink - Grace and Joy
Peach - Immortality and Modesty
Pink - Perfect Happiness, Secret Love, Grace and Sweetness (and sometimes, Indecision)
Orange - Fascination
Red - Love, Respect and Beauty ("I Love You")
Red Rosebud - Pure and Lovely
White - Innocence, Purity, Humility, Secrecy and Silence ("I Am Worthy Of You")
White Combined With Red - Unity
White Rosebud - Girlhood
Yellow - Joy and Friendship

Gems

The lucky gem for Libra individuals born in September is the sapphire. They share this fortunate jewel with those Virgo individuals who were also born during the same month. The sapphire is also known as the Celestial Stone, Stone of Prosperity, Philosopher's Stone and Gem of the Heavens. This jewel is a member of the corundum family, a mineral composed of aluminium oxide and chrome...as well as extremely small proportions of other trace elements...which is the second hardest known substance after the diamond. According to some sources, the name sapphire derives from the Latin sapphirus, which means "dear to the planet Saturn." Other sources credit its origin from the Greek sappherios, which simply means "blue." It may be found in virtually any color, excepting red...a red sapphire is a ruby (also a member of the corundum family). The varying colors of the sapphire are said to possess the following particular properties:

Green - bringer of luck and prosperity.
Pink - encourages generosity, love and loyalty.
Dark Blue - inspires creative expression, intuition and meditation.
White - associated with self-appreciation and spiritual development.
Yellow - enhances intellect, study, knowledge, memory and, when worn next to the skin, attracts wealth.
Orange - also known as padparadscha and the most rare color for the sapphire, augments wisdom, optimism, renewal and atracts prosperity.

The lucky gem for Libra individuals born in October is the opal. Its name is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word upala or "treasure stone." It was later referred to in Latin as opalusopallios, meaning "to change color." In ancient times, the opal was accepted as a symbol of faithfulness and confidence. It is considered a stone of love,Asian cultures view this stone as a symbol of hope and loyalty.

Opals are considered to be very powerful in ritual magic. Since a quality opal contains every color of every other birthstone, it can be used or charged with all the energies and powers of the other gems combined, and can be used in place of any birthstone to cast spells, rituals or other mystical needs. It is often used to recall past lives...each color said to represent a previous incarnation. Fire opals (normally worn as a pendant on a gold chain) in particular are frequently utilized in money rituals to draw funds to those who are in need. Black opals are customarily the tools of choice for witches and magicians, who use them primarily to enhance their magical receptive or projection powers. Black opals worn near the heart on necklaces fashioned from gold are said to ward off evil, afford protection from the evil eye and provide safety for travelers who journey to faraway lands. The white opal, when used in rituals on the nights of the Full Moon, is thought to bring the powers of the Moon Goddess to full fruition in the practitioner.

Other Luck

FLOWERS/HERBS: Violet, White Rose, Love-In-A-Mist, Broom, Eyebright, Lily-Of-The-Valley, Mint, Geranium,
Kidneywort, Primrose and Strawberry
OILS: Camomile, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Peppermint, Pine, Spearmint, Rose, Birch, Cypress and Cedarwood
GEMSTONES: Lapis Lazuli, Emerald, Beryl, Jade, Turquoise and Sapphire
ANIMALS: Hart and Hare
TREES: Almond, Walnut, Plum, Myrtle, Apple and Cherry
BIRDS: Dove, Swan and Sparrow
METAL: Copper

You can view some of my completed paintings here

In November award winning artist Jane Kellahan is exhibiting some the work by former students. Click here for details and be sure to come along!

Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:44:00 +0000

Elizabeth Gilbert faced down a pre-midlife crisis by doing what we all secretly dream of – running off for a year. Her travels through Italy, India and Indonesia resulted in the megabestselling and deeply beloved memoir Eat, Pray, Love, about her process of finding herself by leaving home.

Listen to her inspiring talk here re how to nurture creativity

In this talk Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

*

Increase your psychic potential

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:39:00 +0000

Here's one of my favourite books:

The potential to awaken psychic ability lies within everyone -- the key is in knowing how to access it. Becoming psychically attuned can take a lifetime, but at last here is a book that will guide the neophyte to awaken extrasensory faculties. In Psychic Living, Andrei Ridgeway helps readers discover their psychic ability with the same methods he uses in his popular workshops.

In no time, everyone can learn how to perform psychic readings, for themselves and others, and tune in to amazing revelations about their career, love life, and their deepest passions.

Through easy-to-follow instructions, Ridgeway details the various methods of tapping into psychic potential, including: how to experience profound revelations through automatic writing; how to use tarot cards, tea leaves, and other oracles to read the future; the soul-searching rituals that can help unlock intuition; and why psychic potential exists as strongly in men as in women.

The beginner will also learn how to use visualization to reach spirit guides; what symbols and images have the most power in one's life; and how to experience a spiritual awakening and express new creative voices. Ridgeway also shares some of his profound experiences with clients who have come to him for guidance and instruction.

Click here to purchase:

The moral of the story is...if you persist like a pitbull, you will eventually reap the rewards

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:55:00 +0000

My friend and fellow artist Jane Kellahan recently send me the message below.

The moral of the story is...if you persist like a pitbull, you will eventually reap the rewards..it only took 12 friggin years! Read about my win here:

http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/news/top-new-zealand-artist-jane-kellahan-wins--aussie-cricket-art-award/5844/article.aspx

I didn't see it in the news but I did read it in the newspaper so it was an awesome surprise - and might I also add - a most deserved win! Will done you - awesome! Simply awesome!

I completed Jane's very first art workshop and subsequently went on the win the Wai Art Award - so I'm a big fan of Jane's work and her fabulously, encouraging style.

In November Jane is exhibiting some the work by former students. See the below re details and be sure to come along!

Indian artists are are among the world’s fifteen top-selling Contemporary artists

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:15:00 +0000

In the 1990s there was virtually no secondary art market in India. Between 2000 and 2008, the price index of Contemporary Art multiplied by seven! While Anish KAPOOR and Subodh GUPTA are among the world’s fifteen top-selling Contemporary artists with auction revenues..

Read more >>>

I adore the vibrant colours of these two pieces by Anish Kapoor. They sing! Clearly the Indian colour palette incites joy!

Max Gimblett's joy

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Just had a quick peek at Max's new work - gosh how joyous! I love Magpie, 2008/2009 which is on his home page and posted above.

When Max was in Wellington earlier this year we went to a private dinner with him a Paige Blackie Gallery. Max had on the most glorious pair of orange-yellow shoes. Not only does he paint colour so well but he wears it well too!

Check out this interview about Max's amazing coup - the first Kiwi ever to exhibit at the Guggenheim, click here to view

having a life first

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:24:00 +0000

A good friend of mine quit his job today. Bang! Just like that it was over.

"I was sitting in an important meeting,and I was sitting there listening to them talk I was thinking,'this is crap! Everything you are talking about is crap.' I didn't tell them that though, " he confided in me, "But I felt it, and when the meeting was over I went back to work and handed in my notice. I've felt this way for a long time and if you don't feel the passion any more what's the point in being there."

Before you quit your job with nothing to go to stop and create some time to reflect. It may be too much stress that's causing you to lose the passion. Or maybe you just need a big dose of inspiration. Here's a few links to articles by creative people who are feeling the same way. Perhaps some of their suggestions may strike a chord with you.

"You need to have a life first so you have something to draw from and you need to consistently produce work.” quotes one photographer. The second half of the quote is something I have long understood and believed in, " he continues, "we must produce something that is a result of our work, our skills, and our intelligence. It makes us happy to create. To bring these two ideas together is something we must all strive for – balance."

You can read the rest of his post here http://blog.patitucciphoto.com/2009/08/26/having-a-life-first/

http://thinksimplenow.com/ "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..." writes one professional blogger. "A month without technology sounds like a really nice cleanse of its own, "she continues. As to why she feels going on a retreat is essential, " I also strongly feel that the retreat will teach me things, and give me the clarity and insight that will help me better serve this site, and future projects related to my personal purpose." you can read the rest of the article here http://thinksimplenow.com/clarity/retreat-time/

If you could do with a bit of balance in your life click here http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=130&osCsid=soiggom7en37ob4rc43i9ctbq2

Or maybe you just need a fresh start. Do you have a feeling that you could do something else if only you knew what it was! For less than the price of three coffees this inspirational eBook may be just the kick start you need. Click here to preview http://www.cassandragaisford.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=64

Taking a stress break or making plans to reinvent your career can be a great life saver. However sometimes people have just had enough. Are you at that stage in your career or do you know someone that is. Is it time to quit? Here are some of the classic reasons that people move on:

These are the top ten reasons why you might want to quit your current job. These are difficult, if not impossible, work problems to solve. You need to look out for your best interests. Your job consumes too many hours of too many days of your life for you to stay where you are if you're miserable. No excuses, now. If these problems exist in your current job, make a plan, and quit your job. Read more here:

Seeing Cass

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:12:00 +0000

"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.

Time to retreat

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:44:00 +0000

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“.

creating currency - the passionate way

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:55:00 +0000

In two days we’ll be launching the brand new Colour Girl website – www.thecolourgirl.com.

It’s very, very cool – or should I say hot...in no small part thanks to the fabulous logo that my old surfing buddy Lionel Taylor (www.taylormcallum.co.nz) came up with. If you need a very talented, creative, professional graphic designer he's your man. Not only is his work amazing but he's such a honey – when I asked him where my invoice for all the hours he put into creating my awesome logo he said he’d much rather have one of my paintings – so I’m going to send him two!

"Hey Girl, What invoice??" he wrote to me, "Don't think I ever mentioned charging you.... ha! Send me up an art piece - one of yours. It will appreciate more than any funds sitting in any bank these days. Studio colours are Black, Greys, White walls with lots of chrome and splashs of red and burgundy. x"

So instead of the currency of money we're trading passion, purpose and skill. Here are the two paintings I am sending up to Lionel today - both were created with extreme passion and joy with Max Gimblett at the Sumi Ink workshop he ran on the island of Maui last year.

I think they'll go perfectly with Lionel's new colour scheme. Here's hoping he likes them, so far he seems optimistic! ""Right, send me up a piece ... before I can't afford one - Carp Diem... Seize the Day, it will look good in my studio, talent of the year, with creds and a web address of course.... chur!!!"

Keeping it simple- making it real - the art of Sumi
I came across this while researching Max Gimblett who very much is a fan of this technique (as am I ...it is so serene and beautiful...even tho you may say at first "anyone could do that" I don't believe this is so....a good stroke is a beautiful thing and requires much skill)

"The Philosophy of Sumi-e is contrast and harmony, expressing simple beauty and elegance. The Tai Chi diagram demonstrates the perfectly balanced interchange of the two dynamically opposed forces of the Universe, the dot represents integration.

Sumi-e employs these principles of nature's vitality in its design and execution. The balance and integration of these forces and the eternal interaction of Yin Yang are the ultimate goal of Sumi-e. The art of brush painting, aims to depict the spirit, rather than the semblance of the object. In creating a picture the artist must grasp the spirit of the subject. Sumi-e attempts to capture the Chi or "life spirit" of the subject, painting in the language of the spirit.

Patience is essential in brush painting. Balance, rhythm and harmony are the qualities the artist strives for by developing patience, self-discipline and concentration.

The goal of the brush painter is to use the brush with both vitality and restraint. Constantly striving to be a better person because his character and personality come through in his work.

Sumi-e is more than a technique, it is a Spiritual Journey."

How to tell a great story and capture your audience

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:23:00 +0000

The simplest way to gather an audience -- dating back to ancient times -- is good storytelling. And when the story is popular, make it longer and add to it. To clarify: "Good storytelling" is a story that makes people sit up and listen. It is worthy of their attention, worth remembering and retelling. It can be as short as a joke or as long as Homer's "Odyssey," but the storyteller must engage and captivate an audience. It must be entertaining. You can spot a good storyteller in any crowded room. He or she is the person surrounded by a group of captivated listeners.
I came across an interesting article recently by By Corey Torrence, "5 ways to inject storytelling into your campaign"

I like the idea of being told an interesting story when it comes to the marketing of products and services.

Acoording to Corey with a greater focus on story and content, brands should even be able to connect with the consumer unlike ever before. Content that attracts -- and does not interrupt -- consumers establishes a far more positive relationship.

AS he say, "Because consumers can shut out advertising and choose what they want to watch, the quality of branded content is crucial. The best content can flow from one medium to another seamlessly, captivating the audience through the emotional attraction of the story and not the technology distributing it. This, if exploited, develops the brand-consumer relationship far more than the TV model ever could.

Once you have entertained your audience -- with comedy, with drama, with story -- you have made a connection, and the better the comedy, the drama, or the story, the stronger that connection becomes. It is no longer sufficient to deliver a message -- audiences don't care about the advertiser's message. They want to be entertained, so a smart advertiser must now embed the "message" within entertaining content."

I just wish he'd provided some exciting examples within his article. Do you have any? Stay posted and I will come up with my own. How I left behind years of dead-end relationships and attracted my soul mate for example! I'm going to start writing it up tomorrow:)

here's Corey's top 5 tips:

"if you are a brand or an agency looking to evolve with the times and create storyline-rich content that resonates with an audience, I'd suggest the following tips when producing content:

1. Consider technology. The influx of new media platforms is dramatically affecting who is and, more importantly, who is not watching your content. Because of social networks, mobile phones, TiVo, etc., consumer viewing patterns are drastically changing. This is obvious, but so easily forgotten by a brand manager or account director trying to "check the box".

2. Promote quality storytelling. Anyone can write a story, but not everyone can write a good story. Make sure your writers know what they're doing. In the 20th century, good writers went to Madison Avenue, but great writers went to Hollywood; the market pays for quality. Start producing assets that consumers will want to consume and interlace brands that make sense from there. The below Nike case study demonstrates an example of good story interwoven with a brand message; better yet, as we learned from the Nike case study, brands, themselves, should create storyline-rich, entertaining content that speaks to their specific demographic.

Case study
During this year's 2009 NBA Playoffs, a series of shorts emerged on broadcast networks and the internet parodying the rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and the Cleveland Cavaliers' Lebron James, who were projected to go head to head in the finals. Each weekly "episode" satirized a different feud between the two basketball stars, played by puppets. The rabid NBA, Lakers, and Cavaliers fans understood this and found the serial strikingly entertaining -- Kobe and Lebron fans alike were able to laugh and enjoy the poke-fun-at-Kobe antics while the same applied for the Lebron jokes.

Furthermore, the nature of the content reached non-NBA fans as well, meaning that the viewer didn't have to be an NBA or team-specific fanatic to get the jokes and enjoy the content. Rather than TiVo through the episodes, viewers would stop to engage and be entertained by the well-written, well-produced content. Subtleties of Nike branding were discreetly strewn throughout each episode, whether it be the Nike logo on a t-shirt or a simple Nikebasketball.com link at the end.

This campaign, created by Wieden + Kennedy, brilliantly produced high quality content that resonated with the audience while promoting engagement and return viewership. This gave the client, Nike Basketball, a good reason to continue episode development through the end of the season.

Such is the power of a good branded entertainment property. If brands and advertisers want to survive in this evolutionary climate, they are going to have to embrace quality content creation and good storytelling techniques. Wieden + Kennedy is an agency that is paying attention to the current climate and adapting accordingly.

3. Take risks. Don't expect every branded content campaign to be a break away viral hit. How many stinkers does Universal produce to get one break-out hit? Why do film studios spend tens of millions of dollars in promoting each film? Invest in numerous campaigns, see which work, and then promote the hell out of those with further development and media support.

4. Avoid banner ads. Like filming a billboard and broadcasting it on TV. Banner ads are not a viable option in today's market because they do not promote interactivity nor engagement -- so don't use them. Now is the time to streamline advertising efforts to maximize ROI. Think of banner ads as the equivalent of radio static. Advertisers continue to throw money into this abyss, but my advice is to avoid banner ads, and re-allocate the saved ad dollars towards developing engaging and interactive content that will resonate with the audience.

5. Track and maximize engagement. Focus on building and developing a rabid fanbase centered on good content, rather than on "good advertising." Good content can become the "good advertising," but that equation is rarely reciprocal. Note for the CFO: Whoever finances content development and subsequently owns the IP -- client or agency -- opens up the business model for a whole other discussion.

Corey Torrence is CEO of Animax Entertainment.

Creating a world more colourful

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:02:00 +0000

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?

How to be create a new life

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:11:00 +0000

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

Happiness is...living green in Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:43:00 +0000

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

How to Create Abundance

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Today I received this lovely feedback and words of encouragement from a lovely artist friend of mine:

Hi Cassandra,
Just wanted to say hi and wish you all the best for the challenges you are presently facing : - )
You are one hell of a lady - clever and talented and very brave. Your energy seems boundless !
Warmest wishes for a smoother journey : - )

ps: wonderful news about finding your soulmate yipeeeee.....

It was so lovely to receive and so unexpected too. And as I replied below the timing was perfect:

Hi Sweet Pea

What a lovely email to receive:) Thank you so much - that was really nice and the timing is wonderful - your positive wishes have already reached out and connected with the universe and created good vibes for me.

On Thursday International publishers "Allen and Unwin" requested the full manuscript for my book "happy@work" - fingers crossed it finally gets published by a company with strong international marketing clout.

On Friday after much pushing my Bank finally agreed to a restructure allowing me to consolidate high interest debt into a lower interest loan - freeing me up considerably. Hard to be creative when finances are bearing down!

My love life is on the up - after a drought of mmmmmm.....would it be too exaggerated to say "all my life" - finally I feel as though I have meet my equal in body, mind and spirit.....

Last week I also found a lovely couple from Sweden - or they found me - to rent the top level of my home - further freeing me up to take on my architectural studies and retain my studio to live in rent free. They are a creative couple - he an animator working on Tin-tin and Avatar and she a florist

A month previous I found, after getting rid of yucky tenants, a wonderful furniture designer who is rented my old villa. He is sharing with a psychologist and landscape architect

And I have met so many creative, inspiring friends - a wonderful Dutch lady who makes personally tailored clothes for my Colour Girl clients, and a self-taught designer with a passion for zen architecture who has helped me transform my life in so many ways.

Last week I also connected with a lovely lady from the US who came to view the house and fell in love with one of my paintings - look at the lovely feedback she gave me -

“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

“ I can’t wait to tell you: I moved the painting and Duro came into the room and screeched “oh my god, I love that painting. I want to see what else she’s done!” Then Mike, our host, came home and his eye’s lit up and he said “that painting – it makes the house look so great!.”

I feel like life is back on track! So thanks for playing a role, by wishing it for me, of bringing it all into being!

Create Abundance
So it got me thinking - how did I create this abundance in my life - and how can I pass this knowledge onto you.

Here's 7 ways that worked for me. Maybe they'll work for you too.

1.Accept help. You never know where help will come from but when you find it accept it gratefully,and graciously and act on their wise counsel. Recently I met a very wise lady - initially with a view to talking about architecture. While sharing a personal dilemma with her over a coffee I soon found myself in the company of a person who was not only able, but willing to help me. The advise and practical assistance she gave me transformed my life in ways I could not have dreamed off and enabled me to rid myself of issues that had kept me stuck for years. First I had to ask for help and then I had to act on it! Not an easy lesson for someone used to being the helper and self-helping when it came to my own life lessons!

2. Don't settle for less. Challenge bad behaviour firmly, and diplomatically, where ever possible. Put your own needs first and don't feel guilty doing so. Challenging bad behaviour can feel uncomfortable but it is worth it - you're worth it! If your confidence and self esteem could do with a boost first get some help herehere

3. Live with passion. Keep your eye on your goals and do what inspires you. Obstacles don't have to stop you - find a way around them. The timing may not be perfect but you can proactively keep your mind on your dreams and surround yourself with people, things, situations that inspire you. Don't know what you are passionate about? Find your passion here

4. Tap into your intuition. Listen to what you know, not what you fear. Fear is constricting, intuitive thoughts and feelings are expansive. Listen to life's whispers and the stirring of your soul. Tap into your intuition here

5. Create your life with your words, thoughts and feelings. Keep your mind on what you do want and away from what you don't. Staying positive is critical!

6. Love colour! Wear, smell, eat, touch colour and make it part of your everyday reality. Choose colours that uplift, inspire, motivate and ignite your sense of passion and purpose. My soul colours are orange, purple and gold - these are the colours that uplift and inspire me to action - they're also the colours that people say they love when I wear them. Find out your soul colours here

7. Don't just dream it - do it. Take action every day. Even five minutes spent doing something you love will transform your life. Recently I've been so busy getting my house ready to rent and getting bogged down in the daily grind that my architecture dreams have taken a back seat. So with the five minute passion plan in mind I multi-tasked. While organising files and paying bills I logged onto the computer and watched three short videos on Ted given by architects who share my passion for sustainable, organic, healing architecture. It was wonderful!

In the immortal words of one very inspiring co-creator:

"Great things are not done by impulse but by a series of small things brought together." Vincent van Gogh

The end of an era

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:35:00 +0000

"This is the end of an era."
GEORGE SOROS, billionaire hedge fund manager, speaking on the global financial crisis in a recent television interview.

What do cigarette companies, alcohol suppliers and banks have in common? They all market their products in ways which create addiction.

Once the addiction kicks in they run for cover - shunning responsibility, unless legally implored to do so.

Hence the banning of cigarette and alcohol sales to minors, and rules about how and where their products can be consumed ie generally not in public, spaces for example.

Cigarette companies, alcohol suppliers and banks are also deceptive in the knowledge they provide. In the case of cigarettes, for many years the unstated side effects and irreversible health consequences were deliberately kept from consumers. Until a flood of law suits and the need to take evasive action. Now we have very graphic images on cigarette boxes. Click here to see some more graphic image and phrases. However cigarette companies still ply their wares as attractive, socially desirable products that "make" you look and feel sexier, happier and more successful. So do alcohol companies and banks. Happy images always accompany their marketing drives.

To date alcohol suppliers have largely avoided censorship - no images of people dying of liver cancer, chundering, drink driving, beating up their spouse or getting into brawls.

But what about the banks? Yes the dearly beloved banks - bastions of safety, security and conservatism. Or at least that is how they have marketed themselves to the general public. Just look at how easy they make if for people to have what they want. As the image above shows, they make it easy for people to get credit.

Banks have also been allowed to mis-inform consumsers about the risks of their productsAs yet they haven't been forced to take financial responsibilty social consequences of their free and easy lending. Instead, even now in the wake of the biggest financial melt down of all time, they continue to reinforce messages that it is ok to consume. No images of people being tossed out of their homes, made bankrupt, or losing massive amounts of money as a result of shonky investment advise.

Instead their relationship marketing claims that they'll help you if something goes wrong lull people into a false sense of security. As many an indebted customer has found, the relationship is only one way. It's their way or the highway. My experience is like many, they'll harass you on a daily basis if you have missed a payment, but won't return calls or act expediently when you wish to restructure your finances. Motivated by their own self interest, why would they allow you to easy consolidate debt at a lower interest rate when they can lock you into higher fees?

Instead, these fairweather traders (and those that own their shares) try to avoid taking responsiblity for the social and economic consequences of their actions. In the case of the banks - these very actions have brought down economies, evicted people from their homes, cost people their jobs, ruined relationships, negatively impacted on health and even forced people to take their lives.

As Deepak Chopra writes in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, "Responsibility means not blaming anyone for your situation, including yourself. Having accepted this circumstance, this event, this problem, responsiblity then means the ability to have a creative response to the situation as it is now. All problems contain the seeds of opportunity, and this awareness allows you to take the moment and transform it to a better situation or thing."

Come on banks - heed the call for change. Stop shirking responsibility and sticking to your dry old polices. Collaborate creatively to help us all survive and thrive. Or as the Beatles once sang, "Come together. Right now."

How to create a positive mindset

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:49:00 +0000

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.

green design - creating more humane spaces

noreply@blogger.com (Cassandra) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:43:00 +0000

Architect Norman Foster discusses his own work to show how computers can help architects design buildings that are green, beautiful and "basically pollution-free.

As he says, the green agenda is probably the most important and topical issue of the day. It isn't about fashion, it is about survival. "Green is cool," he says. "All the projects that have in someway been inspired by that agenda are about a celebratory lifestyle. In a way celebrating the spaces and places that determine the quality of life."

Norman quotes Thomas Friedman, who wrote in the Herald Tribune in 2006, "I think the most important thing to happen in 2006 was that living and thinking green hit Main Street. We reached a tipping point this year where living, acting, designing, investing and manufacturing green came to be understood by a critical mass of citizens, entrepreneurs and officials as the most patriotic, capitalistic, geo-political and competitive thing they could do. Hence my motto: green is the new red, white and blue."

Norman in turn asked himself, "When did that kind of awareness of the planet and its fragility first appear?" And I think it was July 20th, 1969, when, for the first time, man could look back at planet Earth."

I found this talk particularly inspiring as I prepare to enter Architecture School. One of the things I have been creating a bit of a wall about is digital design. But as Normal Foster says not only can the digital world enhance design but it can enhance our relationships and response to the issues we grapple with. "I think that that digital revolution now is coming to the point where as the virtual world, which brings so many people together here, finally connects with the physical world, there is the reality that that has become humanized, so that digital world has all the friendliness, all the immediacy, the orientation of the analog world."

"The answers to our problems lies with buildings" - claims Foster

Watch this inspiring talk here