Welcome to Moments Photography by Sandy's blog about photography and creativity. Always on the prowl for ways to keep learning, trying, inventing and shooting pictures. I will share my adventures, addictions, and antics below. Come visit often and share what you will. Live abundantly, giving, sharing and loving. . .
Begin Again
In the circle of life - begin again. So many times of trying and failing. Failure teaches you what doesn't work. So keep trying. Begin again. It's okay to quit, if you are quitting a bad habit. Research says that people who tried to quit smoking and fail have a much higher successes rate the second time they try to quit. So make up your mind and do it. As Wayne Dyer says in his most recent book, "Awakening" (that was published after his death) "It's not hard to quit smoking. Just don't put them in your mouth." And you have to admit that not putting a cigarette in your mouth is key to quitting. Your thinking patterns play an important role in this quest as well. When I knew I wanted to quit I picked the hardest trigger: being at a bar as my practice session. I would tell myself that I could have a cigarette when I got home. So the whole time I was at the bar I didn't smoke. I got used to being around people who smoked. And I got used to not lighting up a cigarette when everyone else did. That was over ten years ago. I don't miss breathing fire. And I'm glad to be rid of the nagging head game to go out and smoke. So I quit. I don't miss it. I begin my life again smoke free, every day. We begin our lives not smoking. This body is made mostly of water, lots of cells and an incredible potential. We all have the potential to be our highest self. It is a choice in every moment. Below is a poem that reminds me how to live with my God given talents and ways of being. It is from "A Return to Love" by Marianne Williamson (it's been attributed to Nelson Mandela but that is an internet error.) It is a testament for beginning again. Read this poem again and again until it gives you that inner strength to do what you are meant to do. You are born to begin this life, yet again and learn your lessons of life and love. Love, fail and love again. Begin again as many times as it takes. It is not in the falling down that is the defining moment but the way you rise. Rise again. Begin again.
Our Deepest Fear
By Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.
We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us;
It's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
Cosmic Connection Bridge
Flooded in light, with a compass set at true north, surrounded by a rainbow sky, under a crescent moon...where might this path lead you? Cosmic convergence happens. Dragonflies and damselflies show up Your internal compass is recalibrated. Some will see, others will not. It is the opening to such that appearance reveals its secrets. Belief precedes seeing. A song and joy in your heart magnetizes magic happenings. Expect them and you will...
Act, Dream, Plan and Believe
Act, dream, plan and believe or believe, plan, dream, and act. In my way of thinking, if you believe in an idea, you might make a plan. As you formulate the plan, inspirations and dreams might come into your mind to suggest an impact on the idea and plan that you are formulating. When you act, that is still not the final step if you keep your awareness on additional inspiration that sometimes appears as you are in motion. Inspiration likes to find you working. Creativity is like a river that is always flowing. If you get into that flow, it will carry you. Keeping your awareness and focus in the moments that are unfolding as you work allows you to stay in that mindfulness that is connected to the timeless. In this place of knowing all is encompassed and empty.
Taciturn Takes No Turn
Taciturn quietness.
In the breath,
in the sunshine,
in a luminous
singing walking
alone near a
delicate dream,
in the tears
of your care....
- Francesco Sinibaldi
Taciturn takes no turn. And yet there is much to take in from Mother Earth if you find yourself in the pose above. It was written in the Guestbook portion of this website. I wanted to share it here as it was a timely expression needed for my turbulent mind today.
Love Yourself 2 Be Original
Love yourself. Just do it. Love everything about yourself. You can dislike an attribute you have. But then I would think you would be actively trying to improve that part of yourself. For example, I don't like it when I'm having to race Father Time to get somewhere. So I've learned to get dressed first. If there is anything else that I want to do before I leave the house I allow it up to a certain time. I then get my keys and purse and I'm out the door feeling fine. But if I only give myself a certain amount of time to get dressed and then out the door, I get to feeling stressed and inevitably something out of the ordinary happens and I'm out of time, pushing the limit. But I still love myself. It's a must but it's not a given for most people. So many people look to the outside world to validate them, to give them some feeling they're looking for. It's a bottomless pit. It's like going shopping to give yourself a "treat" or "you deserve it." That's what Amazon shopping app will tell you to do. But the good feeling won't stay. It is only when you can recognize the voice in your head and teach it to be nice to you that you know you are winning. Love is a powerful emotion. It means that you support yourself. You forgive yourself. You take care of yourself. And you don't let other people who judge you get into your head. So what if that person says something about you that you don't see as your truth. Anyone who makes a judgement is only showing you something they have not healed in themselves. Just because someone says something about you doesn't make it true. So just go on. Know yourself. Spend quiet time with yourself. If you can't do that then I'm going to say that you do not love yourself enough. You are enough. You were made that way. Maybe life didn't affirm that for you but now you know that you need to do that for yourself. No one else can love you any more than you love yourself. That in itself should be enough to make you want to learn to be kind to yourself and love yourself through it all. When you take full responsibility for yourself and make the change to take care of your needs in a healthy way, joy is the side effect. You become happy. And you will embrace the wonder and joy that is truly your birthright. And in doing all of this you'll embrace the unique journey that is yours. "Live the highest ideal now. See a future based on the belief that you are cared for in the universe, that you are growing toward higher consciousness, that love, truth, and self-acceptance are already yours. You do not have to achieve these states in order to live them now. Living them now is how you will achieve them." Deepak Chopra "The Way of the Wizard"