WR Issue4: Inner Light

Expand Your Vision -
***THROUGH THE LENS: Access to Transformation***
Photo/Creativity Teleclass program - Next Sessions starts June 6th

Today's Photo -

a purple tropical water lily in a waterfalls pond at the American Orchid Society gardens in Delray Beach, FL.

The very dark background (water) was another of my "happy" accidents. It sets off the flower beautifully. When I went searching in my files, for the "right" picture to spark your day, this one jumped out at me, saying, "Choose me! Choose me! I'll light up each viewers' day!"

In fact, in the past, she had already lit up some friends' days when they saw the photo.

"This reminds me of Stonehenge. Love and Light in the sacred middle, people standing around this divine light, holding their arms up in a gesture of worship, joy and receptiveness. This scene amidst those outer petals that provide a safe space. Oooooh this glow of golden light in the middle!"
Marion Froese from Germany

"The energy of this photo reminds me of the Artella retreat. It makes me think of a group of women gathered around a fire, telling stories, moving more closely inward to one another as they share."
Marney Makridakis - ArtellaWordsandArt.com

Self-Reflecting Queries -
So what did you see in looking at the photo of the tropical water lily? Were you reminded of anything else in reading the comments?

Have the two comments above colored the way you now view the photo? Do they empower you or are they getting in the way of your own interpretation of the photo? If the latter, where else, or with whom else, in your life does this occur?

Lastly, the center of this beautiful flower does feel lit up and glowing, radiating out light. What light can you claim in your own center that warms you and expands out into the world, making a difference?

Inspirationally,
Sheila

WR Issue 3: Centering


Today's Photo -
the center of a Heart of Palm in Delray Beach.

This image, for me, had the feeling of a mandala and a sense of royalty. I was actually more interested in the center when I first started photographing it. The "results", though, far surpassed what I thought I originally saw and left me feeling regal and excited, wanting to share, which I did with others around me and now with you.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
What feelings come up for you when you view the photo? Where in your life have you been focussed on one thing and when you let it go whole new worlds open up?

This experience was also a reminder of how uplifting and enlivening for me is the experience of focussing with a view finder.

I was selling at an outdoor weekend Art Show. Business was very slow. I was feeling very bored, very fatigued and the minutes were dragging by interminably.

Then my eye was caught up with the way the sunlight was playing with some flowers as I looked up toward the sky. I grabbed my digital camera and started playing and sharing what I was doing with some of the other exhibitors.

I felt like a whole NEW person and found myself thinking, "Oh yes, Sheila. What a great reminder for activities to remember when you're in a slump!".

What in your life turns you on when you are feeling off or down?

For me, in the addition to the discovery of new images through the camera lens, it was also the energy around enthusiastic sharing with others that made a difference.

Do you have a system in place to remind yourself to get in action around it or them? Stickies? Notes to yourself? Physical triggers?

Sheila
http://www.eteletours.com/
http://www.womensradio.com

WR Issue 2: Accidental Art

Expand Your Vision -
***THROUGH THE LENS: Access to Transformation***
Photo/Creativity Teleclass program - Next Sessions starts June 6th

Today's Photo -
an example of what I call my "Accidental Art ". I evidently moved the camera while photographing an orange-colored pod in a tree and wound up with a picture that I love.

For me, the picture is almost a spiritual one, with the bright light in the center and the muted rainbow colors all around.

Insofar as finding images, I did see a couple, and maybe a family, in the upper left. Husband Sam saw a woman with big breasts, and a friend saw a large bear.

What comes up for you?

Self-Reflecting Queries -
I refer to my "Accidental Art" the original source of my unique photo/drawings. I had just purchased a color printer and a scanner and brought a couple of prints with me to a meeting so I could "play." I started doodling on one of the prints.

Out of what I discovered from that, a whole new art form and business evolved, resulting from simply playing and doodling, then paying attention. It actually became an "Accidental Business." See naturesplayground.com My business, eTeletours.com, another "Accidental Business" was started out of such a conversation. I was on a nature walk, talking with a friend on my cell phone, describing what I was seeing. One thing led to another, to another AND a new business resulted!Can you think of times in your life when you created something new, perhaps wonderful, out of the totally unexpected, simply by being with what was happening and being an opening to it?

If so, what were you doing, how were you being that caused the result? Open? Fearless? Excited? Delighted with discovering something new? Non-judgmental? and/or ???? (You name it.) I invite you take those characteristics the next time you are faced with a "mistake." To start developing patterns, I also invite you to take a few minutes today to pause and look around you in new ways. What do you notice that you haven’t seen before? I invite you also to see what opens up in other areas of your life out of paying attention - noticing.

Inspirationally,

Sheila Finkelstein
http://www.eteletours.com
http://www.cafepress.com/nature art for gifts

WR- Issue 1- INTRODUCING PICTURE TO PONDER for Women's Radio
It was with great pleasure that I accepted Pat Lynch's invitation to share Picture to Ponder on the Women's Radio site. This almost daily ezine the expresses visual, intellectual and spiritual views I have of my environments. It all starts with what I see through the lens of my camera.
Words and queries evolve when I study the photos on my computer monitor and start writing.

In sharing what I see, it is my humble desire to inspire, my guests, to start finding things in their own physical spaces and lives that they have never noticed before. Participants in my teleclass programs have shared their appreciation of the "out-of-the-box" thinking that starts occuring for them when experiencing their expanded visioning, resulting from our work together in groups.

It is our intent to have a new issue each week day. Every issue will be comprised of a photo, usually from Nature, and one or more "Self-Reflecting Queries," in some way inspired by the photo-of-the-day.

My strong suggestion is that you view the picture before reading anything I've written. The most important thing you can do for yourself is be with what you see, and your own responses, before allowing my words, or any others, to get between you and it.

Picture to Ponder - Blogger.com has been set up to give you a piece of each issue and provide readers a place to comment. To see the full issue contents go to www.womensradio.com.

TODAY'S PHOTO -
the remains of a tree that was cut down after being damaged by a Florida hurricane.

My husband Sam and I often, without looking for them, find faces in objects. Sam immediately pointed out the "Hobo" in the center of the tree stump (facing to your left ) in today's photo. I, according to notes I found, saw a cat's face with whiskers when I started looking. What do you see?


SELF-REFLECTING QUERIES -
Ask I think about being able to see only Sam's "Hobo" now, I start thinking about times when we are often so impacted by others' thoughts and feelings that we lose sight of our own.

(See additional SRQ's in the Photo to Ponder on Women's Radio)

EXPAND YOUR VISION -
***THROUGH THE LENS: Access to Transformation***
Teleclass program - Next Sessions starts June 6 or 7 - Pick One

Inspirationally,

Sheila Finkelstein
http://www.eteletours.com
http://www.cafepress.com/nature art for gifts