Green Tara

Today I have been learning about the Hindu Goddess Green Tara.  She is a goddess of compassion.  She is believed to help her followers overcome dangers, fears and anxieties, and she is especially worshipped for her ability to overcome the most difficult of situations. Green Tara is intensely compassionate and acts quickly to help those who call upon her. She can grant wishes, eliminate suffering of all kinds and bring happiness.

When called upon, she instantaneously saves us from eight specific calamities. 

1) lions and pride
2) wild elephants and delusions
3) forest fires and hatred
4) snakes and envy
5) robbers and fanatical views
6) prisons and avarice
7) floods and lust
8) demons and doubt

Below is the Mantra of the Green Tara.  OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA.  As I learned this mantra this morning, I noticed how joyful and calm it made me so I thought I would share it. I will be singing it while I am painting for KAIT today.

Alrighty Here's the Plan

Healing Disguised as a Pedicure

About every two-three weeks I go to Perfection Salon in Springerville to have a "pedicure".  Jennifer does my toes for me, but my time with her is about so much more than my toes.  She ministers to me, she tends to my spirit, she makes having a pedicure something sacred.  She loves what she does, and does it with such love that it fills me with light from my toes up.  Amidst the salt scrub and bubbles, the massage and pretty paint, she soothes my troubles for a little while.  She is amazing.  Thanks Jennifer for your healing touch and the pretty toes.

Wild SIsters in Training

These are two of my new friends that started kindergarten today.  We were instant friends because I recognized them as Wild Sisters in Training because of their boots, and they knew I was an old Wild Sister because of my tattoos.  I have watched them grow up but today was our first conversation-about their fabulous boots, of course.  Even at 6, they know the power of an awesome pair of boots.  Goddesses in the making.

Barn Owl Primitives on Etsy

Choose Joy

This is a new art piece that I just finished.  When I started it, it was going to be something beachy-the background is full of beachy blues.  I was still in beach mode after having just returned from our Mission Beach vacation-Take Two.  The problem was, this painting did not want to be a beachy thing...it had something very clear to tell me....starting with big green circles?????  So I let it and it told me that it's time to choose JOY.  The thing with joy is that it is a choice-always. Even in the midst of my aching heart, I can still choose JOY. It is possible to live with both until the healing is done.  In fact the JOY is necessary for the healing, so I will keep looking for it everyday and keep painting it when it needs to be painted.  Eventually, I will be able to think of Steve and feel the JOY of having known him-but not yet.

Turns out I love this painting because it is so joyful, whimsical and big (24 x 36)....kinda how life should be.  Don't ya think?

CHOOSE JOY!