Meditation... Inner Encouragement

Does meditation make a difference? Is it possible that stilling your soul and listening to that deep inner voice can offer insight? Does silent focus actually change the wiring in your brain?

New studies show that it can! Rewire the brain for Love by Marsha Lucas is a great resource if you interested in learning more about it!

Here's an even more interesting study on the effects of meditation on some hard core inmates!
Watch the movie clip. If you'd like to learn more and see more interesting movie clips, press here.

If that doesn't inspire you to meditate, nothing will!

So your challenge today. Take 5 minutes out of your crazy day to meditate. Sit comfortably, still your brain, focus on your breathing. When your brain wanders, gently bring it back to focus on your breathing again. Sit in the stillness. It's good for the soul!

A little ART and a little SOUL...

Been at this blog for a few months now. I have quite a variety of readers! Thank you all for "tuning" in to see what's happening! It's an honor to have even two minutes of your valuable time. I hope that my words are bringing some encouragement, hope or inspiration your way!

Every day I try to put a little bit of art or soul into your view. Sometimes it's a bit of both.

Since I have such a varied readership, I am going to TRY to put a bit of art AND soul into my every day blog. If you are looking for both, check back again later in the day, there may be a new posting.

With the art, I will always give links for further study. It's really great to study artists. I not only look at their work, but also their lives as work usually reflects that life and I love to see how their art and soul relate to each other.

I usually have additional offerings on my facebook page. "LIKE" Anne Clay's Art and Soul if you haven't already and become an Anne Clay friend if you aren't one. As I pick up inspiration, I like to pass it on.

I love your feedback on Facebook and love your comments here. If you would like to add something to what I've said, please feel free. I don't have all the answers. All of your experiences are of great value. I love an open forum where we can communicate and share.

If you have tender stories of hope or artists and photographers of great interest, please feel free to email them to me and I'll be happy to include them in the blog. I'd love to have more of your souls in this blog!

So share yourself with me, as I am sharing with you. Together we will be "a community of soul"!

A little Klimt

Gustave Klimt (1862-1918) is one of my favorite artists. I love the color, flow, movement of his pieces.  He is best known for "The Kiss" seen above.

When I study an artist, I like to get into their personalities to see if I can determine what made them "tick" and paint as they did. Apparently Klimt had a charismatic charm for he not only was a fantastic artist but was also quite the ladies man. You can watch the movie "Klimt" (although as movies about artist's go, that's one I can leave) or read a more interesting fictitious novel about his platonic or was it love affair with his best friend Emilie Floge. It's called The Painted Kiss.

Emilie Floge was the younger sister of Klimt's brother's wife. He painted her portrait for the first time with her sisters when she was just 12 years old. When Klimt's brother and Emilie's sister died, the two of them raised their niece together. Emilie was a clothing designer and created many of the bright clothes that appear in Klimt's art. Klimt is often seen in robes made by Emilie. These two creative souls found synergy together. You will see in history that great artist's had their muses and they were very important in keeping the the inspiration flowing.

What I'm showing you above is just a small peak at Klimt's work. If you'd like to see more you can study him on the web or go to a local bookstore and look through the art section for additional materials. I have a few wonderful books that contain images that I haven't found on the internet. Of course the true joy is viewing a "Klimt" in real time at a museum!

To learn more about Klimt, press here.

Many artists replicate Klimt's work. Tomorrow I will show you an artist that I feel has come the closest to his style and yet added her own twist to the mix.

Physical Encouragement

I'm being greatly encouraged this weekend! I'm getting a new studio. About a year ago I gave up my storefront because I wasn't happy with my lack of temperature control. I've missed having a space to shoot my studio images that was readily accessible to me.

So this weekend, this hot, muggy, humid weekend, my husband and youngest daughter are working hard to grant me my wish. They have pulled out drywall, rusty nails and all manner of cobwebs and critters to make me a magical studio. The walls and ceiling are painted and today we are slated to paint the floor. After that comes decorating! I do that alone for that is my true joy. Cami, my senior will be the first to have her senior portraits in the space.... she will break it in for me...which will give us both joy!

Now THAT's encouraging! My family is using their little bit of time and energy to give me a place to work. I am using my time to encourage my oldest daughter by dying her bedspread for her dorm room. My oldest daughter is in turn encouraging me by working and making money to pay for her college and  running errands for me. We each give what we have to help the other. That's what encouragement is all about! It's a gift that keeps on giving!

What can your muscle power do for someone!  Do you have something special to offer? Maybe you can make today a "do something nice for someone else day". Try it .... it's good for the soul!

How are you doing?

How are you all doing? Are you being encouraged by others as well as giving it out?

Sometimes there are special situations in our lives where we need more encouragement than normal. We need to hear from people that actually understand what we've gone through. People can be empathetic, but it's MORE encouraging when you share your problem with someone who really understands because they have experienced something similar.

As some of you know, I've been in ministry in the past and have found myself in some really awful organizations and church situations that left a sad impact on my family. Lately I've found encouragement in a group of people on a blog. We share our tales of woe and let's just say that truth is stranger than fiction in most cases! I am encouraged by the strength of the human spirit! Sharing stories let's me know that I'm not all alone in the challenges that I have faced and that others have come to some of the same conclusions in life that I have. There is strength in grace and love and acceptance.

So here's my soul food challenge for you today. If you are struggling with a very particular issue, find some comfort in a group of people either in the form of a physical support group or internet support group. Locate a safe place to share your story. Sometimes to move on, we need deeper healing. Healing takes time and needs to go through it's process.

There are support groups for everything these days. Death, divorce, disease, mental health issues, addictions, pretty much anything a person can encounter. Avail yourself of the help if you need it! It's good for the soul!

If you were once in ministry but were forced out of your congregation, or if you've been a victim of spiritual abuse or if you've been part of a charismatic movement that promised way more than it was able to fulfill or if you've been excluded from ministry due to the fact that you are a woman and have been made to feel inferior as such or if you've been an unwitting member of a "cult" or an authoritarian church that tried to control you, or if you've been badly burned by your church friends or the leadership and are really struggling with it, or if have questions in matters of your faith there is a great new support group for you to get involved in. For a small fee of $7.00 a month, you can meet online with others who really understand your situation. Beautiful friendships are being formed and healing is occurring there.  http://www.davidhayward.ca

Full Version of Yesterday's Movie

Here is an hour long version if you enjoyed yesterday's movie. I didn't actually watch the whole thing.... I forwarded and only watched the parts that really fascinated me. Do what you like with it. Enjoy the inspiration today!

Movie Magic

Here's a little movie that has all the cool elements in my book - moody music, beautiful women in gowns flowing in the wind, over saturated colors, water, horses or exotic cats. It's kind of a freedom-mystical experience. I love it! It inspires me!