Archive for the ‘Inner Beauty and Fashion’ Category

Dr. Deanna Minich is an internationally-known nutritionist with a unique approach to holistic health, food and nutrition. She combines the various facets of her background integrating her academic training in medicine with her study of energy work including shamanic healing practices, reiki, yoga and intuition, the results of which have been published in several books through Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari. Through her years of experience, she has uncovered the art and unification of what occurs when food is connected with spirit. Recently, I sat down to speak with Deanna to learn more about her practical applications and work to help people achieve what she describes as …‘bridging the gap between the earthly body of our being and the heavenly essence of our soul.

Kala: Deanna, wonderful to speak with you again. I enjoyed having you as a guest on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show where we discussed your book, Chakra Foods for Optimum Health .Today, I’d like to speak with you about your book: Quantum Supplements; A Total Health and Wellness Makeover with Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs. Deanna, what prompted you to write this book?

Deanna: When we think about nourishment, it is important to think about everything that we ingest. Of course, everyone eats food, and with many people wanting to take control of their health, they are also taking dietary supplements in some form or another, whether it’s a daily multi-vitamin, vitamin C tablet, or Echinacea if they feel they are becoming unwell. In addition, an increasing number of health care practitioners are implementing nutritional therapy in their practices, prescribing dietary supplements such as omega-3 oils or probiotics. As a result, there is more awareness about using supplemental nutrients overall.

Kala: How does nutrition affect the chakra system?

Deanna: Everything we do, say, think, and eat impacts our well-being. It is all “information” for the body to digest and transform. We have our physical body, which uses the nutrients from food as energy to live. In the ancient spiritual texts in India, they refer to more subtle aspects of our being – an “energy body” – which will respond to our environment just like our physical body. Our being is wired with paths for this subtle energy to travel on. There are certain places in the body where these “energy highways” coalesce – these intersections are the “chakras” or main energy centers. In Sanskrit, “chakra” means wheel, and, thus, this term is used to refer to the nature of these energy centers – they flux energy in and out of our being. In Western medicine, we might say that they correspond to the major endocrine glands of the body. Essentially, the way that I see chakras is as subtle and symbolic. Each of them connect to a specific aspect of our being: structure, emotions, power, love, authenticity, intuition, and interconnectedness. There is no doubt that food, supplements, and eating hook into each of these aspects of who we are. For example, instead of expressing our emotions, we may stuff them down with food. Instead of telling someone you love them, we may make them a meal. Rather than say what we want to eat, we may let someone else determine what goes in our mouth. Therefore, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to connect foods/nutrients/eating to these aspects.

Kala: How can the vibrational properties of vitamins, minerals and herbs help to balance our body and restore energy?

Deanna: By being in tune with what we need, we can use vitamins, minerals, and herbs to get us into balance. Just like foods, each vitamin, mineral, and herb carries its unique energetic signature. Minerals will be more dense and physical (think of iron, zinc, and calcium), vitamins act as catalysts (B vitamins are used for metabolizing carbohydrates), and herbs contain inherent information for healing (think of the origins of aspirin, white willow bark). I think it is beneficial to tap into supplements as needed. For example, perhaps we are living a stressful life. We are over-committed, over-tasked, and overwhelmed. What may happen is that our physiology begins to “mirror” our surroundings. We may start to feel on overdrive from within – our blood sugar may be erratic, our insulin levels may be overextended. Taking the mineral, chromium, or supplementing with herbs such as extracts from bitter melon and cinnamon, may help to provide the vibration we need to rope ourselves back into balance mode.

Kala: Are supplements enough to bring the body back into balance? For example, the american diet is so full of processed food, can one continue to eat processed food and maintain balance with the use of supplements?

Deanna: I don’t believe in “quick fixes” or “silver bullets”. Supplements are one therapy on a palette of many other options. They are potent substances, but also need the support of healthy, vibrant eating, movement, thinking, and emoting. Without everything else in combination, they may not be as powerful as they truly could be. I believe that the first approach to becoming well and maintaining balance is to look at one’s lifestyle. Are you overworking? Are you passionate about what you do and how you live? If not, perhaps some changes need to be made. Eating nourishing foods will be helpful, and eating them in a mindful, loving way will be even better at assisting one in finding balance. An individual’s surroundings may be so stressful that he or she can eat all the nutrient-dense food they want, but they may need added protection. An example would be living in a polluted city. In this instance, a healthy eating regimen combined with appropriate supplements can be of value.

Kala: There’s a huge debate about vitamins, some say that cold pressed vitamins don’t have much nutritional value. What are your feelings on the best way to absorb nutrients?

Deanna: First of all, I think it’s important to examine the health of the gut. Is your gut in a healthy state? I believe it’s better to start here so you can absorb everything you need to optimally rather than focus on the other way around – find supplements that can be absorbed in an unhealthy gut. There are a number of ways to heal an unhealthy gut – the first is to remove the offending substances that you eat. Find out what you are allergic to by working with a healthcare practitioner. Note that most of your immune system is in the gut, so if you are eating foods that you are allergic to, you will be creating an immune response every time you eat. You may also need to examine whether you are stressed when you eat, whether you eat too much, and if you are eating the proper amount at times that your digestion is robust (like eating a larger meal in the afternoon rather than in late evening before bedtime). Supplements such as pancreatic enzymes, probiotics, and fiber may be important in helping to heal the gut. Regarding absorbing nutrients, make sure you follow the instructions provided on the label. If it states to take with food, it’s probably because it’s a fat-soluble substance or it needs food to facilitate its absorption. There may be other supplements that are best absorbed and used by the body when taken throughout the day rather than in one dose, like calcium. Since we only absorb 20-25% of calcium on average, it is better to take smaller amounts throughout the day rather than one huge pill.

Kala: You’re also the author of: An A to Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can’t Pronounce. Sadly, I think 80 percent of what we see in products in the grocery store contain label descriptions that are difficult to pronounce. Why are our foods filled with such complicated ingredients?

Deanna: Our foods are filled with these “unpronounceables” because the majority of consumers want food to be convenient, cheap, abundant, and good tasting. As a result, the food industry responds to this consumer demand by creating additive-laden foods so they can sit on the shelves longer at a low price. As Michael Pollan has said, “We vote with our fork.”

We need to take the responsibility as consumers to demand high-quality foods by speaking out, and by not supporting the purchase of the lower quality items. We put our energy where our money is. If we want to change, we need to start with our next food purchase, food selection in a restaurant, and, ultimately, with the next bite of food.

I would say that your best bet is to shop the perimeter of the store where there are more fresh foods rather than face the complicated foods in the “guts of the store” that are disguised in cardboard, metal, plastic, and Styrofoam.

Kala: Are there some additives that you’d like to attach a red light to and say Stop! Never eat these?

Deanna: Absolutely! There are some additives that don’t do you any good to eat, and, in fact, may cause deleterious effects when consumed over a long period of time. One of them is TRANS FATS. Trans fats were created by the food industry to stabilize fats in a food. Now we know that they are awful for our cardiovascular system. They increase our bad cholesterol and reduce our good cholesterol, so not a good effect overall. As of 2006, it became the law to list trans fat content on Nutrition Facts Labels. However, if the content of trans fats is less than 0.5 grams, the food manufacturer can list the content of trans fats as zero! Therefore, you need to read the ingredient list, and if you see anything that says “partially hydrogenated” on it, be advised that it most likely has trans fats in it. The other “never” ingredient is ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. I think that if we are eating a healthy diet, we will find these substances to be too sweet, and they may encourage cravings. Aside from potential cravings, many of them may have side effects, often neurological ones like headaches and dizziness in some people. I would avoid them at all costs!

Kala: Any tips you’d like to share with us on how best to shop and prepare our meals?

Deanna: The best way to shop is to make sure that you are not stressed when you are making food choices. Use the grocery store as a sanctuary. Enter into it in a meditative, purely calm state so that you can listen to what your body truly needs. In preparing your meals, do the same. Ensure that you like your kitchen, that you want to be in it – paint it a color that makes you feel creative. Orange is the color for creativity so that may be a good place to start. Light some candles, play some music, and create your meal. Whether you are shopping, or preparing or eating food, the most important part of all is that you feel your body and soul are nourished.

Kala: Deanna, a pleasure as always. Thanks for taking the time to share information on having a healthier lifestyle!

Deanna: The pleasure is mine! I enjoy getting the word out about healthy eating. If your readers want daily tips, please have them sign up for the “Food and Spirit Facebook Fan Page” or they can sign up for my newsletter via my website at www.foodandspirit.com. Nourishing wishes to all!

SPRING FASHION COLOR TRENDS – What the 2010 Color Trends Say About Our Mood
(Use color to transform your personal style and well-being)

Pantone, the leading authority on color, sets the professional color standards for the design industries each year. According to their Fashion Color Report for Spring 2010, the top color this spring is Turquoise. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone had this comment on the spring colors -  “Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending. Instead of reinventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun”.

Two leading color and aura experts, Elizabeth Harper and Kala Ambrose are traveling around the US this year, to discuss the power and presence of color in your life and how it affects you on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. Teaching together at the prestigious Omega Institute in New York in July 2010, one of their first stops of the spring season begins right here in Raleigh, NC as they hold a 3 Day Event on March 4th, 5th, and 6th, hosted by Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship.  The event includes a lecture on Thursday evening, private color readings on Friday and an all day workshop on Saturday discussing Color and Auras, which are the colors seen by intuitive people in a field around the physical body.

Kala and Elizabeth teach that… “Color is the mirror of the soul. Every day waves of color-filled energy wash over us and the colors we choose at any given moment reflect messages from the deep knowing part of our being. The choices of color can be used not only in fashion, but in the food we eat, our creative pursuits, home decoration and work environment to enhance our well-being. Color permeates everything in our lives and can generate significant emotions; pink invokes love, green creates space, and violet inspires reverence. As hue-man beings we possess an awareness of color, but much of this knowledge is buried beneath the surface of our waking consciousness”.

According to Kala Ambrose, “Turquoise, the top color selected for 2010, represents self-expression and has to do with communication and healing.  Turquoise worn in clothing can stimulate the imagination and bring forth creative ideas and the turquoise stone, worn as jewelry can bring transformation.  The choice of turquoise this year signifies the mood of the people around the country who are ready to have their voices heard and want to bring about change in a big way. Turquoise reflects prosperity and collectively the color represents the desire by the people to heal from what has occurred nationally in the past few years and builds motivational energy to turn things around in the economy”.

More information on the event at: http://exploreyourspirit.com/workshop-sff.html

The creation of beauty, harmony, and balance in my art has always been a most natural process, but when I allow the two-word poem, “sacred spaces”, to transport me, I am struck by the number of ways these words can be seen as a sort of “central organizing principle” in my work.  Like a symphonic theme, it runs throughout my life in various forms with different inflections of tone and meaning.

When every woman decides to actively direct the course of her life she must make her home a kind of sacred space where she can come to feel her power.  She must feel fundamentally untouchable by forces she wishes to avoid.  In fact, the very word sacred is derived from the Latin sacer meaning “untouchable.”

To take the monumental step of attempting to share this feeling of power and safety with another requires the creation of a sacred space in a formerly solitary existence and, sometimes, a sacred space for the public acknowledgement of this partnership. The failure to regard each other’s existence as a sacred space inevitably results in separation.  In my own life, I have been fortunate enough to find a partner who shares my views and joins me in actively seeking new ways to acknowledge our lives as sacred.  Our relationship has evolved to the point where we have joined forces artistically to create successful projects of our own design.

An artist must extend her sacred space both physically and metaphysically.  She must first contact the sacred space within us all from which all creation emanates.  To do this often requires the creation of a sacred space in daily affairs – a time dedicated to establishing that contact – that empowers the creation of life as a work of Art and art as a work of Life.

All of life requires a womb, a matrix of support where emerging creations can grow, and the artist’s studio – whether it is a small kitchen table or as big as a stable – can truly be a sacred space.  My supervising the design and construction of my studio four years ago marked a turning point in my evolution as a woman in charge of her own destiny.  It’s construction was distinguished by the use of both ancient and modern techniques to consecrate it as a sacred space to be used in the creation of sacred art for the good of all.

I have evolved a collage technique that allows me to create images that allow our five senses to contact the sacred, untouchable spaces beyond our senses – the unseen forces of our Higher Self and the energies that empower, nurture, and unite us with All-There-Is.  Images from the sacred spaces of the land of our dreams – the landscapes of our soul – can be found in my “materializations”.

Using the exquisite handiwork designed and executed by women for women, the laces, beading, and appliqués which are themselves timeless works of art, I use the fabrics of today’s existence as well as various other techniques to turn these secular objects and industrial processes into sacred spaces.  It is a form of alchemy that I am desirous of extending to the marketplace as well.

I have used my art to reclaim as sacred spaces both the walls of the art galleries and museums which exhibit my work, and the pages of the more than forty best-selling books and divination systems I have created with my husband, author Monte Farber. The world of business must not be neglected for it too thrives when seen as an opportunity for the creation of sacred spaces in our environment.  The threats to our survival are caused by poor decisions made in the absence of seeing daily life as a sacred space.

Every one of my artistic projects involves creations designed to put the viewer in that most sacred space of relaxed attention caused by the blending of left and right brain hemispheres.  In this state we can harmonize our intuition with our analytic power.  We gain insights that inform our appreciation for our simple existence and the decision making that can either further or impede that existence.

Though, at times, seeing every space I find myself in as sacred seems as untouchable a goal as grasping space, I am fortunate enough to snap back to my more sacred space rather quickly.  This resiliency is only one of the beneficial results of keeping such lofty goals in mind and in perspective.  By so doing, we ensure the continuation of our lives as an ever-widening definition of what constitutes a sacred space.

More About Monte Farber and Amy Zerner:

Internationally known self-help author Monte Farber’s inspiring guidance and empathic insights impact everyone he encounters. Amy Zerner’s exquisite, one-of-a-kind spiritual couture creations and collaged fabric paintings exude her profound intuition and deep connection with archetypal stories and healing energies. For more than thirty years they’ve combined their deep love for each other with the work of inner exploration and self-discovery to build The Enchanted World of Amy Zerner and Monte Farber: popular books, card decks, and oracles that have helped millions answer questions, find deeper meaning, and follow their own spiritual paths.

Together they’ve made their love for each other a work of art and their art the work of their lives, with over two million books in print in fourteen languages. Their other best-selling titles include The Chakra Meditation Kit, The Tarot Discovery Kit, Karma Cards, The Enchanted Spellboard, Secrets of the Fortune Bell, Little Reminders: Love & Relationships, Little Reminders: The Law of Attraction, Goddess, Guide Me!, The Animal Powers Meditation Kit, Astrology Gems, True Love Tarot, The Instant Tarot Reader, The Psychic Circle, Wish Upon A Star, The Pathfinder Psychic Talking Board, The Truth Fairy, Spirit of the Ancestors Altar Kit, Vibe-Away!, The Mystic Messenger, The Breathe Easy Deck, The Healing Deck, and The Ghostwriter Automatic Writing Kit.  More info at: www.TheEnchantedWorld.com

This Summer on the Bohemian Blog, I created a feature article series dedicated to “Inner Beauty”. It was originally designed to be a brief respite from our busy lives, offering a moment to relax and reflect on the beauty in our world, both natural and man made. These articles have proved to be so popular, that I’ve decided to continue this series year round as I meet more beautiful and talented conscious creators who bring such natural wonders to our world. This Fall, the focus evolves into ‘Exploring Within’ as we delve into the mysteries of the connection between this world and the other side. On this path, I encountered Pamela Wells, creator of Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Tarot Guidance Cards. Her work connects every women to the Inner Goddess living within. Join us here as we enter into a sacred space of discussion and exploration.

Kala: Hi Pamela, Thanks for joining me here. You’ve created Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Tarot Cards, which are described as valuable tools for spiritual seekers, tarot practitioners and women of any age. The cards are based on the major arcana cards of the tarot, with this set featuring 22 goddess cards. What was your inspiration to create this metaphysical line of art centered on women and the goddess?

Pamela: I had reached a transitional period in my illustration and design career where I wanted to pursue creative work with less restrictive design rules. At about the same time I met a medicine woman who mentored and encouraged me to paint and draw what I felt passionate about. One of the first images I painted was the Strength card. The Strength card is mid-point in a majors only tarot deck and suggests inner growth and awareness that evolves over our lifetimes. Strength says, “I wisely use my life-force energy to create and direct my good work in the world.” The archetypal significance or the card represented to me a message of passionate action. I was ready to fully incorporate the meaning of this card in my life.

It was wonderful I had a mentor friend who understood my need to find more meaning and to create work I felt passionate about. Once I began painting, I realized I could be guided in the painting process through my meditation and prayer. All these wonderful synchronistic events unfolded during the creation of the card deck as my faith grew that all would be well even if I didn’t know where the project would lead me.

I created the remaining major arcana cards in a similar co-creative process. What I envisioned was often informed by my own life experience and through inner guidance.

Kala: The cards are available in a gold-framed collector’s set boxed edition which also includes a 120 page spiritual guidebook and a wisdom prayer guide to be used with the cards. What really intrigued me though, was the fact that you also have the cards available as an app for the iPhone and iPod. I’ve had the opportunity to play with the cards on my iPhone and have really enjoyed the experience. I now refer to the app as: “Tarot on the Go”! It’s been very entertaining and enlightening to be anywhere with my iPhone and have a question on my mind and then open up my Goddess iPhone app and ask the question and there are the cards right there, speaking to me. What prompted you to turn the cards into an iPhone app?

Pamela: How the iPhone/iPod format came about was very synchronistic. Martin Adams, the Ceo of Wisdom Titles, invited me to submit the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck. I thought it was a great opportunity to introduce another useful format for readers.I met Martin Adams years earlier through my husband who worked for him at his Anusara Yoga Studio. I had no idea that he had started a new company called Wisdom Titles for ebooks, iPhone and iPod apps until he contacted me through email. Likewise, he had no idea I had created a deck set until we reconnected. In the iPhone/iPod format the deck of cards and book is made available in a convenient any time, any where use. I agree it is great to have when immediate guidance is needed. The only thing the app doesn’t currently include are the introductory chapters of the deck set which we plan to add in at a later date.

Kala: Describe how the process of creating the cards worked for you? Do you work with spirit guides? Does the information come first and then the artwork or do they flow out at the same time?

Pamela: What a wonderful question. The creative process is so important in all areas of life as well as honoring the power of our creative-intuitive right brains. When creating artwork I start with an inspirational idea. The word inspired actually means “in spirit” so I get into a state of mind that can best described as animated creativity. My ideas about imagery for painting come about when I am walking in a remote canyon or local nature trail. Since I am visually oriented I “see” the images as if they were being projected from the back of my eyes to a screen in the back of my mind. So, the process begins with envisioning the imagery for the composition first. Then during the painting process I paint in the symbolic elements and details as they come about naturally. I do dialogue with my spirit guides. I usually contact them in more of a meditation or quite state when I am unsure about something. I usually start with the question “What do I need to know?” During the creative process my guides are co-creating with me!

Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities?

Pamela: In our culture, we are rewarded and receive praise for doing something even if there is an internal resistance, no matter what we feel or believe, and to just “do it”. Indeed, we become masters of even even doing many things at once (multitasking) in the interests of efficiency and goal achieving. However, the downside of all of this doing is that we often feel burnt out and stressed.This is a life that is driven by quantity.

Another approach is to periodically pause the doing and return to the reason and intention behind what you are doing. When you reconnect to the source of your energies, you begin to call all of who you are into unity. This connection recharges your mind, body, and heart in service of what you believe. So when you resume your doing, there is a more optimal flow of your energy and it can be done more clearly and effectively. This connection of mind, body, and heart (Spirit), is vital to sustaining a life of purpose and inspiration. This approach invites you to the quality of how you participate in activities – “how you do it”. It is what keeps your burning bright and not burned out.

Kala: Your education and background includes working as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, graphics and web designer for over twenty years, with an interest in the study of transpersonal psychology, integral transformative spiritual practice and the evolution of human consciousness. How has your career inspired you – and – what you create as an artist?

Pamela: My career has been an excellent source of experience, training and skills which include good communication with clients and an understanding of color and design that help sell a client’s products or services. I have always been interested in business but it has only been in the last 10 years I had the intention to work for client’s who had business interests related to my personal studies in spirituality and transpersonal psychology. Working for clients in the healing arts is when I am inspired the most. It is a real pleasure to bring together my education, experience and training with my passion for transpersonal human development and the evolution of higher consciousness.

Kala: As an entrepreneur, you’ve found an outlet to share your talents with the world. How does what you do for a living also express who you are as a person?

Pamela: I have always been creative and an independent thinker which is rarely encouraged or viewed as an asset in most business settings. Being self-employed I can do creative commercial work for clients and work independently on my own projects without as many creative limitations. Lately I am working with clients who hire me for my unique style and creative approach. Most of my clients now have buinesses in the healing arts or are looking for stylized design/illustration solutions that incorporate an understanding of these markets. My own personal creative focus has been in service to supporting and empowering women and other spiritually inspired artists.

Kala: How would you describe your personal spiritual path? Do you feel that you are continuing the work as described in the past as of the Goddess or walking a similar path?

Pamela: My own spiritual path could best be described as the healing path of the wounded healer. A wounded healer is from a family with a history of emotional or physical abuse. I believe this life path was essential to my understanding of universal lessons that helped me survive difficult times and helped me choose a life of internal power and purpose.

So, through my own life experience I would define an Everyday Goddess as a women who understands and uses her external and internal power to shape her life in a co-creative way with the Divine.

My creative work is part of an evolutionary shift in consciousness of what it means to be a woman. I believe women co-create history with men and can reject continuing to be victims of past history. It is important for women to take responsibility for their own choices, past and present and stand side-by-side with men as equal co-creators for an enlightened future. Part of women transcending victimhood includes taking responsibility for our own evolution, realizing unity with other women, being emotionally rational and standing autonomously without wavering. There is much more I have to say about how women can empower themselves in the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck.

Kala: I couldn’t agree more Pamela and this is the time for the return and rise of the Divine Feminine in all aspects. Regarding your work, do you accept custom orders for art? and what has been your favorite product or artwork that you have designed thus far?

Pamela: I do accept custom orders. Most of the art for the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess cards were custom portraits of friends or colleagues.

My favorite painting is the cover image of the women picking the apple. She is meaningful to me because the archetypal imagery in this composition points to similar themes in all the Everyday Goddess cards. She is rather mysterious and I like that. Surrender into the mystery is the first act to begin to understand the paradoxical nature of the divine feminine.

Everyday Goddess Tarot Cards by Pamela Wells

Kala: Who is Pamela Wells? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Pamela: I think they would say that when I am inspired about something, I will pursue it with the highest level of steadfastness and commitment. Or maybe they would say jokingly that I am very stubborn! They would say I am curious – a student of life, loving, playful and fierce as a warrior if I feel my loved ones are threatened.

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their entrepreneurial side and start their own business?

Pamela: Follow your heart (intuition, passion and love) in what you create and use your mind (skills and intelligence) in what you sell. Being creative births your unique vision into the world. Selling means providing a product or service to other people that improves their lives. If you can put heart and mind together, you will be doing what you love in devotional service to other people and the whole world benefits.

Know yourself. Have a good assessment of what you can do or are willing to learn how to do. Know what you can’t do well or don’t want to do and budget for them in your business plan then delegate those tasks to an expert. I would say that the most important character traits that one needs are persistence and independent thinking.

Kala: Beyond your work here Pamela, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Pamela: My work really inspires me because it gives me a creative way to express what I see inside as well as to be of service to others. My creative work incorporates my interest in women’s issues of self-empowerment, self growth and spirituality. I also love to read and learn anything related to travel, transpersonal psychology, integral spiritual practice and human consciousness.

I explore Spirit through my relationship with friends, family and my husband. My husband is a gifted Anusara Yoga teacher, best friend and a loving adversary for heated discussions about the Divine. I also have three dogs who enjoy nature as much as I do, keep me in present time (at least during our walks) and remind me that all is sacred.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Pamela. Best wishes for your continued success.

Pamela: Thank you Kala. It has been wonderful to talk with you.

More about Pamela Wells:
Pamela Wells has been working as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, graphics and web designer for over 20 years specializing in creative work that leads to greater understanding and awareness. Her design approach incorporates her interest and knowledge in the study of transpersonal psychology, integral transformative spiritual practice and the evolution of human consciousness. Pamela Wells’ creative projects with clients are dedicated to raising the awareness of their customers through their products and services by finding solutions that are proactively engaged in a fast changing world with the clear goal of growing business without compromising personal values and integrity. Design solutions are comprehensive, inclusive and balanced in a time when old, partial approaches and solutions are no longer working in a globally connected and complex world. In the emerging field of digital artwork, Pamela has pioneered her own unique style of painting and won many art awards as well as shown her fine artwork throughout the country. Her digital fine artwork has been published in how-to publications and Pamela has written how-to digital articles for both local and national publications. Her stylized goddess imagery incorporates her interest in women’s issues of self-empowerment, self-growth and spirituality.

Pamela is a professional member of the Society of Illustrators. Pamela Wells’ work reflects a deep compassion and commitment to empower men and women and the ecological preservation of the planet which benefits all living things. To learn more about Pamela and her artwork, visit the goddess fine art gallery at www.ArtmagicPublishing.com or www.Artmagic.net.

In 2009, Pamela Wells authored and illustrated a Collector’s Edition guidebook and card set for women called Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess – Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer. This boxed set is available at New Leaf Distribution, DeVorss & Company or www.ArtmagicPublishing.com. Pamela Wells currently lives just outside of San Diego, California with her husband and their three dogs.

This Summer, I began a new feature on the Bohemian Blog, dedicated to Inner Beauty and Fashion. It was originally meant to be a summer time feature, a brief respite and break from our busy lives and a moment to relax and reflect on the beauty in our world, both natural and man made. These articles have proved to be so popular though, that I’ve decided to continue them year round as I meet more beautiful and talented artisans who bring such natural wonders to our world. We continue here with this next article, as we move quickly into the fall season. On this path, I encountered Melissa Harris, the founder of Creatrix. Her work speaks to the Inner Goddess in every woman. Join us here as we enter into a sacred space and discussion. Enjoy… *~Kala~*

Kala: Hi Melissa, Thanks for joining us here on Kala’s Bohemian Blog. We’re featuring a special section on the Bohemian Blog entitled Inner Beauty and Fashion for the Body, Mind and Spirit. Your company, Creatrix features art on Women and Magic, Women and Nature, Women and Dreams, Women and Love, Women and Meditation, Women and Cats and Cycles of the Moon. What was your inspiration to create this metaphysical line of art centered on women?

Melissa: I’ve always been interested in women’s empowerment.  If you looked at my astrological chart, you’d see that I am all about that, and, in fact, women’s issues in general.  I love examining how women are so connected to the earth and how that connection manifests, including how we are so aligned with the cycles of the moon.  At the risk of sounding as if I am anti-men, I believe that in recent times women really are the care-takers of the planet and are helping to bring things back to a balance whereby we all, as a people are more connected to and have a greater respect for this beautiful planet we live on.

Kala: I’ve enjoyed your work for years, purchasing your Creatrix line of products in various stores on notecards and prints. Recently I discovered that you offer Spirit Essence Portraits. Tell us about these portraits….

Melissa: Thanks Kala. I have been psychic all my life and worked as a professional psychic reader in the 80’s until I felt like I was missing my painting too much and didn’t have time for it all.  I put that aside for later and about 4 years ago was missing doing that work.   I wanted to find a way to combine that with my artistic talents and voila- the Spirit Essence Portraits were born. These sessions are an opportunity to receive the gifts of my intuitive abilities as well as owning an original Melissa Harris watercolor painting.

Kala: I recently commissioned a Spirit Essence Portrait from you, as seen here. Describe what is being portrayed in the portrait here and how the process unfolds for you. Do you work with spirit guides, are you being guided as you paint? Does the reading come first and then the artwork or do they flow out at the same time?

Melissa: The sessions work like this: I light a candle, say a prayer and call in my spirit guides as well as the spirit guides around the other person as well as any other friends in Spirit that may want to join us. If the person is present we hold hands (since I work also through touch), do a general attunement and see what unfolds and if we need more info we go in deeper to that particular area. When that part of the session feels complete I put on some music that feels appropriate for that particular person and issues that the are working with and create the painting as they sit right there.

If I am doing a remote portrait I have the person send me a good close up photo along with a list of a few questions that they may want guidance on. I perform the same ritual of lighting a candle and calling in the Guides and then take detailed notes on my answers, which I later record and send the recording along with the painting.

Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities? Were you always connected with Spirit from childhood or was that something that occurred later in life for you?

Melissa: To answer your first question: I have this conversation often with my life partner. We both feel strongly that it is important to keep all 3 healthy because we experience such quick manifestations of our thoughts coming into reality on the physical plane. It’s really always been that way with me.  I have to be very careful to keep my physical body in good shape because I have manifested some health issues that I have dealt with but that were so obviously a direct consequence of some of my beliefs.  I could go on and on about this subject but to sum it up, YES I feel it is my responsibility to stay connected to where I am emotionally so that I am operating at optimal levels at all times.  I have a lot to do in this lifetime and a passion for doing it.

I have always felt connected to Spirit though when I was a child I experienced that feeling mainly through Nature. I also remember looking into a mirror and realizing that I was a soul separate from that person and that experience always amazed me.  When I was in my late twenties I experienced my channel opening in a profound way and it was right after that that I began offering my insights to others. There is a long version of this story on my website in the bio section if others are interested in learning more.

Kala: Your education and background includes being a Fulbright Scholar who studied in Paris for 2 years on a grant for painting. You have a BFA in painting from Syracuse University in NY, and a MFA in painting from Queens College, in Flushing, NY. You also studied at the University of Virginia, the Brooklyn Museum Art School, and The New York Studio School. You teach private classes combining drawing, painting, and meditation, and have held workshops at the Omega Institute, The New York Open Center, and other centers throughout the US.  In  addition, you’ve shown at nearly two dozen solo exhibitions, and many dozen more group exhibitions, in both the US and France.  How has your time spent in Paris inspired you and what you create as an artist?  Do you find travel and life experience to be the best tools an artist can access or is formal education in art more important?

Melissa: Paris – wow, it was a long time ago but I can go back there mentally in a heartbeat,  it was so intense  Actually, in reality it was not one of the easier periods for me in my life in an emotional sense.  Paris was the longest period of time in my adult life that I had the luxury to focus solely on my artwork and not consider my livelihood or anything else for that matter.  I spent a huge amount of time alone meditating and going to yoga classes taught in French.  It was a time of much inner exploration.  Since I lived in sort of a dorm like situation in a building that was for US students studying in France, I was among the oldest there and didn’t have much in common with the others living there.  It forced me to become comfortable with a solitary lifestyle in a way that I had not experienced before.  Sometimes I found myself depressed due to lack of socialization that fulfilled me.  But it was also very rich in that I was learning how to channel and becoming very attuned to my guides and own inner voice.

For me and many artists that I know travel is very important because most creative people need outside stimulation for their expression.  I definitely am inspired by changing my environs frequently, since a good part of my recent body of work consists of landscapes. This was not always the case since in my early artistic career all of my work was inspired by people around me. Now it’s a combination of nature, relationships and Spirituality in it’s many forms.  So I do need to move around a lot to continue to discover all the beauty to be found in Nature.

Other artists may work abstractly or with portraits or still life and may not need as much change or stimulation. I need a good amount of both. I don’t think that there is a formula for what an artist needs. Only that person knows what they need for inspiration.  Many people come to my classes that are blocked and we work on discovering what might serve as catalysts to get them excited about expressing. I love helping folks make those discoveries.

Kala: As an powerful entrepreneur, you’ve found an outlet to share your talents with the world. How does what you do for a living also express who you are as a person?

Melissa: Good question! What I do for a living really IS who I am as a person on many levels and I am so fortunate to be able to say that.. So much of who I am consists of being both intuitive and creative. If I were working in a different sort of environment these components of myself would not be best utilized, although I am always “tuned in”. When I am not painting, however, I actually get very grouchy- (just ask my partner or my friends). So it is not in my best interests NOT to be working creatively daily.  I worked for many years waitressing, so that I could work at night to make money and use my days for painting. I was annoyed all night long that I had stopped where I was at with my painting that day and ended up manifesting some back problems as a result of both the lifting on the job – but also from the anger I held in my body from having to stop painting and “go to work”.

Kala: The colors and images in your work are both inspiring and empowering and it’s beautiful to see how you connect with the Divine Feminine energy.  How would you describe your personal spiritual path? Do you feel that you are continuing the work as described in the past as of the Goddess or walking a similar path?

Melissa: Incarnating in this lifetime as a woman has been very important for me. I feel that it has been part of my path of service to do as much as I can to empower women and contribute to the awakening and strengthening of the Sacred Feminine. I used to consider myself quite masculine since I can be aggressive about voicing my opinions and getting my work done but a therapist once pointed out to me that I am actually very, very feminine in that I am SO RECEPTIVE, which is really the embodiment of the feminine principle.

Kala: Do you accept custom orders for art beyond the Spirit Essence Portraits? What has been your favorite product or artwork that you have designed thus far?

Melissa: Yes, I accept custom orders for any type of artwork, whether it be a traditional portrait, a pet portrait, a painting of one’s home, etc as long as I have time to fit it into my schedule.  I also accept commissions for book and CD covers.

I have several favorite images and they change as I continue to add to my huge collection of images. My favorite product is my CREATRIX “Anything is Possible” activation card deck since it was a lifelong dream to create a divination card deck.

Kala: You mention your affirmation deck called Anything is Possible. Tell us about your affirmation decks.

Melissa: I have 2 decks out- The Goddess on the Go affirmation card deck and the deck mentioned above.  The Goddess on the Go deck was created by Amy Sophia Marashinsky, who contacted me to do the artwork.  It’s a a small deck of 33 uplifting and stunning paintings of women on the go combined with a heart-centered nourishing phrase. Designed especially for the fast paced life style of today’s women/Goddesses, it is small enough to fit anywhere and light enough to be carried around everywhere. Goddess On the Go is accessible, positive and upbeat, your own private support group that can cheer you through difficult situations, soothe your raw edges and help you back on track when you feel overwhelmed.

The CREATRIX Anything is Possible activation card deck showcases the universal stories of women I have gathered and archived in the thought-provoking art in this deck. These activation cards serve as a guide through 33 universal challenges women experience. Women can turn to this accessible tool for inspiration, contemplation, comfort, direction, exploration, or daily as a reminder that anything is possible. The cards are organized into four suits including invocation, grace, keys and initiation. The accompanying 48-page booklet includes definitions of each card written I wrote with inventive ideas for divination and guidance spreads.

Kala: Who is Melissa Harris? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Melissa: When I asked my last partner if they had to use one word to describe me what it would be he said “intense”. I recently asked my current partner and he said “perfect”. I like both of these descriptions!  Depending on which women friends you asked they might say “silly, passionate, driven, creative”.  My father often describes me as “sweet” and also “spacey.”  My siblings would comment- “emotional,”  moody, supportive and possibly “controlling” .

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their entrepreneurial side and start their own business?

Melissa: I would advise them to be very honest with themselves in asking if they have what it takes to self motivate each day instead of getting up and going where you have to be at an appointed time. I am very driven and don’t have any problems getting myself into my office or studio daily and going to work with an enthusiastic attitude even if all is not going smoothly.  THIS DOES NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE. Some people get discouraged easily. If you are not a “type A” personality I would advise you trying to get others to publish your work and stick to a more traditional job. Having one’s own business is not for everyone.  It’s a never ending job and some folks (including myself) don’t always know when to call it a day and take a rest.

Kala: Beyond your work here Melissa, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Melissa: I guess I would say that I am always connecting to my inner self and asking what I need to stretch and grow.  That often comes through things I have always mentioned, people and travel. I had a spiritual awakening early on and did all sorts of reading and studying on many subjects, anything I could get my hands on, and in those days there were no such things as New Age Books or bookstores. I studied astrology, Native American traditions, theosophy, and Pathwork (more on that on my website.) These days I often accompany my partner to Spiritualist Church services and sound healing sessions with a local sound healer that I love.. But always, it is by being surrounded by nature (especially water), as well as those I love, and continuing to paint that makes my spirit sing.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Melissa. Looking forward to experiencing more of your divinely inspired artwork and best wishes for your continued success.

Melissa: Thanks Kala and all the best to you as well.

Melissa Harris was a former guest on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Listen to her interview in the archives here: http://www.exploreyourspirit.com/Media/shows3.shtml#CREATIX

More about Melissa Harris…

Melissa Harris holds an MFA and BFA in Painting and was awarded a Fulbright grant to study painting in Paris. CREATRIX is her company featuring her artwork and messages on notecards, prints, and other gift items. Her work can also be found on book, magazine and CD covers as well as calendars. She teaches art-making workshops at spiritual centers throughout the US and at her home studio. Melissa finds her inspiration in nature, travel, personal relationships, and dreams. Series include butterflies, women and magic, women and nature, women and dreams, cycles of the moon, intimacy, and more. Melissa states, “Whatever my subject matter is, I like it to have a certain edge whether compositional or emotional. I like to think that a key word for my work could be “depth”, depth of space and depth of emotion”.  More information at: http://www.melissaharris.com/

Every time I make a work of art, I am ready for a new adventure.  I have developed my own artform:  mixed media fabric collage tapestries. I feature my tapestries in our the many books & tools I have created with my husband, author Monte Farber, as  well as on my Spiritual Couture one-of-a-kind jackets.

Collage is a very therapeutic technique because it is a creative and spontaneous process; it allows me to be open to my soul language, to imagine the way I would like things to be.  When we develop our abilities to visualize, we can achieve many goals, we can create our own reality.

As I make the many decisions of placement, and balance by intuitively adding and eliminating elements, my decision-making muscles are strengthened on a daily basis.  By trusting and connecting to my “dream world” of metaphors & symbols, I draw up answers and revelations from the well of the unconscious.  That is why I love to make art all the time, because it is such a spiritual journey.  And its fun, too!  We all have an Artist within us yearning to express the feelings, language, and teachings that touch our soul and mirror back images that can heal us at every stage of growth.  If not expressed, the Inner Artist shuts down, and our spiritual natures shut down as well.

True creativity is arrived at by following a disciplined psychological and spiritual path.  Being creative entails the liberation of your “dream” and the ultimate realization of its delights.  To walk the creative path, though, one must be tenacious and heroic.

Art, writing, and other creative outlets are a way of talking to our Higher Selves.  By actualizing your creativity, you become spiritual.  If everyone is creative, then we live in paradise.  I believe we all have special gifts to share.

More About Monte Farber and Amy Zerner:

Internationally known self-help author Monte Farber’s inspiring guidance and empathic insights impact everyone he encounters. Amy Zerner’s exquisite, one-of-a-kind spiritual couture creations and collaged fabric paintings exude her profound intuition and deep connection with archetypal stories and healing energies. For more than thirty years they’ve combined their deep love for each other with the work of inner exploration and self-discovery to build The Enchanted World of Amy Zerner and Monte Farber: popular books, card decks, and oracles that have helped millions answer questions, find deeper meaning, and follow their own spiritual paths.

Together they’ve made their love for each other a work of art and their art the work of their lives, with over two million books in print in fourteen languages. Their other best-selling titles include The Chakra Meditation Kit, The Tarot Discovery Kit, Karma Cards, The Enchanted Spellboard, Secrets of the Fortune Bell, Little Reminders: Love & Relationships, Little Reminders: The Law of Attraction, Goddess, Guide Me!, The Animal Powers Meditation Kit, Astrology Gems, True Love Tarot, The Instant Tarot Reader, The Psychic Circle, Wish Upon A Star, The Pathfinder Psychic Talking Board, The Truth Fairy, Spirit of the Ancestors Altar Kit, Vibe-Away!, The Mystic Messenger, The Breathe Easy Deck, The Healing Deck, and The Ghostwriter Automatic Writing Kit.  More info at: www.TheEnchantedWorld.com

The journey continues as we seek seek out talented artisans who are designing unique heartfelt products and designs. This summer on the Bohemian Blog, we focus on art, fashion and design which nourishes, harmonizes and enhances the body, mind and spirit. Next up, we have Kathy Morawski, a well known equine and collage artist with works in many collections worldwide, so relax and get comfy as we spend some time with Kathy here on the Bohemian Blog, which as always is dedicated to “Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love”.

Kala: Hi Kathy, Thanks for joining us here on Explore Your Spirit with Kala’s Bohemian Blog. This summer, we’re featuring Fashion and Artistic Designs for the Body, Mind and Spirit. I discovered your work online and was touched by your use of natural elements to express strong heart-centric expressions of love and joy. Tell us, how did the inspiration begin for Love Rocks?

Photo caption: A selection from the Love Rocks series

Kathy: It’s great to be here, Kala! I’m honored you were touched by the Love Rocks. Their inspiration initially started in the aftermath of my mother’s sudden death. I began encountering angel and heart references seemingly everywhere and wasn’t sure of the source of these synchronicities but they were comforting. Then I started finding heart shaped rocks on my walks and began collecting them. It wasn’t until I was preparing for an art exhibit and acting on a spontaneous whim, I made a music themed collage titled “Love Rocks!” featuring sheet music and some of these rocks. Since most of my work incorporates words, for my next show I wanted to use the rocks in more of a text based way, but in a simpler format than a collage. I edited down as much as possible, substituting the letter O with a heart shaped rock and thus the Love Rock plaques were born!

Kala: You’re a talented artist, (mixed media collages, black and white and color pencil portraits) with a sincere love for horses. Your painted ponies jump off the cover and I connect deeply with the colored pencil horse portait. Your eye for detail is inspiring. How did your career in art begin?

Kathy: Thank you. I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember and my favorite subject was horses. I was always attracted to details and rendering them myself, so the fact I’m a Virgo seems appropriate! I was also incredibly lucky to have parents that nourished my art and called me “the artist of the family”. As a kid I painted on rocks and took orders for drawings from classmates on the school bus. I studied art and then worked professionally with an amazing art director who expanded my knowledge and took me to a level I would not have obtained otherwise. Over the years I continued creating my art and commissions while working my way up to being an art director myself in the publishing field. It was at this point when my mom passed away prompting a reassessment of my own life and I left the corporate cubicle world to do my art full time. It was a huge leap of faith but I knew I was loved and protected so I jumped.

Photo caption: Colored pencil horse portrait drawing

Kala: In many ancient wisdom teachings, it is said there are four animals who are here with the purpose to be of service and connect deeply with humanity. They are the horse, the cow, the dog and the cat. With this in mind, how have horses touched and inspired you in your life?

Kathy: Well, there’s no doubt which animal I resonate most closely with! Looking back at the many horse references in my life it’s obvious that horses are my totem animal. I was born in the Chinese Year of the Horse in a state claiming the horse as its state animal and my high school mascot was a horse. I got my first horse in another Year of the Horse and was invited to create a horse sculpture for a national art project during yet another Year of the Horse. The horse in my life now, Skip, is a true inspiration and helped me to open my heart again after the death of my mother. He was an older horse who’s owner had just died and no one wanted him. Initially thinking he was too old, I didn’t want to put myself through the possibility of getting attached only to lose him too. But he taught me that wasn’t a way to live and constantly amazes me in how two completely different species can clearly communicate with each other. Horses have the ability to mirror us  – you can’t hide, lie or B.S. a horse, they’ll call you out on it every time. Riding and trusting my horse with my life is an honor as it means he trusts me as well. Recently I began volunteering for a therapeutic riding program and am witnessing yet another aspect as to how horses enhance our lives. Horses truly help us in so many ways, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Kala: I was born in the Year of the Horse too and agree horses have so much to teach us and to share with humanity. I can see your love for horses in your work, tell me more about your inspired “Quarter Horse’’ design…

Kathy: I remember first encountering the life sized painted horse sculptures on display for an art for charity program called Horse Power New Mexico (later to be known as the Trail of Painted Ponies). It was July 2001 and I was standing on a Santa Fe sidewalk when suddenly the words “I want to do this!” came unconsciously flying out of my mouth. After returning home I started working on sketches but when the events of 9-11 occurred, I set them aside as now designing a horse specifically for America became my creative outlet to deal with the confusing times. After weeks of many new ideas and sketches still nothing felt quite right. Then one night I had a dream in which I was reading a newspaper article about a woman creating a new design for the American quarter and woke up wondering why I was dreaming about coin designs when my problem was coming up with a horse design. I immediately gathered a bunch of quarters, cleared my mind and stared at them. One quarter with a dark tarnished patina caught my attention so I began experimenting, focusing on the eagle and selected words of the reverse side of the coin. The discovery of the opportunity to reflect a theme of national allegiance and unity hit me. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. That was one of most memorable inspired Ah-ha! moments I ever had.
Photo caption: Detail of original Quarter Horse sculpture created for the Trail of Painted Ponies

Kala: Your latest creation is Love Rocks. I love how many words you’ve worked the rocks into… love, hope, yoga, om, joy, and many others. When I look at them, I see the stone… as being strong, enduring, and long lasting and the clay plaques as being of earth, warm, fragile, and encompassing. Together, they hold love. Perhaps the two things most needed during this time on earth is love and kindness. What do you wish for each piece as you create it and what are your hopes for the world?

Kathy: I love your take on this! For me they are also like condensed versions of affirmations. Many times they are often messages or reminders I need for myself. Since words conjure up different meanings and reactions in people I think their simplicity has a pure essence. It’s also interesting to see how people, especially children, are instinctively attracted to the rocks. There is something grounding and reassuring about rocks. The words aren’t set in stone, rather the stone is set in the words and the heart shaped rocks only help to reinforce the words. I want to share and remind others that we are all loved with the idea that the heart shaped rocks are angelic offerings echoing my own hopes for the world to include love, peace and respect for the Earth and all of its inhabitants.

Kala: You also work in mixed media and an author, I enjoyed your Food for Thought design. As a creative person, you’ve found many outlets to share your talents with the world. How do they differ and how are they the same when you are expressing yourself?

Photo caption: Food For Thought, mixed media collage
Kathy: I’ve accepted that I have many interests and facets to my personality and need various ways to express them. My collages are always intuition and process based and made from found and recycled materials. I literally will start with one object that captures my attention and then build a piece entirely around that, often inserting words or hidden messages in them. I have absolutely no idea what the end result will be and the entire process is a dance of the divine, with me constantly asking, getting out of the way and letting the inspiration guide me. The way I work on them is a great reminder and metaphor for how I try to live life. The horse portraits are more straight forward as they are mostly representational commissioned pieces and I generally have an idea of what the desired end result is. But these drawings are the most meditative to work on and I love being able to capture the essence of the horses and why their owners love them. The Love Rocks are my most restrictive pieces as the words must fit in my predetermined plaque sizes and contain a letter O which can be replaced with a heart shaped rock. Sometimes too many choices or options can overwhelm the creative process so working within narrowed parameters allows simplicity to emerge. These are also the pieces where I am most out of the way as they speak for themselves and people will extract their own personal meaning from them. But the spirit of love is literally embedded in each one.

Kala: Do you accept custom orders for your art and for love rocks? What has been your favorite piece that you have designed thus far?

Kathy: Yes, I have done and do accept custom orders and commissions for all of the variety of my art forms. The Quarter Horse figurine is retired from production but I do have a very limited supply of special editions available for collectors. It’s difficult to say which piece has been my favorite as I love them all for different reasons. But I have a special affinity for the works made as a result of being outraged about something and consider them my art activist pieces. I’m a firm believer in that energy flows where attention goes so I’m very mindful of my creative intentions. I don’t want to make angry negative art, so I try to step back to see the bigger picture and focus on what I perceive a positive outcome to be. A piece called 50 States of an American Dream, featuring 50 positive words, or states of being, was created during the heat of the last presidential election and another piece titled Paradise was my response to an environmental issue. These pieces represent my way of enacting Peter F. Drucker’s quote, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Photo caption: 50 States of an American Dream, rubbing drawing on architectural paper

Kala: Who is Kathy Morawski? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Kathy: This is great because as for the answers I actually posed these questions to my friends! Though my family is no longer physically here, they always said I was talented and smart and I loved my grandmother telling me I had the Midas touch. My polled friends said I’m compassionate, have a good sense of humor, and am a good friend and offered some responses that were surprising in their depth: Kathy embraces the scared sensuousness of life and is able to tap on a creativity that exists outside of the box while still being able to communicate to the rest of the world in an enlightening, entertaining and expressive way. Kathy is free spirited with a daredevil quality that inspires others and is extraordinarily creative and wonderfully adept at gathering her creativity to make significant visual contributions to the world. Wow!

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their creative side?

Kathy: First of all, I believe everyone is creative, and anything can be done in a creative fashion. Just thinking about how to do something differently than you usually do it is being creative. Immersing yourself in activities you enjoy and learning new ones is a great kick start to creativity as is discovering what other creative people are doing. I’d also suggest slowing down to be aware and open up to intuition by asking and allowing yourself to receive answers in whatever form they may arrive. I find looking for the humor in situations makes life more fun and creativity breeds when you’re in a lighter state of mind. And when you get an idea, instead of dismissing it, act on it!

Kala: Beyond your artistic creations here Kathy, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Kathy: I also believe spirit and inspiration can reside in anything, it’s the connection that counts. Some things I’m inspired by are music, nature, beauty, truth, books, dreams, great minds that explore the blend of science and spirituality, and words which includes quotes, song lyrics and even catchy lines on junk mail! I’m also moved by moments when humanity bands together to make a difference or help others. Methods that help keep me in that state of being include spending time with my horse, going for walks, listening to music, yoga, traveling, learning new things and spending time with good friends and being grateful for all of it.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Kathy. Looking forward to seeing more of your work and best wishes for your continued success.

Kathy: Thank you so much, Kala, the pleasure’s been all mine. I look forward to keeping up with you on your work as well! It’s inspiring people like yourself who help raise the consciousness of the planet.

Photo caption: Kathy with her horse, Skip. Photo by Susan Kozlowski
Artist Kathy Morawski is known for her articulate assemblages featuring found objects taken out of context and placed in unique perspectives, encouraging the viewer to look at them in a new way or to find hidden meanings. She also expresses her life long love of horses with her equine portraits and is an official artist of the Trail of Painted Ponies. Her current Love Rocks series is part of her recent work exploring life experiences and the clues that cross her path. More information on the artist and her work can be found at www.kathymorawski.com.

On Explore Your Spirit with Kala’s Bohemian Blog, we seek out talented innovative designers and entrepreneurs of the 21st Century.   Join us as we meet up with bright souls who do what they love and allow the rest to unfold as it should. On this path, we connected with Niki Fountain, CEO and owner of Serene Bath and Body.

Kala: Hi Niki, Thanks for joining us here on Kala’s Bohemian Blog. We’re featuring a special section on the Bohemian Blog entitled Inner Beauty and Fashion for the Body, Mind and Spirit.  Your company, Serene Bath and Body sells a metaphysical inspired line of soaps and lotions with delightful names including Goddess, Aura Enhancer, Eve’s Garden, White Light, Awaken and Zen for Men. What was your inspiration to create this metaphysical line of products called Celestial Farms?

Niki: Hi Kala. First let me say thank you for having me! The inspiration for Celestial Farms came from a number of places but it really started many years ago when I was a young woman who, like many other women and girls, found myself with a poor body image.  I didn’t take very good care of myself or treat my body with the respect it deserved.  But I did find one activity that I truly enjoyed and it actually helped me feel better about myself.  And that was indulging in really nice bath products.  I can remember many times in graduate school where I would take what little money I had left after paying the bills and go shop for new soaps and lotions.  I would hurry back to my apartment and take a long, hot shower with my new soap and then slather myself with my new yummy lotion. The entire act of picking out a new scent, hurrying home in anticipation, taking the shower and then rubbing the lotion in created a wonderful sense of well being and made me feel good about myself.  So that was part of the inspiration, the desire to help others feel good about themselves, to help them find that sense of well being that I had found, that serenity that comes from taking care of our bodies.  But the other part, the metaphysical inspiration ironically came from my science background as a geologist.  Being a geologist I’ve spent many years learning not just about the physical properties of crystals and gemstones but also the metaphysical properties.  I took this knowledge of the crystals and what they can do and combined that with my desire and inspiration to create beautiful bath products.  And from there I created the Celestial Farms line where we include crystals and gemstones in everything we make.

Kala: When sampling your work, I was attracted to the fact that you include real gemstones and crystals in the soaps and lotions.  How did you decide which gemstone to put in each product and how do they enhance the product?

Niki: As I mentioned, being a geologist I have spent many years working with and researching crystals and gemstones.  Along the way I learned that crystals have more than just the physical properties that we can see like color and hardness.  They also have metaphysical properties. What I mean by this is that crystals vibrate with energy and different crystals have different types of energy.  I selected the crystals for various products based on the energy that I wanted vibrating in them.  For example rose quartz is a crystal that vibrates with the energy of love.  We utilize this energy and embed rose quartz crystals in one of the Celestial Farms product lines called Eve’s Garden.  Eve’s Garden was created specifically with love in mind. Whether you’re looking to attract romantic love, trying to love yourself, or learning to love humanity, Eve’s Garden is “charged” with love and will help attract love to you. By adding the rose quartz crystals we enhance this effect because we’re adding that vibrating energy of love.

This same concept carries in all of the Celestial Farms products.  For example our Aura Enhancer line contains amethyst crystals because amethyst helps clear and cleanse auras.  Our Awaken line contains aventurine because those crystals vibrate with an energizing and healing energy.  Our Goddess line includes moonstone crystals because moonstone vibrates with the energy of the Divine Feminine.

Kala: Celestial Farms soaps are all natural. What makes them different than other soaps?

Niki: I think what really sets Celestial Farms soaps apart is the energy that we put into them.  All of our soaps and other products are created and charged with love and white light. And of course the fact that we add blessed crystals enhances this.  Not to mention the fun bonus of finding a treasure of a crystal in your bar of soap!

Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities? Is there a conscious thought that we should focus on when bathing?

Niki: I think it’s absolutely critical to connect body, mind and spirit in everything we do. In fact I’m not sure that you can really avoid it, it’s just that most people are not conscious of the connection. I think we can easily see the connection when we see things like internal emotional turmoil expressing itself as physical illness.

So the answer is you should definitely be conscious of your thoughts while bathing.  Research has shown us that we can manifest what we think- like athletes envisioning themselves winning the race before they run it.  So it is very important to be thinking loving and positive thoughts while bathing or grooming yourself.  Our bodies will give us what we give them- if we fill it with love and positive energy that’s what we’ll get in return. But if we’re thinking about how much we hate this or that part of our body or if we’re feeling angry about something while bathing then we’ll get that negative energy back, creating a vicious cycle.

Kala: Your education and background is as a hydrogeologist with a focus on saponification.  How has your work inspired you and what you create at Serene?

Niki: My graduate thesis work focused on creating “soaps” to be used to clean up chemicals that were spilled into groundwater.  I say “soaps” because they were not technically true soaps but had a similar chemical composition.  From there I spent more than a decade working in the environmental industry looking for and cleaning up chemicals that had been released into the environment.  During this time I saw firsthand what chemical manufacturing did to the environment and what long term exposure to chemicals did to the human body.  It was a direct result of this experience that led Serene to use ingredients that do not adversely impact the planet or the human body.

Kala: As an entrepreneur, you’ve found an outlet to share your talents with the world. How does what you do for a living also express who you are as a person?

Niki: First I want to say that I am so thankful and fortunate that I have been able to create a business doing what I love.  I know not everyone has that opportunity.  I guess I have always thought of myself as a nurturing person and someone who enjoys taking care of others.  By creating natural and organic bath products I feel I am, in a sense, taking care of others and helping them take better care of themselves.  Also, being a scientist, I have an analytical side that I get to tap into while formulating and creating new products.

Kala: The shapes and designs on the soap are striking and empowering. Do you connect with the Divine Feminine energy?  Wise women in the ancient past used herbs and oils to make soaps and healing poultices. Do you feel that you are continuing this work or are walking a similar path?

Niki: Thank you! I specifically chose the shapes and images on the soaps for their ability to empower and to further enhance the effectiveness of the soaps.  I do connect with the Divine Feminine energy and feel that I have spent many lifetimes as a healer and a wise woman who created healing potions and poultices. I feel very fortunate that I connected with this energy and found this path once again in this lifetime.  I am very honored and blessed that the Universe has provided me with the talents it has so that I can create the products at Serene.

Kala: Do you accept custom orders? What has been your favorite product that you have designed thus far?

Niki: At this time we don’t accept custom orders. But we do hope to have this option available to our customers in the future.  Ideally we would talk with the customer and find out what his or her specific needs and desires are- stress release, invigoration, self love, etc.  We would also discuss things like skin type and possible sensitivities.  From there we would create a personalized product just for that customer.

My favorite creation is our Dead Sea salt scrub. The scrubs are made with salts from the Dead Sea which are amazingly therapeutic.  The salts are in a mixture of various oils including jojoba, grapeseed, neem, and vitamin E oils- all of which are incredibly nourishing to the skin.  I love rubbing the salt/oil mixture on my skin after a bath or shower and then rinsing off.  My skin feels silky smooth and super moisturized.

Kala: Serene Bath and Body is now releasing a new organic line called Persephone’s Wish. Tell us about this line.

Niki: I’m very excited about this new line! While the Celestial Farms line is an all natural line the Persephone’s Wish line is all natural plus the products are made with certified organic ingredients. It was important to me to give customers the option of buying organic bath products.  It’s taking the “all natural” to another level and really embracing the idea of living a more eco-friendly lifestyle.  The line currently has bar soaps and lip balms and we’ll soon be adding lotions, liquid soaps, and Himalayan bath salts. We also use 100% post consumer waste recycled paper printed with soy ink for our bar soap packaging.

Kala: Who is Niki Fountain? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Niki: I think the first thing people who know me well would say is that I’m goofy and fun loving.  I’m not sure goofy is a good thing but I definitely am.  They would say I like to laugh and I try to make others laugh as well.  And they would say that I will do whatever I can to make others happy and feel good.

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their entrepreneurial side and start their own business?

Niki: The most important piece of advice I would give is that you need to find something you love to do whether it’s creating a product that people use or offering a service.  You have to truly LOVE doing whatever it is you are considering making into a business because there will be times when you won’t love it. Creating and running your own business is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. But it’s also one of the most challenging and demanding.  I have never worked harder or more hours in my life than when I started my own business. Not even when I was working 3 jobs and putting myself through graduate school.  When you own a small business you, as the owner, wear most, if not all, of the hats in your company.  So while you get the joy of doing what you love you also have to do the things you may not enjoy like being the sales person, being the advertising executive, being the accountant, and being the bill collector. So that’s why I say you have to truly love what you do because it has to be enough to make up for the less enjoyable duties.

Kala: Beyond your business here Niki, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Niki: I think I’m most inspired by love and the generosity of people.  Those two things make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and make me want to be more loving and more generous myself.  One way I Explore My Spirit is by listening to your show of course! And reading the Bohemian Blog.  It’s so inspiring and exciting to hear and read about what others are doing to make this time on earth more purposeful and enjoyable.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Niki. Looking forward to experiencing more of your bath and body products and best wishes for your continued success.

Niki: Thank you Kala for having me. As always it’s been a pleasure spending time with you and your readers.

More about Niki Fountain and Serene Bath and Body…

Niki Fountain is a hydrogeologist who spent the first part of her adult life working in the environmental industry cleaning up chemicals that were released to the environment.  She eventually left the industry and took the knowledge and skills she learned in graduate school and in her job and applied them to creating all natural and organic bath care products.  She founded her North Carolina based bath care company, Serene Bath & Body, in 2005.  You can find her creations at www.TheSereneStore.com Readers of the Bohemian Blog can enjoy FREE SHIPPING in the continental US until August 31 2009 on purchases of $25 or more by using Promo Code BOHOBLOG at checkout.

As we shift into the 21st century, our expanding consciousness is leading us to examine our lives and lifestyles in order to review who we are. As we conduct this inner search and reflection mission, we take stock of what is working for us and what is no longer applicable in our lives.

As a teacher of the ancient wisdom teachings, the hermetic axiom of As Above, So Below and As Within, So Without has led me to reflect on how what is changing within us, is also being reflected throughout society. It also led me to ponder this question… Is it time that we begin to review and change our traditions as well?

Many traditions, wedding ceremonies for example, reflect a reserved antiquated victorian ceremony with the solemn party stiffly marching in uniform step by step towards an altar. This led me to think deeper and ask… In this new age of love, consciousness, abundance, and joy, should weddings and other traditions and holidays be celebrated in new ways in accordance with the changing times?

I also wonder… How much thought do we give into why we celebrate the way that we do? Because it’s always been done a certain way, should this be our guidance to continue? And has it always really been done ” a certain way”? Take the celebration of Halloween in the US. In the early 1900’s through the early 1940’s, Halloween was primarily a holiday celebrated by adults with elaborate costume parties in private settings.  The concept of trick or treating was virtually nonexistent. With the Baby Boom of post world war two, the celebration of this holiday shifted into a children’s holiday with a focus more on community festivals and candy. Fifty years later, we’ve seen the holiday shift again, becoming more popular with adults and Halloween is now the second most popular and celebrated holiday in the US, (the first most popular is Christmas).  Yet I know many people who are under the impresson that Halloween has always been celebrated by children in this country. This is because if a tradition has been celebrated a certain way in our home since we were children,  we don’t give the origin of the tradition much thought. We assume that it has always been this way, unless we are shown otherwise.

Holidays are not the only traditions that have changed over time.  The majority of weddings and receptions held in the U.S. from the 1900’s through mid-century were tame, small scale events. Many weddings consisted of the woman wearing a nice dress and the man a suit to a brief  civil ceremony at the courthouse with a family member or a couple of friends as witnesses or an intimate church wedding with a reception following in the church hall or family home. Some theorize that the traditions of weddings, receptions and honeymoons altered as Hollywood in the mid-century began publicizing celebrity weddings and elaborate parties and the adoring public viewed these events on the silver screen and the television and wanted to emulate their idols.

The scale and grandeur of weddings and receptions has risen to a frenzied state. Reality TV shows feature “Bridezillas”, “My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding” and similar shows where weddings and receptions begin at the $60K budget and quickly move into six figures on many occasions. What is most intriguing to note is that during the planning, production and actual date of the event, the bride and groom often appear miserable, exhausted and worn out physically and emotionally and often experience complete meltdowns from the stress, rather than experiencing a moment of communion, joy and togetherness.   It leads one to wonder… Have we forgotten how to simply have a good time? What has happened to us as a society, that the celebration of two souls joining together in a union, has become a competitive event that must rival every other reception in history?  What direction does this set the young couple on for their life together?  It appears to set the expectation and desire that too much is never enough. Many times these couples themselves go into debt to pay for their wedding extravaganza and enter their marriage in debt, which quickly triples as they now compete to have the best house, cars, furniture, clothes and vacations.  Do we have an identity complex or low self-esteem as a society? Would our friends not like us if we did not have the reception of a lifetime or a better house than theirs?

As I continue to ponder these questions, I came across the most delightful video of a couple being married in Minnesota that gave me so much hope for the future! Their wedding procession was so spectacular that I can only imagine how fantastic the reception must have been. The scene here reminds me of the 60’s when people connected to the energy of the event and that being together with other loved ones was the main point of it all. Love was celebrated as an adjective, verb and noun and expressed fully in every way imaginable.

So I ask you dear readers, Is it time to reflect upon the traditions we have and recreate them? Perhaps we can keep the integrity of the meaning, while allowing the concept to stretch and evolve as we do… What do I like most about this video here? Easy, the focus is on friends and family celebrating the joyous union of two hearts uniting in love.  It gives me Hope, so much hope for things to come….

Enjoy, *~Kala~*

View the  YouTube Video:

and read the lyrics to the song being played – Forever …. it’s you and me, moving at the speed of light into eternity…

When someone says “Goddess Energy” or “Divine Feminine” what do you think of?  I think for many people words like intuition, wisdom, and balance come to mind. Being a geologist, when I think of the Goddess, I think of one of my favorite crystals- Moonstone.  Moonstone is the quintessential stone to represent the Goddess Energy and, like the Goddess herself, can be very powerful.

So is moonstone from the moon? One might think so since the Goddess is also associated with the moon but the name in fact came from its milky and moon-like appearance.  Scientifically I can tell you that moonstone gets its beautiful sheen from the fact that it reflects light internally.  And as a spiritual person, I recognize that this is not a coincidence as it’s much like one working to connect with the Goddess- the need to reflect on things inside ourselves.

Mystically this stone is vibrating with the feminine wisdom and Goddess energy. It helps to create a reflective and calming energy and, because it is connected to the Divine Feminine energy, can assist in strengthening intuitive and psychic perception.  Obviously it is a very feminine crystal and helps women contact the goddess within.  Don’t feel left out gentlemen – this stone can help you connect with your feminine side too- something that is often forgotten.

There are many different ways you can incorporate the moonstone crystal into your daily life.  My favorite way is to use the Goddess soap and lotion that I created for my metaphysical line of bath products, Celestial Farms.  As with all of the products created in the Celestial Farms line, we add charged and blessed crystals to the Goddess soap and lotion- in this case we add moonstone. By adding the moonstone to the bath products you are able to connect even further with the Goddess energy and carry it with you all day. And a bonus is that when you’ve used the soap or lotion up you have a small moonstone crystal to carry with you.

If you prefer to buy a moonstone crystal I recommend, as with any crystal or gemstone, that you cleanse and charge it before using it or carrying it with you.  There are many methods to clearing and cleansing a crystal and not all are safe for all crystals. So please keep in mind what I suggest here for moonstone may not be applicable to other crystals.  As we talk about different crystals in the future I’ll talk specifically about what methods are best in each case.

For moonstone I recommend first cleansing the stone with water.  I first place the stone under running water to remove any physical debris that may be present, such as dirt or dust.  The best place to do this would be in a stream with running water or in the ocean surf- this would allow the crystal to not only be cleansed but also be charged with the energy from the water in a more natural setting. But if that is not an option for you simply placing it under running water in your sink will work too. I do this for several minutes to be sure the crystal is well cleansed.

Now that you have cleaned your crystal physically we want to remove any energetic debris that may be attached as well. Crystals can absorb the energy around them, positive or negative, so we want to remove that before we open ourselves up to the stone. My preferred method is smudging. Simply light a bundle of white sage and let the smoke swirl around your stone.  I’ll also have a small dish of salt next to me to absorb any of the negative energy coming off the stone.

The next step is to charge your moonstone.  There are a number of methods to do this but I think the most powerful is to use the moon, preferably when it’s full. I would suggest doing this for several nights so start one night before the full moon and let the crystal absorb the energy through one night after the full moon. You simply place your stone outside under the moonlight and let the moon do its work.  If it feels appropriate to you, you might say a few words to the moon and the Goddess, asking them to bless the stone and charge it with their energies.  Do what feels right to you and what feels most natural. After the third night your stone is ready for you to use in your daily practice as you see fit.

More About Niki Fountain….

Serene Bath & Body was the vision of its owner and founder, Niki Fountain. As a young woman, Ms. Fountain, like many girls her age, found herself with a poor body image and did not treat her body with the love and respect it deserved. Through the years she was able to overcome this and realized that everyone, especially young women, needed to learn to care for and respect their bodies. This eventually inspired Celestial Farms. The inspiration was one of creating products that would help young girls and women learn to love their bodies and treat them well by using high quality products that nourish the body, the mind, the spirit and the soul.  Ms. Fountain earned her Masters Degree in Hydrogeology and has a professional background in developing and perfecting soaps. She spent two years in a university laboratory as a hydrogeologist developing soap formulations to be used to “clean-up” chemicals that had been spilled into groundwater. She has been applying this experience and knowledge ever since while working in the environmental industry, cleaning up sites that have been contaminated with chemicals. She has since taken this knowledge and experience and applied it to developing and perfecting formulations of soaps for people. Additionally, being a geologist, she is intimately familiar with crystals and gemstones and both their physical and metaphysical properties. She uses this knowledge while creating new formulations that include various combinations of soaps/lotions with the appropriate crystals to obtain an array of desired outcomes (relaxation, invigoration, etc) More info at: www.theserenestore.com