I just watched this video by Daniel Lismore – someone who I am horrified to only now be learning about. The artwork, spectacle, and creativity here is immense and awe-inspiring. I am SO SO grateful there are wonderful artists in the world like him – they remind us why we’re here and what we’re doing – where we can find meaning. And in this TEDTalk, he shares beautiful and deep wisdom. Please enjoy!
As you know, we have a special place in our hearts and souls for trees here at CrowSong Lodge. There are so many wonderful and wondrous things we could say about them and if you’d like to hear some, you can visit our very own Grandmother. Treehugger (unsurprisingly, a favorite site of ours), posted this beautiful article about the 15 Most Remarkable Trees in America. Some truly beautiful stories and some wonderful trees inside – and tales that go back 80,000 years or more! Visit them here!
I haven’t done a “Something Beautiful” in a really long time, but, check it out, here we are! My friend, Delisa Carnegie, is an AMAZING artist in SO many ways. I’m so delighted to watch her learn, explore, grow, and then burst into amazingness! The new thing she is doing are these Pour Paintings and they are STUNNING! I love them so much! Check out the one below and then if you are as in love with them as I am, check out her Kickstarter Campaign and get some of that!
Hallo again! So, a few weeks ago I featured a wonderful Sigil artist here on the blog… and then to come find out that this artist I have been following has recently started creating her own sigils as well! They’re really very beautiful and I think you will find a lot of power in them. And you may remember her from her other artistic endeavors as well! Please check out her shop here: https://www.fairuza.org/store#!/Original-Drawings-by-Fairuza/c/21483891 PS – she doesn’t remember me, but we’re cousins! Haha!
As I’m sure you’ve gathered from the name of this website (CrowSong Lodge, in case you forgot), I LOVE Crows… but, really, all corvids (the scientific family that includes jackdaws, ravens, crows, magpies, and more). And Ravens, of course, have a very special place in my heart. Crows and Ravens, especially, have long been considered by ancient peoples across the Americas and Europe to guard the secrets of magic and the afterlife, but with a certain sense of humor as well. Mike Yip, a photographer in Canada, has discovered and taken some beautiful images of rare white ravens that seem to call the area home. Check out the link to read more about them and see some beautiful photography! http://www.reshareworthy.com/white-ravens/
So, it’s no secret that my fiance and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s day. We really believe that romance and love should be celebrated all year round and that we shouldn’t need special reminders to do a special something for the people in our lives. However, I realize that a lot of people out there are emotionally invested in Valentine’s Day and whether or not you want to celebrate, there’s a lot of pressure to do something special, regardless of what it is. In talking to my good friend Deanna Lohnes, we decided that we should offer an alternative to Valentine’s day – but not the usual self love stuff that amounts to doing what you’d do normally on a Valentine’s day, just without the date. So we thought, why not get in touch with your creativity? And, hence, Museday was born! In addition, we’re going to release a photo scavenger hunt on the morning of February 14th – take a photo and upload it to Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #Museday! We suggest that on the weekend of February 14-15th, you celebrate your creativity by doing one activity for each of the nine muses. Here are our suggestions: Erato Listen to a classical composition and REALLY listen to it. Don’t surf the web, don’t read a book, don’t do your nails, don’t watch TV, don’t do anything else but just LISTEN (okay, maybe you can pet your furry friend, but that’s it!). People just don’t seem to have … Read More
You have noticed that everything as Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round….. The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours… Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves. Black Elk (Oglala)
Entertainment is something that we usually consider a secular activity, but when it comes to living a spiritual life, everything is part of spirituality, including the entertainment choices that we make. First, I want to talk briefly about current entertainment choices. With shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and even Grimm, common spirituality topics are becoming more main stream. Now, I just started watching Supernatural and have to say that I really appreciate the way that psychics and other spiritual practitioners are being portrayed very realistically, in my experience. I haven’t watched Charmed at all, but I’ve heard good things about it, even if it can be over dramatic. In addition to TV shows, supernatural thrillers are becoming very popular as well. For instance, in the movie “Insidious” I felt that the psychic was portrayed relatively accurately instead of making her an eccentric character. I also want to talk about how we use our entertainment. There are some shows that are like popcorn for your brain – they give you something to watch and distract yourself with, but don’t provide any stimulation, education, or discussion topics. Since TV is our primary source of entertainment, we should be mindful of what we watch. Educational shows that teach us about our environment and fellow creatures are wonderful as part of a spiritual practice, other shows can engage your learning and philosophical ideas, such as science shows and the like. They can even provide a source of inspiration. But TV isn’t the only entertainment. The … Read More
Someone posted this up on Facebook and I just HAD to know who the artist was! His name is Igor Zenin and he has quite the body of work! I think this is just absolutely breath-taking and a brilliant and well executed concept. You can purchase his prints over at RedBubble. Also, click below to enjoy some Flamenco style guitar from Carlos Montoya! Absolutely beautiful! Click here to play Carlos Montoya – Farruca
So, for this “Something Beautiful” I’ve decided to share a bit of my own work. This may become a beautiful partnership between myself and… myself. I am a photographer and often take pictures of the landscape around AZ, among other things. This is one of my favorite pieces – though some may say it’s a little dark. To me it has a dreamy quality to it that is quite appealing. I hope you enjoy it! Also, to delight your ears, here’s a little something by Adam Chikishin Tucker: Click here to listen to Adam Chikushin Tucker – Sagari Ha