Many have been interested in my personal experience with my art, what’s behind them and what I feel about visionary art in general, so I felt that a blog with more insight was in good timing to share now, as I know that many visionaries and healers are stepping up and out more and more. So any support I can provide in any way for your experience, I love to share.
Photo of Tania Marie - Visionary Artist
What it means to me to be a Visionary Artist
A visionary artist, to me, means an artist who creates from their soul and intuitive connection to the Universe. It is one who not only creates “outside of the box,” but has the ability to see beyond the boundaries of physicality and enculturation, and is able to capture moments of inspired vision and thought, feeling and expression, in a form that reflects something bigger than him or her that speaks in foresight or healing messages to the viewer.
A visionary artist is one that does not buy into the idea of “impossible” and reflects the miracle in knowing that what you can see and feel in your heart, “is possible.” They mirror a vision manifested in form that reflects our co-creation potentials.
It also denotes, to me, one that is a dreamer and leads through their innovative visions, feelings, and imaginary foresight of what “can be” if we allow our creative expression and limitlessness to flow freely. Sometimes that involves idealism and fantastical, surreal vision, which in some ways makes a visionary artist somewhat of an inventor or philosopher; teaching, conveying, and expressing profound messages through their gift of art and imagery.
How being a Visionary Artist translates in my life
I have always been called a dreamer and an idealist, of which I apologize for neither. My life is about transforming and shattering the old and the idea of “impossible,” to bring forth the realization that miracles ARE a reality which I create. I am limited only by myself and yet in healing myself I help others to do the same.
We cannot rescue another. The best way to help someone is by being an example of your own life working. The healing waters of our experience create a ripple effect that touches the collective consciousness, one soul at a time, all souls for eternity, simultaneously.
I question everything that has always been and I don’t accept anything until I’ve thoroughly examined it from the perspective of every level of my being. Just because something is “tried and true”, doesn’t mean it’s right, or at least doesn’t mean it’s right for me. Just because that’s the way it’s always been, doesn’t mean it has to, or should even, continue that way.
What I choose to believe and focus on is what I create as my experience. It’s not okay to me to find comfort in the continuum of my pains, thus recreating the same experiences over and over. We are all co-creators of our world and it’s time to harness that power.
We all have a unique light to shine on the world and I celebrate that light within each of us, every time I create. When I heal myself and take courageous steps forward, that energy is available to everyone and vice versa. And so I move forward with conscious effort to choose joy and love.
As a visionary artist, this creative exuberance does not stop short of the creations I channel. I enjoy transforming my physical being, loving to feel like a new person, to match the evolution I go through continually. I have always felt that the inner and outer should reflect each other. Being a very symbolic person, I “create my life as a work of art.” The healing arts I channel provide me the opportunity to express my feelings and visions through different mediums. My canvas is ever changing, as am I. Sometimes it may be my art, other times my designs and writing, and sometimes the canvas is simply me.
“In words” about my life and art
I say “in words” as for me I find words limiting, which makes sense as to why my preferred choice of expression is imagery or through music, movement and telepathy. Those who know me, know that when I write, it is like I’m creating a painting, as my writing comes from the same place that I create from, which then translates into basically communicating as a Pisces (no accident I have Mercury in Pisces). I also tend to write in a different voice than what people experience from me, as it channels from a place I access more readily when I’m in that void space.
That being said, here is a little insight into my process and thoughts on my life and art for a little more intimate look.
To me, there is no separation between my life and my work. Everything I do is an extension of my heart’s passions and my soul’s drive and therefore everything for me, now, boils down to simply being a choice of my joy. And while life can be challenging, it can also be quite magical. That’s the beautiful thing, that it’s all so individual. Everyone resonates with something different. That is life and art for you – ever unique and ever relative. My experiences with things are interesting and complex, but where my art is concerned, it comes from a channeling through my higher heart.
In the past I had a much more involved process, as the paintings I was creating (in particular the 5 In Lak’ech pieces) were weaving an encoded, story-like, hieroglyphic imagery. Every single detail is filled with potent symbolism. The images would first come to me through channeled vision and inspiration and then reiterate through research of the ancient civilization, symbols, and information I receive, which was an amazing process. It’s a very cool Universal nudge for me in trusting what I receive, first, and then later discovering the substantiations my logical mind did not know. This is something I continue to practice in all areas of my life so that it becomes second nature to integrate intuition with knowingness and thought.
My processes now are very different, which mirror the current “speeding up” times of collective shifting and my own personal evolution. Now I simply access different essence messages, just like a writer, speaker or channeler would and share them through heart-created images that hold an entire story or message with a seemingly simple thumb print. Each still holding a collective healing message, encoded with essence and symbolism, yet rather than a more hieroglyphic, pieced-together process (which took me months and sometimes a year), the message is embedded in the totality of the feeling essence the viewer experiences from the painting and no decoding is necessary. Not that you had to decode before, as the pieces were created as activators, but there was always a tendency for the viewer to piece together and want to understand and “read” the paintings. Now, instant activation takes place and no need to “read,” – only to experience, as I’ve learned to take all the integral pieces and blend them into one integrated creation from the heart.
And that is where my creations come from. My work is created for and by the heart and allows one to feel and listen inwardly. They are filled with symbolisms and are healing portals with visual stories to behold. I am guided by the collective and through my own personal processes and unfoldings, as to the timing and the images that are channeled through. When I create I am “seeing” with different eyes….seeing the energy and essence of things, rather than how they appear in 3D.
My paintings contain encodings that are being imbued in my art as healing messages one can feel and hear with their soul. I also love color and play with color combinations that are truly stunning and unpredictable, and never enjoy painting things as they are “perceived” to be. I paint them how they “feel” to be and capture the true essence of how the images/life forms would like to be represented. I never know how I am going to create something until the moment I do. When I let go, it just flows divinely.
There are many layers to how and what I paint and so I choose not to disclose the full stories that are revealed to me in creating them, but to allow each person to write their own story when viewing these portals of experience. I don’t like words or the mind to get in the way of the “experience,” as we can get caught up in that space and lose out on the bigger picture. I’ve always been a creative, artistic, dreamy and imaginative child at heart and visions and imagery were a way I found to communicate a world of emotions and messages that were limited through the simple use of words. My paintings are mirrors into your soul and are bigger than me – a collective collaboration indeed!
My Inspirations
I am inspired by my dreams, visions, and the things I have learned and experienced in my life and beyond. I receive the images for my paintings through stillness and channeled messages. This comes sometimes as a flash of inspiration, as a vision, through my dreams, as a result of transformations and healing I move through in my own life , and especially from listening to moving and inspiring music or seeing, hearing, or experiencing something profound. I am also inspired by my travels, nature, my connection to the Universe, the healing and evolvement I move through with the support of those around me, and especially by my dearest little ones… my rabbit, Nestor (whom recently transitioned) my tortoise, Gaia, and my current bunny love, Joy who is now physically in my life via connection from Nestor ~ all three of whom keep me present in my heart, grounded, inspire strength and faith, and remind me to stay balanced and connected, not to mention provide me with loving connection daily.
My paintings are alive (“living art”) and embedded with encoded healing messages, as well as imbued with Reiki. They reflect not only a personal process, but a collective process that channels through me as I create them, which is why they are created in their own timing and reflect something bigger than the artist who has created them. They are meditation tools that speak to the individual in the way they are meant to receive the message. They are visual stories and provide a space for one to have a total experience, which is why I have experienced people sitting with them for long periods, as they receive their healing and opening.
One most profound experience was seeing a young man at Raw Spirit Festival in Sedona, where I had my art, come and “be” with one of the In Lak’ech painting, “Air,” and he sat and connected, as streams of tears rolled down his eyes. It was one of those special moments to feel the connection taking place through what is being facilitated through my work. I also love when people share exactly the message and meaning of things in the paintings, without me saying a word. That is much more profound than me writing up a bio of each creation and putting words in peoples’ mouths.
To have the telepathic message transferred through the paintings is a beautiful process that healing arts of the now can facilitate more consciously. Art becomes a conduit for large concepts, to be able to be conveyed without all the words that can sometimes create differing interpretations. It’s like me being able to project a snap shot of my visions from the projector screen of my heart and third eye onto a blank canvas that then embodies the totality of the essence in limitless form. And being that creative expression is unlimited, there can be countless essence images to impart.
This is part of why I’ve decided not to make prints available on most of the new paintings I create. In order to keep me in that continuous flow of creative abundance and unlimited ability to express myself in different ways. Each piece now becomes a special message needed for a certain individual or group that is drawn to it. So I feel myself tapping into the collective and also into a particular thread within the collective that will be assisted with the painting and the result of the experience shift will then affect what the collective needs.
My “Training”
My training with art is “experience.” Whatever I see in my heart and mind, I believe possible to create. And so I just allow it to happen and unfold on the canvas. With continued practice of this “allowing,” I have discovered my own hidden talents and developed a style unique to me.
I have no formal art training or schooling and never had an interest in such, as I’ve always wanted to keep the creative flow and expression that channels through me, as pure, authentic, and raw as it is meant to be, without trying to create a box it “should” fit in. I have enough things in my life that I manage, organize, and structure, so I enjoy allowing my art to be one of my flowing outlets.
To me, my paintings are a mixture of refined and complex with detail, coupled with the natural expression of a creative child. I enjoy that my art doesn’t fit any standards and can’t be compared with anything out there. I associate that with the fact that I opted not to go for formal training and the fact that I don’t spend time studying or viewing the works of other artists, although I celebrate all art and all artistic expression, as I think it is essential to support creativity in all of its forms. I find it to be freeing and healing when one allows themselves to explore their creativity, unencumbered by “standards” and “rules. “ To create authentically and from the heart is the only “rule” I choose to follow.
Art has always been a part of my life. It’s a natural gift I was born with and I have been drawing since I was a little girl. I used to spend my summers during the heat of the day, sitting at the dining room table drawing with my grandfather. Any chance I had I would draw and doodle, usually animals, and enjoyed the freedom of expression it allowed me. I’ve always been a creative, artistic, dreamy and imaginative child at heart and visions and imagery were a way I found to communicate a world of emotions and messages that were limited through the simple use of words.
I dabbled in doing small commissioned pieces in ’95 to ’96, but it wasn’t until 1997 when I moved to Sedona, AZ to do some soul searching and personal growth that I truly started to feel that art might become a part of my life and work in a bigger way. It was always present nudging me, but it took a while to hear the call. It is then that I created my first canvas paintings and was amazed at what came through, given the fact that I’d never painted before in my life. Yet, this was just an opening and timing is always key.
So I continued pursuing other interests while the art remained in my heart to blossom at a future point in time when I was ready for it. That time happened around 2003 when I finally connected that art was my heart’s passion and soul’s path, and quit my very last office job to pursue it and the healing arts, finally and wholeheartedly. I started a custom art business and started doing commissioned pieces for clients. In 2005 I realized that I wanted more creative freedom and that there were some important healing messages that were wanting to come through and so I embarked on a new path where I left my business behind and started creating my own original pieces as part of a five piece series, called In Lak’ech.
These pieces are still to me, very profound in the messages that they were helping to heal at the time of their creation, but that were also ahead of their time in what is currently coming into the process of integrated need now. I always felt they held a bigger purpose that is being revealed more and more. Upon their completion I then moved back into a fully integrated experience of healing arts in totality, which included the services I provide now and brought commissions back into the mix as well.
I continue to allow creative expression to channel through me in whatever way it feels it wants to come through as. I am mindful of the state I am in when I create and stay very conscious about the little energetics of things I feel in order to create from the purest and most flowing place. Creation is a very healing process of birthing life force energy into manifestation – pure alchemy of the soul.
To express and to inspire, to heal and to transform, to expand and to free, these are the reasons I create.
“Like each individual, creativity is uniquely beautiful in all of its forms. We are perfect in our imperfection.” ~ Tania Marie
Let Yourself Wander. You Will Find Your Way. (Illustration by Tania Marie 2003)
Many of us have forgotten about our own inner child, or have lost it along the way, and in doing so, do not remember the power of hope and believing. Nurturing the imagination is vital and contains the ingredients necessary for manifestion. Anything you can envision and feel, IS possible.
When we realize that we have the power to manifest miracles in our lives, I believe we will responsibly learn to co-create. Whatever we choose to believe, is what our reality is. But if we don’t even know how to believe anymore or how to hope and dream, or how to choose consciously, then we are missing out on what life could be.
Doing my part is simply and authentically about expressing who I am, as a cohesive thread in the collective consciousness, through the unique form that I have to share (as we each uniquely have an expression of gifts to share with the world). In embracing ourselves and allowing that which we have inside to flow to all, we can create much beauty.
I have always resonated with children and animals, understanding that they hold a key to healing on a deeper level. Their naturally loving, expressive, playful, connective, and instinctual natures are important ingredients to integration. We have lost our innocence and natural ability to feel and to trust in our knowingness, as a result of forgetting our essence and from being out of tune with our bodies’ natural rhythms. Children and animals love us regardless of what we look like or how we may behave. They know what it means to love unconditionally and that is all they hope of us – that we will love them unconditionally.
Children are powerful in their vulnerability. In their innocent self expression, they emanate an aura of invincibility. To be vulnerable is to be powerful. Vulnerability is a sense of trust and the willingness to express yourself freely and without inhibitions. As we grow older, we lose our innocence and vulnerability, in place of self control and judgment. In a sense, we lose our authentic power.
Recapturing our child-like exuberance, opens the flow of joy and the electric energy of life to surge through us. To go farther than you ever thought possible, daring to explore the depths of your imagination, is truly being alive.
Dare to have fun, explore, laugh, love, believe, and dream. The world is yours to create. What do you want your life to look, feel, sound, taste, and smell like? Indulge your senses with your imagination…..
The child within awaits your loving recognition and nurturing, which in turn will unlock the door to your authentic and magickal experiences that await you.
Leo by Fantasy Artist, Josephine Wall
Happy Leo Full Moon!
I love this article by Symbolic Living that shares some really good insights about the energies of focus for this Full Moon: http://www.symbolicliving.com/full-moon-in-leo-february-7-2012-astrology-horoscope-forecast/ I hope you will read it and take it to heart.
I received the intuited hit last night that another crystal elixir was in the making. (I created one on the Aquarius New Moon we had recently.) I instantly knew which crystal wanted in this time – Citrine! And when I realized it was a Leo Full Moon, it felt very energetically aligned and appropriate, as Citrine contains a lot of the supportive energies that we will be working with over this Full Moon, not to mention is connected with the Sun just like Leo. When I checked in with a little help from my pendulum, I received a resounding big YES from my 2 Citrine friends and all other crystals said “no thank you, not this time.” So, this potent elixir will be a pure Citrine creation, made from one beautiful raw citrine and one polished small sphere (very cool to get the two different energies that each contain, like a full spectrum of Citrine’s beauty and potency). Full Moons are great for creating abundance of intents you have.
The energy of Citrine is so fitting, I feel, for this Full Moon. Here is my recent blog post that included information on Citrine’s properties (scroll down to the image and info on Citrine):
And here is a cool info from shimmerlings.com’s sharings on Citrine:
Mystical Properties:
In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. Citrine is known as a “success” stone because it is told in folklore to promote success and abundance, especially in business and commerce.
Citrine is one of the only stones that dissipates negative energy and never requires cleansing or clearing. It emits a warm energy that promotes optimism. It attracts abundance and is known as “a merchant’s stone” to be placed in a cash register or where one conducts business, to not only acquire positive wealth but to maintain it as well. It enhances the body’s healing energy and opens the conscious mind to intuition. It helps one adjust and adapt to process changes, feeling confident and secure. Citrine’s magnetic radiating energy can aid in voice projection, making this the perfect stone for actors and public speakers.
Assists in acquiring wealth and to maintain the state of wealth. Citrine is helpful for directing creative energy into the physical body. Some find it helpful in building self-esteem. This crystal is an invaluable aid to the digestion of all emotions, place it on the solar plexus in crystal healing layouts. I find that Citrine is useful in combating decisiveness allowing me to make important decisions on a regular basis.
Healing Properties:
Physically, citrine can aid digestion, increase visual ability, and to balance the thyroid. It is beneficial to the endocrine and digestive system – cleansing, purifying and eliminating poisons that have built up. Citrine has the power to calm and soothe distressed conditions. It reduces ulcer flare-ups and is good for detoxifying all the bodies.
Magical Properties:
Energy: Projective
Element: Fire
Powers: Anti-nightmare, protection, psychic power
Citrine is worn at night to eliminate fear, to prevent nightmares and to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Citrine may eliminate self-destructive behaviors or tendencies, and raise self-esteem. This stone should be used to align with the higher self and to protect your aura.
A member of the quartz family, citrine can be used is most the same fashion as crystal/clear quartz. The benefit being that it’s golden yellow color adds Sun energy to the work. When worn, it’s vibrant shades help to lift the spirits if one is feeling down or perhaps dealing with mild depression.
Citrine is a good stone for scrying into matter pertaining to money and other forms of prosperity.
Zodiac:
Planets: Sun and Jupiter
Traditional Birthstone for the Month of November.
Stone of Gemini and Virgo, citrine symbolized individuality and confidence. It bring renewed determination.
I am looking forward to this new pure Citrine elixir, which is brewing as we speak. I started it last night in the backyard, asking the garden faeries to work their magick in, after I programmed the Citrines and then I moved them out front today to get the rising sun and day sunshine and they have shared they want to remain out over night again, so I will move them to the back yard later today. Looking forward to it, as the last elixir I made, which I still have huge quantities of and have been taking daily, has really aided in shifting things energetically and helping to balance things out, as intended.
And interesting the focus on the energy of “money,” which I’ve posted before about on here and on Facebook and again with Citrine and other nudges in my life, have seen how working with the element of money is important right now in the totality of our physically integrating things.
Another synchronicity towards this energy focus nudge was my dear Laura Bruno’s blog post today, which has some great info in it called Pentacles, Prosperity and Elementals: http://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/pentacles-prosperity-and-elementals/
To add to her eloquently shared insights, here is a recent blog post I did that incorporated these same principles called: Money, Physical Well Being…The Abundant Journey to Center – Integrating It All Without Any Charge
I hope you enjoy the energies present to embrace and if you are interested in any crystal elixirs for yourself to work with and support these processes, you may contact me with inquiries and requests.
Our abundantly giving tangerine tree
Some of the gifts our new home has provided is a yard with abundant fruit trees. We have about 6 or 7 different ones and are in process of growing veggies, herbs and other fruits, along with wild flowers, including sunflowers (my fav!) We have been able to enjoy our lemon and orange tree so far, yielding a good 20 lemons recently and about 30+ oranges, but it is our magnificent tangerine tree that is in blossoming, nonstop abundance! We have already harvested from it about 4 times and each time receiving like 75 + tangerines. It is the little tangerine tree that keeps on a-givin!
We are enjoying our lovely little tangerines au naturel, in smoothies, juices and we make our own tangerine sparkling water. A refreshing way to get some good nutrients along with symbolic energies! Tangerines have similar health benefits to oranges. Tangerines and oranges provide an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. They also offer a very good source of fiber, and a good source of B vitamins (including vitamins B1, B2, and B6, folic acid, and pantothenic acid), carotenes, pectin, potassium, and folic acid.
As for the symbolism here is some great info from others on this potent little guy, our friend the tangerine!
In Rhonda Parkinson’s article, Top 10 Symbolic Chinese Foods, she discusses the important role food plays in Chinese culture and how many foods have symbolic meaning. “The symbolic significance of a food,” she says, “may be based on its appearance or on how the Chinese word for it sounds.” Tangerines, along with oranges and pomelos come in at #7 on the list:
One of our tangerine harvests, minus about 10 I've already used
And here’s some info from localharvest.org about tangerines:
Tangerines are about the size of an orange but slightly “necked” at the base and much easier to peel. There is sometimes a bit of confusion between tangerine and mandarin, they are basically the same thing but people in the trade refer to the types with the dark red-orange skin as tangerines.
Extremely juicy and sweet. Expect to find seeds but don’t let that deter you, all the best fruits with a marked personality have them.
Tangerine trees were grown extensively in China and Japan before being introduced to Europe. They did not get to America until the mid 19th century, thanks to the Italian consul in New Orleans at the time who planted a tree in the consulate garden which eventually made its way to Florida and California.”
“The Chinese culture is rich and full with symbolism and is especially true when it comes to Chinese New Year celebration. It is associated with many symbols and customs.
Despite the fact that some Chinese, especially the youngsters, have adapted to a more ‘western’ style of living, the old traditions and customs are still being practiced, albeit adapted to present day’s environment…
Tangerines and oranges are one of these auspicious Chinese New Year symbols.
Tangerines in Chinese sounds similar to the word “luck” and orange sounds like the Chinese word for “wealth”. Through the play of words, the Chinese is associating the gift of orange and tangerine as having an abundance of happiness and prosperity.
The bright orange color of the fruits also symbolizes ‘gold’, hence it has an auspicious meaning to bring in good luck and wealth.
This is a very important factor for the Chinese new year celebration.
Hence you will find tangerines and oranges, being displayed in houses, offices and shops as they believe it will usher in good fortune for the occupants.
Besides displaying tangerine and orange fruits, displaying the potted plant is another common way to usher in the prosperity. They are normally placed at a doorway or within the common area such as the main reception lobby of shops or offices, or within the living room…The Chinese will normally buy the tree in pairs, as they believe it will double their wealth and prosperity.”
Well, then…since tangerines are an abundant symbol of luck and prosperity, let the good times roll!
Today’s post is focused on a favorite song of mine called Airwave, by Rank 1, and about music in general. I was playing this song over and over yesterday while completing the last part of a painting. I am drawn to different music based on the vibrational resonance I feel at the core of my being. Music speaks to each of us differently and its vibrations awaken something on a DNA and soul level. I find that a life without music is a sad life for me and I can actually see the direct result in my health, stress levels and my creative channeling abilities.
As an artist, I have learned to listen to what each piece I create calls for in terms of vibrational resonance and match it with the music that brings me to that heightened level of experience so that I may channel from that pure and uninhibited place from where the music touches and unleashes my soul and body to move freely. I can tell immediately when the vibrations from the music are off and when they are SO ON. Because of this, I will many times repetitively play a CD or even just 1 song over and over and over, never tiring, just to continually be on that vibrational high needed. It is such an amazing experience.
I have never used drugs in any capacity, smoked anything, and don’t drink alcohol, nor do I drink coffee or ingest any large quantities of stimulating foods (actually, my body is immune to stimulants of such nature, as in caffeine, which is kind of cool for me because I have created a life experience of having to find a way to get everything I need from within me and have chosen also to experience the depths of all emotion without suppression).
But for me, music is intoxicating, as is creating, and I find that it supports me in going to those places in a very safe way and utilizing what I have within me, as I match the vibrations of the music. Sound and music is a gift that even if used from your own voice and throat can be powerfully life changing and empowering. I discovered that on my first trip to Egypt where my throat first opened to sound in a healing way and I was instantly healed through the use of it. And movement and dance is invigorating for the body and soul to freely express in an uninhibited way, which many of us don’t do often enough or at all.
Music is also important for me when I write, which some may find odd, especially given how I will totally get into the flow with the music, moving my body, or even singing if it has some words, chants, or even just me mimicking the vibration with my throat. It allows me to get in that inbetween state of neither here nor there, from which I am able to channel and pull from the purest place that is unhindered by anything. A lot of times this is why what I write sounds like a different person than me, as it is pulling from another part of my higher self.
And of course as an intuitive healer, music is meditative and healing for me and I have spent hours with particular music or one particular song, meditatively visualizing healing, connection, manifestation and even receiving the channeled images for my paintings.
Today’s song, Airwave, is one of a few that hold a very dear place in my heart, because it is one I have used to connect with my beloved Nestor at an essence level in a very beautiful way I could not begin to describe. It takes me to places of physical and spiritual experience that only music can do for me.
It may seem odd that trance dance music, or even techno and house music could be so meditative, but there is a reason it is called trance. For me, it takes me to that otherworldly place while also simultaneously being very much in my body as I channel the etheric and extraterrestrial, so to speak, through my core and my body then responds in expressive movement. It is intoxicating in a most healing and integrative way.
The version I listen to it is slightly different than these, but I chose these two videos and versions because of their gorgeous visuals, both very similar to what I see in my meditative space with them. The second static version is so lovely in its gentle slowed down vibration. I hope you enjoy these to start your day with and perhaps you will find them useful in ways relative for you.
Dreamspell 2012: Enter the Water Dragon by Tania Marie - in the original, the being at center is more sea green than shown
A Dragon painting has been wanting out for a long time and I was so excited when I learned we were entering the year of the Water Dragon for 2012. I said, “YES!” and so here is the first of probably more dragons at some point that will come through, as they are very meaningful to me for several reasons. This Water Dragon is a larger and stylized version of the Dragon from my “Air” painting of the In Lak’ech series and also resembles the Dragon I recently got tattooed on my left arm/shoulder.
The Chinese Year of the Water Dragon is a very cool one indeed. The Water Dragon’s message is: “Everything is always changing.” This intuitive creature, “is known for bringing Heaven to Earth and making dreams come true. Visions you’ve been holding deep within your heart could manifest right before your eyes.” Watch what you wish for though, “cause you’re going to get it.”
Energetically this painting is encoded with the energy of the Water Dragon essence and how the year is about mastering the water energy – flowing, mystical, creative, having no fear, transformation, passion, trust not control, harmony, cooperation, balance, abundance, instincts, internally aware, exhilaration, unpredictability, wholeness, adventure, risking all for your truth and your dream realm to manifest, daring to show up to life and live it, as above so below, making dreams come true…basically being one with your inner Dragon.
The painting depicts a Water Dragon in the watery abyss with its wing over what could be a woman/etheric light being/extraterrestrial/mermaid in peaceful connection with the Dragon, freely embracing it with her arms and hands lovingly. The dream being realized as she becomes one without fear, in flow with the magic of the Water Dragon.
I will let the message of this painting speak to each in the relative way that is yours.
Is she in slumber dreaming, as the Dragon protectively stays aware, representing the conscious and subconscious? Is she in peaceful bliss from the integration with her inner Dragon and becoming whole in that recognition? Is the Dragon an embodiment of her essence, whom she can telepathically connect with to create the magic she dreams of?
I’ve written about the integration process we are involved in as we journey towards natural harmony within, with each other, and with the earth and cosmos. Coupled with the solar flares, CME’s (coronal mass ejection), etc. and DNA restructuring taking place, this all makes for quite a load of energy we are experiencing. This can be used advantageously if we keep balanced and grounded, which enables us to flow with the change and harness it for profound manifesting. Staying balanced, integrated and grounded are essential to being evolved humans that create, live and exude wholeness at our highest potentials.
As I shared previously, I was prompted to create a crystal elixir to aid in my own process and have been taking it since the Aquarius New Moon about 11 days ago. It’s quite a potent mix, which included some very grounding, integrating, revitalizing and healing/cleansing stones. I also have been wearing more of my grounding pendants and rings, rather than my usual expansion crystals, like a raw ruby Ganesh ring, a giant red coral heart pendant and a black obsidian necklace. I also have all my grounding, integrating and manifesting crystals on my desk where I work everyday and carry them with me as I intuit the need. I believe crystals embody this beautiful integration of divinity and earthiness, as they hold within them energetic keys to access connection to all of the elements – each like a master magician that love supporting us to become our own.
For those that may also be feeling the tug towards different crystals and stones in response to symptoms and shifting, but aren’t sure which would be good, for those wanting more grounding and integration in their lives, or for those just curious, I thought I’d share a little insight on a few stones that can be helpful at this time and you can see which you are drawn to for your personal journey. The information here (gathered from several sources and myself) is only a snapshot of these amazing stones’ metaphysical properties.
Crystals and stones can be purchased both in their natural beauty as a raw, amorphous stone, or as a cut and polished stone. Faceted stones, some say, can have an intensified energy that is created by the cutting process. And if cut into geometric shapes it can also act as a type of laser. But again, it all depends on you and your intentions and the way the energy of the stone blends with your own. I am drawn to and have both as friends, but recently have found myself more drawn to raw stones, perhaps due to the earthy nature they remind me of and being attracted to their natural essence and inner beauty that emanates their uniqueness. Each are equally as potent, however raw/uncut crystals can be better for elixirs, but not a must.
Whatever shape and type resonates with you, is the perfect choice always and will produce exactly the results you are looking for and needing. Like with anything, follow your intuition and heart. Higher prices and eye-pleasing aesthetics don’t denote personal fulfillment.
If you are interested in a custom crystal pendant specifically designed and chosen for you and the energies you desire to support your journey now, please contact me with questions and commission requests. My company, Emerald Bridge, will have new Joyful Earth Crystals available shortly as well to choose from. If you are interested in crystal elixirs, also drop me an email, and one can be custom created specifically for your needs. Specific elixirs will be available soon to choose from as well. Contact: tania@taniamarie.com with inquiries.
Carnelian
Carnelian grounds and anchors you in the present reality, while stabilizing. Excellent for restoring vitality and motivation, gives courage, promotes positive life choices and motives for success. It helps you to trust yourself and to get to the core of you – helping to overcome negative conditioning and encouraging steadfastness. Carnelian is full of the life force and activates the base chakra, while protecting against fear, rage, resentment and envy, while banishing sorrow. It calms anger and banishes emotional negativity while replacing it with a love of life. Helps produce inspiration from and connectedness with the spiritual worlds and brings that into the physical experience. It assists with awareness of the understanding of the emotional state and how it affects the inner condition of the self. Provides a strong, stabilizing, yet tender energy. Carnelian’s message is: “Since one IS love, there is nothing to do but to offer the love – each offering of love bringing an exponential increase in the quantity of love returned.”
Jade
Jade stabilizes the personality and integrates the mind with the body. It provides purity and serenity and increases love and nurturing, while protecting and harmonizing. Jade releases negative thoughts and aids emotional release, especially irritability. It can aid release of suppressed emotions via dreams, in which case you can place jade under your pillow prior to sleeping. Encourages you to become your authentic self and assists in recognizing yourself as a spiritual being on a human journey. Jade cleanses as it aids the elimination organs and assists supra-adrenal glands (a biggy for people these days) and helps to remove toxins. Brings devotion to your purpose and realization of your potential. Jade is known as a sacred stone by the ancient and some current primitive tribes. It allows you to access the knowledge used during the Mayan “dreamtime,” as it help you connect with the elders of the Mayan culture. The Mayans revered jade as the “Sovereign of Harmony” facilitating peace with the physical, emotional, and intellectual structures, as well as with the materialistic world. It was said to bring accord to the environment, to transmute negativity and instill resourcefulness. It promotes balancing of your needs with the requirements of the day, allowing you to nurture the things that are of prime importance to well-being. Jade provides confidence, self-assuredness, self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
Bloodstone
Bloodstone is a form of quartz that often presents as dark green with red flecks through it. Bloodstone is an excellent crystal to use for purification of surroundings and the self. Excellent blood cleanser and powerful healer. Helps to banish negativity and known as an “audible oracle” – giving off sounds in order to provide guidance. An excellent grounding and protecting stone, helping to keep out undesirable influences. It is a powerful revitalizer and gives courage, encourages selflessness and idealism, and aids recognition that chaos precedes transformation, while it assists you in acting int he present moment. Bloodstone calms the mind, dispels confusion and enhances decision making. Revitalizes the mind if exhausted and helps with adjusting to new circumstances. Helps in grounding the heart energy and reduces irritability, aggressiveness and impatience, while bringing spirituality into everyday life. An energy cleanser and immune stimulator. Bloodstone can be used to heal the ancestral line and cleanses the lower chakras while realigning their energies.
Red Calcite
Calcite in general is a world teacher for humanity, facilitating macrocosmic awareness and appreciation of the creative forces of nature. Red calcite is energizing and detoxifying, increases life force, reduces stress and hypertension, soothes imbalances that have brought on fatigue and exhaustion and helps activate inner reserves of energy. It helps rejuvenate and revitalize the entire physical body and assists in all physical healing because of its relationship with the base chakra, which is the root of all physicality. Red calcite increases energy, uplifts emotions, aids willpower and opens heart chakra. It removes stagnant energy and dissolves blockages that prevent you from stepping forward in your life. Red Calcite resonates with the base chakras, which it energizes and heals. It alleviates fear while bringing understanding of the source of the fear. It has so much vitality that it can energize a party. Red calcite brings stability to your will and increases inner strength, helps ease and release fear (calming over-stimulation of adrenaline caused by fear), helps bring peace to feeling you must “battle” things in your life, helps center and ground you while helping you release negative emotions and to feel emotionally protected so that you can feel safe to open a closed heart chakra to attract love and receive and give more love in your life.
Raw Ruby Ganesh
Ruby
Rubies release blocked energy, clean and clear blocked chakras and offer protection against psychic attack and vampirism. This makes them excellent crystals for grounding. Excellent stone for energy and providing vigor to life. Energizes and balances. (Can overstimulate in delicate or irritable people so keep that in mind for your own constitution). Encourages passion for life and improves motivation towards realistic goals. Balances and stimulates the heart. Ruby promotes positive dreams and clear visualization. It is an abundance and passion stone. Ruby brings a positive, courageous state of mind that is sharp and able to concentrate with heightened awareness. It brings up anger and negative energy for transmutation and encourages removal of negative things from your path. Because it is a dynamic stone it fires up your enthusiasm and helps you overcome exhaustion with strong vigor, while calming hyperactivity. It detoxifies the body, blood and lymph and great for the circulatory system and heart. (It is stimulating to the adrenals so if you are experiencing over-activity with your adrenals and having adrenal fatigue, then you may want to use it sparingly or until you feel more balanced with that)
Red Coral Heart
Red Coral
Coral in general helps to quiet the emotions and to bring peace within the self. It facilitates intuition, visualization, imagination and helps to both understand and use the mystical qualities. It can bring one into communication with the Ancient Ones of the world and expedite and accelerate the transfer of knowledge. Once thought to be a plant, coral has been called the “garden of the sea”. The ancient Egyptians placed pieces of coral in tombs as a protection against evil spirits because they believed that each piece truly contained a drop of divine blood. Since coral is a stone of organic origin, it can be used to reconnect with nature and the variety of it’s wonders. Red coral helps you to be in harmony with the natural forces of the universe and with the wilderness within your own being. It provides for practicality and helps with balancing the material with the spiritual – further aligning you with the Source of all wisdom. It activates and opens the base chakra to stimulate energetic pursuit of pre-determined goals. It also protects from depression and despondency. Coral symbolizes life and blood force energy in many cultures.
Citrine
Citrine dissipates negative energies and promotes inner calm, while balancing Yin and Yang and aligning the chakras with the ethereal plane. Citrine cleanses the aura and aligns the etheric body with the physical, making citrine wonderful crystals for grounding. A powerful cleanser and regenerator, it is warming, energizing and highly creative. It absorbs, transmutes, dissipates and grounds negative energy and is extremely protective for the environment as well as an aura protector. It energizes every level of life and has the ability to cleanse the chakras especially the solar plexus. It activates, opens and energizes the naval and solar plexus chakras, directing, via personal power, creativity and intelligent decisiveness, the energy necessary to enhance the physical body – cleansing and balancing the subtle bodies while aligning them with the physical. So it is a good integrating stone. It emits an elevated energy and stimulates intuitiveness and promotes contact with the higher forces of intelligence. (Since it also activates the crown chakra, awakens the higher mind, and opens intuition while integrating, then it can also be one to use with discernment if strictly wanting an “only” grounding stone, as there is also an etheric essence to it.) It is an abundance stone that teaches how to manifest and attract all good things. It has joyful, generous, sharing energy so negativity, gloom and discord can’t be present. Raises self-esteem and confidence and removes destructive tendencies. Enhances individuality, motivation, creativity, self-expression, positive energy, enjoyment and inner peace. Helps release negative traits and fears and helps overcome anger and fear of responsibility as it helps you move into the flow of feelings and aids in becoming emotionally balanced. Citrine does not hold or accumulate negative energy, but dissipates and transmutes it, working out challenges on both the physical and subtle levels.
Black Obsidian
Black Obsidian increases awareness and dispels illusions so that we are able to be more grounded in day to day reality – excellent grounding crystals. It’s a very powerful and creative stone that grounds the soul and spiritual forces into the physical plane by helping to bring them under the direction of the conscious will and making it possible to manifest spiritual energies on earth. It forces facing up to your true self by revealing shadow qualities for release, including from the ancestral and family line, as well as past lives. It reverses misuse of power and helps address power issues by teaching that to be empowered is not to hold personal power to yourself only, but to channel power for the good of all. Black Obsidian is protective, as it repels negativity and unloving thoughts. Supports during change and helps remove physical disorders, as well as release old loves.
Hematite Rabbit
Hematite
Hematite is a stone of iron ore and generally presents as silvery black or red. Hematite invokes emotional grounding and balances opposing energies, as it strengthens our connection with the Earth. Hematite assists with focusing the mind and brings peace and balance, enabling one to deal effectively with emotional situations. Hematite dissolves negativity and has powerful balancing qualities making them excellent crystals for grounding. It is particularly effective at grounding and protecting as it harmonizes mind, body and spirit. Helps balance the meridians and can help address yin imbalances with its strong yang element. It dissolves negativity and helps restore peace and harmony to the body. It’s a stone of strength and helps with self-esteem and timidity, aids survivability, enhances willpower and confidence. Helps remove self-limitations and aids overcoming compulsions and addictions. Hematite stimulates focus, enhances memory and brings mind’s attention to basic survival needs. It helps restore, strengthen and regulate blood and can draw heat from the body. They can also be helpful with protection from EMFs (ElectroMagnetic Field).
Nestor - aka Nestie
As we step into the lovely month of February, filled with rich symbolism and the energy of purification, I am reminded of my beloved Nestor who would have been celebrating her birthday today. The symbols associated with this transitional month are very mirroring of the essence of our connection and of her soul – that of mysticism, magic, vision, rebirth, creation, inspiration, earth connectedness, ancient sacredness, renewal, love, devotion, faeries, healing and honor to name a few. I love this link from Avia Venefica’s awesome site I always refer to ~ Whats-Your-Sign.com: The Doorway to Signs and Symbolic Meanings ~ that shares great insights into the meaning and symbolism of February: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/february-meaning-and-symbolism.html.
It’s interesting that the Feast of Feralia, which was an ancient Roman observance, falls within this month on the 21st. Feralia is a “public” festival to honor loved ones and ancestors who have left the physical realm. “There is legend that states Romans eventually neglected the public feast of Feralia, and ultimately, the result was Rome’s decline. Perhaps the symbolic lesson here is to remember the spirits of kin and clan and honor them, otherwise succumb to a life of ambiguity and decrepitude.”
I don’t need the knowledge of this feast to remind me of my twin soul, as she is eternally with me and never far from heart and thought. But I do love symbolism, as many people know about me. And I love that we both share this month for our Birthdays – hers on the 1st and mine on the 26th and am excited that my art opening event falls on the 25th of this month as well, which Nestor will be part of in heart and spirit.
But, on this beautiful day of remembrance, honor, love and celebration, I share some words about Nestor and our connection (that only touch on the magnitude of each) from something I had written a few years ago:
My dear Nestie's ashes and my special Nestie hematite rabbit (both of which have traveled the world with me as I do special ceremonies to help the earth collective, and my special crystal that is linked to her energy, along with her image in my heart
I am continually inspired and bathed in love by my beloved, precious being, Nestor, who has recently transitioned on April 27, 2008. She is the light of my life, even though she no longer shares this physical experience with me. I miss her greatly and yet I know she is with me in more expansive ways than ever before and continues to shower me with her magic and love from beyond.
When you share a love that deep, there is no limitation as to what you can create. She continues to be a joy and an inspiration to me always and I honor her in every way. Through her, I have learned the meaning of unconditional love and this unwavering love for her grows stronger and more powerful every day. I never viewed Nestor as anything but an equal. She is sacred in every definition of the word and is now free to fly with the grace and power that is unimaginably huge and expansive. She constantly reminds me to stay in my heart and to remember the bigger picture of the path that I chose.
As a rabbit, Nestor embodied the collective soul of Earth’s sacred children. As a soul and magical being, she embodies pure unconditional love and compassion that I continue to strive to mirror. I honor her and cherish, with gratitude, all that she has to teach me, and others, by the simple beauty of her example.
Throughout her physical experience, Nestor was a bridge for her species and an example to us all. As a Reiki Master Teacher and a profound healer, she assisted many animals and humans across the globe and continues to be of assistance in even bigger ways, without the limitations her body had on her hugely expansive and enigmatic soul.
Thank you my beautiful, courageous Nestor. May your light shine for all to see. I celebrate you now and always. I LOVE YOU.
Close up of the tattoo over my heart chakra
Some insights on the Mayan Moon Goddess and my connection with her and Nestor:
Interestingly, I had been drawn to the Mayan Moon Goddess Ix Chel years ago not fully connecting the dots then and ended up getting a tattoo to represent her and my connection with Nestor, over my heart chakra on my back when I did come to realize why I had been so drawn to her. This was one of my first tattoos and interestingly the face on the goddess ended up looking like mine, which was not a conscious intention, but what ended up channeling from the tattoo artist who created it and the bunny, much like Nestor too. It’s one of my favorite tattoos. We have a strong connection with the Moon and Mayan symbolism and so it is always so cool when you connect the dots as to why. Here is the story about Ix Chel that holds symbolic meaning for us.
Ix chel and Rabbit
Ix Chel: The Mayan Moon Goddess or “Lady of the Rainbow.” The Mayans, like Buddhists, associated the moon with rabbits. Ix Chel is a shape-shifter, consorting with the rabbit in spring, as the rabbit is considered the scribe of the moon calendar. She is often depicted holding a rabbit in her arms, a symbol of her life giving abundance and fertility, whose profile can be seen on the face of the moon. She is the Mayan Goddess of creativity (as inspiration for artists), magic, weaving, health, healing, sexuality, childbirth, and the energy of all water-our most essential life giving ingredient. The Mayan stepped pyramid is Ix Chel’s mountain where she reigns as the feathered serpent energy of transformation.