“True creativity quite simply starts with balancing your emotions and activating the power of the heart. Through practicing emotional management from the heart, you tap into the highest form of creativity possible–recreating your perceptions of reality.”
~Doc Childre (founder of heartmath)

“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the
journey-work of the stars.”
~ Walt Whitman

“All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.”
~Orison Swett Marden

“Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance.”
~Charles Lindbergh

“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.”

~ Charles Dickens

“Connecting the individual consciousness together within yourself, is the gift of the giver. It is with a touch of love that your hands will recieve all that is hidden behind love. The touch is mine.”
~Rasa

“A beautiful sunset that was mistaken for a dawn.”
~ Claude Debussy

“The snow doesn’t give a soft white damn whom it touches.”
~ E. E. Cummings

Perhaps you are self-taught like me-or maybe you just are curious about how things work. Here are some tools which may help you find more easily the information you are looking for.

Sparkl.us is a fabulous search engine for web designers. Powered by Google, it is a specialty search engine, which makes finding the information you need very easy, without weeding through lots of non-relevant material. Scrub the Web offers search and tools for webmasters.

One that has intrigued me is Search Lores, which favors Opera Browser to take advantage of all of its features, yet I have yet to figure out how to use it. If anyone knows, I would love to get some input on that one, as I believe many buried treasures lie there.

Octora is an RSS feed search engine which allows you to search feeds, urls, and offers a deep search. Daypop is recommended for non-main stream news, or perhaps research and articles are what you are looking for.

Or you may want to try HighBeam which offers a free search that includes search by subject. Of course Windows Live Search is now what powers MSN. The index page for Google Products has many options, including a blog search.

All the Web has news pictures, video, audio options. A newer contender is Wise Nut. Dogpile and OxySearch have compiled several search engines into one, and I am not sure what the difference is between these two.

Clusty conveniently organizes the search results in clusters. Answers is a “one-stop shop” with a customizable deluxe homepage, answers, definitions and explanations on over 4 million topics, in addition to WikiAnswers. Ask or browse.

An open directory project, which allows the internet to organize itself, and is edited by human volunteers can be found at DMoz A very useful search engine, Creative Commons Search, helps you to find content from the web which can be used for commercial purposes, or which can be adapted for your own use. Useful for respecting copyright.

Happy Searching!

web search, internet, information,

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty. That is all ye know on Earth, and all ye need to know.” ~John Keats

What is worth valuing in the highest esteem more than beauty? Beauty tweaks the senses, awakening the inner most essence of who we are. A grand journey, being drawn to beauty, as a moth to flame, its attraction leads to the essence of all. Being beautiful is inner well being. What stands apart and is revered by some, others may not perceive as beauty. Whatever the reflection mirrored back to us is that which exists in our perceptual space.

Interpretations of beauty vary from person to person-culture to culture. Some tribes in Africa view the wearing of bones in the nose as the highest expression of beauty. Other tribes find neck rings stacked to until the neck is so fragile it could not hold itself up without them. In our current western culture breasts are worshipped as the ultimate expression of physical beauty despite the lack of honour for the divine feminine. Ornamentation of the body, in any case, is the expression we spiritual beings use, while in our physical material existence. So it doesn’t matter how you adorn your physical body-as long as you do with honour.

Beauty is not self importance-nor superficial, it simply is. We attract our own mirror image. If you want beauty in your life, be beauty, cultivate beauty. I am not just talking about the quintessential aesthetics of beauty, although that is part of it. I am speaking about the spiritual refuge in which the roots of beauty nest. What is meaningful is defined by ourselves, that which we hold at our innermost part of our being.

Our inner knowing, unclear on the surface, can be manifested radiating outward as an expression of our desire. From desire by declaring intent, we reach beyond the natural spirit of beauty, extending its sense of aesthetic nature, so we may begin the transformation process. The resulting natural high gives pleasure and meaning to our lives. As co-creators of our reality, beauty a necessary ingredient which gives rise to the senses, altering our state of mind.

As we reflect upon divine beauty, balance and harmony can be ours. Beauty spreads light, fills the soul and heart with energy. Keep filling the chalice until it flows freely, everlasting flow. In knowing beauty, you shall know truth. Knowing truth will allow you to know yourself, your purpose and finding your commitment to give to the universe in order to spread beauty.

Beauty is a mirror which will reflect back your inner most essence. Feel the forms lines shapes, and realize the peaceful stillness that surrounds all that is beautiful. Value results from that outward expression of inner truth. If you want your life to have purpose … to feel the substance of form and purpose, then be beauty and that is what you shall have. By fuelling the flames of that fire created by beauty, the desire, transforms us to a higher level of consciousness. Nurture beauty, for it is the very thread of our culture.

Much beauty has arisen from the deepest darkest wells of desperation and the ugliness of disharmony. No shadows can exist without light. We must embrace all of life in order to ascend. Choose beauty, spread beauty, be beautiful by loving even your least favourite parts, seeing that they too have value. Re-birthing your spirit allows you to recognize the beauty in yourself and others. That which has been transformed holds integrity, adding a welcome texture to the fabric of life. Weave into that the threads of peace, love, and wisdom. Nourish hope. Have faith you will be supported on your journey. Be beauty, be love, be truth and find grace in humankind.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is a symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature-the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. The lasting pleasures of contact with the natural world…are available to anyone who will place himself under the influence of earth, sea and sky and their amazing life.”
~Rachel Carson

beauty, being, transformation,

Quite ridiculous I haven’t posted here for so long. I will share with you my latest project which is where I have been devoting my time. The website itself has been only part of the project I am involved in, as I am also a producer of the show this website is advertising. This is a concert website for a concert we are promoting, to be held in Calgary Alberta, May 27, 2007. Lucinda Drayton from the UK band Bliss will be performing with Marcus Cliffe.

We are pretty excited about the show. The concert website is to promote the concert and to sell tickets. Please have a look at the Lucinda Drayton Concert Website I have just finished, and if you have a chance, I would be happy to hear your comments. The background was a challenge to work with. I do realize this type of background is not recommended, however hopefully I have done it some justice.

This was an accomplishment for a self-taught web designer. We as a group are pleased with the job. It is about bringing a vision to life. I can honestly say to more I am involved in this type of work, the more addictive it becomes. I will be back soon to share with you some exciting new resources I have discovered.

lucinda drayton concert website, design challenges, bliss,

Water
sensual symbols
reflections
water fog mist

Air
wind breathing spirit
weaving dreams
cosmic life divine

Earth
mountain valley wide
earth goddess
create clarity change

Fire
keeper of the fire
alchemy
flames pyre light

water, air, earth, fire,

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves
of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is a
symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds,
the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring.
There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of
nature–the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring
after the winter. The lasting pleasures of contact with the natural
world…are available to anyone who will place himself under the
influence of earth, sea and sky and their amazing life.”
~Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

Healers healing artists … artists healing the world. Why do healers heal and why do artists paint? Empathic calling perhaps, a need for expression for the good of humankind.

Healers and artists share an affinity with beauty, and a desire for truth and happiness. Beauty is necessary to every culture, and in every culture is defined differently. Beauty inspires. Beauty heals.

Art and healing are one and the same. Like healing, art transforms our experience, leaving us forever changed. The healer inspires inner transformations of body, mind, and spirit. Shifting the energy from pain to life-force energy. The artist, like the healer must heal themselves, before they can transfer that healing energy to heal the world.

In this way both artists and healers are visionary. The process begins there, then moves beyond itself to others. We look to art, music, dance, whatever the art form for inspiration, guidance and healing in our lives. What magic!

Physical conditions and what is seen on the surface can be changed, once you discover the underlying reasons for your discomfort. Transforming suffering by learning to harness the energies to create wellness. The final outcome will amaze you.

In creating, a way must be found to free the inner spirit. When the spirit is freed through expression of artistic beauty, then healing can begin. Pain exists as a result of old wounds which create energy blocks. These blocks prevent the creative flow of life and can result in self-sabotage.

When an artist has trouble with expression on the canvas which sits before them it is not because there is a problem with the art. The problem lies in the fact that the artist cannot connect to the energy flow required for expression of that which is under the surface, and cannot allow it to flow through them.

The solution is for the artist to heal themselves so they may produce the healing vibrations which will be transformed into healing energy henceforth documenting the process for others to understand and to absorb. The artist who has healed them self, can in turn create art which can heal others. The healed become the healers. In terms of art the creative process heals, both the creator and the recipient.

By focusing on the positive energies, we catapult ourselves into a new level of consciousness. No longer being held back, we spare ourselves the discomfort which blocks the natural flow. By doing this, we achieve a powerful state of being. That power is available to us anytime we want to tap into it. Taking back our power, following a state of vulnerablility which illness creates, will change us down as deep as the cellular level.

It is well known music & art can take us into to a deep form of relaxation. In this state, changing your perception and your physiology with the healing forces becomes possible. All that is required is that you be open to the flow. In pursuit of truth, beauty, justice, truth and wellness we find fulfilment. Healers healing the earth. Artists healing the world. The wounded spirit which heals, becomes the healer.

Your life is a work of art. Decide what you want on that canvas, then paint it. All life is creation. Just as each piece of art the artist creates something never before in existence, you can create a new life by healing. When art and healing merge, all nature, earth and humankind can be healed.

healing art, creativity, empowerment,

In a time of universal deceit …
telling the truth is
a revolutionary act.
~George Orwell

Why seek the truth? How is it that so many of the great minds have spent lifetimes looking for the answer to that eternal question? A universal set of truths and values are common to all peoples and cultures.

I believe that all religions are merely different roads to the same place. It doesn’t matter what you believe. When your belief is strong, then there is no need to to prove it is correct, nor to attempt to convert others to your beliefs. Conviction needs no justification.

Trying to convince others your way is the only way, is a futile pastime. Focus on yourself instead. What you believe is what you will become. Perhaps an important reason to seek the truth. Beliefs are only real to the one who holds them. From belief emerges truth. Truth is universal.

One of the distinctions of our modern world is the great majority are looking outside themselves for fulfilment. If we base our life on illusion of self and ego, then the final outcome is usually not what we had hoped for in our heart of hearts. What becomes evident as a result of this approach, is a life of misery and suffering.

Leaving our old life behind takes some serious spiritual work. We are going to need to develop tools to build a new life for ourselves. Our society of chronic discontent has a long way to go before realizing the extinction of dissatisfaction. A switch in values is long overdue. Your affections, passions and material possessions are illusions you have created to fill your emptiness.

Prosperity and abundance are not necessarily tangible things. Success is defined as gaining fame and prosperity to a great many. Not all success is about money and notoriety, in fact au contraire. Material success is a byproduct of our purpose, not what we were meant to strive for. If we want to find true happiness, the desire must be found to get on the path. Using the old tools we had developed as a result of beliefs attained during our domestication process is sure to exemplify suffering. These tools are no longer useful in our present existence.

Desire for happiness in this society more closely resembles hedonism. The problem with this philosophy is the end result produced may be very bleak. Without substance beyond material assets, the day will arrive when the reflection in the mirror is nothing but an empty shell. We are left standing in isolation, unfulfilled. If you know for certain your desire for a new life exists, then the capacity to be honest is a good starting point. From the ashes of your misery could rise a new world. Let go of the reins opting instead for the seat of the soul. Give yourself to the unknown.

Our environmental conditioning is a major factor in the life we know today. It doesn’t occur to us, until we are writhing in severe pain, mostly self-inflicted, to re-examine our lives. A rude awakening indeed, when we discover it is ourselves who have to change. The problem is not the world after all, as we had previously perceived.

Mostly, our awareness is concerned with the what we can see hear and touch. Operating from a physical perspective, we huff and puff, trudge along until we get it done. What if we were to allow unseen forces to come in and create a synergy which could transform your world? Work would be light and effortless when we free ourselves of the burdens which hinder us.

Your general circumstances can transform into something beyond what you dreamt and propel you forward. Many think Nirvana does not appear to be on earth. Yet it is within. Looking externally it will continually evade us. Though not materially evident, we cannot see it, yet we cannot disprove its existence.

Nirvana is a life free of suffering. For many of us, that is a steep ladder to climb. We have embraced suffering, unaware other possibilities exist. Stressed out, people are looking for a quick fix to feel good. But the dark hole inside is never satisfied nor fulfilled. When operating from that level, the internal abyss widens, many slip through the cracks.

Synchronize yourself with the truths of nature. Stop and feel the wind blowing gently through you. Metaphorically speaking, we can use this type of symbolism to design our new life. Going out to find yourself, is sure to yield disappointment. Instead build yourself, the person you were meant to be. Construct your life, much like a mason builds a house. Visualize where you want to be.

Finding the path of least resistance, travelling light, will
increase the chances and speed in which you can arrive at your
destination. Dare to be swept up by the upward spiral by letting go.
Accept the gifts the universe has in store for you. We can catch a glimpse of the divine through meditation, stillness of heart and mind.

Infinite numbers of these gifts go unopened, elapsing, unclaimed for an entire lifetime. Many lives are wasted on trivial things. Allow yourself to collect the precious gifts which await you. Do not lose sight of the big picture. Live life in the now, and live to the fullest. The present moment is all that exists. Give freely, awaken to the inner peace which is Nirvana.

Namaste.

nirvana, spiritual growth, peace,

The only way to assimilate the speed at which the world is moving and changing is to be in alignment with the higher self.

Taking control of our own power is the beginning. Every thing is energy, we, our worlds, everything. We need to attune ourselves with the positive forces, and defend ourselves from the toxic energy.

In order to do so, first we need to understand ourselves and the situation which surrounds ourselves at this very moment. Our mind is energy, not just a series of electrical currents, but the pattern which exists creates an energy field. How easily we can corrupt our own energy field with toxic things. Even when a force field is present, it still takes a magnet to show us the patterns and form the energy field takes. The way our energy is organized in mind, is a result of our environment and influencing factors.

The various types of exposure, negative or positive tend to accumulate in our energy field. If enough negative low vibrational stuff is present then it creates a toxic environment, which in turn influences out thoughts and behavior, and what in eventuality becomes our own reality. It is imperative to discover the things which stand between you and you goals. Wading through the toxic stuff, discarding what is not longer useful, will reveal the answers and contribute to your wellness.

Healing is realigning these energies, into a positive pattern which allows us to become in touch once again with our higher self. Maintaining a high frequency of vibration is essential to conducive spiritual health. We no longer need to be pulled downward. So much of our world is filled with toxic energy, and we must learn to hold our own, despite what is occurring around us. When enough of this is stored in our subconscious then it sends us into a downward spin.

No amount of will power is enough to counteract this negative force. Our state of mind, mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, influences our state of health and being in proper balance fends off illness. It is when an imbalance of these things are present that dis-ease, and illness occur. In order to prevent illness, or to heal illness we must bring all the parts of ourselves into balance.

Once you have removed yourself from the negativity, then you must cleanse yourself of it, and create a protective shield. Only when you are in communion with the higher self, can you be the master of your own destiny. Without taking control of your own power, and if you are disconnected from the collective unconscious, then you may succumb to the negative energies around you, henceforth inviting in the prophecy of failure.

Making positive choices while setting intention will help you to break out of any destructive patterns you may have found yourself in. When you heal from the inside out the rest falls into place much more easily. Once this state of being has become habitual, it is now necessary to prevent yourself from engaging in this sort of ‘lower thinking consciousness’.

That higher state, from which all living flows from, will come more easily as we are setting down new tracks. Like treading on fresh laden snow rather than traveling in the same rut which has held us down for so long. Ruts are easy to get stuck in, and will prevent us from moving forward in our lives.

If you are able to increase your awareness to the point where you can step outside yourself and see how these negative energies have been governing your life, then you will not need to concern yourself with healing the physical body. When you heal the energies, with the higher self, the physical will heal.

Upon removing those things which are preventing you from moving forward, then you must fill the well with proper foods, which can help you to maintain a positive state while feeding the spirit. Food for the spirit can be many things. Prayer and meditation is essential for operating and dwelling in the higher self. Constant vigilance is necessary to preserve that natural state. It is spiritual survival.

being, goddess, healing,

What do you want in a website? When you decide to take the plunge, first of all you will need to think of your purpose of being on-line. Good web presence takes time to build and maintain.

If it a status thing, “Hey why don’t you check out my website!” then perhaps your advertising dollars are better spent elsewhere, unless of course, you have money to burn. If that is your reason, hey, I can still design one for you. Here are some things to consider, before you meet with the designer.

What do you want to accomplish? Some websites are educational, with an emphasis on relaying information and sharing it. It may also be a reference resource, or a non-profit organization. Perhaps you need a donation button.

Or if you are showcasing your talents you may need something slick and simple. Many artists use a website simply as an online portfolio, or a resume if you will for the galleries. If you are a self-representing artist, you will most probably need to set up an e-commerce system, where people can buy your art direct.

You may have a special interest in a particular topic, which you want to share, and connect with people who share a common interest. Writing websites are one example.

Perhaps you have a product to sell which you want to market whether it be to a niche market or a diverse audience. What better way to gain exposure for your business?

Consider your target audience, once you have decided on your goals. Then you have to get your name out there. What is it worth to you to have an internet presence? How much are you willing to spend, and what are you expecting as a return for your investment?

Drawing people to your site, having them make return visits is an indication your web presence is growing. Regardless of your goals you must represent yourself in an optimum manner.

web presence, website goals, web design,

A large part of designing any website, is ensuring it works fine in any browser. All browsers have some different ways of interpreting and displaying information.

You will want to have your site look optimum in any browser. Be sure that if you are hiring a web designer, that they are going to take these browser issues into account.

That should be fairly easy to accomplish, however things are always changing. IE 7 and Firefox 2.0 are the latest editions of browsers to most recently appear on the scene.

As the two most popular browsers have been released this past week, web designers and developers will need to go over all their code to make sure it is compatible with the newest upgrades.

I am willing to bet, the one which will be the most challenging will be IE7. It is sure to be a learning experience soon to come which I have not delved into yet. Old bugs may be gone, while new ones are sure to appear.

I am not sure why new versions are not standards compliant at the time of release. Surely fixes will follow. Already security vulnerabilities have been found.

It would be great to get it all in one shot, rather than a constant stream of updates. I shall soon sink my teeth into rewrites shortly, while all the while trying to drum up new business. And I may even get my own website finished. ***Sigh***

IE7 vs FF2.0, zen web design, browsers,

“If you build it, he will come.”
~Field of Dreams(1989)

Having a website is one thing. Getting people to visit is another. Building my first website, involved a huge learning curve. I had known for a long time I wanted to build myself a website. It did not become a reality until much later. Once I had it somewhat the way I wanted it, I realized my work had just begun. Action needed to be taken to ensure someone besides myself would see it.

After all, I had spent a tremendous amount of time teaching myself code, optimizing images, and learning layout. How was I going to get people to visit? So the research began. Finding out how to market a website became my new obsession. All of this was new to me. Submitting to search engines, what to use as keywords, meta tags, site maps, link popularity, page rank … a never ending stream.

One could never profess to know everything. So much to learn and the learning never ends. Rapid change continues to occur, requiring ongoing work, to ensure your presence on the web. Here are some resources for you to check out if you would like to read up on what is involved. Some excellent tools here:

Search Engine Watch
Future Page Rank
PRO SEO

seo, keywords, website marketing,

No matter how much you know about different development software it is helpful to be able to hand code. If something goes wrong with the program you are using, then you have alternative means to finish your project. Especially important to be able to do if you have a deadline.

I hand code everything. First of all, I enjoy it. Second of all, I get to see every detail, and I know when things are going to work and when they are not. Programs can be finicky, sometimes adding in extra code, or stripping out things you wanted to leave in. Seriously, I have Macromedia, yet I found it easier to learn to hand code, than I did to learn that program.

Now that I have learned to do everything from the ground up, I am able to get around on Macromedia just fine, as I have a better understanding of how things work. Yet I still prefer to do it all by hand. Did you know you can build an entire website in Notepad? Simple and clean. As of late I have discovered Notepad2 which is very much like notepad, only it has quite a few more convenient options.

Also I most often use HTML Kit, which has lots of handy resources for more than just html. I love it so much, I can’t imagine not using it. New things are always coming along, each claiming to be better than the last so they say. Yet I like to keep my brain sharp, so coding by hand helps me to do that. Besides, what fun would it be, if we were not still learning?

web design tips, html editors, code lover,

What are some tools creative people require for their website? You may be showing art, photography, crafts or something similar. Visual content must be shown in the best light possible. Quality is key.

Good photographs of your work, are of utmost importance. A digital camera is one of the best investments you can make if you are a visual artist. When looking for a digital camera I would say anything 3.2 mega pixels and up, is a good choice. Prices are coming down, so you can get a decent digital for $300.00 or less.

Some features you will want your camera to have include white balance and the ability to take pictures without a flash. I have never successfully photographed a painting with a flash enabled. It creates a glare which renders the picture useless. In order to do this you will also need a tripod to steady the camera, especially when using slow shutter speeds. For closeups of your work, you will want to have a macro setting on the camera.

A good photo editing program is essential. Learning to use a photo editing program can be trial and error. Many use photoshop, yet it is expensive. If you are looking for open source photo editing I highly recommend Gimpshop. It has a similar interface to Photoshop. The good news is it is free! They now have a Windows version that is precompiled, so that you can install and use. Be sure you get the right download for your operating system.

For help with photo editing check the web for many good tutorials. Here is one for Gimpshop, and one for Photoshop to get you started.

photo editing, photographing artwork, visual web tools,

Part Two

Business blogging is an excellent way to establish Internet presence for your business. You have the opportunity to demonstrate your unique spin on the market you are involved in. If you are not comfortable writing a blog, you can hire a professional blogger. That’s right, many bloggers are now for hire.

Advertising your business is virtually free. Search engines are blog friendly. They seem to pick up on the frequent fresh content. Why take not advantage of the chance to build your search engine ratings?

Your topic selection can influence their choices, steering them to your main website. You can demonstrate your knowledge, experience and expertise. Let them know you are proficient, someone they want to do business with. People do business with people they know and trust.

Connecting with other professional bloggers is a form of on line networking. This can help you to build an audience while keeping in touch with the current trends. Your blog readers are potential clients. Once you have raised your profile, all you have to worry about is delivering the goods.

problogging, trends, SEO,

Part One

Blogs are huge, showing no sign of slowing down. Once a website was an essential tool for your business. Now the business blog is just as important. Now days one of the first questions many will ask is, “Do you have a blog?”

Writing a business blog is a perfect avenue to relay up to the minute business news. Another benefit of having a business blog, is to demonstrate the evolution of your business, while sharing your knowledge & expertise.

Communicating with people via your blog allows them to get to know what you and your business are about. You will get to know your audience, while standing a good chance of opening up your business to more traffic, which in turn, can translate into dollars.
Stay tuned for Part Two.

business, blogging,

I wanted to share some fabulous resources for those of you wishing to sharpen your skills.

Mandarin Design is a place I have used time and time again, during my learning process. A list Apart is another good one. Website Tips also has some great guidelines. Remember if you use any ideas from these sites, it is courteous to link back to them. Enjoy!

web design, css, resources,