I Choose My Thoughts! I do? Oh YES, I do!

I'd heard for years about the concept and power of choosing one's thoughts, but it wasn't until February 2022, two months into my Heartwork Journaling Certification that that concept became embodied. I was hysterical, practically hyperventilating, and crying as my husband told me to breathe from the passenger seat immediately after our car was hit from behind in an intersection. I'd tapped the brakes lightly, slightly confused about a flashing yellow light on a left hand turn when our car was shoved violently across the intersection. 

While completely hysterical and gasping for breath many thoughts came to mind: "I did this. It's all my fault. I fail at everything. I shouldn't be allowed to live." AND ... then a flash of awareness:

"I choose my thoughts!"

I was still hysterical and being coached by my husband to just breathe as my mind reeled, asking, "What actually happened?" 

I realized in that moment that I could continue to beat myself up, berate myself, and feel badly for as long as I desired telling and retelling the story of my supposed failure OR I could become really present with the reality of the situation, which simply was: the car needed to be fixed. That is it. The car needed to be fixed. In that flash of understanding I realized that that simple fact meant nothing about me, my ability to succeed at life, my worth, deservingness, or my competence. Absolutely nothing. And I was free. Free from the sometimes tyrannical voice in my head that was critical, judgmental, and at times self loathing. 

From that startling moment onward, I have embarked on a journey of revelatory discovery as I come into a deeper awareness of what I am thinking, discerning whether those thoughts are helpful, and embracing the freedom and power inherent in knowing with certainty that I can and do choose my own thoughts. 

Our brains are our own personal king/queendom with a running soundtrack that seems random, programmed from outside sources, and out of our control, but is really just a part of being human that is 100% within our control always. Realizing this is so incredibly freeing. It isn't always easy to capture those pesky thoughts, especially the ones that we have been thinking for so long we don't even notice them anymore, we just assume they are true: beliefs. Once I realized I could actually choose my thoughts, however, I became fascinated by the process of figuring out what nonsense I had assumed I had to listen to on my inner soundtrack and I started changing the channel. 

"I did this" became "Nothing has gone wrong." 

"I fail at everything" became "Every time I 'fail' I learn something new and that new thing moves me forward in life."

"I shouldn't be allowed to live," became "This experience is a part of life. I have the power to choose my response to anything I experience. I chose to respond with kindness and love for myself an others."

Realizing that I have the power to choose my thoughts and change my thoughts has softened my inner self talk, expanded my view of the world, and forever altered how I navigate my experiences. I am forever grateful for that hysterical moment of clarity that I may not have embodied as fully had I not been having a very real, visceral reaction to being in an accident I thought I'd caused. I am especially grateful for Maritza Parra, founder of Heartwork Journaling, for gently teaching, showing, and modeling for me the power, potential, and possibility of choosing one's thoughts. You can learn from her too. 

Wednesday-Sunday, November 15-19
Doodle Your Emotions: Live with Maritza Parra, Online
"Emotional Awareness is a SKILL you can learn to create the life you want. Creativity and play is INCREDIBLY effective at creating lasting change. Doodles allow you to observe your thoughts, emotions, behaviors and how they all contribute to creating your results. Join this live 5 day series and use simple creativity to achieve deep and lasting personal growth. Cost: $47"

Note: this is an affiliate link (my very first!) I believe in this work strongly because it changed my life, so I partnered with Maritza to bring her work to you. If you enroll in DYE using this link I will receive a portion of your registration fee.

Discovery: A Short Film & Filmmaker David Cowardin

Art has a very public face, but for the artist, it is a very personal journey. 

It is my great joy to share my short art film Discovery (5:31 min.) with you, which documents my solo art exhibition of the same name that debuted at Blue Cross/Blue Shield in November 2022. This short film was created by videographer David Cowardin, owner of Blue Forest Films, in Duluth, MN.

David is a masterful filmmaker and storyteller who I met in 2015 when his then film company Lola Visuals was recommended to me by a friend. The resulting film, Life & Art Entangled (17 min.), captured the artwork on a studio upright piano I painted white and covered in patterns, one line at a time. David's ability to reveal the heart of his subject through visuals and sound is remarkable. That film turned into a very personal reflection of my path from state prosecutor to artist and includes improv pianist Peter Brown's original composition. 

I was supremely grateful David agreed to make a second film for me, this time shorter, but no less powerful in its delivery. I had the opportunity to interview David about his expertise, love of film, and the making of Discovery in Episode 8 of The Eternal Possibility Hour: David Cowardin. I hope you enjoy them both!

Behind the scenes of Discovery, a short film by David Cowardin.

A Poem I love

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 I𝚝 A𝚕𝚕

𝚋𝚢 J𝚞𝚕𝚒𝚊 F𝚎𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛*

 

Go gently today, don’t hurry
or think about the next thing. Walk
with the quiet trees, can you believe
how brave they are—how kind? Model your life
after theirs. Blow kisses
at yourself in the mirror

especially when
you think you’ve messed up. Forgive
yourself for not meeting your unreasonable
expectations. You are human, not
God—don’t be so arrogant.

Praise fresh air
clean water, good dogs. Spin
something from joy. Open
a window, even if
it’s cold outside. Sit. Close
your eyes. Breathe. Allow

the river
of it all to pulse
through eyelashes
fingertips, bare toes. Breathe in
breathe out. Breathe until

you feel
your bigness, until the sun
rises in your veins. Breathe
until you stop needing
anything
to be different.  

I simply love this poem. I spied it on Facebook when my former yoga teacher, Julie Deters, posted it. My favorite line: "Breathe until you stop needing anything to be different." xo
* to learn more about Julia Fehrenbacher, go here: https://www.juliafehrenbacher.com/

Simple Tips for Happiness!

Two friends shared two things with me this week that resonated and they allowed me to share them with you. First, my talented friend Heather shared a simple, beautiful channel from her team about the "tennis match" that goes on in the human brain when trying to decide anything. This channel was in response to something I'd forwarded to her re: the angel that sits on one shoulder and the devil that sits on the other, both trying to convince you that their individual and opposing perspectives will surely benefit you. The post I'd sent to her didn't resonate fully, so she sought higher guidance and was rewarded, fully. Here is the channel she shared with me.

A channeled message received by Heather Braden, July 2023

Greetings dear one. Relax and breathe allowing your body and your breath to soften. We are here. Allow all the tangles to be present and allow yourself to soften at the same time. Allow yourself to just let them be. Think about a tangled necklace and how you very gently rub at the knot. You might try to gently tease it out, softening the grip of the knot. You do not yank or pull at it with any vigour, dear one. It is with gentle tenderness that the knots are released. This is the exact approach that we want you to use with your mind. Very kindly and gently notice what is going on in there.

You have heard of the analogy of an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. This can feel like truth because you host conversations in your mind that often take the form of “You should do this!” “You can’t do that, it is wrong!” And what you might deem there to be a good side and a bad sided debate taking place. Humans have a love for labelling things, thoughts included, as good or bad. We have shared with you that thoughts are simply neutral, and you, with your perceptions and judgments, apply the charge to the thoughts.

Rather than the implications of a ‘good guy’ and a ‘bad guy,’ we encourage you to visualize a tennis match going on, with one player or team on your right shoulder and another on your left. They rally balls, without stopping and you feel them as they ping back and forth. You may notice one team scoring several points in a row, and the other becoming aggressive for a comeback. It can become a very invigorating game indeed.

These balls, as you know, take the form of thoughts. As you become attached, and begin catching the balls, they turn into beliefs. This scores a point. Your job, as the human in the middle is to notice the game being played, and to allow for the rally, but to keep the scoring to a minimum. See if you can observe the balls being passed and keep your hands free for that which is important to you.

Let’s pretend that one team has red balls and the other team scores with blue balls and you are present with arms open and a velcro strip inside your mind. You can notice how many balls are becoming attached. Imagine yourself catching and holding every ball during a day-long rally. Can you imagine just how full the vector board would become, and how exhausted and distracted you would feel? This is why we encourage you to soften, and just let the balls bounce on. They are only balls, dear one. You do not need to engage with them.

When you keep getting hit with a load of tennis balls, it can indeed become stressful and overwhelming. Especially when you are getting in their path and attempting to catch them all. Allow the match to play on, dear one, because it will, and allow yourself to simply observe. Sometimes, you might remark something like “Woah, this is a really heated match today”, and we encourage you to breathe deeply. Being aware is wonderful. Trying to catch and hold onto every flying ball is not. Allow, dear one. Let the balls fly. Let the match go on because this is what tennis players do.

If you see a ball that appears sparkly and appealing, by all means catch it and take hold of it. Allow yourself to play with it and explore its beauty. You are to be selective. Observe and choose your catches with conscious awareness, for they will determine the flow of your day, and the reality you create. Breathe deeply, and know that, in truth, life is but a game. Enjoy the journey and trust that you have the discernment as to when to jump in and play, and when it is best to be the witness. You are on your path. All our love.

What I love about her guides' response is it encourages neutrality. As humans we look at everything as good or bad. Do more good, do less bad: the recipe for life. While in its simplest form that is helpful, it ignores the source of good and bad, which is not, as most people think, societal norms, or laws/rules, or religion, spirituality or, dare I say, God. Everything is neutral. Every circumstance, occurrence, word, action, thought is neutral until we, individually and collectively, give each of those things meaning. We attach meaning. We choose what meaning to attach to everything and in so doing we create our world and how we feel about that world.

The magical thing about this is that everything, absolutely everything, can be seen as both good and bad, depending on your perspective. At first, that sounds a little insane, perhaps, and a mite bit confusing, and then ... it feels freeing once it is realized that shifting your perspective is all that is needed to turn any circumstance from trouble to blessing. That shift is where miracles are born. 

Of course, humans are habituated to see things as good or bad and hide their role in the decision making from themselves making it easy to blame outside circumstances for anything displeasing. And so that is where the second of two things shared with me comes in. My friend Tal sent me a Facebook reel by Dr. Daniel Amen wherein he shares two super simple and helpful tips for priming your brain to look at life more positively. In short: 

1) Wake up with intention and say "Today is going to be a great day!" and
2) Before bed, review your day and think about what went well that day to prime your brain for the next day while you sleep.

To listen to Dr. Amen describe this process, Click Here. 

We are only here, in human form, for a brief time. For me, I'm realizing that it is easier to walk with my fellow humans when I view them and my world with love, compassion, forgiveness, and joy. Both of these shares are helping me to deepen my awareness about how I navigate my mental chatter and my day so I can understand the meaning I am making and its out pictured results in my life. xo 

To hear more about Heather's approach to channeling and automatic writing, you can watch my interview of her on Youtube: The Eternal Possibility Hour: Episode 1, Heather Braden

To learn more about Dr. Daniel Amen and his work changing the brain with simple daily practices, visit his website here.

Heather's Courage Card Heart

Delight

I love being delighted. My friend Heather delighted me recently when I found a whimsically tangled envelope in my mailbox. Heather has been drawing with me on Fridays for my Zentangle (R) Explore class for months and her beautifully decorated envelope with a creative twist on the pattern drawn thrilled me.

I am always encouraging my students to draw on envelopes because it is a wonderful way to practice drawing. It is fun to practice new patterns, or play with new pens, or add color with neon highlighters or add a touch of sparkle. And, when you create art and send it out into the world you never know how many people it will delight along the way to its intended recipient. 

When I opened the envelope, I was delighted all over again as I found a heart shaped note on pink cardstock and 38 individually cut red cardstock hearts containing 38 beautiful affirmations. Thrilled, times two! I loved that she spent so much time and effort cutting out the hearts and hand writing each affirmation. A gift of time, attention, and creativity.

I love taking affirmations, which are powerful reminders individually, and linking them together to form a short poem, or prayer. The combinations are just about endless and each new combination creates a new kind of courage. Here is the 4 sentence affirmation prayer I created using Heather's cards:

Peace begins with me.

I find freedom through vulnerability.

There are no limits to the courage that lies within me.

I am a magnet for miracles.

Heather's envelope with
flying heart Beadlines (Margaret Bremner, CZT).

.

38 Lovely Affirmation Hearts!

Misha liked Heather's hearts, too!

Creative Confidence: This is why I teach.

Who gets to say whether I am good enough at anything? I do. Just me. And, yet, there are so  many other voices that chime in throughout our lives to let us know whether we measure up to whatever standard is being used as the one to meet. I taught my first of four youth community education classes on June 6 via Zoom. All five Melrose, Minnesota, kiddos, ages 8-12, were delightful and created beautiful tiles. And ... as soon as the class ended, I received this note from a twelve year old boy's mother, who gave me permission to share:

"Hi Esther, Thank you for providing this class! D.S. enjoyed it! He’s had unpleasant experiences with being graded for his work in art class and has started to believe he “can’t do art”. Thank you for reminding him that he’s a great artist!" R.S.

Her comment warmed my heart and broke it at the very same time. I immediately thought to myself, "This is why I teach." Her note reaffirmed my dedication to share the beauty, simplicity and accessibility of the Zentangle method with anyone who wants to learn. Since I began teaching in 2013, I have heard this story over and over again from people of all ages. I even have my very own art teacher story. 

In grade school we were asked to create a self portrait. I did my very best and when the teacher saw my page he brought me over to the mirror, held up my picture and asked, "Does this look like you?" Of course, it looked nothing like me. I was devastated and immediately felt like the worst artist in the world. 

As an adult, I can look back on this incident and ask, well, whose fault was it, truly, that I lacked the skills necessary to draw an accurate self portrait in grade school? But I lacked perspective about it at the time and took his comment personally. Fortunately, I did not give up on being creative or pursuing art, but so many others, with similar stories, have given up on their creative dreams. It truly breaks my heart.

All beings are creative. We are hard wired to create and through that creation to experience joy. Does it matter whether it looks like the teacher's? No. Does it matter whether your spouse, your children, or your mailman like what you have created? No. Does it matter if your creation wins any awards? No.

What really matters is whether creating brings you joy. Does making something colorful and messy and simple calm your mind, delight your heart, and enliven your spirit? If so, then create. Create boldly, wildly, freely every day in whatever way brings you joy. 

Drawing brings me joy and providing the opportunity for others to experience their own joy through drawing also brings me joy. This is why I teach. 

I am present, or am I?

Presence

This past week while I was working on one of two original art pieces for a juried art show, I realized I was experiencing a lot of anxiety and became curious as to why. It's a pattern that has repeated itself over the years and feeling quite tired of it, I began to explore it's origin. After some thought, I realized that while my body was here in the present with my artwork, my attention was sitting on a future calendar date tapping its foot and yelling "Hurry up already! I'm waiting!"

Two of me. Or, more accurately, me, splitting myself in two: Half of me physically creating, the other half a week away worrying about the deadline. Thoughts of the future will always cause anxiety because they are as yet just thoughts. When I pulled myself back into this moment and focused my attention on what I was creating, I felt more whole, more centered, and the creation process was far more enjoyable. 

My artist friend Erika Mock included this on point quote in a recent email: "It may not look like much, not with all these other distractions, but we make things holy by the kind of attention we give them." Martin Shaw, Storyteller from Smoke Hole: Looking to the Wild in the Time of the Spyglass I agree completely.

If, when, I feel anxious in the future, I'll go searching for where I've planted my attention and will gently call it home to this now moment, where all of my creative power lies.

Synchronicities: My Personal Assistant from the Universe

I love synchronicities. According to Oxford Languages, a synchronicity is defined as "the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection." Unless such an occurrence has a deeper meaning for you.

I have MANY amazing stories of synchronicities. I love them because they are like texts from my own personal assistant in the Universe reminding me to do what I may have otherwise forgotten to do, helping me get to where I need to go, and affirming that the direction I am headed is actually a really great direction to be going.

For the past 2-3 weeks, I've been thinking of my friend Wendy who announced that her July art & craft show was open for registration. I thought it might be fun for my artist niece and me to enter the show together as she will visit in July.

Since then, however, I had done nothing toward actually signing up for the fair. However, on Friday morning, something interesting happened that lead to action.

An hour and a half before teaching my noon drawing class, I felt inspired to post my class on Facebook. I've posted it before, but never the morning of class. I'm never sure who will show up for this class as registration is not required. Every Friday that I teach feels like Christmas because I am always delighted to see who has logged in with their pen and curiosity ready to draw with me.

Yesterday, to my great surprise, Wendy joined the class. I've known her for years and this was the very first time she came to class. She said she saw my post on Facebook and decided to try it out.

I was thrilled, not just because it was fun to draw with her, but because her presence reminded me to register for the fair. When I emailed her after class, she said there were only 3 spots left. Whew!

The thing about synchronicities is that awareness is key. They can be subtle, easily ignored, and they don't do the work for us, we have to notice, make the connection, and follow through. For instance...

Had I ignored the urge to post my class to Facebook, it is likely Wendy wouldn't have come to class and I may have missed the opportunity to register before all the spots were taken.

Had I not connected her presence in class to the fact that I'd been thinking of her with a specific intention in mind, I may also have missed the opportunity to reserve a spot in the fair.

I also feel as if her timely appearance affirmed that my initial inspiration was, in fact, a good idea. If you have a wonderful synchronicity story to share, please comment. I love hearing fun stories of the many mysterious and wonderful ways the Universe helps keep us on track. 

You can also check out this well done, short, and fascinating article: Synchronicities: A Sure Sign You're on the Right Path, Synchronicities are meaningful coincidences. Here's how to understand them. by Greg Lavoy, PsychologyToday.com, December 19. 2017.

 

Freedom is my goal

When I left the practice of law, I naively thought I would be able to just step out of my lawyer shoes into "new" shoes and keep walking. Turns out it wasn't that easy.

Being a lawyer-turned-artist has been a huge blessing. My years arguing cases before appellate courts, culling facts from transcripts, and writing concise, persuasive appellate briefs gave me professional skills that the average artist does not possess.

My technical writing background has helped me write multiple press releases, two successful art grants, and collate an art event list that populates the inbox of over 200 people each month.

My public speaking experience has allowed me to confidently practice as a certified Zentangle (R) teacher, speak with the media, and give a 20 minute presentation about my work as a visual artist at Duluth's American Association of University Women's annual fundraising dinner.

And the same, "I know where I want to go, but I'm not sure how I'm going to get there" internal drive that got me through law school and into the prosecutor's office gave me the fortitude I needed to spend a year drawing on a piano and hire a film crew to create a 17 minute art documentary that is now available on Youtube.

I am grateful for every one of these skills. Without them I do not think I would have been able to accomplish all I have in the four short years since becoming a teaching artist. I am grateful and I am tired.

While I no longer practice law, I feel every day that I use my legal experience to practice art. While essential to being a successful artist, the control and discipline I experience as a lawyer-turned-artist tempers my creative spirit.

As a practicing attorney, I had a box in my closet filled with art supplies with the words "Free Me!" written on it. Since leaving the practice of law, I've wrestled that box out of the closet, spread its contents far and wide, shared its creative joy with every possible being and as I write this now I know that I am not yet free.

Intense creative productivity has dominated my four plus years as an artist and now the call for quiet fills my soul. No internet noise, no classes to teach or attend, no projects to plan, just quiet. A three month sabbatical to just be. Freedom is my goal. I'm looking forward to experiencing what silence has to offer. I'll see you in April.

Esther Piszczek wearing her Heart Wall pattern (silk scarf and cotton knit skirt),

custom printed at Spoonflower.com. Skirt sewn/designed by Vivian.

Life & Art Entangled: Film Release

It is with great joy that I announce the release of Life & Art Entangled. I hope it inspires the world.

Check out film maker David Cowardin's blog post Here.

Life & Art Entangled @ Zeitgeist Arts

I am an artist and certified zentangle (R) teacher. My husband Paul is a registered piano technician. It only made sense that an artistic collaboration was necessary. In December 2014, he and his then business partner found me a free, 1977 Krakauer studio upright piano with water damage to its lid and battered casework, but its insides were solid. I painted it white in January 2015 and then began to draw. As black zentangle inspired lines filled that white surface, I imagined preserving those lines on film. 

In April 2015, David Cowardin and Joe Oliveiri of Lola Visuals made that dream come true with the completion of the art documentary Life & Art Entangled featuring the videography and story telling skills of Lola Visuals, Jazz pianist Peter Brown's musicality, my artistry, and my husband's piano technical skills. Life & Art Entangled premiered at the Duluth Superior Film Festival in June 2016.

Last night I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the support and enthusiasm of those who attended the joint film release party/art opening at Zeitgeist Arts in downtown Duluth. This opening was a celebration for me of so many dreams come true: 

~16" stoneware platter created by
Dorian Beaulieu,
patterned by Esther Piszczek.

• the release and screening of Life & Art Entangled documenting my first completed art piano;
• patterns on clay, on the wall, following a year of ceramics classes at Lake Superior Community College, including a collaborative piece with my ceramics teacher Dorian Beaulieu;
• the completion of my first coloring book with local publisher Whole Person Associates filled with original zentangle inspired art; and
• a dress made out of fabric printed with my own designs.

  

  Me, posing with the art piano on Monday, August 1, 2016,
  wearing a dress designed and sewn by my niece Vivian
  on fabric printed with my patterns.

It was a truly magical evening. Dreams really do come true.

Zeitgeist hosts Life & Art Entangled Exhibit, Fox 21 News, Duluth, August 2, 2016.

Duluth filmmakers document life, by Esther Piszczek, Duluth Budgeteer News, July 29, 2016.

Patterned Peace: a dream realized, by Esther Piszczek, episzczek.blogspot.com, July 1, 2016.

Patterned Peace: A dream realized

It's funny how things happen ... One Saturday last July I attended an artist fair and my friend Patty, who was bombarded by customers eager to buy her beautiful hand felted creations, had only two seconds to speak to me. She said something like, "Coloring books are all the rage. Your artwork is perfect for it. You should do this." It got me thinking. I had already considered the possibility of creating a coloring book, so this wasn't a brand new idea, but her words got me thinking more seriously about the idea.

The following Thursday, a group of friends attended my art reception at a local restaurant. The next day I received an email from one of those friends, Jack Kosmach, who works for a well established health and wellness publisher, Whole Person Associates, in Duluth. The company was considering publishing a coloring book to add to their already diverse offering in the health and wellness field and he thought  my artwork would be perfect for it. I was thrilled and couldn't believe that within a week of my friend Patty mentioning the idea to me that I was actually approached by a publisher. I said, "Yes!" immediately.

Today, my coloring book is available on Amazon.com. I am particularly proud of this effort because it isn't just a coloring book. Every pattern used to create the 40 pieces of hand-drawn artwork in the book are included in a tangle index with information on where to find visual step-by-step directions on-line so coloring enthusiasts, who may want to draw their own patterns to color, can find out how to do that line by line.

I am hopeful that this book, which is so very different from the others I've seen on-line and in almost every store I visit, is well received and loved by those who choose to own it. Over and over and over again I am reminded that all things really are possible.

Since my post on May 13 entitled Spring, Sunshine, and Free Flowers, I've received some lovely photographs of dandelions. Here is one of my favorites from just outside Duluth, MN. Thank you Krista!

Spring, Sunshine, and Free Flowers

As Spring gently settles into the Northland, tiny green leaves sprout from branches, tulips, daffodils, and blue bells add dashes of color to many a still gray day, and the birds sing a cheerful song even when the temperature dips far below what anyone might imagine for this time of year. The local weather forecasts a low of 26 degrees Fahrenheit for Saturday night, May 14, and the possibility of snow flurries for Sunday morning. Brrr!

I admit that I visit my family in Pennsylvania at the end of May to experience Spring in a much more Southern clime where the trees are fully leaved, the entire world smells like flowers, and shorts are actually temperature appropriate for at least some of my two week stay. After enduring winter's lengthy stroll toward Spring's slow unfurling, I'm impatient for consistently warm sunny days that I know are still at least a month away in Duluth, MN, where it doesn't really feel like Summer until July 4 each year.

This Spring has been exceptionally genteel featuring spurts of glorious warmth, stunning blue skies and unending sunshine. Predictably and seasonably, however, the weather returns to days of cloudy gray where a 20-25 mile per hour wind off of chilly Lake Superior is mildly described as breezy.

Since moving here 4 years ago, I've truly come to appreciate the value of seizing the moment where the weather is concerned. I used to take sunshine for granted. No longer. Now when the sun shines I make it a priority to spend time outside soaking in its beautiful warmth and energy while walking along Lake Superior or sitting on my favorite park bench with a good book. And, although some here still fight the juxtaposition of the calendar month and actual real-weather-feel, my full length down coat is there for me regardless of what my mind tells me the temperature ought to be.

Today a short span of sunshine brightened what was otherwise a gray and dismal week and brought a lawn full of Dandelions to my attention. The Dandelion is thought of highly in healing circles for its liver cleansing greens and edible flowers, however, it is much maligned in lawn circles for its tenacity and propensity to overtake any available grassy area.

While I was pondering their bad rep, however, it occurred to me that Dandelions are FREE flowers. You don't have to buy them, you never have to plant them or replant them, and guaranteed they will appear on next year's lawn as well. Dandelions just keep popping up spreading sunshine. And I like sunshine, no matter what the thermometer reads.

Photo courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

It is a small world after all

I love "small world" stories. I love experiencing them first hand and hearing them from others. I love them because their very existence speaks to a larger, more powerful universal force that connects us all. I believe this universal force is always at play in each of our lives, but at times is more tangible resulting in seemingly impossible connections that form the basis for extraordinary "small world" stories.

My last "small world" story, Miraculous Reunion, was posted August 7, 2014, after I bumped into my dear friend Deepali and her family at the Maritime Museum in Duluth. I hadn't seen her in the 26 years since I left India as a Rotary Exchange Student. Some would say this meeting was merely coincidence.

After experiencing and hearing about similar "small world" happenings, I no longer believe in coincidence. I believe in an invisible source so expansive, loving, and all-knowing that it takes my breath away when I try to wrap my tiny, limited human brain around it. My heart, however, knows that every "small world" happening is the visible manifestation of that larger force making itself known in a gesture of infinite support and extraordinary unconditional love for those who experience and hear about these events from others.

Here is my newest and most extraordinary "small world" happening.

On Thursday night, August 6, I was at the opening reception for my largest-to-date art show at Pizza Luce, a popular, downtown restaurant in Duluth, MN. Toward the end of the evening, I noticed a man sitting in the center booth across from the reception table looking at me from time to time. When his group got up to leave the restaurant he approached me to say he enjoyed my artwork. He also said he was traveling up to the Northern Tier near the Boundary Waters from Texas. I now know that he was referring to the Boy Scouts of America Northern Tier High Adventure Program located outside Ely, MN near the Canadian border and Lake Superior. I mentioned that my sister lives in Texas.

Others from his group joined the conversation. I asked them where they were from in Texas and one of them, Mark Bush, said, Arlington. When I mentioned that my sister owns Jason-Little Road Animal Clinic in Arlington, Mark said, "Dr. Froelich is your sister? My daughter Grace works for her!"

In that extraordinary "small world" moment I felt incredibly loved and supported, as if my sister was right there beside me cheering me on for all I've accomplished, as an artist and a person, despite the miles that separate us. "May you live knowing all things are possible" - Esther Piszczek

(L-R) Jared Bush, Esther Piszczek, Mark Bush at Pizza Luce, 11 E. Superior Street, Duluth, MN, August 6, 2015. In the background, "May you live ..." a collaborative piece with calligrapher Brenna Jordan of CalligraphybyBrenna.com

"We need our needs"

When Arianna Huffington, editor in chief of the huffingtonpost.com, collapsed from sleep deprivation after staying up nights working while spending her days touring colleges with her daughter, she hit her head, broke her cheekbone and cut her eye. She wrote for Reader's Digest ("The Dumbest Thing I Ever Did", September 2104), "I wish I could go back and tell my dumb, deluded self, in my thick Greek accent, 'Arianna, your performance will actually improve if you can commit not only to working hard but also to unplugging, recharging, and renewing yourself.'"

Haley

My cat Haley has been trying to tell me the same thing for sixteen years. I only began to understand this last night when I was working on an article that had to be completed before I went to bed - no matter what time that turned out to be. Around 10 p.m., Haley came and sat in front of the computer. Typing around her was pointless. She had recently begun scratching her head, creating open wounds, and it was still up for debate whether an allergy or anxiety was the cause. Not knowing, I felt I needed to give her what she desired - a lap, on the couch, not at the computer desk.

I stopped working and we migrated to the couch to enjoy a little silliness with Conan O'Brien. About an hour and twenty minutes later, I returned to the computer. Before I'd stopped working, I was having trouble starting my article. When I returned to the computer, it was 11:20 p.m. I finished writing at 1:20 a.m. Had I brushed Haley off at 10 p.m., it is possible I would have completed my article an hour earlier and it is also possible that I would have spent that hour frustrated, irritated at Haley, and stressed instead of relaxed, warm, and laughing on the couch with my furry companion.

My new friend Therese says, "We need our needs." Until last night, I thought that my need to accomplish things conflicted with Haley's need for lap time. I now realize that our needs are the same.

Thank you, Haley.

That still, small voice inside

I've spent years ignoring that still, small voice inside of me, rationalizing away its suggestions, and out-and-out despising its niggling presence. Recently, I've been listening more attentively to it. I've noticed that when I follow its suggestions, it keeps me safe, helps me navigate life more seamlessly, and helps me to grow. In practical terms, it reminds me to turn off the stove before leaving home, to remember my keys, and draws me toward opportunities I would have otherwise missed.

One small, yet meaningful example of this happened a few weeks ago. As I was walking in the rose garden near my home, I saw a beautiful white peony and felt drawn to approach it. I was in a park filled with peony and rose bushes. This particular white peony didn't look exceptionally different from its neighbors, and I could not discern any meaningful reason to change my path and walk toward it. In the past, I would have ignored the voice and gone on with my day. In the past, I would have missed what that voice meant for me to find.

When I stood in front of the peony, I looked down and saw a plaque. It contained a poem entitled 'Grateful' and it was then that I knew exactly why I was there.

NIA 5 STAGES: life changing

NIA 5 Stages is an experiential practice with innumerable, far reaching benefits. Rolling on the floor in embryonic, undulating like a salamander in creeping, crawling like a bear, squatting like a monkey, and walking upright like a human may not sound like a recipe for postural alignment and emotional well-being, but it is. NIA 5 STAGES is the practice of moving through the 5 Stages of human development: embryonic, creeping, crawling, standing, walking. I first started practicing NIA 5 Stages in 2009. Every time I practiced, I felt better: I sat straighter, I breathed more easily, and I slept more deeply. With just 5 minutes of practice each day, I felt my body healing itself, one vertebrae at a time. Over the years, I've come to refer to the 5 Stages as "Nature's Chiropractor," as my back and neck magically and effortlessly realign themselves throughout the day.

As wonderful as it was for NIA 5 Stages to heal MY body, however, it wasn't until I began teaching the 5 Stages to others that I began to understand the true power in this simple practice. Here is Holly's story, in her own words.

NIA magically changed my life in October 2013.

As a former ballet dancer with 16 years of dedicated and disciplined practice I found something special in NIA I have not found in any other practice (yoga, pilates, barre classes). I was in a severe motor vehicle crash 14 years ago in which I sustained a traumatic brain injury and could no longer dance. NIA 5 stages brought a calmness, openness, and a discipline that I had only previously found at the ballet barre. Parts of my body injured in the crash have suffered pain; that pain immediately went away during the first night of NIA. I walked out of class and immediately called my mom in shock and disbelief. I had been walking around in pain for 14 years and in one session of NIA 5 stages it was gone. Prior to my crash, I had perfect posture. After the crash I no longer did. After each NIA 5 Stages class, I walked out straight and tall. Mind you, you must continue to make a devotion and practice to NIA 5 stages in order for it to continually work.

Also, in the past year, I suffered a personal loss and the grief overwhelmed me. My grief was so great that it was sometimes hard to breathe. I felt empty, broken, and hollow. I had cried every single day prior to beginning NIA 5 Stages: for 10 months. The first day I did not cry was the first night I was introduced to NIA 5 Stages. I cannot explain it, and I have never written anything like this before, but I just have to say it because for others suffering from physical or emotional pain, NIA 5 Stages is the answer to your prayers.... At first, I thought it was just by chance, but not true. I was skeptical, for sure. However, by practicing NIA 5 Stages, my heart finally began to heal and no longer felt empty. I left every class, stress-free, pain-free, and with an open and sunny heart. NIA will change your life....give it a try! Holly

Holly took a 4-week NIA 5 Stages class that I taught through Duluth Community Education in November 2013. I am currently teaching the 5 Stages at Yoga Health, 16 1/2 N. 1st Avenue W., Duluth, through August 27 (Wednesdays; 6:30-7:30 p.m.). Watch Kevin illustrate the 5 Stages in the short video, below, and visit www.nianow.com/5Stages to find a class or training near you.

 

A Miraculous Reunion

Deepali and I at the Chester Creek Café, July 6, 2014.

Twenty-six years ago, I left Bombay (now Mumbai), India after completing a one year Rotary Exchange Program. One of my closest Indian friends was my college Biology lab partner, Deepali. Her outgoing, adventurous spirit and easy laughter were a blessing as I spent each day struggling to understand the professors' thickly accented, quickly spoken English. Deepali and I worked to figure out each lab assignment in constant fear as we had no real idea of what we were supposed to be doing (well, Deepali had a much clearer idea than I did). Our professor was a no-nonsense woman, with a shrill voice who screamed readily at students in front of the class.

The assignment we both remember clearly was our rat dissection. We both cried - in class - when we opened up the rat to find eight perfect babies inside. Our professor was unimpressed - with our emotional out-poring and the demise of our pregnant rat with her eight perfect babies.

After returning to the U.S., I began college and wrote letters to Deepali. Boys were a common thread and 3 years later my dear friend married her self-described "prince charming" in an arranged marriage, as is common in India.

Deepali and I lost touch and then reconnected after she moved with her young family to California in the late-90s. Phone calls, the occasional letter, and, more recently, Facebook, kept us updated on each others lives. Although our friendship remained strong, we did not see each other in all those years.

On July 4th, that changed. On a beautiful Duluth summer day, my husband and I took our visiting friends from New York to the Maritime Museum in Canal Park, a tourist-y area of shops, hotels, and restaurants. After watching a dated, ten minute, children's film about the working of the Soo locks at the eastern-most end of Lake Superior, I stood up and there stood Deepali ... in front of me. We hugged and laughed and hugged some more. I couldn't stop staring at her in utter disbelief. She asked, "What are you doing here?" I replied, "I live here, what are YOU doing here?"

It was a miraculous alignment of circumstances that lead to our happy reunion.

But for my friends arriving later than expected and Deepali accompanying her husband on a business trip to Minneapolis with their youngest son ...

But for our decision to walk from our apartment to the Maritime Museum, instead of search endlessly for parking and Deepali and her husband's spontaneous decision to drive 3 hours North on July 4th to see the lake ...

But for our guests from NY feeling well enough to do a little sight-seeing despite feeling under-the-weather (the following day turned into a much needed resting, couch day for them) and Deepali's husband's insistence that the family watch what Deepali felt for certain was a corny movie not worth the time (except for meeting me, she was right) ...

and But for the woman with big hair sitting in front of me near the wall, which caused me move to an aisle seat in the next row back ...

But for all of these seemingly insignificant circumstances we may have been in the same city, the same building, and the same room and never have known it.

But for the Universe perfectly aligning our paths, we would still be miles apart with Facebook as our only tangible link.

We met for brunch two days later and Deepali began our conversation with, "Now tell me everything that has happened to you since I saw you last." We had last seen each other in July 1988. As we caught up on all the major events of each others lives, it was heartwarming to realize that the friendship we developed when we were 17 years old remained vital over all those miles, life changes, and the personal growth that inevitably happens over 26 years.

After hearing the story, Deepali's oldest son said that we both must have really wanted to meet to make this happen. We both agreed. And, through no intentional planning on our parts, I finally met her prince charming, whom she wrote about so many years ago. May the Universe continue to bless us all with equally miraculous happenings.

Everything IS perfect!

"Everything is perfect, all the time," so, the saying goes.  Or, at least that's how I say it when I'm trying to convince myself that it is true despite every known, concrete fact screaming otherwise as I recite these words in a panicked mantra, over and over hoping they will sink in and all WILL feel well.

Every so often, however, my best laid plans will go awry and I am relaxed enough in the moment to look for the hidden opportunity my change in circumstance provides. When I seize that opportunity magic happens and, inevitably, I later discover that my plan would not have worked out nearly as well as what actually occurred.

This is what happened yesterday.

I planned to spend the afternoon dissolving my mural work on an inside window at Yoga Health in Duluth. I discovered this past weekend that the glass enamel paint marker I'd used to begin the mural easily washed away. I thought it was partially due to the fact that I cleaned the glass with rubbing alcohol before applying the paint. So I planned to spend this morning erasing my mural from the glass so I could begin again this afternoon after washing the window with soap and water.

Prior to heading to the yoga studio, I went to pick up a few pieces of clay I'd had fired and was delayed by the salesperson. The whole time I was listening to him, I was thinking, I really don't have time for this, but it will be rude to interrupt. It would have been especially rude because he was telling me about a sermon he is giving in a few weeks and asking whether I thought it flowed well and made sense. I recognize the importance of speaking aloud prior to giving a presentation to organize the material and get feedback from others, so I listened.

He spoke about wildflowers that are planted and nourished by God. How their beauty and variety speaks to how very much He loves each of us. He said that the wildflowers remind us that we are never alone and all we need to do to remember this is to stop and appreciate their beauty and abundance. He said so much more, in far more eloquent words, but this part touched my heart and I'm glad I listened.

I had a dentist appointment at 1 p.m. and my morning delay didn't leave me enough time to get to the studio. I wasn't worried, I had the afternoon.

When I got to the studio after my appointment, however, it was locked, even though I'd made arrangements to have access all day. I wondered briefly why the door wasn't open, but it didn't matter: I couldn't get in. So I sat on the sidewalk and drew potential patterns for an upcoming class project on the only spare paper I had with me: a brown paper bag.

I discovered when I got home that I'd prepared the glass exactly as directed by the manufacturer. I was overjoyed to realize that listening to the spontaneous sermon saved my mural in the morning, and the unexpected locked door saved my mural in the afternoon, while gifting me with the time and focus necessary to plan a class I'd been nervous about all week.

I am stunned each time this sequence occurs. Roadblocks appear for seemingly no reason, my path is redirected, and in the end everything turns out better than I could have imagined. The only difference each time is whether I resist or relax; struggle or breathe; panic or trust. This experience reminded me that when my plan is changed by circumstances beyond my control, it is often (always?) because I am being saved from myself in an important way. Although I may not be able to choose what happens in any given moment, I do have the power to choose how I react to it and I know that relaxing, breathing, and trusting is a far more enjoyable way to experience these changes than the alternative. And so I relax, breathe and trust that "Everything is perfect, all the time." May you live knowing anything is possible.



My fledgling mural ...SAVED!