Thank you Sedona Thank you Universe

I just came back from the most amazing place. The moment I entered Sedona I felt an intense calm come over me. Everything I heard about the red rocks, the vortexes the people is all true. I arrived alone and left knowing I will never be alone again. I met new friends, friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I learned more about life and myself in the few days I was there ,than I have learned in my almost 49 yrs on this earth.  I came to Sedona not being sure of who I was, what I wanted, where I was going, what my purposes was. I left with complete certainty. I am right where I am supposed to be, you always are at any given moment right where you are supposed to be. I never really was able to grasp this concept until now. For the last two years I meditated, did my yoga, sat idle waiting for it to hit me, waiting for some kind of sign. The answer was in me all along. I just didn’t know how to listen.

When I called Ed at Spirit Quest he asked me what I wanted from my trip. I told him I had no idea, I knew I had to visit Sedona, I always wanted to, I was told I needed to but I found excuse after excuse to never go. There was a reason and I know now I just wasn’t ready for it. We decided I would get a taste of everything. I started with Barbara, who taught me how to breath. Yes breath. You would think that would be easy but I always forget. In my Yoga practise I am always reminded, breath, relax, don’t hold it in. I focused on my breath for , laying with my eyes closed and continuously focusing on my breath for over an hour. When I was finished every ounce of tightness left my body. I was completely relaxed and for the first time in ages was actually able to visualize my ideal life, right thee waiting for me. Thank you Barbara. You were an amazing teacher and great listener.

My next session was with Anahata. Anahata had the most amazing intense blue eyes. I felt her spirit immediately. She smiled , gave me a huge hug and immediately I felt at ease. We talked for quite awhile and then she started her work. The sound of her voice took me to another place. I told her of my connection to the deer that are outside my window almost every morning and as I closed eyes, there I was running with them, the most intense fascinating experience but only the beginning of my journey. I have never been able to visualize during my meditations but whatever Anahata was doing while my eyes were closed worked. The blocks were gone. I couldn’t wait to see what was next.

The next day I met Miguel. He took out to the middle of a river, where we sat on a rock and talked about life, the universe, the purpose of our existence. It was strange  hearing things I had only heard previously from women, coming from a man.  Miguel taught me we are all mystics, we just need to open our hearts. He spoke of surrender, love, gratitude, being sincere  with our intentions. Three hours meditating on a rock, listening to nothing but the birds and the running water rushing by us and I knew there was a higher power, no doubt I was transforming right there. A butterfly flew by and then a dragon fly landed on a rock next to us. In the spirit world, both are symbols of change. Coincidence? I think not.

My next stope was with Carrie, She was another beautiful woman with incredible blue eyes that seemed to peer deep into my soul. We did a sound therapy session, another totally relaxing experience that further opened my heart. I couldn’t wait to get into the mountains with my camera. I knew there was magic waiting for me and I was right.

I met Joseph White Wolf the first day I was in Sedona. He had other clients but stopped into the office where I was waiting for my first session. I got an instant rush that was hard to subscribe. He introduced himself, explained his Indian roots from North Ontario. I was mesmerized. He told me how his father was a fur trapper and he lived his life off the land. He saw the red rocks of Sedona in a dream and that is how he ended up there. He left home with nothing but a few bucks in his pocket. pretty brave of him, and leaving me wondering of I could ever do that, just totally trust the universe. I was disappointed that I hadn’t been scheduled for a session with Joseph. I had to spend more time with him. I called the owner of the company and decided to extend my stay another morning when Joseph was free. It turns out he felt the same connection to me as I did to him. Joseph took me up a road and stopped the car at the top of a huge hill. He aid “get out we are going to witness a miracle”. He asked me to look out the the spectacular red rocks surrounding the valley and tell him the first word that came to my mind. I replied “awe”. He smiled the biggest smile and said ” there is your miracle”. I was confused, as I didn’t think that anything happened. He explained to me that the mountains, the earth in all it’s glory was a gift from god and all god wants in return is for us to love and appreciate it back. He told me that my first thoughts of “awe” was all god wanted from me. I got it and couldn’t wait for what was next. We talked about how sensitive I was and he could tell how much love I had in my heart. He told me one of my animal totems was a giraffe. The giraffe has the biggest heart but it is far away from its head. My head doesn’t always follow my heart but that will change. Somethings are not easy for a man to admit.  I started to understand what my purpose on earth is. The world is changing, slowly but it is changing. I have met so many people over the last few years that just want to love and be loved. Beautiful people that teach us that we are all one, that the world is a magical place if we just take care of it and each other. I will forever be grateful to have met Joseph. I could listen to his stories all day. He gave me confidence that I can be myself and not care what people think.  I can’t wait to go back to Sedona and spend more time with him.

Thank you Sedona and Thank you Universe, you both are truly magical…

SEDONA4SM

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Right Living

I spoke to a friend of mine today for the first time in over 30 yrs. His message was the perfect thing I needed to hear  today,seemed to come from the heavens.

“Right living, conscious living is the path to heal from all of the trauma, physical, emotional, relational – all of it.  It is a life lived in that moment after a deep meditation when you open your eyes and everything is right in the world, everything is beautiful and perfect and the gratitude that you experience at that moment, that deep sense of purpose and meaning and then that moment passes. Living, capturing, remembering to live in that moment at each moment is right. It is how and what you capture with your lens and it is perfect and beautiful.”

Thank you Larry Nicholas,

 

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This Winter Kicked My Ass

When I moved to NJ from North Carolina I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to get back to my roots, the trips to NYC with my camera, and the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Well this winter kicked my ass for sure. It left me doubting everything. It left me doubting my abilities as a photography and the path I have chosen. Why did I give up the warmth and sunshine of Charlotte, the perfect light for photography , for the endless cold, grey winter that we had this year?

I gave up meat, I meditate, I exercise, all things that are supposed to free the mind and enhanced the creativity that I know I have in me. Well none of it worked.  Yes,  physically I am in the best shape of my life. I can look in the mirror and say”not bad for 48″, but obviously  that is meaningless, things our ego has us believing is important. I should know better. I know happiness is an inside job , I’ve read all the books and had a great teacher but I got lazy and afraid. The lack of light has kept me inside way too long  and away from my camera.

Well spring is almost here and I can feel my creative juices flowing. I am going to fight my way out of this slump and get back to doing what I love. Taking pictures, and a lot of them. I am heading to Arizona where I know I’ll make some magic… Hello spring you can’t come soon enough.

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I was going to run but..

I have been itching to go running lately. I am not really sure why. It might be because my younger and much taller brother has taken it up or that fact that I have more energy than I ever had.  It has never been easy for me to get out the door in the morning and I certainly wouldn’t think of being away from the house for fear of my stomach issues hitting when I am too far from the toilet. Those problems are far behind me now and this morning I was raring to go.

I was all laced up , headphones on, Dave Mattews my music of choice, and out the door I went. I took two steps when time seemed to stop. Suddenly the urge to run passed and I scrambled to get my camera gear out before the perfect light had passed. The thing about photography is that it is all about the light. What is beautiful one moment is ordinary the next. Luckily I didn’t have far to go, I slung the camera around my neck and started snapping away.

Fall is a magical time to take pictures. This is the first time this season I have had the chance to take advantage of the fall colors. It won’t be my last. Fall can represent alot of things, to me it is all about change. Launching Photos that Give, eating better,living better, loving better,shedding my old skin, just being happy!

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Everyone Remembers Their First

Whether it is your first love, first car, first child, everyone remembers their first. Welcome to my first blog post. I look forward to sharing my photographs with you. I have a unique story to tell and what better way to share it than through my lens.  It has been a long journey on my road to happiness. I  am finally doing something that I love and it is exciting to take the next step on this path.

This photograph is the first photo I took that someone actually asked to buy from me. The feeling of pride I felt was indescribable. I gave it away, as I had no intention of being a professional and was just thrilled that someone actually recognized my work and wanted one of my photographs hanging on their wall. My intention for the future, is to see my photographs hanging in countless homes and most importantly, that the money I earn will go towards making a difference.

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