Dream Assessment

 photos by Jennifer Loeber

We were asked to assess our dreams last week...though I feel I've been doing that on here a lot these past few entries...so instead, I'll share a link to an interview of me, post creative coaching session, from my friend Andrea's website ABCreativity:

"Shine Your Light"

This pretty much shows where I am...it also shows what a good coach Andrea is!

We were also asked to identify the"stuck" parts of our dreams and I have to say that I'm feeling remarkably "un-stuck" right now. Even in the face of still having debt and a savings account that's lower than I'd like since I had to pull from it to pay a few bills over the last two months.  Instead I'm grateful that I had the money at my disposal when I needed it!

My first Lion's Share gatherings are fast approaching, and I have a solid plan for my next trip to Scotland.  How could I feel stuck with so much motion around my dreams!

XO

Purple Potato Pizza!

I had found this recipe a while ago but hadn't seen any purple potatoes...so when I saw them on Fresh Direct, I pounced!

Heavenly rosemary, caramelized onions, potatoes...I don't know if a pizza could be prettier!

I sort of improvised with the ingredients because I didn't have any mozzarella cheese, but it's still pretty darn tasty!  Sort of like focaccia. I did make the pizza dough :) I also added a bit of sea salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on top before popping it into the oven.

I almost want to put a fried egg on top and have it for breakfast.

The week isn't over yet ;)

XO

Yay! Two Years of The Lion's Share!!!

 Edinburgh!

I started to write a creative dreaming blog for Yah Dreams! when I realized that The Lion's Share's second anniversary was right around the corner.

So much has happened during my two years writing this blog.

I started with, "Today is Where I Am"

And where am I today?

I am in total joy and gratitude for so many things.

• I am about to start having Lion's Share gatherings...which was one of my first ideas back in 2008 in my room at Newbold House, in Scotland.
  
  
• I've been back to Scotland and am returning this April for another J. Philip Newell workshop on Iona and some amazing time in Edinburgh.
  
  
• I've been to Dublin for a long weekend to see The Waterboys, celebrate and drink Guinness at the source :)
  
  
• I've had a photo in a group show down on the lower east side with my women artists' salon (I also run the blog!!!)
  
  
• I've been exploring my creative dreams with ABCcreativity...including some amazing coaching!
  
  
• I wrote a little item about my love for Dr. Who for TV Guide Magazine and it was printed!
  
  
• I'm almost finished with the second year of my herbal apprenticeship (also an idea I had in my room at Newbold...)
  
  
• After a long hibernation period, I'm really connecting to and taking care of myself.
  
  
• I was asked to write an article about my love for Edinburgh for Edinburgh Spotlight!
  
  
• "Sowing the Seeds of Abundance" has been going really well. I continue to see my debt reduced and my savings increase.

 My heather plant is coming along nicely!

A lot of stuff going on here...it's so exciting!

Stay tuned for some info on purchasing some LionArt Creations.  I want to clear out my inventory and I think I'm going to offer some artistic treats in exchange for donations (see the "donate" button under the "about" section on the upper right of this page).

Thank You All for reading and sharing this amazing journey with me!

XO

Adding to My Soundtrack

I created my soundtrack a while back ("Sing the Changes") and have decided to add the following two songs:

"Open" by Mike Scott


I actually have a live version of this from "Karma to Burn" in my playlist (as well as Long Way to the Light). There is such joy in the live versions...



"Tricks of the Trade" by Paolo Nutini


This song is just so beautiful to me...

Sqeezing the Joy Out of My Dreams...

Beginnings of a New Vision...

I have the elements of a new vision board lying on my floor...and I realized that my dreams are bigger than the board I've set aside for visioning!  That's definitely a metaphor for my life right now.

I have such big dreams, and yet I tend  to think smaller as a sort of safety net. When in reality, thinking smaller than my dreams will most likely make me come up short.

Well...that's enough of that!!!

This week's Creative Dreaming assignment was to "Squeeze the Joy Out of Our Dreams..."

So that is what I did.

In the recent tidal wave of dreams re-visited and re-establishing a healthy life style...I really did it up this past week.

~I put a deposit down on my next workshop in Scotland (woohoo!) and I assure you I meditated quite a lot on being back in Edinburgh and Iona.  Every time a photo popped up on my work computer I had a very different feeling.  No more longing for when I'll return, but excitement and a sense of homecoming for when I'll be back!  That's a great shift. And I haven't (really) worried about the money at all. That's a great sign to me that I'm on the right track.

~I made plans for my first Lion's Share gathering and sent out the invitations!

~I spent some quality time at home in the mornings...writing and simply relaxing. Oh, and I turned in my papers to renew my passport, aka my ticket to joy ;)

~I really immersed myself back into all the things that had led me to joy and myself years ago.  Like doing the Inner Mean Girl Cleanse and reading inspirational books...a little self-help tune up, if you will. It's all reminded me of the person I have set out to be...and continue to evolve into.

I finished the week off with my September Apprenticeship day. That always gives me what I need in that moment (this time we learned how to make cream and gave ourselves herbal facials after spending some magical time up on the mountain in the woods). I returned to find a receipt from the St. Columba Hotel on Iona...for the workshop!  It was addressed completely wrong (my name was correct!) and yet it still made it to me.

Then, Sunday, my first restorative yoga class.  Amazing.

I've also been given the gift of childhood joys like sleeping on the floor and watching TV on my bed...and being outside stirring up magical potions of water and dirt (an apprenticeship practice).

I can think of no better way to connect with joy, than to be child-like for a weekend.

Now...all I need is a bigger board!

XO

Lessons Learned While Moving a Mattress...

So here's a lesson about turning things around and choosing happy over victim-hood.

I ordered a new mattress for my loft bed and I came home to it on my doorstep.  Awesome!

I unwrapped it on my floor and tried it out...not bad!

Then I took my old "mattress" and bedding off the bed in preparation for the new heavenly mattress.

And then I tried to hoist the mattress up on my own.

I figured I'd have no trouble, after all I put up the whole loft bed on my own with no help as well as the heavy coat rack in my entryway.

What followed was a lot of cursing, sweating, knocking things over...and the beginnings of thoughts like, "I don't have anyone nearby to help..." blah blah..."Having a man around right now would be great..." blah blah yawn.

In the end, I stopped and realized I was going to have to wait until I could ask my Super or Porter for help. It's a good lesson for me. I tend to have trouble asking for help...being the self sufficient single gal in NYC that I am.

So I made up the bed on the floor in front of the T.V. and thought, "I'll have a sleepover with myself this weekend."

Conclusion?  It's really nice to sleep at "ground level" and be able to watch television in bed for a change...kind of made me feel like a kid again.

It's all in how you look at things.

XO

A Little Validation Never Hurts...

I've been doing the Inner Mean Girl Cleanse for 2 weeks now...and it's been amazing. I just opened this week's e-mail and what was the subject line?

"Week 3 - Permission to Live Obligation Free‏"

Hooray! Where was this last week when I was agonizing...and then wrote "No 'Musts' No Fuss!"

Warning: Turn your sound down because the volume is very high on this movie.



I highly recommend joining...it's been very enlightening and helpful. I swear I feel more energetic since I've started paying attention to where I give away my power and waste my, all too important, attention.

"DO IT FROM LOVE, or DON'T DO IT"

XO

No Knead to Worry

I enjoyed another, lovely, Labor Day "Staycation" this year and used the time to finally achieve a successful loaf of bread!  A friend of mine had suggested that I try the "no knead" method because I was having difficulties due to lack of good counter space and a sturdy enough table to really lay into the dough :) So that's what I did!

mmmm...

I chose to do half wheat, half white flour to start off...and it was just as simple as promised. First you mix together 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon (fine) sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, and 1 1/2 cups warm water until it all just comes together.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 12-20 hours.

Then use a wet spatula (or wet hands) to get dough out of the bowl and onto a floured surface (it should look goopy and sticky, so don't worry!)

Use (wet) spatula (or hands) to gently form into a ball...then transfer to a floured, cotton, towel (no terry cloth because the fluffy fibers will end up in your bread!)

Wrap loosely and let rest for two hours. It should double in size.

With a half hour of rest time still left...put dutch oven (or any oven proof covered pot) in oven and pre-heat to 450 degrees.  After 30 minutes, take pot out and use the towel to roll the dough ball in (shake a little to even it out...it doesn't matter how it falls in :)

Bake loaf (covered) for 30 minutes then remove cover and bake for an additional 15 to get a nice brown, crispy crust!

* I made a second, all white, loaf the next day (using warmed up whey I'd strained out of my homemade yogurt to make cheese). I was "naughty" and basted the top with butter before browning the crust.  I know it's not as healthy...but YUM!!!! It's my favorite of the two.

They were at their best, still warm, with butter.....mmmm. And continue to be lovely with hummus or marmite and yogurt cheese!

The thing that struck me the most with the whole "no knead" method is that the person who loves it the most, does so because they never really have to get their hands dirty...hence the emphasis on using a wet spatula or hands so the dough wont stick to you.

I  like the "put it to the side" and it's rather quick...for now...aspect.  But I WANT to get my hands dirty!!!

XO

No "Musts" No Fuss

  Taken from my vision board, still in progress...

"Musts" can come in so many different forms...

A while back I decided to stop living my life according to "musts" and "shoulds." I believe that up until that point I'd listened to what others thought or what I thought they thought...and that had shaped who I was (or wasn't).

It's pretty ridiculous to base your identity on assumptions...and try to mold yourself into someone who others approve of.  It's draining and exhausting and you can end up somewhere you don't belong.

Breaking out of that was very difficult and painful at times.  It caused me to really step back and look at who I was and what I wanted. At first I felt as if I had cheated and lied to myself for years...building my life around fears and other people's expectations of who and what I was.

I had to shed a lot of tears and excess baggage...and unfortunately some relationships. But I believe that I am finally on the right track. I'm carving out a road that I feel belongs to me and is mostly a joy to travel down.  There is the odd speed bump or scary bend...but it's exciting nonetheless.

This past week I've been exploring all the "musts" and "shoulds" that can come from various places in regards to my goals and dreams. I had my comfort edge pushed a little farther, got defensive...and then got real.  I finished off the week with a wonderful creative coaching session and have come back into alignment with my journey. I know I need to move forward and make things happen, but the decisions are mine and right for me. I also learned that there could be other ways I achieve my dreams...I want to be open to all possibilities.

Now, this attitude is starting to make its way into my daily life...these are mostly the "musts" of having to have a perfectly clean house or having a daily yoga practice...etc. So I'll let the odd dish go unwashed or not do laundry one day in favor of relaxing. I'm trying not to compare myself or my home with anyone else's.  I'm doing what's best for my sanity :)

No more should've, would've, could've!

XO

Gratitude

Making my way to the top...

Kindness and gratitude seem to be buzzing around me this week....and when I say that, I mean reminders to be kind and grateful towards myself.

My body had begun to sort of curl in on itself...like I was truly wilting in the heat.

It seemed I had come to another little period of questioning everything...and feeling frustrated and stuck and alone.

Well...as soon as I expressed this to some of my friends, there was a tidal wave of love and support reminding me that I'm not alone.  In fact, it took a lot of the pressure off of me because I was reminded that since I've put my dreams out there, I have people holding them up for me...so maybe I can relax a bit and ride on the shoulders of all these lovely souls for a while.

I feel much lighter.

What a wonderful reminder that the Universe has your back.  That we don't always need to be climbing that hill...sometimes we need to stop, sit, meditate and relish the moment and the view.

XO

Some Wednesday Inspiration

Simple Things 
by Paolo Nutini

If you love the life you live
Then you'll get a lot more done
Be more inclined to take the reins
Than turn away and run
it's very rare it seems to get a lifetime guarantee,
So I suppose self satisfaction be the key
My father is a wealthy, self made man
But his wealth does not consist of
riches or acres of land
Instead he has a family who are
His biggest fans
that's something that I one day hope to have
So I'll cherish the simple things
The easy took for granted things
Like going round my Mum's house for my tea
And argue with my sister,
Only God knows how I missed her
it's the simple things that mean the most to me

Argh, he gets up each day at five
Starts the car and makes the drive
Shutters up, starts the fryers
Serves out food to all the buyers in the town
As they stand there in the same old line
Get there every day at the same old time
No, you never hear him grumble and groan
Cause they're the people in the
line that he built it on
And like me he cherished the simple things
The easy took for granted things
Like going round his Mum's house for my tea
And argue with his sister,
Only God knows how he missed her
it's the simple things tha mean the most to... him


XO