December 30, 2012

New Year 2013 Newsletter

© Copyright 2012 Paul Hood
Hello Everyone,

It's the dawning of a new year. Aren't you glad we got through the end of the Mayan calendar and can get on with what we need to create for our world from now on?

Paul and I did not buy into the end of the world scenario many people have been engaged with in recent years. I saw a Facebook meme recently that said "I've survived four predicted endings of the world in my lifetime already! Just sayin'..."  I do acknowledge, however, that it is a very useful collective convention to treat the turning of any calendar year with some reverence, to use it for looking back, to glean whatever we can from past choices and events, and to make new choices for the future and plans. Collective turnings (even the Mayan one) can create shifts when used with intention.

But has the end of the world as we have known it actually come? Is it perhaps subtly in process already? Well, this certainly isn't the world our great-grandparents lived in anymore. It's not the world our parents and grandparents dreamed of for themselves. I'm only in my fifties and I've seen tremendous upheaval, growth and change. (I did say "growth".) We can see that times have been changing very quickly. Global climate change is not a hypothesis, it's happening. And yet, just in time, the worldwide web (remember when the internet used to be called that?) has actually coalesced into the worldwide global connection network early visionaries hoped it could be. There's been challenging, some would call it devastating, consequences of that, especially in a number of industries that have become obsolete. But others are developing in their place. And surprising (both positive and negative) things have occurred. Social change movements can happen overnight that took weeks and months, years, if it could happen at all, in the past. We can mobilize and coordinate activities we never dreamed could come to pass. And negative attacks can also occur.

Some things in our world have changed and are still changing at a rapid rate. That frightens people. Massive sudden transformations (earthquakes, tsunamis) have devastating results. We can't take catastrophic events back, we can't bring little children and teachers back to life, we can't just hit "command z" (undo) and make everything go back to how it used to be. It's been done or it's already happening and there's only so much you can do to try to turn the tide. Sometimes you can build your sandbag walls up high enough to shift a current as a lot of us have sometimes been able to do. It might seem like it's too late to change some people's minds but, as a past teacher in my life once said, it's never too late to open a heart. But sometimes a series of catastrophes is what wakes a person or a society up. A new beginning can come on the heels of a terrible defeat.

Some things have not changed— the human capacity to be selfish, insensitive and cruel contrasts with the more powerful capacity for humans to love, lift each other up, and help each other through. As we go into this new year it's that latter capacity I think we need to nurture and pay the most attention.

May your New Year be loving, comforting and light.

--Sheryl Karas

A related article about using Walnut Flower Essence in my Mama Love formula for opening the heart.

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INTERESTED IN A SPIRITUAL COUNSELING SESSION?

Spiritual Counseling sessions with one or both of us can be set up by clicking here: http://www.healingcommunication.com/How_to_Make_an_Appointment_with_Spiritual_Counselors_and_Healers_Sheryl_Karas_and_Paul_Hood.html
We work in-person (in Chico, CA) or by telephone or video via Skype anywhere in the world.

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MAMA LOVE IS IN THE PROCESS OF RENEWAL

New products are coming in the new year. Old products are being refreshed and the line in general has been re-envisioned back in alignment with its original intent: healing products for emotional / spiritual well-being, growth and change. I won't be making anything called body, bath or massage oil anymore. My products have always been so much more than that. Add it to a bath or massage, for sure! Use it as a subtle personal perfume if you desire—I designed it to be enjoyable to use because I like things that smell good. But it's a powerful healing tool and that's always been it's true purpose.

You'll find my original Mama Love formulas in dram (1/8 oz), 1 oz and 2 oz sizes. They're also available as room and body sprays (some are so amazingly more effective that way I should have done it long ago!) And coming soon, for people who love flower essences but prefer not to use anything with a scent, will be a line of formulas based on my original line without essential oils as well as some brand new ones!

Check out what's new at www.mamaloveproducts.com.

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WHERE TO FIND OUR ARTWORK

In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

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WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

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JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

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THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!


December 5, 2012

December 2012 Healing Communication / Mama Love News

Thistle Hill by Paul Hood
Thistle Hill by Paul Hood


Hello Everyone, Happy December! Paul wrote the article this month. Enjoy!

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CYCLES OF ORDER AND CHAOS

 There are natural order and chaos cycles in all of us, it is built into nature. Sometimes, when people enter into a chaos phase they think something is wrong. It is helpful to remember it is necessary and vital for creativity. Ride the waves. On the other hand, too much order can eliminate creativity and vitality, too. Balance. Developing balance between opposites is the only way towards consciousness. -- Jason Bennett, Actors-Studio

The above quote just came to me after a time for Sheryl and I of, apparently, easing ourselves into winter. Not deliberately, we have had some entire weekends of mostly sleeping, dreaming, and really not leaving the house. Another friend of mine, Steven Daluz, also verified that even though he spent 10 hours in his art studio, 5 hours of that was just looking, studying, thinking, and that it was time well spent. I seem to recall an old quote that “The pendulum swings both ways,” if you want to see that as a somewhat two dimensional model of things, though really the pendulum swings many ways: into and out of chaos and order, darkness and light and all shades in-between. Maybe sometimes the pendulum stops, or at least pauses. And sometimes, “there is no pendulum.” Ok, that’s a loose reference to “The Matrix,” “There is no spoon.” wherein the observer is invited to suppose that his own perception is an active participant in what objective reality actually is. You see, there’s a school of thought called “non-dualism” which questions the whole concept of reality as competing/opposing forces altogether.

Wait, did I veer off somehow? Off of what? Who cares anyway, and surely I’ll veer back when it’s a good time to do so. Isn’t where I’m at just as good a place to be as any? There’s a time for order and there’s a time to just be, to let things happen-- even weird things like strange, dark winter dreams.

In any case, I don’t just play with philosophical or spiritual concepts for no reason. The concepts change the observer and the observed. If you think that your life has to be all order and directed action, that’s fine, but try not doing that and see how it goes. Not everything has to be manipulated or controlled, cleaned, oiled or polished. Frequently in the arts we see that letting go of control yields good things, scary things, interesting things. Then we come back to order for awhile and see how that goes.

--Paul Hood



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INTERESTED IN A SPIRITUAL COUNSELING SESSION?

Spiritual Counseling sessions with one or both of us can be set up by clicking here.
We work in-person (in Chico, CA) or by telephone or video via Skype anywhere in the world.

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REWARD FOR READING THE NEWSLETTER

Are you reading our newsletter? Then you get a special offer. We have two Etsy shops. One is for Sheryl's Mama Love flower essence aromatherapy products and the other is where we sell many of our art prints and books. When you buy anything in those two shops there is a place to apply a coupon code at check-out (right under where you choose how to pay). Type coupon code Newsletter20 in either shop and you'll receive 20% off your entire order, including already discounted items and gift sets. This coupon expires December 16 so don't delay... and it is only good in our Etsy shops, not on Sheryl's Mama Love website or anywhere else we sell our work.

Sheryl's flower essence aromatherapy Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MamaLoveHealing
Our Etsy art shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt

Please note: There are spiritual counseling sessions available through the MamaLoveHealing shop but since we need to pay fees for sessions paid for there we've tacked those fees onto the price. Sessions through our personal website will be the most reasonable.

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WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE

http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

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WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...

In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

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JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

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THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!





November 5, 2012

New from Mama Love (and Healing Communication News)


Hi Everyone,

Short and sweet here the night before Election Day. We're not adding to the demands that anyone vote—you've gotten enough of those already. Just passing on a tiny prayer passed on to me from someone else that the elections be honest and ethical, in the highest benefit of all concerned.

And I wanted to announce something new from Mama Love: flower essence aromatherapy sprays!

I've known all along that many flower essence product makers offer sprays, either unscented or with essential oils added. And I've known for years that at least one of my formulas, "Inner Strength & Protection", works better when sprayed in the aura the way some people use a smudge stick and for the same reason. I've recommended through my website that people add a few drops of that formula to a spray bottle with water as long as it's been online. But it was only recently that I decided to go ahead and make sprays available and tried the first one I made, "Abundant Prosperity", out for myself.

Wow! Both Paul and I have loved using it this way. Never mind whether you believe that healing works more powerfully when approached from the point of view of the aura or not— it's so much more convenient! And fun! We've been spraying Abundant Prosperity on each other and all over the whole house. It makes things more light-hearted and—oddly—relaxed...which is an effect I don't associate so much with this formula when I use it directly on my skin.

Try them out! One 2 oz bottle for $18 (including shipping in the U.S. and Canada), 3 sprays for $48.
You'll find them about halfway down this page: http://www.healingcommunication.com/mamaloveproducts/Products.html

They're available wholesale, too! (Send me an email.)

Bye for now!

Sheryl (and Paul)

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New Blog Articles about Flower Essences

Mimulus Flower Essence for Taming the Monkey Mind:  http://healingcommunication.blogspot.com/2012/10/mimulus-flower-essence-for-taming.html
Angelica Flower Essence for Deep Spiritual Support:  http://healingcommunication.blogspot.com/2012/10/angelica-flower-essence-for-deep_21.html
Vine Flower Essence:  http://healingcommunication.blogspot.com/2012/10/vine-flower-essence.html

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Looking for a Spiritual Counseling Session?

Spiritual Counseling sessions with one or both of us can be set up by clicking here: http://www.healingcommunication.com/How_to_Make_an_Appointment_with_Spiritual_Counselors_and_Healers_Sheryl_Karas_and_Paul_Hood.html
We work in-person (in Chico, CA) or by telephone or video via Skype anywhere in the world.

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WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE

http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...


In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

–––––––––––

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!

October 7, 2012

October 2012 Healing Communication / Mama Love News

© Copyright 2012 Paul Hood
Hello Everybody,

Sheryl wrote the newsletter today. A weird merging of the political and personal happened this week and she thought she'd share the insights that came of it.

Thanks for joining us again,

Paul and Sheryl

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LESSONS FROM UNDER THE VINE


And everyone neath their vine and fig tree shall live in peace and unafraid.

So often in our spiritual practice people look to us for vision, the longer view, and certainly it is essential to imagine possibility in order to be able to create what we require for our deepest well-being for our personal lives and our world. There are times that require hope and change (familiar words?) but then comes the time to get the job done. And that can only happen when we can get the obstructionist aspects of ourselves out of the way or at least willing to cooperate!

Yeah, I know it sounds like I'm talking about Congress (and I am). But let's talk about the obstructionists within.

Have you ever known “exactly” what you thought you ought to do but had to fight yourself tooth and nail to actually follow through? “I believe it’s time for a change!” says my inner Obama. But the inner obstructionist party says “NO! I’m not going to let you!”

So the wars begin.

Once upon a time (and this is a true story) I was a professional paste-up artist. Some of you weren’t even born when cut and paste was actually a career instead of a couple of commands on a computer screen menu. But it was a career and it paid as much in the 1980s as full-fledged graphic designers who know multiple software programs for both print and internet get paid today! I remember when I went to the brand new Computer Museum in Boston in 1984 and saw the tiny “toaster Mac” Apple computer that had just been invented. It was displayed with a placard saying this little computer was going to be the way graphic design would be done from now on and I thought that was the most hilarious thing I had ever heard. My coworkers and I laughed about it for weeks!

A year later I moved to the west coast and couldn’t find a job because in the Bay area that prediction had already come true. My inner activist president said “It’s time for a change!” But the more I learned about the Mac the more I resisted. It was so expensive! And learning how to use a computer and its software was more than daunting. And for what? To do what I already knew how to do already? My inner obstructionist threw down the gauntlet and said “No way! We’ll do without this and take the conservative approach, thank you very much!”

So for the next three years I did try to do without it and didn’t find another graphic design job as a result. I changed direction, decided to apply my paste-up skills to creating paper quilt fine art pieces, joined an artist cooperative in downtown Santa Cruz (Artisans Co-op) and dove into the project of trying to make it as a fine artist. And I might have succeeded IF I had access to the inexpensive print technology available today and could have created prints of my most popular pieces instead of doing them all by hand. But high enough quality inkjet printers were not available back then and, even if they had been, I would have needed at least some computer literacy to take advantage of it.

So instead I struggled along, just barely breaking even on supplies and other art-related expenses while doing co-op shifts for other artists for money to contribute to my shared living expenses. Then in 1989 the unthinkable happened. The Loma Prieta earthquake hit just as I was getting a large number of pieces ready for a show and every one of those pieces fell, the glass in the frames smashed, and all the work was ruined. Not only that, the downtown area of Santa Cruz was devastated. Artisans Co-op was in rubble and everything inside was lost as well. Some of us tried to carry on by selling anything left in a temporary downtown tent pavilion but for me and many others too much was lost. My then-husband lost his business in the quake, too, and I needed to find another way to make some money pronto!

A couple of weeks before the earthquake my husband’s business partner had shown me how to do “cut” and “paste” on the new Mac they had in their office. I don’t remember why but I think I had softened up to the idea of using computers by then. A few weeks later I applied for an earthquake relief job doing graphic design at the Downtown Association. Apple had just donated a couple of toaster Macs for the effort and nobody knew how to use them. They said that if I knew how to turn the computer on and do cut and paste the job would be mine. As it turned out that’s all I did know how to do. I got the job and learned everything else I needed to know with their blessing paid on company time. I loved using the Mac, I learned all I could, and that led to getting the very best conventional jobs I ever had. I never regretted anything about learning to use the computer except how long it took to hop on board.

Lately I've been doing fierce battle with my inner obstructionists again. There are several choices I need to make and various possibilities I could follow but my inner Obama is outshouted by my inner Republicans over and over again. It doesn’t matter that I remember the folly in holding out -- it just makes the battle worse. It doesn’t matter that almost everyone would agree that the status quo has to be improved. Even the slightest suggestion is vehemently objected to and blocked as if Satan had just walked into the room! I don’t want to change! I don’t want to do anything different even though I know I need to! Worse, not even Paul has been able to help me because I don’t want to do anything anyone suggests. Damn it, it costs too much (financially, in terms of effort, or just emotionally) and what if it’s all a waste of time?!!! (At least that's how it seemed until early this week.)

My inner guidance suggested Vine. Vine flower essence is not a flower essence I would ever think I’d need. It’s for people with a strong inner will and drive to succeed. Okay, that does describe me. And Vine people do pretty much always wind up in leadership positions in whatever organization they’re in which tends to describe me, too. But this is where the description veers into another realm. When an out-of-balance person with a Vine attitude gets into a position of authority they tend to force their will on others. They are awesome at getting the job done but they’re ruthless and act primarily on the basis of selfish purposes instead of for the good of all concerned.

When a Vine personality is in control they lead with an iron fist. They demand obedience from those they deem to be their underlings and when they lose position refuse to allow an outsider to take the lead if there's anything they can do about it. They have an inflexible authoritarian mindset, think they know what is best for everybody, and will wreak havoc with any institution or person who pushes an agenda they aren’t in charge of... even if it sounds like something they used to say they’d be open to in situations when they were in charge. Again, I know it sounds like I’m talking about Congress but it’s an inner Congress we’re talking about here!

The Vine attitude comes from fear — fear of not being in charge, fear of going through whatever hell a person wants to avoid or whatever hell they've already been through again. In particular, it’s the fear of being under someone else's tyrannical insensitive thumb. A lot of times some incident or longer term condition earlier in life taught them to fear others and seize the reigns of power in order to create the strongest defense possible. The tools they gained can often be used skillfully. For instance, many people who need Vine learn to notice what the weak link is in any situation and how to exploit and manipulate it to their will. Used lovingly and with awareness the same training can be given to the service of helping people and organizations focus on what would make the biggest difference in their situations by mending those weak links (as a spiritual counselor, teacher or consultant in a good frame of mind can do). Vine flower essence helps a person align themselves with a Higher good, their Higher Self, God, the good of all. It eases the great fear a Vine person may have taken on, allows them to relax their inflexibility and allow for input and guidance from outside their more limited point of view.

I grew up with a family member I wished had been given Vine flower essence. He grew up in a very authoritarian household himself in the middle of the Great Depression. I’ve strived to live counter to his influence most of my life but since going through our own Great Recession misadventures I have no doubt how he developed his fear-based point of view. We internalize everything from our families of origin even if they frequently lie dormant much of the time. Like me, you might think you could never be a person who could benefit from a flower essence like Vine... unless there comes a time when your inflexible inner authority figure takes control, attempts to obstruct every move you make, and wreaks havoc with your life.

A true leader inspires the troops. When they supervise a team they look for ways to empower people and help them rise to their full potentials. I decided to try Vine flower essence for myself earlier this week and the first thing that happened was a decidedly more peaceful idea about a decision I was trying to make. Instead of seeing a potential disaster at every turn I suddenly realized without a doubt that if I presented my work in a straight forward way the people who were ready and able to enjoy or make use of it it would recognize that and respond positively. In other words the obstructive pattern I was most recently grappling with just went "poof" and went away! I notice the fears tend to come back quickly so I'm continuing to take this essence regularly throughout the day but I'm fascinated and looking forward to experiencing its full effect.

-- Sheryl Karas M.A.

Do you need to gain insight and work through inner conflicts in your life?

• Set up a spiritual counseling and healing session or schedule a series of sessions to work through your issues step by step! We work in-person (in Chico, CA) or by telephone or video via Skype anywhere in the world.
www.healingcommunication.com

• Add flower essence aromatherapy into your healing! I don't currently use Vine flower essence in any of my ready-made flower essence aromatherapy formulas as it would not normally be applicable to the majority of of flower essence users. On the other hand, I could add it to a formula if this article rang bells for any of you.
www.mamaloveproducts.com

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WAKING UP IN THE GREAT RECESSION MORMON DESERT


Our recent memoir is still for sale in book form on our website at  http://www.healingcommunication.com/myproducts/Waking_Up_In_The_Great_Recession_Mormon_Desert,_Book_by_Sheryl_Karas_with_Paul_Hood.html 
Or download the pdf version with color photographs to read on your computer FOR FREE! http://www.healingcommunication.com/myproducts/WAKING_UP_FILE.html

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WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...

In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

–––––––––––

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!


September 3, 2012

September 2012 Newsletter

"Talia", © 2012 Sheryl Karas & Paul Hood


Hello Everyone!

We are still in a rather collaborative frame of mind (see our last newsletter) so we both decided to try our hand at writing this newsletter. Enjoy!

Sheryl and Paul

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COME TOGETHER, PEOPLE, RIGHT NOW
Part 1

Time to write the newsletter and I can't think of anything but politics. C'mon, Sheryl, think up something uplifting related to spiritual growth! But there it sits: the 300 ton elephant and donkey in the middle of the room, trumpeting and braying loudly, too!

Sigh. Alrighty then, I guess that's what needs to be addressed! How are you all doing with that peace of mind thing these days?! I know that for me, it's a daily battle -- sometimes I'm transcendent enough to call it a "practice" -- to notice the fear and sometimes absolute outrage that the rhetoric and name-calling and misrepresentation of the truth brings out in me. To notice and acknowledge it, to bring myself back to center, and choose how and if I intend to respond. Should I participate by signing petitions, donating money, posting to Facebook, etc., etc.? And how much and how long? I bring myself back to center as often as I can. I'm reminded that the fate of the entire world is not up to me, that I can do my part and then go back to the painting I've been working on or flower essence aromatherapy product making or -- hell, let's be honest -- watching "The Big Bang Theory" on TV at least part of the time. I can let go, let others take on the job, rejoice that I'm not alone, rejoice even more that WE, in general, are not alone. We can let go, let God after choosing what part we intend to play... and then do so!

It takes courage, honestly. I was reminded of that in my fortune cookie today: "Fearless courage is the foundation of victory." Trust in the process takes courage, perhaps as much as fighting for something or constantly giving it your all. In the world we as a society are inclined to make, allowing there to be room for the other person's point of view is an incredibly courageous act. To allow someone to show their true colors, to see what they do when caught in the act, to recognize that even the ones we believe are in our court are not infallible, to allow them to be human and, perhaps, pick them up when they fall.... all these things test our faith in process. To vote despite our insecurities about what we notice takes courage.

Paul's fortune cookie said " Everything you are for empowers you."  When I'm inclined to go to battle against something I wind up depleted, angry, scared and resentful. But if I do something -- anything -- in the service of what I'm for I feel good.  So since I always intend for this newsletter to impart something uplifting or empowering that's what I think I'll share.

What is the end result you want to create? The one that most promotes the highest benefit for all concerned? Let that serve as a guiding light for how to be and what (if anything) you want to do.

--- Sheryl Karas, September 2012


Come Together, People, Right Now, Part 2

It’s been very difficult to get my mind out from under politics this week to even think of a topic unrelated to politics. The fact of the matter is, life goes on. Each of us has to decide how involved in politics and the political process that we’re going to be, and I am not belittling that. In fact I’m more politically active now than I think I have ever been.

While I’m not sure how possible it is to keep politics from separating us from each other — from friends, family, or even from people whom we’ve never met in person — I think it’s very important that we try. Nobody can be completely objective, and so it’s all the more important when we’re being bombarded by media images and messages to remember:

“Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that, who cares? ... He's a mile away and you've got his shoes.” -- Billy Connolly

Ok, so that’s the Scottish version. Pragmatic, eh? Or maybe a little too descriptive of our political process after all, which I'm trying pretty desperately to turn my gaze away from. Anyway, after the potential divineness of the next few months, we’ll all have relationships to maintain and so I think it’s important to remember that underneath it all on a basic level we probably all want the same things, human things, right? And that’s the place where we all connect. Go deeper and maybe we’re talking about soul level things. That’s a place where I think we have even more in common, not just with each other but with all creatures, plants, the air, the earth, the cosmos. Where we all came from and where we shall return. So. . . while we are all currently being somewhat molded into a binary version of political existence maybe a good exercise would be to recognize our singularity first, and deep within that singularity lies the connection to the infiniteness of existence, and that’s who we really are, where no reductive labels will stand.

-- Paul Hood, September 2012

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Our collaborative efforts continue in our art this week as well. The photo accompanying this newsletter online shows Sheryl hiding behind a current work in progress. It combines a photograph by Paul turned into a painting by Sheryl. It's actually a melange of digital photography, acrylic paint, collage and potato printing which will eventually receive an acrylic top coat resembling encaustic. An exercise in allowing a melding of two artistic choices -- painting and photography -- to create something that brings out the best of both worlds.

Another collaborative effort on our part feels appropriate for the times we live in now. Remember our memoir "Waking Up in the Great Recession Mormon Desert"? Seems like that's a potentially ironic title these days! (depending on your point of view) The physical book is still for sale on our website but the book is also still available to download and read on your computer for free! Please feel free to do so! http://www.healingcommunication.com/myproducts/WAKING_UP_FILE.html

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LOOKING FOR A SPIRITUAL COUNSELING SESSION?

Spiritual Counseling & Healing Sessions with one or both of us can be set up by clicking here.
We work in-person (in Chico, CA) or by telephone or video via Skype anywhere in the world.

-----------------------------------------

WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE
http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.comhttp://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...

In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

–––––––––––

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!

August 7, 2012

August Healing Communication / Mama Love News

Big Pink Trees © 2012 Sheryl Karas & Paul Hood
Hi Everyone,

Hope you're enjoying your summer. Lately we've been exploring the importance of checking one's assumptions. Sometimes the biggest thing holding a person back are their beliefs, especially beliefs held as truth for so long it seems there is no reason to question them. But over and over again we have been learning the importance of at least checking out our assumptions, to jiggle the boundaries and try something new. Our article this month is written by Paul.

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ASSUMPTIONS BLOWN

Lately I’ve been having some long term assumptions challenged. A simple one was something I learned in photography: “Never shoot a portrait with a wide angle lens, especially at close range.” In general it’s true. More often than not a wide angle lens at close range is going to distort in such a way that isn’t flattering. In fact, the results can be downright disastrous-- think of a fun-house mirror and you’ll get the idea.  But then the other day a photographer friend of mine, Hil Muller of Springbok Design, took just such a shot, very wide angle, very close, and it looked fantastic. I complimented him on the shot and guessed pretty close to the technical details. I made a mental note of it, noticing just how important it was to loosen up a little on things I considered to be hard and fast “rules.” Just today I was informed that the same photo made the cover of a magazine. Assumption blown.

A couple of days ago Sheryl tried for about the fifteenth time to make a palatable beverage combining a coffee drink with a black tea drink. I just shook my head. I had tried some of her previous attempts. I made faces when she ordered a half chai, half decaf coffee drink from the barista. I told her I wasn’t even going to taste it, but I did. I held my breath and took a sip; not bad! I wish I could tell you whether it was actually good but I held back my senses so much, expecting something awful, that I missed the taste of something good. Sheryl drank the whole thing and enjoyed it fully. I would have given up the experiment years ago but Sheryl just kept going until she got it right.

Also, today I took some “me” time and relaxed with the headphones on listening to music and drifting in and out of sleep. As I phased back into full consciousness an interview of John Irving, the novelist, came on. ( City Arts and Lectures ) John Irving may not be my favorite author but I did enjoy reading “The World According to Garp” as a teenager, and later “The Hotel New Hampshire.” Years later I’d take a lot of writing classes and even take a minor in creative writing. I learned a lot in those classes but I never heard anything like Irving’s particular method: he writes the last sentence of the novel first. Literally the last sentence, then be backfills the entire novel from there. Also, he’s almost entirely “plot driven” in his technique: it’s all about the story, with the characters essentially doing as they’re told to fill in the story. This is approximately the opposite of what I learned. In fact the moment I found myself making a breakthrough in writing was the day that I broke away entirely from that technique. I found it contrived and it made the characters come off as unreal, the story forced. “Character driven” stories became my thing and I never looked back. This is not to tout one technique above the other, but to say that John Irving has made a highly successful and decades long career doing exactly what I would not do. John Irving says he can’t stand the idea of his characters driving the story. I sometimes think about that; whether we drive our own stories or if it’s our stories driving us.

Months ago we attended an art opening by a young college student. She’d done several very large paintings of a female figure completely draped under what looked like a sheet. They were very skillfully done, very meticulously painted using some techniques of the old masters but with one huge difference: she paints the way that an inkjet printer prints:—top to bottom, one inch at a time. I can’t even imagine producing a painting the way one would knit a sweater. It’s incomprehensible to me, but it works for her. Last we heard she had sold out the show and is getting on with her education and career. There is no one right way of doing anything. I think. But you know, somebody out there is going to challenge that assumption.

Speaking of paintings, Sheryl started one a while back, and somehow pushed past her boundaries doing several techniques and using a color palette that she normally never would (think big pink trees!). I stood back and could see the whole thing starting to go wrong. The results weren’t so bad but her demeanor was shifting and her technique was becoming more frenzied, almost desperate. Shortly thereafter she announced that she hated the piece and she’d be painting over the whole thing with white gesso. Completely out of character for me I asked her if she’d mind if I took up the unfinished piece. After all, it was about to be obliterated so what did we have to lose? Some remarkable things happened after that. Bear in mind that I’m not much of a collaborator on creative projects, but I took this on and felt much freer than I did when I worked on a solo piece. I couldn’t take responsibility for the whole painting no matter what, so I was at ease while I worked. Even more remarkably, Sheryl got re-motivated to work on the painting. We decided to take turns working on it, back and forth until it was done. We ran into small difficulties and disagreements but we always worked it out and then one day it was done, we both signed it and we're on our way again: likely painting our own paintings solo but also better for the experience.

--- Paul Hood, August 2012

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HOW MIGHT YOUR OLD STORIES BE DRIVING YOU? COULD YOU USE SOME HELP IN LOOKING AT YOUR ASSUMPTIONS?

Spiritual Counseling sessions with one or both of us can be set up by clicking here: http://www.healingcommunication.com/How_to_Make_an_Appointment_with_Spiritual_Counselors_and_Healers_Sheryl_Karas_and_Paul_Hood.html
We work in-person (in Chico, CA) or by telephone or video via Skype anywhere in the world.

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NEWS FROM MAMA LOVE

From Sheryl: One of my assumptions is that I should keep my Mama Love news focussed on retail customers and not mention my wholesale prices in this newsletter at all. But most of our clients are therapists, acupuncturists, nurses, massage therapists and other alternative practitioners who would surely benefit from selling Mama Love through their practice, small business owners and mini-online entrepreneurs, and lots of people who make part of their living -- or should make part of their living -- selling products like these. Does that describe you or someone you know? Check out the Wholesale section of my Mama Love site: http://www.healingcommunication.com/mamaloveproducts/Wholesale.html.

Can't afford to buy so many at once? Discounted gift sets and mini bulk discounts (4 or more, including discounts for buying Mama Love "naked" without packaging) are always available:  http://www.healingcommunication.com/mamaloveproducts/Products.html

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WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE


http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS


http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...

In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

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JOIN US ON FACEBOOK


We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!

July 4, 2012

July 4th, 2012 Newsletter

© 2012 Paul Hood
Hello Everybody!

This Independence Day Paul and I find ourselves deeply contemplating the issue of freeing oneself (declaring our independence and liberation) from self-made chains. The soul has a need for spaciousness but frequently we create (unconsciously but sometimes consciously) work and/or lifestyle changes that serve the purpose of creating that space in a time-oriented way while plunging us into a way too limiting situation that is not in our highest benefit long-term. For example, a person might need time to recover from a sad accident, past mistakes, or unfortunate unforeseen changes in the political and socioeconomic landscape (the Great Recession, for example) that sends them into such a challenging state of mind they just need a break! They get an inadequate but unchallenging day job, a safe refuge, or pull all their money out of their retirement account and just take a time out. But this choice is never meant as a substitute for one's highest potential! And inevitably the day arrives when, to paraphrase Anais Nin, the risk to remain tight in a bud becomes more painful than the risk it takes to blossom.

We get calls and emails on that day. "What should I do? Where should I go?" and the decisions are so wrought with anxiety. "I've been out of the job market so long!" or "I don't know how to succeed at what I most want and I can't think of anything else I want to do." or "I just can't see the road ahead. Can you tell me what to do?"

Since we set the parameter of always working for the highest benefit of all concerned and only doing what can be healthfully integrated, we can't always do that right away. That's because the answer will become clear and more easily attainable when the person has 1) cleared a few cobwebs away through letting go / saying good-bye to the past failures, disappointments and broken dreams and 2) created a space for personal exploration.

This is actually a really difficult thing because frequently they're running out of money or think they have to speed things up in some way. But it isn't true. Scholarships and grants are available for going back to school. Work exchanges for housing are often beneficial for all concerned. There are often bank accounts they have been afraid to tap, arrangements with other people just a minor adjustment in thinking away. Kickstarter projects have funded many a person's dream on our Facebook list. Investment funds are available for all kinds of hopes and dreams.

More important than that, sometimes the mere act of changing the thought " I can't!" into "Other people do, I can, too" can flip the entire set of programming on its head. "I can! And this means... I can take time to make some changes, to take a class, to add one thing I've always wanted to do, to meet with that guy who is doing what I always wanted to be doing, to talk to that friend on my Facebook list." It doesn't have to be a HUGE life-changing decision. But each step opens a gate in one's consciousness and that can lead to some pretty significant changes that a person will be much more ready and willing to do, rather than hearing prematurely from somebody like us the same information but rejecting it instead.

Here's an example from earlier in my life when I was pining away for a better paying job while being exploited as a "freelance" graphic artist, working more than 40 hours a week on site for what was then considered low wages (now the norm in that field) and no benefits. I met a true freelancer who explained what being self employed really meant but I didn't think I could achieve what he did (double the pay, double the respect). Instead I stuck it out until the day came when I couldn't stand the disrespect I was putting up with anymore. I quit, borrowed my brother's backpack, and traveled by bus and youth hostel across the country to take time out for three and half months. On my trip I had my eyes opened to the beauty of this country while meeting wonderful interesting people I never would have met from all walks of life from all over the world. Most importantly, I met several freelancers running a variety of tiny businesses and loving it. And none of them were any more intelligent than me. They all said "Go for it!" They all believed I could do it, too, and I came back and went to work fixing up my portfolio, updating my resume, and cold-calling every graphic design, advertising and publishing company in the Boston Yellow Pages. In three months I had 15 clients, made double the money, double the fun, and felt happy and proud. That is, until the Mac was invented and made the job of paste-up artist obsolete. But once I recovered from the shock and trauma of that (and got a Mac and learned the software) I got a WAY BETTER job as a book designer at a New Age publishing company that I loved. And that led to learning the healing and spiritual counseling work we do today. Who knows what the journey we've been on will lead to from here?

Times change, people change, conditions change. Allow yourself the time to explore and acquire the knowledge or skills to do what you care about most in these new circumstances today. Paul and I have been providing regularly spaced spiritual counseling sessions to several people on our list lately. It's been a true gift to assist them step by step as they clear those cobwebs away and begin to recreate their lives once again.

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VIDEO SESSIONS -- FACE TO FACE EVEN IF YOU'RE FAR AWAY

Did you know you can do video sessions with one or both of us? It's fun, it's easy. All you need is a webcam and mic on your computer and a free Skype account! (https://login.skype.com/account/signup-form)

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND INFO ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL COUNSELING AND HEALING PRACTICE
http://www.healingcommunication.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE

http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS


http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...

In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart

–––––––––––

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!


June 4, 2012

June Newsletter 2012

© Copyright 2012 Sheryl Karas

Hello Everybody!

LIFE LESSONS ON THE PATH OF AN ARTIST / SPIRITUAL COUNSELOR AND HEALER

I’ve been diving into the world of paint after many years of doing photography and digital art alone. It’s been a long courageous journey actually, a long winding road starting in childhood. I’ve always wanted to make my living doing art and actually did have a career as a graphic designer and book cover art creator for 25 years before making the choice to switch to spiritual counseling to provide a much needed balance to the artistic life. But the choice to paint has only been briefly touched before. And, as I said on a recent Facebook thread, I never expected it to be such a personal growth experience.

“It SO is!” several fellow artists chimed in. Every choice is, really. Every time we begin something new little chimes go off in our psyches. It can be nice chimes: “Finally, I’m doing what I always wanted to!” Followed in close succession with all the inner criticisms and hopes and fears familiar to our family patterns. Or, perhaps, if we’re open to it -- lessons learned and discoveries made. I’d like to share one or two of that variety right now.

My favorite life lesson -- it must be a favorite because I seem to need to revisit it over and over -- is letting go of the need for perfection and complete control. Good graphic designers get in the habit of controlling every detail of what they do. Computer programs are so good at this kind of thing. Don’t like a color? Change it in an instant! Move something a few inches to the right? No problem. No, no, that’s not right--move it back! No problem again.

Unfortunately, there is no Command Z on a paintbrush, just the tedious prospect of painting over what you did and trying again. That’s not so much fun so it would seem easiest just to keep things simple, keep the choices safe and barely be challenged at all. But something in my soul had other plans.

First I bought the largest canvas I’ve ever painted on -- 30” x 40”. Then I decided to collage a texture on part of it with torn rice paper and use heavy impasto texture gel with a palette knife to get even more dramatic effects--none of which I had ever used before and wasn’t sure I liked once I got started. Then, to top it all off I decided to create a rather garish underpainting in bright pink, yellow and baby blue. Keep in mind this is a forest scene and you’ll understand why the choices made me freak out. The inner perfectionist could not win! At least not easily, especially when it was thwarted at every turn by some inner imp who kept wanting to try something new.

At one point I was attempting to very slowly, carefully and precisely add bright pink textured gel with a palette knife to a thin tree trunk and discovered that, at my level of experience, it simply could not be done. So I let go of precision and started to more freely slap it on and the result was kind of cool. More random, less precisely controlled, allowing for possibility and I ended up with something that more closely approximated the effect I wanted all along. Only better because more than a little serendipity made its way in. Huh, let go, let God? (What a concept.)

But does letting go of control mean letting go of being in charge altogether? That’s the next lesson I’m in the process of learning. Once I got over the shock of it I found myself enjoying the bright yellow, pink and blue from a modern art point of view. Kind of David Hockney-like, if you’re familiar with his work, especially his paintings of trees. But while I like these color choices from an inner child point of view (the imp who took over, I presume) ... I know I won’t be able to put this piece out with pride if I settle for this beginning as an endpoint and let the painting be in charge instead of me. The adult me keeps feeling hamstrung by the colors even though I know they were originally only meant to be an underpainting. I just wanted to paint over the whole thing and start over. But then Paul reminded me that, since I was on the verge of painting over everything anyway, I could use the opportunity to really loosen up and try anything first. Just get wild and creative while taming the colors down. See if I can salvage the thing by not giving up too soon, knowing that if I can’t get to the point of succeeding I haven’t lost anything but a few afternoons and some tubes of paint.

So that’s the next step. To let go, allow for possibility while continuing to choose the general direction in which I intend to head (or be led).

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND INFO ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL COUNSELING AND HEALING PRACTICE
http://www.healingcommunication.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE

http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS


http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...

On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart
In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*

–––––––––––

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!

May 9, 2012

May 2012 News

© Copyright 2012 Sheryl Karas, Print available here.

DREAM

A number of years ago Sheryl did a woodcut-style graphic of Don Quixote, the Man of La Mancha. He was lost in thought, thinking about his spiritual purpose, his quest, the dream that inspired him and defined his life.  (And eventually what became his legacy.) At the time she did it Don Quixote was a positive image for her and that was the spirit in which the graphic was created.

But more recently she altered the graphic — changing the dimensions to fit a standard size frame— in order to create posters to sell online and the decision brought up a lot of unexpected feelings. Who wants to chase impossible dreams?!! Even Don Quixote did not aspire to tilting at windmills towards the end of his life. He regretted what he had done and all the trouble he had caused his friends. And at a certain point in our personal journey the two of us saw Don Quixote everywhere and started to think of it as an "impossible dream" fantasy warning — not to be so caught up in chasing the dream that we get hurt in the present day.

Still that is not to say give up on faith and inspiration and going forward on what you care about most. In "The Man of La Mancha", Don Quixote's friend Sancho Panza begs him to take up the battle again at the end of life—his inspiration and enthusiasm meant more to those around him than the pain and suffering he caused. So rather than throw this image away it seemed important to do a healing around it. Sheryl had been working, working, working, striving to do more and more and rarely taking time out to just dream. So one day, about a week or two ago, she finally did and surprising new thoughts came pouring in. Some she is taking to fruition by following through on an old desire to paint large on canvas (hopefully, you'll see the results of that decision soon). But more important was the decision to NOT just carry on doing what we always do and pay attention to what we intend most for our clients now. The same thing we intend for ourselves, by the way. Support on the journey, with clear insight and help to work through what comes up, step by step along the way.

The first step in any adventure / business plan / positive direction IS to dream, to believe that what once might have seemed out of the realm of possibility IS a potential just beckoning to be fulfilled. But like anyone persisting in long-term goals and challenges, you need to take care of what comes up in the present day as you sally forth.

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND INFO ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL COUNSELING AND HEALING PRACTICE

http://www.healingcommunication.com
–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE

http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

–––––––––––

WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

–––––––––––

YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart
In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*

–––––––––––

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

–––––––––––

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REFERRALS!
Simplest way to tell people about us? Forward this newsletter and include a note saying you like us. It's easy!

April 9, 2012

April 2012 News

Copyright 2010, Sheryl Karas, All Rights Reserved

Hello Everybody,

Hope you had a nice Easter, are having a great Passover, or are enjoying the passage into Spring—the time of resurrection. There are several kinds of resurrection—some involve making a leap of faith, others involve lots of little steps of faith. Believing in yourself, believing in a Higher Power—either way, you must believe enough in the power of something to see your changes through.

Ready to Resurrect?

This is an illustration I did for Angel's Trumpet, the flower essence for spiritual surrender and giving in to the power of the Universe to hold you through intense transitions. People use it to ease a person's passage into death but it's equally applicable to resurrection within any stressful transition where CHANGE is the hardest thing you face. Sometimes in times of great transition it helps to remember to surrender -- to let go, let God. Letting go of your old life, your old patterns of being, can allow you to rise up and be born anew.

I don't currently use Angel's Trumpet in any of the formulas I do although I could add it to a custom formula if anyone is interested. I've used it myself but only during the most intense times when it felt like help had to come from outside ourselves and saying yes to that choice was the best choice available. We lived through a time like that almost exactly one year ago—flying from the Mormon desert to our current home in Chico in a series of hops, skips and giant leaps of faith. Help was given and there were some true gifts along the way but it was definitely a hairy ride!

But even after going through a major transition there is a time when you realize it's time to let go of THAT experience and keep on going. As a result of our last newsletter a couple of people requested a formula I was considering for beginning again with a positive attitude and a product I gave up on during the height of the Great Recession crisis popped into in my head. Mama Love for Renewed Faith and Optimism was discontinued because it just sat on the shelves. Paul thought that was hilarious—"Renewed Faith and Optimism is being discontinued due to lack of faith! People who really need it are so discouraged they think 'it wouldn't work anyway.' People who aren't discouraged don't need it. And you're giving up on it even though it works really well!" We even put the incident in our book "Waking Up in the Great Recession Mormon Desert" (still available free to download at http://www.healingcommunication.com/WAKING_UP_FILE.html )

But Mama Love for Renewed Faith and Optimism does work really well. It smells like rose and cinnamon and contains essential oils and flower essences for alleviating depression and anxiety, soothing the heart and increasing the ability to take the time necessary to begin again with self-confidence. It's great for those who need to muster the faith to start again, especially if the road has been rough and more than disappointing.

And then there is the aspect of working through the issues that come up when you try again. Paul has been addressing some of that recently. I'll let him jump in:

"Recently I did a photo shoot with a young woman who contacted me to help with her modeling portfolio. Seemed like a simple thing, but posting a couple of photos on Facebook caused a minor uproar among a handful of people, even to the extent that I lost a friend over it, albeit not a close friend, but somebody who thought that a photo of a woman doing a classic pose or two in an outdoor setting (fully clothed) was somehow beneath me as a spiritual person. You can’t please all the people all the time. I’ve only ever gotten criticism for doing things which I never thought would be controversial, things which were not at all challenging to my own beliefs, so there’s really no use in second guessing where change and evolving consciousness might take you-- especially when you don’t even think you’re engaging in anything challenging. Sometimes the commonplace is challenging.

"Far more challenging for me was making the transition from photography to fine art. I hadn’t drawn or painted anything freehand in decades, excluding some digital painting, and I began to wonder if I’d ever have the guts to pick up a paintbrush. Finally I just did it. I took the opportunity of controversy in photography to take a little break and do some drawing, then digital enhancing, and finally painting. An unexpected benefit has been a cross-pollinating between digital and manual/physical artwork. If I hadn’t experienced some discomfort and controversy in photography, I might not have picked up the paintbrush yet. I can take a photo of anything, it doesn’t challenge me, I have no problems or qualms with that. If a thing exists it can be photographed but for me putting a few lines on a page was a barrier that it took me years to break back through. Now that I’ve started, I am surprised that I’ve been held back for so long".

For issues like this one of my other formulas—Doing New Things with Confidence, for example—might be appropriate. But even better is to arrange for a session or two or even to choose a couple of challenges in your life you want to tackle and stick with the process of working through the issues step by step. We're still offering our services at the bottom of our sliding scale for everyone regardless of income. Appointments are currently available evenings, weekends and two afternoons mid-week and generally need to be arranged two days or more in advance.

Remember that we all fall from time to time–sometimes we even get the rug pulled out from under us or get pushed down. But, as they say, you're only defeated if you don't get back up.

If you hang out on the internet enough you've surely seen the video of Nick Vujicic, a young man born without arms and legs who became a motivational speaker. In one of his videos he demonstrates how a man with no arms and legs gets up if he falls down and talks about everything he has learned to do with this handicap, bringing the audience to tears with his conviction that everybody is worth something and can do things with their life if they choose to! If you need a little inspiration to get started with your own personal resurrection take a look:



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WHERE TO FIND INFO ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL COUNSELING AND HEALING PRACTICE

http://www.healingcommunication.com
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WHERE TO FIND MAMA LOVE

http://www.mamaloveproducts.com
http://www.mamalovehealing.etsy.com

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WHERE TO FIND OUR VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/healerteam

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YOU CAN FIND OUR ARTWORK...
On our brand new Facebook Page... www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart
In our joint Etsy shop... http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaulnSherylArt
In our new prints and poster Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FutureSoBright
Beautiful Photographic Prints by Paul Hood... http://PaulHood.imagekind.com/
Beautiful Photographic Prints and Artwork by Sheryl Karas... http://sherylkaras.imagekind.com
Art notecards, T-shirts, mugs and other gifts featuring our images... http://www.zazzle.com/paulnsheryl*

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JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

We post little tidbits of inspiration and fun, information and news about what we're up to, things that don't fit in the newsletter and things that do. And it's an easy way to interact with what we post through comments and possibly discussions from time to time. Look up "Paul Hood" or "Sheryl Karas" or both. Mama Love has its own page. That's at http://www.facebook.com/MamaLoveProducts. Our artwork also has a brand new page at www.facebook.com/paulnsherylart. Become a Fan and be sure to let other people know about us, too!

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