Volume #26, January 2002

Our theme this month: Love Yourself into the New Year

Table of Contents
1. Welcome Notes from Carol Lorraine
2. Inspirations from our Creative Community: For the New Year L.O.V.E. Yourself
3. Creative Tip of the month: Recycle your Christmas cards
4. Alive! with Color: You are the Colours you Choose
5. Schedule of Creative Events and Retreats: Women of Wisdom, Intl. Sound Symposium, Silk Painting Classes, Aura-Soma Colour Class in Hawaii

1. Welcome Notes
Welcome! Thank you for passing this newsletter along to others you know who would be inspired by Alive! With Creating. We are a community of approximately 1,000 readers now. To unsubscribe, hit reply and put unsubscribe in the subject line. To read back issues, check out my website at www.selfimages.com/newsletters. You will also find articles on creating that you can download for free.

Aloha and Happy New Year!
I hope you are off to a healthy and joyful start. I believe it is important to pay attention to how our new year begins as it sets the foundation for the coming year. I like to spend time consciously choosing how my new year begins so that I continue to be the creator of my life. I hope you enjoy the two articles on Colour and L.O.V.E.-ing Yourself as they both offer suggestions for creating your life by self discovery and conscious choice.

Remember to keep your creative juices flowing--think positively, focus on who you are, give thanks for your blessings, gifts and talents, laugh, play and have fun, and find ways to deeply relax and find inner peace, move your body and get as much sunshine and light as possible.

In the creative flow,
Carol Lorraine

2. Inspirations from our Creative Community

LET'S SHARE and INSPIRE EACH OTHER! Please send me YOUR creative writing, articles, poems, stories, songs or experiences of your creativity.
(To inspire means to be infinitely in spirit)

Thank you to Denise Byron, Certified Professional Coach for submitting the following article. Denise is based in Ashland, Oregon. To learn more about her practice visit www.VisionYourLife.com.

For the New Year: L.O.V.E. Yourself!
by Denise Byron

This January, Americans are resolving to seek ways to combine personal
fulfillment with commitment to develop deeper, more meaningful lives. Enjoy the process of discovering what you have passion for, what you want to incorporate into your life, by discovering yourself. Try this simple four-step process called L.O.V.E.ing yourself

1. L Listen to yourself
2. O Observe what you want to accomplish
3. V Vision yourself making those changes in your life
4. E Express that vision

These types of resolutions are easier to keep because they support who you are -- your values, beliefs, hopes, and dreams.

Listen to yourself:
Write in a journal. You might feel immediate resistance to this suggestion, because you have no extra time. Giving yourself the gift of time is the first step. This kinesthetic process of putting pen to paper
works to open the channels in your mind, heart and body. Journaling engages
your relationship with your self in a very tangible way.

Make a date with yourself once a week. Carving out this time can be challenging, and the rewards are priceless. An hour's walk through the park, a gallery, a fabric store, listening to your favorite music uninterrupted is precious time for you. When
you give yourself this time and listen, you will hear your hearts desires.

2. Observe your life:
Where are you happy? Where are you
satisfied? What areas need work? Where are you ready to stretch?
Interconnected with this process is acknowledging your core beliefs, values
and priorities. While you are actively observing your life, you can remind
yourself what is really important to you.

3. Vision your intentions and resolutions:
Visioning is a powerful tool that can be accomplished in numerous ways. If
you are writing in a journal, you will naturally begin there. I also use
collaging. A simple magazine-picture collage can provide lots of inspiration
and create a tangible visual. The mind thrives on clarity, the heart on
emotional expression; when you combine what your heart wants and your mind
knows, you have a profoundly successful tool.

4. Express your visions:
Create a Life Plan for yourself, a handy document that outlines who you are, your values, and your intentions. All these steps are important so you can write down specific, measurable, attainable goals. It is important for your list to be clear, defined, written in first person, present tense with dates attached to each area. The more concrete you are, the more you will know if these resolutions are truly aligned with what matters to you. Sharing your new intentions with another person is a
valuable component. You might choose a friend, a spouse, or a coach, someone
who can listen and support you.

So, go ahead: Create resolutions, enjoy the process, and celebrate success!
You'll have a fulfilling new year!

TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT MYSELF (an exercise)

Consider getting off to a running start in 2002 by making the time to answer
these questions for yourself. Jot down quick notes or turn it into a journal
exercise.

How I listen to myself:

Areas to observe (where am I satisfied, what do I want to change?) in my
life (suggested):
Professional
Personal
Spiritual
Relationship
Financial
Intellectual
Physical
Service

I also observe that
My values are:

My core beliefs are:

My vision for a fulfilling life is:

The intentions, goals, resolutions I now choose to express are:

Resources for this article:
Take Time for Your Life by Cheryl Richardson (Broadway Books, 1998)
The Artist's Way, a spiritual path to higher creativity by J. Cameron (Tarcher/Putnam, 1992)

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3. Creative Tip of the month: Recycle Christmas cards
If you are about to discard all of the holiday cards that you received, please reconsider. If you bundle them up and send them to St. Jude's Ranch for homeless children, the kids will recycle them and make cards that they sell. It teaches them about business and provides them with some spending money. They accept all kinds of cards.

The address is:

St. Jude's Ranch
Department WDM
100 St. Jude's Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

Submitted by Rita Hovakimian, Professional Coach, San Francisco, CA

4. Alive! with Color
YOU ARE THE COLOURS YOU CHOOSE!
by Ellen Epstein

Have you ever noticed that when you wear certain colours you feel energized, peaceful, powerful, feminine, or perhaps lethargic or irritated? When you walk into a room with walls painted a particular colour do you feel welcomed, relaxed or perhaps uncomfortable? Do you have favorite colours that you wear? What are the predominant colours in your wardrobe? Are there colours you dislike wearing? What are the predominant colours in your home? Are there colours missing in your home?

If you'd like, take a moment and record your responses. Is your awareness valuable?.....Absolutely!

The colours we are drawn to give us wonderful information about our gifts, strengths, challenges, likes and dislikes, why we are here, our soul's purpose and other supportive information. The colours we avoid also give us information about where we can bring more balance into our lives whether it be physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual.

Time to explore....
Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths. Breathe in for the count of 5, hold for the count of 5, and exhale for the count of 5, continue for 3 full cycles. Now imagine walking into a room. When you look around you notice that all the walls are painted bright yellow. Even the carpet and ceiling are bright yellow. What is your first reaction being in this bright yellow room? How does your body respond? Does it become more relaxed, alert, agitated, excited, etc.? How does your mind respond? Do you want to stay in the room, leave the room, or does it remind you of another time or situation in your life? Take a deep breath and on the exhale let it all go. Take a moment and record your responses.

When you are ready close your eyes again. Take some deep breaths and now imagine being in a pale pink room. Notice your feelings. How does your body respond? What are you thinking? Take some time and when you feel complete open your eyes and record your responses. Experiment with other colours, bright red, soft lavender, turquoise, and so on.

Just as we are unique, our response to colours are unique. Colour is a universal language that cuts through all cultures and continents. Each colour has a physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual meaning specific to that colour. This is called the colour's "signature."

In the short visualization you just experienced you gained information of how specific colours effect you and how specific colours can support you and your life. You are the colours you choose. Bathe yourself in colour, bathe yourself in life energy!

Ellen Epstein
Vibrational Artist, Aura-Soma Practitioner/Teacher
E-mail: AwakeningImages@aol.com
Website: Awakening Images
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5. Schedule of Creative Events and Retreats

Personal Customized Transformational Retreats in Hawaii with Carol Lorraine and friends--For PEACE OF MIND, and SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

These retreats can be arranged for any length of time according to your schedule and budget. Just call or email me and we will design your very own heart singing retreat. They can be for one or more individuals or you can bring your own group. You can choose from a variety of rejuvenating services from dolphin swims, massage, aromatherapy, integrative bodywork, watsu, creativity, visits to sacred sites, rituals, Alive! with Vision, spiritual and creativity life coaching. You will enjoy a transformational journey you will always remember.

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Women of Wisdom Conference, Seattle, Feb. 15-23, 2002
I will be selling my hand-painted silk Spirit Creations at this conference. Come join in the many wonderful workshops and events. See their website at womenof wisdom.org.

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Private Silk Home Showings for Carol Lorraine Designs

If you would like to host or attend a show wherever you may live, please let me know. You will receive a gift of silk in return. I am planning my Spring 2002 schedule now and will be traveling to many new places.

Click on this link to see my website gallery for the latest designs at Gallery of Designs
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The International Sound Symposium-- March 1-4, 2002 at the Hyatt San Jose, CA

These incredible presenters will share their wisdom and knowledge: Don Campbell, Jacotte Chollet, Sharry Edwards, Dr. Arthur Harvey, Tom Kenyon, Joshus Leeds, Randy Masters, Dr. James Oschman, Silvia Nakkach, Wayne Perry, Dr. Billie Thompson, and Dr. Jeffrey Thompson.

See their comprehensive and beautiful website www.healingmusic.org/ISS.
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Silk Painting Classes with Susan Moyer. Susan teaches privately in Mendocino, CA where she lives, and she also teaches all over the country See her website for more information at moyerdesign.com or call her at 800-659-6377. I will be attending my second class with Susan here on the Big Island in March.
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Workshops and Consultations with Ellen Epstein, Vibrational Artist and Aura-Soma Practitioner and Teacher

A dynamic 6 day Aura-Soma workshop March 1-3 & 6-8 in Hawaii. Click here: W O R K S H O P S

Aura-Soma consultations via the internet Click here: Aura-Soma Consultation Beginning February 7th Ellen is available for Aura-Soma consultations in person on the Big Island of Hawaii.
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Where there is Hope there is Light. Where there is Faith there is Love. Don't ever give up, your Creator is always with you.

Warmest Aloha and Blessings of Peace to You,

Carol