November 2009

Water Lilies Spread Thanksgiving Light and Cheer – Picture to Ponder- Vol 5 – issue 43

by Sheila Finkelstein on November 24, 2009

I was attracted to window reflections recently and mentally was planning a whole “lesson” in seeing – expectations – and shifts. Somehow it was falling flat for me, at least for now. Then, tonight I was surfing through my Cafe Press Gift shop, going over some items for a customer order. (Should you be interested, there are a couple of free shipping promos upcoming. See below.)

I was once again pulled in, and enlivened, by the purple tropical water lily, a Picture to Ponder favorite that I’ve used a few times.

purple tropical water lily

It seemed to be the perfect photo to use here now, as we approach Thanksgiving in the United States. I like the feeling of opening up, spreading light and joy. May there be an abundance of good for us all.

TODAY’S PHOTOS –
As I was looking at the calendar page in the shop and at the above purple, tropical water lily on the year-at-a-glance calendar, I saw my photo/drawing version of the same flower.

tropical purple water lily photo/drawing

I share it here for you to experience the subtle differences. Lastly, as I was being with this water lily from a fountain pond in the American Orchid Society Gardens in Delray Beach, FL,  I was reminded of another beautiful pink water lily from the 4 Arts Gardens in Palm Beach.

pink tropical water lily

This last one, right now, espcially leaves me feeling serene and at peace. I wish the same for you as we enter what becomes for many a very hectic holiday season.

Self-Reflecting Queries –
I invite to be with the above photos and note your responses. Do any of them evoke feelings of abundance or peace in you?

Where in your life do you go, mentally or physically, when you wish to experience serenity? enlivenment?

Where is the strongest light in your life? And, for what are you most thankful?

For me it is family and friends, including you, that I am most grateful. I especially appreciate the support, knowing that there are people on whom I can count.

In addition, I am excited with the new people I’ve been meeting, as well as the new business connections I’ve been making.

I invite you to think of those in your life, acknowledge them, and certainly share with us on the blog, if you so desire.

Love and peace.

And as always, have fun.

Special Offers –

1 – I am excited to be trying out (free trial) my new friend, Allison Maslan’s BLASTATION program. It is an Interactive Life Coaching Web-Based Software – a completely unique do-it-all hub to help us key in on our life passions, become inspired, stay optimistic and get organized.

We will feel accomplished as Blastation keeps us on track and
on target with our large and small life visions. It breaks our large goals and projects into small steps so we know exactly what to do every single day to turn our dreams into reality!

You, too, can experience the fully interactive 30 day free trial. See, BLASTATION.

2 – I first “met” Allison when I was invited to participate in her BLAST OFF: The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams into Reality book launch on January 19th. It sounds like quite an exciting book. You can visit the Book Launch page to read about the special PDF Slide show, plus, that I am creating as one of the many exciting bonuses being offered for purchasers of the book. I will be allowing you, with permission to use the photos for your web activities.

Allison is also giving away a 1-on-1 Life and Business Coaching Program, worth thousands of dollars, as the first prize for a special contest. Check the Book Launch page for details on entering. While there you can also sign up to be reminded of the launch and the bonuses, as the launch date approaches.

3 – Lastly if you are doing holiday shopping I invite you to remember to check out my GIFT SHOP I especially love the pillows and keepsake tiles boxes and decorating with the clocks –

Free Shipping November 30th (Cyber Monday) – Free economy shipping on orders of $60 or more with coupon code: MONDAYSHIP

December 7th – 9th – Free economy shipping on orders of $50 or more with coupon code: HOLIDAYSHIPS

Reader’s Comments are welcome.
To post them on the  blog click on the small word “Comment” at the end of the post. A window will open, asking for your name, email address that will NOT be published, a URL if you have – Your name will be linked to that – and a box with space for you to “Leave a Reply” will be there to type in your response. Then remember to click on “Submit.”

If posting on a blog is not your style, please continue to send your comments directly to me. Learning what you are experiencing means a lot. It is part of the reward, for me, of publishing Picture to Ponder.

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Flowing Lines – Openings or Confrontations – Picture to Ponder – Vol. 5 – Issue 42

by Sheila Finkelstein on November 18, 2009

Today’s Picture to Ponder writing will really be brief. Each issue seems to take a few hours and then I wonder why. So today I am going to practice brevity and allow most of the pondering and querying up to you.

TODAY’S PHOTOS –

I started searching past issues for “reflections” and then moved on to more recent unpublished photos. The following three very, different images popped out at me.

A fence reflected in a swimming pool,
Striped like a tiger or
Bars like a jail? Caging us in or
Keeping us out?

Yet the soft rhythm of the water –
Subtle…
And the lines…
The curve of the bottom/top of the fence
Looping and sharp, then solid,
Establishing direction

All balance into the imperfect
Perfection of life.

More vertical lines
Some very direct.
Contrasted with the water lines
These seem to make a wall,
Almost impenetrable.

Yet there are small openings and
The opportunity to marvel at Nature
Braiding the palm leaves as they
Hang toward the end of their life.


When life complete,
Dropped on the ground,
Wrapped in yet another way.

Self-Reflecting Queries –
I am not sure why I selected these photos today. Or, perhaps the question is, “Why did they select themselves to be the featured ones?”

I invite you to be with them and pay attention to whatever your responses are. Should it be to shrug off today’s photos, I suggest you query why. Are there other places in your life where you might have a similar response? If so, does this serve you?

I’m finding it interesting, that I am making the assumption that you may find the photos uninspiring… not worthy… and whatever other negative thoughts/judgments you might make. I can certainly track these feelings to other areas of my life. Do they forward me? No! What about you?

For me, in part, it is the intrigue in these photographs that capture my attention and the linear flow of the imagery.

Lastly, as I was “wrapping up” here, I glanced once more at the photographs and in each I found some humor. Once again there is another level of “story” I can make up.

What about you? Are you creating any stories pursuant to these photos? Do they support you?

If you’ve seen or created some stories, I’d love for you to share them on the blog.

As always, have fun with this.

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Close-up and Distance Perspectives – Picture to Ponder – Vol. 5 – Issue 41 – Spatterdock

by Sheila Finkelstein on November 12, 2009

Today’s photos turned into a theme of the different perspectives from which we can view our life. I did not realize, as I selected photos, that the spatterdock root was featured two issues ago. Rather than make a time-consuming switch, I am going with the flow.

TODAY’S PHOTOS –
As I was completing a recent walk in Wakodahatchee Wetlands, my eye was drawn to these spatterdock roots spreading out all over.

Meandering roots
Don’t seem to offer much.
What, then, is the pull?
Moved forward a bit on the boardwalk.

Zoomed in
Got really close
Saw a nice bridge
Almost a circle with reflections.

And then on computer monitor
Found it almost confronting
An opening and seemingly
No place to go.

So glad I have a
Third photo to share

(Plus a fourth – not roots –
After the queries.)

Now there are some choices
A few directions and some greens
More appreciable from further back.

SELF-REFLECTING QUERIES –
Now I invite you to look into your life at an area or an issue with which you may seem to be wandering all over the place. Then move in and take a really close look at it, almost as if you have it under a magnifying glass. Now step back from it slightly, giving you a third perspective.

From which of the positions do you get the most understanding and perspectives? Afar? Really close? Or a midway point of view? Does looking through a different lens empower you?

Lastly, I did promise there would be one more photo to complete the day.

Attracted by the wood knot itself, atop a boardwalk railing, it became even more interested when viewed on my computer monitor. As the SRQs were forming in my head, I saw a face, lying down, angled slightly looking at us. She seems to have a wink or a smirk.

She might be saying, “What IS all this pondering about anyway? Are you making issues bigger than they really are? ”

Perhaps you see something entirely different in the wood knot picture. That’s the fun of appreciating and being human? What images do you see?

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Lost in a crowd – Picture to Ponder – Vol 5- issue 40 – Mushrooms in AOS Gardens

by Sheila Finkelstein on November 4, 2009

Based on positive feedback I received, appreciating integrating “Today’s Photos” with “Self-Reflecting Queries,” I am continuing that format today. So be sure to scroll through the whole of today’s Picture to Ponder.

Tonight (Wednesday, November 4th) I will be interviewing camera expert, Ingrid Owens of Camera Shy. She will be sharing answers to questions she’s asked on buying and using the digital camera.

She will also be sharing the one quick tip she has for improving your photographs before even taking them. There is still time to register for the call and/or get the MP3 recording if you can’t be on the call. See Point and Shoot Photo Courses – Camera Shy. Moving on to TODAY’S PHOTOS and QUERIES –

I promised I would be featuring unusual mushroom photos from my Sunday walk in the American Orchid Society Gardens. While opening the folder in which I placed the pictures, this backlit leaf, kept calling to me. I LOVE the colors, the boldness and strength and at the same time, the rhythm of the very faint and delicate lines of the veins of the leaf. The faint vertical lines from another plant serve to ground the main image.

Back lit leaf in AOS Gardens

Where in your life are there strong contrasts of strength and delicacy? Do they add up to balance? If one is more prominent than another, is there a shift you might like to make?

Moving on from those questions, I invite you to consider the following.

WHAT IF ….

  • you quickly saw the things others are missing?
  • you were a hotbed of recurring new ideas?
  • you had new openings for communication?
  • you had access to shifting moods in an instant?
  • you had a best friend available 24 hours/day?
  • this all were fun and easy?

It’s so SIMPLE. Amazing breakthroughs in the scenarios are what participants experience in my Point and Shoot Telecourses. The day session of the next 4-week course starts on Wednesday, November 11th; evening Monday, November 16th. See POINT AND SHOOT.

Mushrooms on a path in the AOS Gardens

I am always amazed. I have been visiting the American Orchid Society Gardens for six and a half years. EACH time I visit, I see something I’ve never seen before AND as you see in the above, it’s not always a carefully, placed orchid, or other, plant.

I invite you to look into your life at one or more situations or places where you are not paying attention. After all, they are “ordinary”, “everyday” … Now, that you’ve paused to look, what new can you find?

The mushrooms above were one of several groupings near the edge of a path. A couple groups were right in the middle of the walkway. As their colors blended with the environment from which they emerged, they were undoubtedly invisible to most people and thus got stepped on.

It’s the grouping and the flow I enjoy in the above photograph AND as I look at it now, I’m more cognizant of the groupings within – the couple, the threesome and the charming, delicate, flowerlike mushroom on the left, almost in the middle.

Are you blending in or standing out in your life? Are you more comfortable tightly grouped with one or more others in your circle(s)? Can you step back and recognize the beauty of the whole of your communities?

This second grouping of mushrooms was in a different section of the AOS gardens, a little more off the pathway. Here I like the curls and folds. What do you appreciate when you look at the image?

That’s it for the “deep” queries for today.

As always, have fun and look around you with playful eyes.

Upcoming Programs that Will Enhance Your Life
1 – In addition to my Telecourse answering What Ifs :

2 – For those in business, I invite you to check out my friend Adela Rubio’s Conscious Business Telesummit 3-week series of calls, a gathering of Conscious Business Leaders eager to share the models and methods of Conscious Business, including –

Make a 6-Figure Income with a 3-Figure List
Charge What you Deserve Now
Create Your Conscious Business Story and more…

Easy-to-listen to and keen herself, Adela is interviewing well-known, successful, conscious business owners ready to share their profitable business models and their expertise.

3 – For those who are caregivers, or who know, caregivers, my friend Suzanne Holman is co-facilitating Comfort for Caregivers Telesummit, also a 3-weeks series of calls. I’m in the midst of completing a packet with writing, caregiver tips and photography – ALWAYS LOVE – as one of the bonuses.

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