Da Vinci’s Muse

For the New Renaissance Woman inspiring a lifestyle of self-empowerment, creative purpose and worth to nourish, celebrate and claim the artistry of the Muse, the Nature of Womanhood and its Purpose.

On holiday…putting together a book for women on Taoism.

SLY

Empowering The Joy Within

Count your blessings…name ten attributes of yourself that you appreciate. These can be anything that you like about yourself from your hair color, your laughter, your abilities, your relationships to your desires, your character, or even your vulnerabilities or problems that you have resolved. Reflecting on the present moment brings graciousness and vibrancy to the aspects of your life that resonate with you. When you embrace what you do have and nurture those elements of your life that empower you, good things begin to happen. We all have difficulties, some are more severe than others, yet when facing challenges, keeping our heart and mind strong enables us to live a more balanced life.

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Once you have made this list, take one of your items and for a day express gratitude for and appreciation of that portion of joy that you have honored in your life. Take the time to really understand that joy. What part of it gives you a sense of fulfillment? Is it something that you can expand and develop? Would you like to develop it? Or is it a static expression? Does it offer the possibility of a greater joy?

Types of Relationships in Your Life

Lets look at you and your relationships to begin to get a glimmer of the community that is yours…


List the five most important people in your life today:

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After each of the people above, answer these questions:

What is it about this relationship that attracts you?

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Self-Esteem: Facing the Issue

What is it that we want as women? Collectively, there has never been a better time for the recognition for and of women as human beings. What does this mean? What is the opportunity at hand? And what are we to do with our own evolution as women? Individually, our stories vary, some more extreme than others. We each and all have our own journey and hardships along the way. So, how often do our experiences show to us that we are unique? Does the world that we live in reflect who we are? Can we thrive in the world through self-reliance and self-accountability? Is there something more?

What is the issue? What are we searching for in the darkness? What do we want? Do we know? What questions do we ask to begin discovering this answer? How many of you have asked yourself, “What do I desire that will bring me purpose and fulfillment whether independently or interdependently, yet of my own making?” And if you have asked yourself that question, what were your responses? What would be your responses now, today?

For many of us, this question does not even arise. The awareness of a personal self only faintly exists or the consciousness of the self has yet to develop and perhaps will so in time. And for many of us this question is not pertinent because the soul already knows and it is not necessary to ask. Oh, what a beautiful state, to live in the unfolding of life as it is given. Yet, for most of us, the question is present or soon will be and we start the process of uncovering our truth. Much of this evolution of consciousness or “uncovering” eventually leads to a joyous sense of self where your participation in life is substantiated by the change that you create. What changes would you like to create? What changes would you most like to create? Circle the three changes that you would most like to create.

List the changes here:

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I was just was called for Jury Duty and was found out I was a potential juror for a three week or more trial. I was thinking that was a long time, but if I could learn something by the experience it might be interesting. In the end, I was excused from the juror pool along with some ten or so others. The case was regarding the letting go of an employee after some 35 years or so employment. The employer was being sued by the plaintiff for letting her go on the grounds of discrimination: age and disability. I had given the case some thought over the two days as a prospective juror and I said to the court…

“It seems to me this case is about three things:

1. Aging – How does one experience getting older?
2. Change – Is one a victim of it or accepting of it if

An Inspiring Woman

Often times, our inspirations come from influences that resonate with our sense of self. My inspiration for writing this April Feature comes from Kate Douglas Wiggins and the letter she wrote to The Girl Scouts of America where she points out that The Girl Scouts is a training school for womanhood.

An Expose on Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856-1923)

Kate Douglas Wiggin was an American educator and author of children’s stories. She was born Kate Douglas Smith on September 28, 1856 in Philadelphia of Welsh descent and died August 24, 1923 (aged 66) in Harrow, Middlesex, England. A graduate of Abbot Academy, Class of 1873, she started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878 (the Silver Street Free Kindergarten). With her sister during the 1880s she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers.

Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labour.