I got inspired in this empty palace....AGAIN

which star are you, twinkling in my sky tonite?

are you a cloud? maybe you are the blackness. or the sound of the crashing waves.

maybe you are that sweet calm i feel at the 2:34 am this morning...

i think i may have just wrote my way to Peace.

what would we be without the glorious poetry of eye and eye....asking why why why and answering with words that could only come from spirit.

god. is.
what a life this is.

it's this deep tenderness that i keep returning to. it's a kind of sorrow. i fear the great mystery sometimes... more often these past few months than i can remember...just a different flavor really.....but, i keep returning to this place time and time again so i can really LOOK at it. feel it. understand it. be at peace with it. to be with the Beloved is to be completely and utterly alone and to be completely and utterly at peace... and we get to share every fleeting & everlasting moment of it. we are all alone and all one.

ahhhhhhhhh....... what an incredible blessing it is to be ALIVE. what an incredible miracle. Life. sometimes all i can do is cry for all the beauty, the madness, the glorious creation...

i am returning to the MotherLand again.

thank you for being in my life.

Namo Kuan Shih Yin Pusa

i wanna share the new piece i've been working on...

it's still in the the sketch phase (on 18x24" canvas), but i'm getting very close to paint. just a few minor details need to be worked out, and the scales on dragon n such. i'll be posting more along the way... for those who haven't seen or heard about it, it is a painting of kuan yin giving her blessings through a kiss to a flying seed sprite. kuan yin, in tibetan buddhism (and earlier forms of it, tracing back to china) is the goddess of compassion. the title of the piece, "namo kuan shih yin pusa" means "i take refuge in the bodhisattva who hears all the sounds of the world"... she is also the goddess of fertility and childbirth (just another reason for me to paint some pregnant mamas again :) ) and if she is not sitting upon a lotus, she is riding upon at least one dragon. the dragon represents protection.

i started this piece on winter solstice. one synchronicity: it is the year of the OX now, and traditionally, kuan yin is the one who blesses the ox. i didn't know that til after i started. gotta love it. :)

ART is not a LUXURY

Beloveds!

MY ART IS FINALLY ONLINE!!
my website is not nearly close to being done, but i have created an online shop, and i would love for you all to check it out! i have a variety of sizes printed on a variety of materials. for any of you looking for a sweet gift, now is the time. or, if you've just been dying to have some ishka art on your wall, come and get it!

the shop is not fully stocked yet, so if you want a specific piece at a certain size or printed a certain way and you don't SEE it, just send me a message, and i can get you what you need.

go to: www.ishkanexus.etsy.com

I love you all, and miss seeing so many of you.
Write me a message or give me a call anytime... i don't have many phone numbers since i lost all my contacts in september, so if i haven't spoken to you since before then, i don't got your digits.


JOY TO ALL
LOVE TO ALL
PEACE TO ALL

BLESS YOU
BLESS YOU
BLESS YOU

~*~
namishkatara ma!
~*~

Gay Marriage

Hi Dear Community,

Have you seen Keith Olbermann's "Special Comment" about Prop 8?

In this emotional statement on "Countdown," his nightly news program on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann eloquently expresses why the passage of Prop 8 is so tragic and then directly addresses supporters of the proposition.

Here is a link to watch a YouTube video of Keith's comments:

www.couragecampaign.org/prop8repeal


Please check it out and then join me and over 100,000 other people in signing a pledge from the Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile to repeal Prop 8 and restore marriage equality to California. Usually, discussions of political issues wind down after elections, but Prop 8 is not about politics. It is about love, equality and civil rights. That's why we cannot let the passage of Prop 8 stand. We all need to talk to our family and friends about the importance of restoring marriage equality to California. That is why I am asking you to watch what Keith Olbermann said and then sign the pledge to repeal Prop 8.

Studies have shown that the most effective way to swing a voter to our side is to talk to our friends about the meaning of marriage equality. The path to repealing Prop 8 and restoring marriage equality to California starts now, with you and the discussions you have with the people in your life.

Thanks for your time, your thoughtful consideration and your action.

DREAM Awake

If you or anyone you know will be in the Mendocino area anytime in the next month, come and check it out! the opening is this saturday from 5-9pm. great live music will include human and brockell from The Human Revolution and other incredible artists.

Sponsor a Visionary Artist Today!

but really...

Greetings Allies,

it occurred to me yesterday, after a completely unexpected event (getting fired from my waitressing job at an all organic all vegan restaurant, which i loved) that something in my life needed to change. after i got off the phone with my manager, who said they were letting me go because, "my heart wasn't in it," i was in total shock. how could they FIRE me? and for THAT particular reason???? i was stoked to be there. i was making good cash flow and my work supported a business that was ecologically mindful. i thought it was exactly what i needed to fulfill my financial obligations while continuing my education as an artist. yes, i've been taking community college art classes here in mendocino to learn new techniques and maintain my focus, and it's been fantastic. i'm with the ocean and the redwoods, and i'm in love. and then, BAM! i get fIREd. job goes poof. my financial reality has done a 180, and i'm broke after i pay rent and bills in less than a week.

so, what the hell is the universe trying to tell me with this? i kept asking over and over all of yesterday.

mama has her ways. she's tricky sometimes.

after much consideration, i think i figured it out. i didn't fit this establishment's mold for an employee. all but one person there actually enjoyed their job (or at least, never expressed their dissatisfaction with it). a lot of "social" time in the kitchen was spent complaining about customers and/or the work we had to do. i guess i forgot that so many people work a job they dislike, and actually find satisfaction in talking about how awful it is, even though in reality (or at least in mine), the job is actually ok. i LIKE serving people. i like doing my job well, and putting smiles on people's faces when they get their meal, sprinkled with love, from my hands. somehow, that made me a suspicious character...

so anyways, i'm out looking for another job. it's still really rainy here, and most places aren't hiring cuz it's not time yet. there is a chocolate haus here who needs someone to work weekends, and i'm hoping they'll hire me. they've been making their own treats here for as long as i can remember, and i think it'd be fun to serve dessert all day. :)

meanwhile, i've been thinking of more ways to create more financial prosperity, and that's where YOU come in. i've got lots of ideas, and i'm casting the lines to see who bites.

if you've made it this far in the post, here's where the real JUICY part begins:

JUICY PART #1 >> a call for sponsorship. yes. if anyone here has the resources, or knows of anyone who has the resources to sponsor me. i've considered many different options here, and i am open to suggestions. one idea is that i work out a contract with any and all sponsors who donate ($25, $50, $100....whatever the amount, really) MONTHLY to my budding career as an aspiring, FULL-TIME,
visionary artist (and weekend chocolatier). depending on amount allocated, i can send donors signed prints of work completed every month, with option of a signed original at end of term (6 months to 1 year). other arrangements could be negotiated, and it really depends on what feels like a healthy exchange.

JUICY PART #2 >> would anyone like to commission me to do a project? this realm is wide with opportunity. i can design the tattoo that you or someone you know has always wanted, perhaps. or, maybe you have a drum head that you'd like me to draw a henna design onto. need cd cover art for your next music project? i can also braid in extensions for any of the ladies (or guys) who are searching for a new look. i'm also extremely gifted at drawing portraits (if you inquire about portraits, i can send you jpegs of previous work). i can also paint a mural in your home (on doors, walls, cabinets, tables...the possibilities abound). do you or anyone you know have a book that you need an illustrator for? get in touch with me.

JUICY PART #3 >> and, of course, there is always the option of purchasing a print of any of the works i have completed, most of which are displayed on my tribe page. i've got a range of sizes available, and they can be mailed anywhere with shipping fees added to print cost.

so there's the juice. freshly squeezed.

on a personal note, i'm most interested in finding sponsorship at this time. this is the first time i am actively seeking this out, and i would like to see what transpires as a result of this listing. i've been sponsored once before, based on the agreement that all funds went directly
to art production, and it's worked out nicely so far. if you know, as you are reading this, that this is not a way that you can personally contribute, but you have links to people/organizations who might, i'd love to hear about it!

that's all i've got for now. any other suggestions/offerings would be greatly appreciated.

~*~
ishka LA
~*~

Honestly...

Aloha Lovelies!

it's been aaaaaaages since i've made any discussion here on tribe. life has been busy, AND i haven't lived with a computer for months now. however, tonight, after perusing through some old tribe invites, i felt inspired to write a bit about my experience with honesty.

in this beautiful thing called "tribe", we're dedicated to upping the frequency on this globe by doing what we love, and serving our community with what people NEED through what we (as individuals) have to offer using our special gifts.

and so, of course, this world would be a perfect place to be IF we could all EXPRESS our needs, which means we must KNOW what our needs are, and then follow route to fulfillment. if my needs are met, i can serve other people's needs, and the dominoes fall accordingly.

emotional support. so many people, (and many in this tribe!) do NOT ask for the emotional support they need. most of us get the fact that it's conditioning. don't cry. deal with it. blah blah blah. whatever. but really. if i had a nickel for all the times i've witnessed people in this family who see something they need to work on/release, they almost immediately try to throw it out the window without spending any real Time with it. i do it, too.

it's some weird new age crap that i see happening here. "oh my god, that feels AWFUL! ok. i RELEASE "that", and i call in only that "which serves my highest self"... blah blah blah, etc etc." how many times have we all done that? how many times can we all say that it has WORKED every time? i bet not ONE person.

patterns take time to dissolve. old triggers need to be examined. tears must be shed. anger needs to be addressed. anger REALLY needs some attention. i'd like to remind people that it is a GOOD thing to express anger as long as it is not projected ONTO someone (like blame) or yourself. it's one of those things most of us don't like to do, but, little frustrations that are not communicated turn into explosive situations. those can be extremely healing as well, but only because the build up was everlasting and painful. better to be out with it soon rather than suffocate for days or weeks (or years).

we can remember that it is PERFECTLY OK to talk openly about something that is troubling our heart/psyche, even if it seems small. if it's some small thing that keeps choking you up every so slightly, or tightens your stomach, or clogs up your brain, you need to get to the root of it. and, if dismissing it every time as something you KNOW shouldn't be an issue but STILL IS, you gotta dig in and dish out. TALK about it. talk about the DETAILS. step up and allow and TRUST your fellow human beings to see what REALLY ails you. forget all that bull that might be in there somewhere about the fact that we are the conscious few, and surely, that ugly little thing should have been taken care of ages ago. if it's still there, it's still tHere, and it needs care. and hey, we are here to help each other smooth out the rough spots. how many here are SOOOOOOO willing and able to help each other out with their "shit" but when it comes to your own "shit", you don't wanna "burden" other people? how many times have we read about/talked about the wounded healer? we all KNOW what this is. we ARE that wounded healer. who isn't?? when we all take steps to share those hidden aspects of our individual nature that seem prickly, we are giving others the opportunity to be a loving witness. when we are present with what really needs attention in order to evolve within, we are, in effect, acting as a teacher on how to eradicate the shame that people feel when when they are "weak".

and what does it mean to feel weak anyway? we only suffer when we are not strong enough to allow our emotional body to move freely. if it is constantly being constricted or "corrected" or ignored, we become disoriented and disconnected. we lack presence with our own inner workings and inner guidance, and then we cannot be present with anyone else.

let down the barriers. be honest with yourself. be honest with others. have COMPASSION. being honest does not give you the right to be a total a-hole in your authenticity practice. i read somewhere that honesty without compassion is brutality. i've been chewing on that one ever since. yes, let's be honest with each other, but lose the charge, the arrogance, the blame, the snobbery....the whatever that gives the ego some selfish little kicks for being "right". oh, yes, i'm the truthteller. this person just flat out lied, so i'm going to punish them. there is no lesson in that. we are not punishers. we all make mistakes. let's serve each other by being able to act in a loving way towards someone who clearly needs some guidance. we can be solid and genuine and stern. we DON'T hold onto false pretenses. we don't act indignant. we look at the things we need to work out with the intention to understand it, not condemn it. then it can be cleared, and we can all move on.


ah...i feel like i have so much more i could write about this, but i think i'll stop now. and maybe add more later, or discuss more with comments....

~*~
sending my love to all sentient beings,
~*~
ishka LA
~*~

A Magical Potion

it's simple and beautiful, and it gives me inspiration to wake with the morning sun more often.

From DailyOm:

The Morning Dew

The world awakens each day from its nightly slumber, transformed by a sparkling layer of morning dew on the grass, on flower petals and leaves, on cars and car windows. These glistening droplets last only a little while, an integral part of what imbues the early morning with its aura of magic. If we sleep too late, we miss the magnificent display of sunlight playing upon an infinite amount of tiny crystal balls. To step onto the dew-covered grass is to anoint our feet with a form of water that comes only once a day for a short time, a rarefied gift of the night air that will soon evaporate in the full light of the sun. If we inhale slowly and consciously enough, it is almost as if we are drinking in this magical elixir formed in the boundary between darkness and light.

In one myth, morning dew is believed to be tears from heaven, and in another, the droplets are poured from the vessel of the goddess of dawn. When we see the earth draped with these shimmering drops, it is easy to imagine fairies bathing in the water, or a sky god weeping from a longing to be closer to his beloved earth goddess. Seeing the sparkling beauty of the earth emerging from darkness, we may understand this longing in terms of our own gratitude; how blessed we are to be here.

Perhaps heaven really does long to be here on earth, and perhaps that is why we are here—as conduits between the divine and the earthbound. As we drink the morning dew in with our eyes, our skin, our breath, it is easy to imagine that it really is a magical potion, a gift from heaven, a reminder of our true purpose, and a daily opportunity to be transformed.

dear Sir,

how dare You.

how dare You come bursting into my Heart like this, like some uninvited guest.
You run through all the rooms in my House,
gorging Yourself at my Table,
drinking my Wine,
sleeping in my Bed.
have You no shame?
have You no sense of dignity?
do You see NOT consequences of great magnitude after such a rampage?

the extravagant Liberty You've taken stirs a slumbering Beast.

i warn You:
Be quiet,
or suffer a fierceness that will tear You wide open.
Be still,
or You will surely die.
i am offering You a quick escape now,
So take it!

in a moment’s time,
it shall be too late.

in a moment’s time,
the Beast shall wake,
and all Trespassers will be hunted down.
servants of Forgotten Dreams,
Lost Memories,
and Secrecy,
hear Ye!
between the crevices of gnashing teeth,
every Intruder will be punctured, torn, and chewed to bits.
what’s left will be a glorious feast for the vultures and maggots.

nothing shall be spared.

i am offering You an exit.

if You don’t take it now, You never will.