art+spirit: letting your life speak retreat

details here.

life stories: beach memories, continued.

stepping onto the sand, i am connected to my childhood self.  

i am connected to the teenage me, the mothering me, 

and the friend who sits and rests well on the beach with others.

i toss on my jacket and walk, gathering my rest and renewal before leading. 

my feet must have a few new shots using the fancy smancy iphone applications.

and i sit in stillness and listen.  

i soak in the goodness surrounding me through my senses.  

i review my created retreat booklet for the weekend before me.  

i am centered and whole.

and i find a moment to see what is full and what needs release. 

 i am present to myself before turning and returning to the cottage to be fully present to others.  

life stories: beach memories.

morning walking on the beach is a pure delight.

especially when the beach is all yours.

and the sun rises. the waves move. 

what you see is light and goodness. 

and signs that life is present. 

life stories: while on retreat.

when going on retreat, i want to be prepared with a good book & a magazine (or 5).  

the space down to the pillows was a retreat in itself!

i want to enjoy yummy treats made by local hands.  a delicious she crab soup was so good with the sand still on my toes from a walk to the resturant.

add the experience of a super full moon that lights up the night time sky was an unexpected delight. a moon that rose in copper and pink hues only to rise higher and light the water with its silvery pure goodness.  deep peace of the moon to you! 

and the tastes of creativity shared among good folks. 

there's room for me in this space.  

life stories: the work of our hands retreat

gathered among women, sharing stoires. 

sharing laughter, sharing tears. 

sharing food and laughter. walking the beach, watching the moon. 

witnessing the sun set. 

using our hands to create, even though that may not come natural.  

working from spaces of vunerability, we share what comes from within. 

our hands touch the work we create. we care for our hands as we create 

and bless one another as we witness such creations. 

clothespins hold pure goodness. shared stories in color and image. 

a table set for worship. a table set to feast. a table that has been prepared 

after we have blessed each others hands, holding them 

and looking into each other's eyes. sharing words and breathing together, 

we share words that affirm and bless.  we share stories of how these hands 

have held our own, bringing blessing to our life and blessing to others.  

we witness the work of our hands and each other's hands. 

this retreat was such a spirit-filled experience.  

i will continue to reflect on this meaningful time among sacred souls for weeks and months to come.  

[to schedule me for a reteat in your space of the world, please contact me for more details. 

visit the full site for more information.}

life stories: celebrating 60 years!

a few weeks ago we drove outside of Mari0n, VA to a lovely log cabin to celebrate the 60th anniversary of my love's grandparents. four generations from three states gathered around the table and around the fire to laugh, tell stories, eat, and enjoy each other's company. it was a delightful weekend spent together. the hike my love and i enjoyed was lovely. there was so much to celebrate. we celebrated love.

life stories: always remembering.

there are times when we break bread together, sharing our stories, hopes, and hurts. there are times when we drink together, doing the same and also adding laughter and love.

i've been thinking a bit about confession & communion through deitrich bonhoeffer's life together as i've prepared a creative worship service for VA ministers attending an overnight retreat.

i think about how we hold ourselves back from others, whether in protection, fear, or routine. i think about how we carry hurts and wounds far longer than we ought. i think about the places for healing that shape us in our lives of caring for others. healing that takes place through tree branches, light, and color. my mind wanders over the landscape of memory to recall those i have hurt, held myself arm's length of, those i've misunderstood.

changing the vantage point, the space where i view the road traveled, i am given hope. we are all becoming. in the spaces of living, of being present, we are blooming into being. we are given the chance to become new again and again.

each day i awake to possibility. when i listen to inner wisdom, when i am present to myself, when i am fully attentive to the present moment, when i am seeking, when i am centering, when i am becoming mindful of those around me, i am living fully. there will always be difficult moments. there will be argumentative folks, negative folks, disagreeing folks. there will always be the other choice, the other road, the other response. breathe in, breathe out. move on.

again and again we return to breaking the bread, sharing the meal together with stories, hopes, and hurts. we share the cup and add laughter and love. we offer ourselves to one another and we are fully present to this moment, this body, this space. we can become for ourselves and one another the healing that we each need.

my theology always returns to a theology of presence. who are you present to in this moment?

draw in a deep breath, breathing in love for yourself. draw in a deep breath, exhaling the love from within sharing it to those that surround you.

life stories: bread making + rest, 2

in the between spaces of playing in the snow, attending worship, being fed, and leading workshops, i admired the beauty surrounding us. i drank it in. having both water and mountains and trees all present in one view does a soul well. my inner well was filled up over the holidays among my loves and my soul friend. my well runs into the roots of my toes, which often soak in the goodness that my feet stand upon. sometimes that goodness is in your company, through your good words, and in the energy of the space surrounding me. here are glimpses of the still, yet moving moments that spoke to my soul through the recent retreat at Montreat.

snow seen on the mountain and lake is so, so lovely.

seeing the flakes fall, wondering how the drive will be. mostly experiencing the wonder of snow fall.

a good mug of ceylon tea at the table with my boy. a morning ritual i've grown accustom.

there's nothing quite like the sun peaking above the mountain, saying "hello" to the day. my eyes reach up to meet the morning with a glance, drinking in this good light.

and there's a sweet boy nearby, enjoying the window seating by the tree decorated with woodland sights + sparkles. enjoying these moments. celebrating such a good time together.

life stories: bread making + rest

with my retro sunglasses on and a spring in my step, i moved through the between spaces of retreat with my sweet boy. between sharing the spirituality of bread making and baking bread for communion among these generous folks, my sweet boy and i played a bit.

i admired the landscape in it's monotone story, noting the trees, the snow, and the mountains.

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i admired my boy and his determined steps. playing on the playground in the snow in his new red boots. he's a cool one, my boy.

i played with this whole "self portrait" phase of mine while on the playground. i feel a bit like a mother bee in these sunglasses, one of my favorite shades of green. they'll do.

and my boy knows about pictures of feet. we were standing together and i couldn't resist. he became playful, placing his toes over mine. i dig it.

time in the mountains at Montreat was sacred. each experience of teaching one another through sacred practices was felt: both outwardly and within. i am amazed that even hours after leading, folks were emailing and commenting in person about how much the spirituality of bread making spoke to them and about how i spoke to them. i am so pleased to be living my call to create in these ways. i love, love the life i'm leading.

now to just get ahold of those pesky pieces of really building my own practices of saving for retirement, filling in the gaps that ministry in a structured organization "might" provide, and continue spreading the good word that i am looking for more opportunities to share (retreats, workshops, small group facilitation in the studio and on traveling). thankful to live fully, one step at a time.

*wish full artist retreat* giveaway

for so long i've enjoyed reading the wish studio. i'll look forward to catching up on so much goodness over the winter months, including blogs whose posts fill my cup as i sip something hot, enjoying their goodness and wisdom.

the wish studio is offering a very special giveaway for a chance of one of three packages of goodness, including the THIS MOMENT e-course. i highly recommend you go on over, post a comment, and spread the word.

you can also register for mindy's THIS MOMENT e-course beginning in january 2011 for a $25 special until the 25th of December. i've registered. you should, too!

in the studio: works in process

aah. printing a freshly completed block print.

a prayer for a fertile land. ©suzanne l. vinson, 2010.

canvases in three sizes in process. each contain a layer of acrylic paints.

atop that vintage laces & one with layered ink drawings. more to come...

two more canvases containing the base layer of acrylic paints and an additional layer of vintage lace. the lace adds such a lovely element. i could stop here and enjoy these, but they are on a journey. more to come...

art+spirit: a session of birth art

long ago, before the birth of her first child, my friend E asked me to create a time of art with her. she knew of my work with creativity and arts, combining art & spirituality into experiences that bring meaning & healing. i was honored.

again she asked and i answered YES! we sat in two sessions. we shared and i crafted a guided image for her needs & desires to meet fears. she stilled herself and became present to her journey though art:

session one.

the finished piece: a tryptic with oil flowing, pouring,

and resting on the sweet one to be born,

held now and always by her mother.

each instance of creative expression both causes me to hold my breath and gives me life by the life sustaining breaths i do inhale. i love witnessing the creativity of others. in this time of birth art, E. is birthing creativity in the same moments new life is formed within her. what a gift of sharing and expression. she has given me permission to share this with you. enjoy.

weekend retreat: green spaces & trees

returning after creating space on the edge of a mountain for creative rest, silence, renewal, and peace. guiding myself and others into this process with the Creative Spirit, receiving goodness from their presence. eating good, wholesome, local foods prepared by a culinary artist. truly, truly a good time away. thankful for these opportunities to lead, using the gifts given to me through my ancestors and life's experiences. thankful to my loves for giving me the space to go and the space to return.

she is to be remembered

she was made alongside others, alongside women. we retreated from the world, kicking the dust off our feet at the door. we met in a circle of chairs in the chapel, sacred space. each moment was pulling us closer together, closer to our focus. each space of time was like moving into the inner circle, into the sacred circle.

through her i'll remember the comments from women i have known during my first master's & on staff at this church lo those years ago. a selection here:

i am so proud of you.

i'm excited! listing to you and being with you i was thinking, "this is suzanne in HER element!"

you're so comfortable to be around. you have such an easy-going spirit.

you are certainly called to minister to women.

your words touched me. they were just what i needed to hear.

my habit is not to truly allow these words to sink in from others, so i'm record them here as a reminder. i must see them, recognize the words and allow them to reach my toes with their warmth. of course, there were many comments, hugs, a few tears, and lots of affirmation & acknowledgements. i trust that the spirit of God was at work in our time together, lending our gifts & deepest needs to meet in the safety & sacredness of the space. my first retreat in a monastery. delightful.

and to boot: the workings of a new retreat a few months in the making have really been coming together in thought with word and writing. i am thankful for so much: for a more relaxed time in my childhood home, for creative spaces, for kindred spirits, for time at retreat, for lunch with a best friend, and for all the moments that add up to this. the creative spaces are at work.

may the blessings you receive from others be a light to hold up: a light that shines your strength, beauty, and joy in the spaces of your life where light is needed. be the mirror for those who offer that strength, beauty, and joy to the world. you are a gift. your presence is a gift.

it's just that time

it's that time to rest, renew, and reflect. (couldn't resist the alliteration. promise-i'm finished.) this weekend's concert tickets are in hand. my subtle suggestion of dinner at MeKong will be presented to the hubs tomorrow. we'll enjoy this fine fall weather and good food here at home, too. short & sweet words today.

thankful for all who came to the Ashland Trunk Show. we enjoyed ourselves there and i ended up with a new wholesale account. lots of good art & folks to meet. love being around kindred spirits. and i think i had my best display yet. no worries--more to come with three shows in richmond & etsy listings on the way. but not today. or tomorrow. or the next day. this weekend is for me and the family. good times.