this is the day

a somber day.


a day of confronting ghosts from the past.

a day of healing.

new moon yantra

i volunteered to make the yantra for a new moon celebration. it represents kali ma.

"The Goddess Kali Ma is the supreme feminine manifestation of compassion as she frees us from the prison of our own ego." - http://www.goddess-kali-ma.com/

"The Yantra is a geometric symbol existing in the external world as well as a subject to be internalized within human consciousness. Kali is the Hindu Goddess of time, of change. She is the power of action, of the breath and of transformation (kriya-shakti). Kali's essence is Divine Love. Through time, breath and Divine Love all things are accomplished. If we surrender to Her essence, She creates the energy and all is possible. The Kali Yantra, then, contains within it the transformative energy of change." - http://www.towardstillness.com/kali.htm






acrylic on cardboard

top models

cheryl wanted to surprise her best friend with an "america's next top model" themed bachelorette party and asked if i would do the honors of being the photographer. i don't think any of us knew what to expect but i would have to say that this is definitely an awesome idea if you're not into the traditional stripper/bar crawl gig. the "tyra mail" was even written like a top secret mission letter. how fun is that?!?!
it was good laughs and great images. thanks ladies for a memorable shoot!































book me today for your Top Model themed shoot!

planet zitron

the zitron family portrait shoot was a blast. they biked a lot this year and thought it'd be fun to send a family portrait of them on their bikes (including their min pin sophie of course) as a holiday greeting postcard. i'm anxious to see which one she uses.

i posted a small fraction of all the cuteness. enjoy!

soulicious cafe

it's been so long since i've been to an open mic. stef, invited us to see her "spit fiyaaaah!" along with a few other good friends. i love the facial expressions i catch when folks are so focused on what they're presenting.








open mic @ soulicious cafe, norfolk, va every wednesday night around 8:30pm-ish

earthsong

"The spiritual journey does not consist in arriving at a new destination where a person gains what he did not have, or becomes what he is not. It consists in the dissipation of one's own ignorance concerning one's self and life, and the gradual growth of that understanding which begins the spiritual awakening. The finding of God is a coming to one's self." - Aldous Huxley


me, elle and nay went to Earthsong in Stuart, VA. i can't even begin to tell the story of our adventures there. maybe it'll transpire in a graphic novel. a story about three unsuspecting women traveling to the mountains that discover their super powers under the new moon to help humankind. hmmmmmm. maybe. so for now, i'll tell the story through the images i took while we were there.


here is a list of things i experienced during our stay:

- ate some yellow wood sorrel. "nature's candy" - cameron
- learned about tulsi basil, heal-all and lambsquarters
- i heart air potatoes.
- we harvested sweet potatoes.
- seeing sooooo many stars under the new moon sky while being absorbed in the quietness of mama nature.
- gathered black walnuts


- meditated in the dharma hall
- met sasafras trees and sour wood
- white pine needles have medicinal properties
- i discovered the "alien plant" in my back yard is a pokeberry which is toxic and invasive
- i learned the term "invasive"


- shared stories and culture with cameron, emily and summer
- taught summer how to play the kubing and appointed her the kubing teacher
- played the djembe drum and rocked out
- helped build fires to keep us warm
- met the crystal singing bowl


- drank lots of yummy hot teas
- bid the sun farewell at sunset and said "thank you for your presence."



many thanks to cameron, emily, summer and uni for a our first memorable experience at earthsong.

for more images at Earthsong in my facebook album
CLICK ===> HERE <===

Also, for more info about about Earthsong go to www.earthsongretreat.org

rice

here are some images i took of rice farmers doing there thing in Bataan, Philippines rain or shine.


i had flashbacks of Jet Li in Huo Yuan Jia. remember to enjoy the breeze when it comes your way for it's part of the journey.



palay [pah-lie] is unpolished rice. this palay was being dried out in the sun on the super roman highway near where my parents live.

silence speaks

“See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...we need silence to be able to touch souls.” - Mother Teresa