Kilauea Volcano on the island of Hawaii has been "actively-active" since 1983. It’s in the news today because it’s created a new path of eruption, disrupting lives and claiming homes.

I first experienced the majesty of Kilauea in January 2000, during my first trip to the islands.

I painted this oil of my friend Kit at the volcano after that first trip.

Watching lava move across the land is like watching an otherworldly life force. The energy is palpable, HOT, magical, and very, VERY alive.

Pele in "She Walks the Earth"

Five volcanoes make up the big island of Hawaii. Kilauea is the busiest of the three active volcanoes.

You might wonder why anyone lives on or near an active volcano. The answer is not as simple as you might think.

Pele as "Birth of an Island"

The islands have been inhabited for about 1,500 years. (Westerners first arrived about 240 years ago; we’re the “newbies”.)

Generations of families have grown up on all of the islands. This is HOME to them. This is not their first rodeo — or their first volcano-induced evacuation.

You might as well wonder why people live in northern climates of WI or Canada or the heat and bugs of the Deep South or even in North Korea.

We are people of the lands that call to us, that welcome us, the lands that we know and love; often the lands where we grow up.

The people living on Hawaii Island have a strong, sincere reverence for the land and the sea they call home.

Time and again I’ve heard those displaced by the volcano accept their fate with dignity, faith, and an understanding that most would find astonishing.

"Pono"

Most indigenous cultures understand that the land doesn’t really belong to us.

Madam Pele (the goddess of the volcano) shows her hand by continuing to create this land before our very eyes and in our midst. She has exclusive rights and we must accept her creative whims.

The Art of Aloha Creative Cruise this August will stop in Hilo for a day before sailing around the southern tip of Hawaii Island to dock in Kona the next day.

Pele claimed most of the southern tip of Hawaii Island awhile back. Those of us on the cruise were hoping to see her spill into the ocean there. None of us want to see homes ravaged by lava.

We have room for two more people on this very special island cruise. If the islands are calling to you, please act today! Click HERE

I promise a trip you’ll always remember.
The Spirit of the Land is tangible here.

If you want an infusion of creativity and trust that we will continue to survive and even thrive during any upheaval in life, this trip is for you!

Each week I write a weekly summit. I list my “Ta-Dahs” (accomplishments), my “things not done”, my AHAs, and things to do in the week ahead.

The ribbons denote my special accomplishments

To further keep myself focused, I record my deeds each day — it’s too easy to forget that I’ve done much of anything unless I record it.

Still, something’s missing. I can tell by the empty feeling that remains.

Purpose! The “why I’m doing or not doing something” matters. I long for a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Yes, this truly IS a “first world issue”. My basic needs are met. I have food, water, fresh air, and shelter. I reach for meaning.

I seek happy accidents too.

"Don't Fence Me In" has been languishing in my flat files for a while — I finally finished it.

I chase the magic of wonder and discovery with each brush stroke.

Maybe that’s why I allow my paintings to linger rather than rushing to finish them.

Painting is a process of unfolding to all that the painting has to offer. I don’t want to rush it (and possibly miss it) by moving too quickly.

My brush strokes are applied quickly with a bold assurance that I may or may not feel.
Then I wait.

“Only paint what you know to paint” is one of my regular mantras to myself and to my students.

This means watching your painting and waiting.

Wait to paint until you’re moved to paint the way you’re moved to eat when hungry.

For some, the art of putting paint on paper or canvas is reason enough to paint.

Another painting that might be finished, was waiting for me in my flat files.

I want more. I want to feel enriched, enlivened by what the painting reveals to me through the process.

I look to the world in a similar way.

When I go for a walk, I look for clues that I belong in this world and on this walk.

A heart-shaped rock, a piece of coral, or a swirl in a tree, sends me love from the universe.

The cracks in the sidewalk remind me of a circus act or a tightrope walker and I’m cheered on to entrust my soul to the divine for another day, another painting.

Am I blessed or cursed to have this outlook? That depends on how aware I am each day and how I interpret what I see and feel.

Keeping a sunny outlook depends on me doing my inner work daily.

And knowing that some of my days are diamonds and some are rust. Just like everyone else’s.

I took a yoga class on January 2nd with a new teacher. Soraya teaches Kundalini yoga, using a gong and card decks to add dimension to the class. She mentioned that 2018, in numerology, is a year of Mastery.

Mastery sounds extremely important on the surface.

Mastery is fluid. It’s not easily pinned down, nor is it an endpoint.

Still, a year of mastery sounds exciting and I quickly thought, "This could be MY Year”! Whatever that means.

As Soraya guided us in a meditation, I felt blue butterflies encircling my head. Could this be a sign of Mastery? After all, butterflies have transformed from caterpillars into an entirely new state of being.

Did you know that while in the cocoon, caterpillars turn into a messy goo that resembles neither a caterpillar nor a butterfly? If the process is interrupted, the butterfly never forms.

Similarly, if the cocoon or chrysalis is tampered with while the butterfly is emerging, the wings are deprived of nutrients and never fully form. The struggle to emerge is essential to the proper growth of strong wings.

All this is a preamble to my latest Tree Diva: Mastery and Mystery. She was first imagined in that January yoga class.

I began painting her January 10th, a day that was filled with frustration. I knew I wanted to begin this painting and I was afraid to start — how could I possibly live up to her potential?

I felt frustrated and frenzied. My time was tugged in different directions by tasks that “had to be done” that day.

I finally shoved paperwork out of my way and just began to draw her — with my eyes closed (that’s a first). I started with her left arm; I wanted her energy to enliven the painting right from the start.

Of course, I erased and redrew parts of her before I was ready to paint, but for the most part, she came together smoothly.

I was excited to see her healthy root structure! This is the first time a tree diva’s roots are showing.

Having a strong foundation is essential for life.

I recently started to work with a personal trainer at the gym. I’ve been experiencing some problems with my right hip and decided this is the next step in my healing process.

My first goal at the gym is to strengthen my legs (my roots). I’ll continue to take yoga classes as well to maintain and enhance my flexibility. Both are necessary for continued vitality.

Reaching a goal once is not Mastery!

Replicating our achievements more than once, and then moving our target out just a little further, keeps us moving toward mastery.

I’m not ready to claim mastery, and will continue to work with the mysteries of life.

I love the magic!

I broke a tooth last week — no pain, just a broken tooth; so I went to the dentist.

When I arrived, I was asked to sign a warranty. I haven’t had major dental work done in years so this was new to me.

The warranty included stipulations about the patient holding up their end of the bargain — like having check-ups twice a year.

This got me thinking about having my own personal warranty.

How do I ensure that my outlook stays “sunny” or that my body functions optimally? What good habits do I have in place and what habits might need updating?

My morning ritual is to read something uplifting and then to write in my journal. I've recently added writing to my Inner Wise Self as well.

After that my days are a bit scattered. No two days are alike. Some days I teach in the morning, some days I teach in the afternoons. Some days I sell art at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Some days I run errands, or have a coaching call, or do paperwork, or marketing.

How would it feel to create a tighter schedule for myself? "Scary, icky, no thank you", are my initial reactions.

I have lots of excuses for NOT creating a tight schedule: I like my freedom; I prefer to “go with the flow”; I don’t like being hemmed in; I’m a “Horse” (Chinese Astrology) and a quadruple Aquarian (Western Astrology).

I believe in small changes, so I’ll start small. I'll begin by setting my timer so that I don’t spend more than 20 minutes at a time on email or Facebook.

WIN! I can do that easily!

Another change I can make is to consciously set intentions for myself, both for the entire day and for short segments of time throughout the day.

For example, I intend to paint with abandon and joy in my heart. OR I intend to feel joyful as I do x, y, and z (those tasks less fun than painting).

Setting intentions creates a roadmap for the day.

By consciously setting our intentions, we have increased awareness of the processes in which we engage.

Set your intentions in the present tense. Start with the way you intend to feel today, or the way you’ll feel when a task in front of you is completed. Focus on whichever of those feelings feels best.

Intentions can be a bit of a reach, but only a bit. You want them to be believable!

Now that the Art of Aloha Cruise: Discovering Paradise Inside and Out is open for sign-up, we're beginning to set our intentions for the cruise — private, personal, and group intentions.

The energy is building to make this an exciting journey for all of us.

There's room and time for you to join us. Click HERE to download the pdf file of information. Fill out the last two pages and follow the directions to enroll. Please email me if you have any questions. Please note: To fill in the registration form on a computer you will need to use Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) or Adobe Acrobat.