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Watering The Flowers

Untitled design (1)I started carrying my cell phone with me when it’s my turn to water the flowers.

Mind you, not so I wouldn’t miss a call.

No, I carried the phone to use the camera. I needed to turn the chore of watering into something I would enjoy.

Taking pictures forced me to slow down, concentrate, and enjoy the view.

Using Instagram I turn each photograph into my own little creation.

Now I look forward to watering the flowers.

But, don’t tell my wife, she may want her turn at watering back. I think it’s best if we just let her think I’m a good guy shouldering all the watering work.

Grab your phone next time you head outside. Silence the phone, and turn on the camera.

In my book, a camera phone plus Instagram equals Good Soul Stuff!

Gotta go – the flowers are looking thirsty!

RG

 

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Dr. Wayne Dyer’s Memoir

Dr DyerI think I have read every book Dr. Dyer has ever published – some more than once.

In I can See Clearly Now, Dr. Dyer takes us on his life’s journey. He reveals and interprets the lessons that have led to the 40+ amazing inspirational books he has shared over the last four decades.

If you have never read Dr. Dyer, this is an excellent introduction to an amazing man.

If you are a long-time fan, you will enjoy the trip down memory lane as well as all the life lessons Dr. Dyer weaves into his life story.

Dr. Dyers words are truly life changing.

I bought the Kindle version of I Can See Clearly Now from Amazon.

 

 

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What A Way To Live…

What a pleasant surprise…

lymanwod

I thought I bought a business book, and it is that, but it’s also so much more.

What a Way to Live and Make a Living–The Lyman P. Wood Story, is really a guide to living life on your own terms.

Oh sure, this is a first-rate how-to book on direct mail and direct mail advertising.

The surprise is as you read you realize Mr. Wood is providing a blueprint for living a self-sufficient lifestyle based on five principles:

  1. Be Thankful Always
  2. Be Giving Always
  3. Be Forgiving Always
  4. Be Self-helpful Always
  5. Be Faithful Always

These five principles are described in detail in Chapter 12, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” For me this chapter alone was worth the price of the book,

If you are interested in some sage business advice from a man credited with fostering $500 million dollars a year in industry for Vermont (1993 Dollars), all while living a self-sufficient life away from the hustle and pressure of big-city business, then I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book while it’s still in print.

I got mine from Amazon.

The Lyman P. Wood Story — Good Soul Stuff for sure!

All the best,

Randy

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Let The Frenzy Begin

FRENZY on the LA 405
Fine Art Photography at SourceLightImages.com

Most days it seems like life is nothing but a race to get from one day to the next. Everyone’s to-do list is too long. Days blur together as we struggle to get it all done.

Perhaps the busiest time of year is just around the corner. The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday—the busiest shopping day of the year—and the beginning of all the holiday madness.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic will wind into overcrowded store parking lots. Elbow-to-elbow, frantic bargain hunters will be rushing to nab door-buster discounts.

Everyone will be flying around in a frenzy preparing for the holidays.

Frenzy on the Los Angeles 405 illustrates the feeling I get when I feel trapped by too much to do with too little time to get it all done. I created this image at just such a hectic moment. Trapped in an automobile rushing down the freeway alongside a few thousand fellow humans in a hurry to be somewhere else.

Frantic patterns of light form when headlights and taillights dart, swerve, start and stop outlining our efforts to get one car length closer to our destination.

There I was, hanging out the passenger side window, camera in hand, doing what a photographer does. (Read the full story here.)

I find it strange, but now when I look at Frenzy on the LA 405 I no longer see the “frenzy.” Now I see beautiful patterns of light. And I am reminded that all the folks represented by those lights were just trying to get from point A to point B—just like me.

As we approach this busy holiday season I hope you find some time to relax and enjoy all the people that bring meaning to your life. Maybe even give a little friendly wave to the driver stuck in traffic next to you on Black Friday.

Remember all that frenzy consists of people just like you—on the run, getting it done. If you’re like me, and you need a little reminder now and again, you can get your copy of Frenzy on the LA 405 here. It’s a reminder we are all in this together—and it’ll look great on your wall!

All the best,

Randy

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Allowing Abundance

Allowing Abundance
Fine Art Photograph by Randy Grosse

Far and away my favorite self-development author is Dr. Wayne Dyer.

The following passage is from Chapter 10 in his book, “The Power of Intention.” The chapter is titled, “It Is My Intention To: Feel Successful And Attract Abundance Into My Life.”

Step 1: See the world as an abundant, providing, friendly place.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. When you see the world as abundant and friendly, your intentions are genuine possibilities. They will, in fact, become a certainty, because your world will be experienced from the higher frequencies. In this first step, you’re receptive to a world that provides rather than restricts. You’ll see a world that wants you to be successful and abundant, rather than one that conspires against you.

 “The Power of Intention” by Wayne Dyer, published by Hay House.

 

My photograph, “Allowing Abundance” helps me to visualize Wayne’s words in action. You can interpret this image in two ways. You can see an avalanche of gold flowing down and filling your cup with whatever blessings you desire.

Or if you reverse the top and bottom of the image you can see the avalanche of abundance flowing away from you, leaving your cup empty and desolate.

A large print of “Allowing Abundance” hangs in a conspicuous area of my home where I see it often. I need to constantly remind myself to stay positive and remain in a state of allowing. I can choose to see a world that is unfair and my life lacking, or a world that is abundant and full of genuine possibilities.

Abundance is waiting for all of us in all areas of our lives. As Wayne says, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

I highly recommend Dr. Dyers book. The Power of Intention is available at bookstores or directly from Hay House.

Prints of my fine art photograph, “Allowing Abundance” are available here.

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Imagination…

IMAGINATION: Sunflower 01

What If You Slept

What if you slept

And what if

In your sleep

You dreamed

And what if

In your dream

You went to heaven

And there plucked a strange and beautiful flower

And what if

When you awoke

You had that flower in you hand

Ah, what then?

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE (1772-1834)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, as he so beautifully illustrated in this poem, believed in the power of imagination.

As an artist, the first step in creation is always imagination. To bring a concept or visualization into reality is truly a gift shared by all of humanity.

Take a moment to read the poem again. Then sit back, relax, and ask yourself, “Ah, what then?”

For me my photograph, “Imagination: Sunflower 01”, is a symbol of imagination. This unusual flower with its beautiful colors, shapes and textures is evidence of an imagination far greater than mine.

Prints are available here.

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The Mind Grows Heated

The Mind Grows Heated

The Mind Grows Heated… Glass Works 22

The Color Red… Vitality—Courage—Strength

Red stirs our emotions, stimulates us to action, and fills us with energy.

The Mind Grows Heated is my tribute to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Goethe is acknowledged as one of the true giants of creativity. I am inspired by his poem, Lose This Day Loitering. Specifically the lines…

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Only engage, and then the mind grows heated –

Begin it, and then the work will be completed!

In this image I see the mind conceiving ideas that glow red-hot, longing to complete the journey from thought to reality. Goethe’s legendary list of achievements are proof his ideas often completed the journey to fruition.

I for one wish I could find the discipline to follow his advice. I think of this image each time I’m tempted to “Lose this day loitering,” rather than to “Begin it, and then the work will be completed.”

The Mind Grows Heated is available as a 16×24 inch fine art print from SourceLightImages.

Here is Goethe’s complete poem…

Lose This Day Loitering

Lose this day loitering – ’twill be the same story

To-morrow – and the next more dilatory;

Each indecision brings its own delays,

And days are lost lamenting o’er lost days,

Are you in earnest? sieze this very minute –

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Only engage, and then the mind grows heated –

Begin it, and then the work will be completed!

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749 – 1832)

Passage from Faust

Translated by John Anster

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The Universe Responds

One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Wayne Dyer goes as follows, ” No matter what the circumstances or obstacles, once you draft the dream, the way can be cleared and the universe responds, and works with you to manifest the dream into a reality.”

This image, Glass Works 08 — The Universe Responds — is my vision of a dream churning about in the universe as it prepares to manifest.

The Universe Responds

I chose the color the blue as the dominant color for this image. Blue symbolizes trust, wisdom, intelligence, faith, and truth.

Blue is also the color of spirituality and thought; both seemingly necessary ingredients for a universe to manifest a dream.

My wish for you is that the universe responds to whatever dream you draft.

Prints of Glass Works 08 — The Universe Responds are available here.

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The Color Yellow… Warmth—Joy—Awakening

The Color Yellow

Yellow, the color of sunlight and warmth symbolizes an awakening of the intellect, and is associated with patience, tolerance and loyalty.

Yellow is energetic, uplifting and light-hearted.

In mythology yellow is Apollo’s color, the god of light and knowledge.

Yellow artwork in your environment will increase energy and stimulate creative thoughts.

Colors are known to invoke an emotional response, impact mood, and even have healing powers.

As a photographer, I challenged myself to create images that featured a dominant color chosen for its beneficial characteristics.

The photograph Glass Works 23 features the warmth of the color yellow accented with tranquil and comforting hues of blue and green.

For a closer look at a larger version of this photograph, plus more color-themed images, please follow the links below.

Stay tuned—I’ll be featuring more images and their good-for-the-soul color characteristics in future posts.

Glass Works 23

View more of Randy’s photography at www.RandyGrosse.com