Tag: new moon

My First-Time Show in Flagstaff at the May Artwalk

~ Holly Troy ~ 4 Comments

It’s happening – my work will be on exhibit as part of a group show called Mama Terra with the Matter(s) Collective on May 6 at b.e Yoga in downtown Flagstaff.

How the Matter(s) Collective came about

mullien © 2016 Holly TroyArtBox participants were split into two groups and tasked to create pop-up gallery events to take place in May. It quickly became clear that while our art differs in media and style, all the members of my ensemble have a passion for nature. It also happens that our show falls the weekend of Mother’s Day – so – the Mama Terra (Mother Earth) exhibit and the Matter(s) Collective (matter is Latin for mother, it’s a play on the planet as our life source, matter is earthly, and finally – matters are issues, particularly those dealing with the environment) were born.

Details on the Show

On Friday, May 6, the Matter(s) Collective, a group of nine artists will be presenting a multimedia art exhibit, Mama Terra, in celebration of Mother Earth. The exhibit will be held during the First Friday Artwalk at b.e. Yoga Center, 9 N. Leroux St. from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.  Mama Terra will also commemorate b.e. Yoga Center’s grand opening—enjoy live music, refreshments, and creative play with artist-designed postcards to color and keep or send for Mother’s Day.

Spring is the time to honor Mother – and Mother Earth. The Matter(s) Collective brings together artists from Flagstaff, Winslow, and the Hopilands as they champion Mama Terra! The exhibit will feature book art, botanical illustration, photography, paintings, fiber art, and sculpted metal works that highlight the beauty, inspiration, and solace that we find in the natural world. As participants of the Flagstaff Art’s Council 2016 ArtBox Institute, the Matter(s) Collective explores community, creativity, and how art contributes to the sustainability of ourselves, our communities, and our planet.

Matter(s) Collective members (alphabetical):

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I haven’t been out to play so much these last couple of months — I’ve been busy putting together this show and painting in my little studio. I’ll be ready to celebrate by the May 6th First Friday Artwalk (which also happens to be the Taurus New Moon, perfect for new beginnings having to do with art and beauty) – so pop in and say “hello” – I’d love to see you.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Taurus New Moon and New Beginnings

~ Holly Troy ~ 6 Comments

The New Moon in Taurus is coming up on Monday, May 18th. I came across this article I wrote for Deer Spirit Reiki News back in 2009 and it still rings true – take some time out to set intentions, Taurus New Moon is fertile.

Springtime New Beginnings – Open Heart, Open Possibilities
by Holly Troy

Namaste ~

It’s the New Moon in Taurus and springtime in the northern hemisphere.Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, which is associated with love and beauty — and spring is a time of new beginnings, a reconnection with Mother Earth and green things, blossoming flowers, and flowing water. We want to be outside, to enjoy fresh air and the lengthening days, and to daydream.

Now is a wonderful time to connect with the heart center and with the planet. You may feel yourself coming to life after being dormant all winter.It’s a time to start moving and allowing your dreams to take physical shape.

Some good questions to ask yourself:

What have I been longing for?
What have I been putting off for a better time?
What do I dream about?

A great way to know the answers to these questions is to check in with your body. If they are true for you (not a “should” answer, but a real “personal truth”), then it will resonate with your heart, or your 4th chakra.

The 4th chakra is the core of our entire energy system. The French word for heart is coeur, Spanish is corazon – heart comes from the root for core. It is the fulcrum between the material world and the spiritual world. Its element is air, its principle is balance. In order to live, we need to breathe. When we take the time to pay attention to our breath, we invite our bodies to relax and our spirits to gently be known.

The heart is where we discover our emotional nature in relation to ourselves alone. (It is here where we also realize that we, ourselves alone, are really the whole world. As I inhale and exhale, I exchange the air with everything that inhales and exhales — you, animals, plants . . . it gets huge when you think about it) In the big picture, nature is always balancing itself. Bringing it back down to ourselves (knowing that we are connected to everything), we must at some point ask ourselves, “How do I achieve balance in my life?”

big clouds (c) 2014 Holly TroyThe heart takes the passion of the first three chakras and moves it to a place of compassion. It takes raw energy of the spirit and refines it, softens it, gives it an anchor.

Today is a day to make wishes. What would you like to see happen in your life in the next month? In the next year? 5 years? 10 years? It’s time to take stock and put some intentions out there.

While the moon is dark, as it begins to become bright, notice how your life is moving. I love the moon – although it is considered more of a “subconscious” planet, its phases help me to become more conscious and aware of the cycles of my own life, and, how I’d like to navigate those cycles.

When I set goals or intentions, I like to start out way down the road. What do I want in the next 5 or 10 years – no matter what state my life is like today? I like to dream BIG — the bigger the better. So, my dreams may seem impossible, but I have fun with it. Then, taking it to three years, what have I done to move toward that? then 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, 1 month – 1 week. What can I do today? What am I willing to let the universe take care of? I write it out as if everything I’ve ever wanted has already happened – and then, I let it go.

If you are in a place where you feel stuck and can only think of what you don’t want, then make a list of what you don’t want. Then, one by one, next to each item, write out the opposite of what you don’t want, and chances are you’ll be moving toward what you DO want. Check in with your heart — if it’s feeling lighter or larger or warmer or good, you are on the right track! Just by imagining something different for yourself, you’ll feel better.

If you want to make some wishes, hurray! Throw some tobacco in the wind, run and play in the springtime flowers, pour out love, bless everything you see. Give thanks as if you’ve already received everything you’ve ever wanted.

Feel good today and open yourself to feeling good tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow . . .

Blessings,
Holly

self-portrait with blue hat (c) 2015 Holly Troy

Discovering – “The Magic of Asking”

~ Holly Troy

I came across The Magic of Asking – by Truth Warrior. It is timely as we are coming to a New Moon Solar Eclipse on the North Node in Scorpio (check out Anne Ortelee’s Weekly Weather Pocast for the week of October 19th) – a truly magical time for asking and setting intentions.

Most of us want to improve some area of our lives, however at times this can be easier said than done. They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This is very true. Another definition could also be asking the same questions over and over again and expecting a different result.  I was reflecting to myself the other day, on the importance of asking ourselves the right questions.

Truth Warrior has positive suggestion and helpful ideas. To check out the rest of the article and get suggestions on asking effective questions, go here . . . 

Aspen on the Schultz Creek Trail (c) 2014 Holly TroyHave a great day!

Om shanti ~

Holly

New Moon (Practical) Magic

~ Holly Troy ~ 11 Comments

I borrowed this post from one of my workshops. The exercise was based on writing and using the energy of the new moon. Tomorrow is the New Moon – why not use its energy? If you don’t have a ritual that you already do, give this one a try . . . 

We are going to try an experiment with this session of Writing the Energetic Body. Rather than beginning from the ground up, at the Root Chakra, we are going to start from the sky down, at the Crown. Why? because I have been finding that many participants freeze up once we get to the Throat or Fifth Chakra. The first few chakras tend to deal with the past, and for many of us, the past was not the safest place. The Fifth Chakra deals with issues of trust, one’s calling in life, personal truth, and justice. I wonder if the response to fifth chakra issues would be different if we began exploring from a place of our dreams and our life’s vision. (Note: Since trying this, I have discovered that participants do have an easier time working from the Crown to the Root).

Tonight is a new moon. For tonight, or, for the next two nights, it is a good time to set intentions. I propose an intention setting exercise this evening.

A few years ago I learned an exercise (based on an Abraham Hicks teaching) similar to the one I am presenting here while I was going through a particularly tough time in my life. I found it to be very helpful, and I did it many times on or around the new moon. This is my own version of the exercise.

You could focus on something specific, say, with what you’d like to get out of your writing and/or creative work. You could also focus on career, relationships (could be with people, money, creativity, etc.), prosperity, recreation, your environment, a specific project – anything in your life that you feel might need some focus.

If you can’t think of anything you’d like, that’s ok, too, because this exercise begins with what you don’t like or don’t want anyway.

For each part of this exercise, please write for 10 minutes.

Part 1
Choose a topic you’d like to focus on. On top of your page write, “I don’t want . . . ” and then just list what you don’t want. To give you some ideas, there may be things that are happening in your life right now about this particular subject that you just don’t like. Write that down. Or, you may have fears about what may come up if you start doing or having what you want. Write all the don’ts, can’ts, shouldn’ts, won’ts down for the next 10 minutes.

If you can’t think about a particular topic, just write about what you’d like to let go of in general.

Once you are done, stand up and lift your arms over your head. Inhale. Then, exhaling, gently bending forward while slightly bending your knees allow your upper body to hang, you may even swing back and forth gently. Imagine all the “don’t wants” are flowing from your arms, fingertips, and top of your head and into the earth. Say, “I am letting go now.” You might even say, “Thank you Mother Earth, for taking care of this for me.” Now slowly roll the upper body up, one vertebra at a time, knees slightly bent, head comes up last.

Part 2
Look at your “don’t want” list. Now take each “don’t want” and write the opposite of each phrase, something you do want. You may begin the phrases with, “Wouldn’t it be nice if . . .”, “I’d love to . . .”, “I attract people who . . .”, “I’d really like . . . “, “I am surrounded by . . . ” or whatever seems appropriate to you.

Once you have written all the opposite phrases read them out loud to yourself. Imagine inhaling each phrase and allowing the breath to move through your entire body.

Part 3
Inhaling, imagine light and love is flowing through the crown of your head, down your spine, and all the way down to your feet. Exhale, imagine light and love expanding to bathe every cell of your body. Inhaling, let that light and love pour in through the crown of your head and all the way through the souls of your feet. Exhale, that light and love continues to flow outward. Continue this breathing so that you establish a steady flow.

Once that flow is established, imagine it is three years from now. All the things that you want have come to pass, and you are enjoying your life beyond your wildest dreams. You are having a party to celebrate your success. What are you celebrating? What are your surroundings? Who is there? Try to write at least one detail for each of your senses. Do this for 10 minutes (write as quickly as you can).

When the 10 minutes is up, read your vision back to yourself. Imagine that your vision is a powerful seed of potential. Release that seed into the sky. While the moon is darkest, it is the most fertile. If you’d like, read your vision to the moon. Know that what is best for you is what will grow. You may even add at the end, “This or something better is now coming to me for the good of all. Thank you.”

self-portrait at work (c) 2013holly troyHappy writing and intention setting! I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

If you would like, feel free to share your intentions in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Namaste.

Holly

Born on a Thursday #32 – Cooked

~ Holly Troy ~ 5 Comments

New Moon Prayer

Dear Universe, I would like a break please. Some help. Financially, emotionally, romantically, physically, creatively, spiritually – help with any or all of the above. I’ve flat out had it. I give up. Do what you will, I have no clue how to do anything anymore. Thank you. Holly

New Moon Intention Setting and Writing Exercise

~ Holly Troy ~ 16 Comments

Tonight is the new moon in Pisces. For tonight, or, for the next two nights, it is a good time to set intentions. I propose an intention setting exercise this evening.

A few years ago I learned an exercise similar to the one I am presenting here while I was going through a particularly tough time in my life. I found it to be very helpful, and I did it many times on or around the new moon. This is my own version of the exercise. 

Light © Holly Troy 2012You could focus on something specific, say, with what you’d like to get out of your writing and/or creative work. You could also focus on career, relationships (could be with people, money, creativity, etc.), prosperity, recreation, your environment, a specific project – anything in your life that you feel might need some focus.

If you can’t think of anything you’d like, that’s ok, too, because this exercise begins with what you don’t like or don’t want anyway.

If you know exactly what you want – skip to PART 3.

For each part of this exercise, please write for 10 minutes.

Part 1

Choose a topic you’d like to focus on. On top of your page write, “I don’t want . . . “ and then just list what you don’t want. To give you some ideas, there may be things that are happening in your life right now about this particular subject that you just don’t like. Write that down. Or, you may have fears about what may come up if you start doing or having what you want. Write all the don’ts, can’ts, shouldn’ts, won’ts down for the next 10 minutes.

If you can’t think about a particular topic, just write about what you’d like to let go of in general.

If you can do this part of the exercise outside, fantastic, though it is not necessary. 

Once you are done, stand up and inhaling, lift your arms over your head. Then, exhaling, gently bending forward while slightly bending your knees. Allow your upper body to hang with arms hanging overhead toward the ground – you may even swing back and forth gently. Imagine all the don’t wants are flowing from your arms, fingertips, and top of your head and into the earth. Say, “I am letting go now.” You might even say, “Thank you Mother Earth, for taking care of this for me.”  (You can imagine earth composting all the crud you no longer need – she’s really good at doing that).

Now slowly roll the upper body up, one vertebra at a time, knees slightly bent, arms relaxing so that they hang alongside the body, head comes up last.

Part 2

Look at your “don’t want” list. Now take each “don’t want” and write the opposite of each phrase, something you do want. You may begin the phrases with:

Wouldn’t it be nice if . . .
I’d love to . . .
I attract people who . . .
I’d really like . . .
I am surrounded by . . .
or whatever seems appropriate to you.

Once you have written all the opposite phrases, read them out loud to yourself. Imagine inhaling the phrase and allowing the breath to move through your entire body.

Part 3

If you can, stand comfortably, with knees slightly bent. Or, you may sit or lie down. Inhaling, imagine light and love is flowing through the crown of your head, down your spine, and all the way down to your feet. Exhale, imagine light and love expanding to bathe every cell of your body. Inhaling, let that light and love pour in through the crown of your head and all the way through the soles of your feet. Exhale, that light and love continues to flow outward. Continue this breathing so that you establish a steady flow.

Once that flow is established, imagine it is three years from now and all the things that you want have come to pass, and you are enjoying your life beyond your wildest dreams. You are having a party to celebrate your success. What are you celebrating? What are your surroundings? Who is there? Try to write at least one detail for each of your senses. Do this for 10 minutes.

When the 10 minutes are up, read your vision back to yourself. Imagine that your vision is a powerful seed of potential. Release that seed into the sky. While the moon is darkest, it is the most fertile. If you’d like, read your vision to the moon. Know that what is best for you is what will grow. You may even add at the end, “This or something better is now coming to me for the good of all. So be it, so it is. Thank you.”

Happy Writing!

Om Shanti ~ Holly

 

My next online writing class begins on the Pisces New Moon (March 11th)

~ Holly Troy

Writing the Energetic Body – Shedding Inhibition and Divining Your Intentions – 28 Days of Writing Past the Mind and into the Chakras

New Moon in Pisces, Monday March 11, 2013 starts the next class!

New Moon is the time to plant intentions — combine that with fertile Pisces ruled by numinous Neptune and this is sure to be a very abundantly creative session.

topaz moon (c) Holly Troy 2012We will begin the session with an intention setting ritual and start our exploration at the crown chakra and work our way down to the root, the earth, our place of manifestation.

Get ready to explore possibility, make (re)discoveries, release inhibition, and develop a writing practice.

Overview of the seven major chakras of the Hindu Chakra System:

1st Chakra – This is our entrance into the earthly plane, our right to be in the world. We will investigate issues surrounding survival and our “tribe”.
2nd Chakra – This is where we experience the power of relationships. We will plumb pleasure, sexuality, emotions, and the desire to create.
3rd Chakra – This is where we gain our sense of personal identity, power, and will. Who are you? What is your purpose?
4th Chakra – We will open to compassion, self-acceptance, and love.
5th Chakra – We will look at clear communication, self-expression, creativity and “Divine Will”.  What happens when you speak your Truth?
6th Chakra – We will explore perception, clarity of vision, and psychic ability. How do you see the world? How does intuition and imagination expand your life experience?
7th Chakra – How do we understand the world? What is our connection to a Higher Power? We will investigate thought as the seed of manifestation and how the energy of this “ethereal” chakra can be brought “down to earth”.

Some of the benefits of taking part in Writing the Energetic Body:

  • compassionately and creatively observe the Self
  • uncover hidden impulses, stories, and life patterns
  • awaken the body/mind
  • utilize the breath for presence in the moment
  • deepen and expand creative vision
  • loosen up and strengthen fluid writing

energyThere is no need to “know” anything about the chakra system, our bodies physically and energetically hold information, and by freely writing we can tap into that knowledge.

Participants will receive daily writing prompts designed to stimulate a specific chakra for the given day in their in-boxes. They will spend 30 minutes only on the given prompt. They will return their responses via email to me. Participants will also have the chance to upload their work to a private blog site to share and to give and receive feedback from other participants.

I will personally respond to your work via email.

As an added bonus, participants also receive either written, audio, or video instruction for movement, meditation, or breath work that will deepen the prompt for the day. Participants may use the additional instruction however they choose—and it is theirs to refer to whenever they like.

 

This class is closed.

remover of obstacles print – making room

~ Holly Troy ~ 1 Comment

Eighteen for Eighteen – print of Ganesha

The Elephant-headed God, Ganesha, is most revered as the Remover of Obstacles. He is often the first God honored at the beginning of rituals in order to ensure all blockages to success are removed at the very start.

Invoke Lord Ganesha before your next project! Place an image of him near your altar, or anywhere you’d like energy to be free-flowing.

Saturn is moving into Scorpio. Now is the perfect time to remove articles. According to incredibly compassionate and down-to-earth astrologer Anne Ortelee:

The week ahead is designed for releasing the stuff you no longer want, desire or need. We are in the dark phase of the moon, moving toward a New Moon at 22:32 Libra next Monday. The New Moon will be the FIRST New Moon while Saturn is in Scorpio, a kind of inauguration so to speak.

(check out Anne’s podcast The Weekly Weather!)

Eighteen is a lucky number. There are ten of these prints left.

Eighteen for Eighteen
linocut print
image size 9.5″ x 9.5″
edition of 18
rives BFK paper
$25.00

click to purchase

Sparking Creativity on the New Moon

~ Holly Troy ~ 4 Comments

On Tuesday, June 19th, the New Moon will be in Gemini, a sign known for its restlessness, sharp mind, and communication. Gemini is ruled by Mercury the Messenger, the fastest planet in our solar system.

The New Moon is a fertile time to plant seeds, both literally and figuratively. As the moon waxes (becomes full), the seeds take root and grow. Metaphysical traditions, taking cues from nature, also follow the cycles of the moon. The New Moon is an excellent time to start projects, put intentions out into the world, or to just think about what you would like to bring into your life.

Gemini is an air sign, its fertile power lies in the mental realm. On June 19th, I am offering my next online workshop, Writing the Energetic Body: Shedding Inhibition and Diving Intention. We are going to draw our energy down from the mental realm by starting this workshop at the crown chakra and setting intentions, and we’ll ground the intentions in the the physical realm (the root chakra) for manifestation.

For three weeks, we’ll explore integrating intentions and the mind/body with movement, meditation, and daily writing exercises. Why three weeks? Because three is a lucky number, we’ll explore each of the seven chakras for three days a piece, and, I’ve heard that it takes 21 days to instill a habit. If you want to write, this is a great way to start a daily practice.

This workshop is both profound and fun! Come on and play!

 

This workshop is closed.

Om shanti – Holly

PS: If you’re into witchy fun, check out the latest post by my friend Robert Alvarez. He offers up a New Moon ritual and affirmation for Prosperous Financial Beginnings that is deliciously Divine.