Seeing Behind the Mask

"I love it when a plan comes together." -- John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team

The title of this card is "The Women Behind the Mask." The idea for this card came when I found out that the mask cutout would "fit" perfectly on another cutout of a face. From that discovery came the idea of showing what lies behind the mask. And what lies behind this woman's mask? A melange of women who represent the feminine in each of us, men included. (Side note: Michel's first comment when seeing this card was: "It's all women!") ;o)

I put the quote at the beginning of this post because that's how I feel about this card. One little discovery and an entire card results. How great is that? So here's my paraphrase of the quote: "I love it when a collage comes together!"

--Vicky :o)

"The Women Behind the Mask"
Intuitive Collage Card
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Field of Grace

Today, I am posting a poem I "received" on January 14, 2008.

A Life's Purpose

To live in Beauty of the night,
To walk each moment not by sight,
To change illusions without might,
To utter "Thank You" despite my plight;
To raise awareness as I go,
To surrender will to Divine Flow,
To rely on Truth not what I know,
To walk this path is my goal.

©2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

This page from my collage journal is entitled "Field of Grace," a phrase I saw recently in a Caroline Myss newsletter. What does this phrase say to you?

--Vicky :o)

"Field of Grace"
Collage Journal Page
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

My Own Measure of Magic

After I finished Julia's card (see yesterday's post), I was doing a lot of thinking about Magic and how I see it in my life. So I created this collage in my collage journal. (The date is when I made the collage.)

I just noticed today that my "tape measure" is held within the sun; it is the base. That makes sense to me because I am a Leo and the Sun is my ruler. (Do you see the double meaning there? Ruler=King; Ruler=a measure) When I discover a realization, insight, or message like that in a collage, for me, that is real magic. Now, I can ask myself how the sun in my life (what is the sun in my life?) measures magic: now, I can discover a new way to look at how magic operates in my life.

Another image I love in this collage is the nest of "hands." Although one could look at this sculpture and see the parallel between a mother bird and her babies in the nest and a mother's hand and her children's hands, what I see is God/Source/the Universe and all of us. All of our "little" hands reaching our to join the Eternal Hand of God. For me, that reaching out is magic.

Finally--although there is always more to discover--there is the "eye" in the flower and the "eye" in the peacock feather. One exists in imagination; the other exists in Nature. Which is more real? For me, imagination and seeing life as a dream and dreams as reality is magic.

"Whether we name divine presence synchronicity, serendipity, or graced moment matters little. What matters is the reality that our hearts have been understood. Nothing is as real as a healthy dose of MAGIC which restores our spirits." --Nancy Long

"A deep man believes in miracles, waits for them, believes in magic, believes that the orator will decompose his adversary; believes that the evil eye can wither, that the heart’s blessing can heal; that love can exalt talent; can overcome all odds." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

--Vicky :o)

"My Own Measure of Magic"
Collage Journal Page
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Do you believe in Magic?

"... for magic to happen in your life, you must believe in magic."

--Grandmother, quoted by Lynn Andrews

I created this card for my friend Julia to celebrate her birthday in October. She's a very unique individual, and we have been friends for 10 years. We met at work and grew our friendship from there. Some friends are in your life for the duration; Julia is one of those, and I'm grateful to have her!

I would say that Julia's "magic" is of the practical variety, which may seem a paradox to some people but she carries it off with style and grace! This card illustrates the paradox and demonstrates the touch of magic that she is--exampled by a tree growing a chair or roses emerging from stones!

I used the quotation by Lynn Andrews in conjunction with her card. Grandmothers are so wise! No matter how pragmatic you are, if you believe in magic, if you look for magic, if you cherish, inspire, and create magic, Magic will appear in your life. This is the message the card brought me. What message is the Universe sending you?

--Vicky :o)

P.S.Here are some additional "magical" quotes to think about.

"Intuition whispers true: We’re not dust, we’re magic!" --Richard Bach

"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." --Eden Phillpotts

"Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Magic is not a practice. It is a living, breathing web of energy that, with our permission, can encase our every action." --Dorothy Morrison, Everyday Magic

"Heart of Magic"
Intuitive Collage
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

The "Eyes" Have It

In light of my intention to look at everything as a message from the Universe, I have been hyper-aware of "eyes." Not only have my "real" eyes been in my conscious awareness due to sensitivity to light and a feeling of itchiness, but "eye" pictures (eye of Horus, God's eye in the galaxy, a photo of an eclipse that looked like an eye), "eye" words (insight, clairvoyance, clair-obscure, clair-0btuse, vision, obvious), "eye" functions (seeing, not seeing what is obvious, reading) keep showing up in my waking and dreaming life.

One instance of this "eye" influx is in a new friend's blog, Art in Every Day. She had mentioned this recurring image that was occurring in her drawings, and because of the reference she used (the Lemony Snicket movie), I knew that the mandala she mentioned she was going to post would have the image of an eye! And, sure enough, it does.

So what do I make of all these "eyes?" I'm not clear other than to say that the Universe has got my attention! (And, I am paying attention to the parallel "sound" message of "I" as well!) To illustrate my willingness to hear, see and understand, I am including a page from my collage journal entitled "Enlighten Me" that I created in September of last year. Thank you for the messages; please enlighten me!

--Vicky :o)

"Enlighten Me"

Collage Journal Page

© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Happy 2008--The Year of Fearless Living!

So one year has ended and another begun! I was very happy to see 2007 depart. For me it was a long year full of facing fears; in fact, I named 2007 the Year of Fear. My biggest fears have always been about being sick or having some serious disease. However, I discovered those fears reduce down to one--death.

That realization was a surprise to me. I always thought my fears were about being sick or suffering while being sick, but I discovered that my fears were also about not finding out I was sick in time, which meant I would die. Or making the wrong decision about a symptom or illness, which meant I would die. Or (and this is rather laughable) having both of the above occur and then have people shake their heads in pity or disgust and say that I should have known better; I should have followed the current medical opinions; I should have done this or that so I would not be facing death. Ultimately, they would say it was my fault. And, of course, that is another type of death--death of the ego!

So as 2008 begins, I intend to acknowledge my fear of death, which I am doing right now, and to see it as a symptom of an energetic imbalance in my life. In addition, I intend to look at each moment--each situation, symptom, problem, etc.--as a message from the Universe, which it is and always has been.

As I begin a new year, I decided to include a collage I created during the summer called "Soul Compass." (I made the collage in response to an exercise in Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way.) I assembled the collage on a piece of wood shaped like a bread board (or pizza board). The words on the collage are from Isaiah 30:21 ". . . your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way: walk in it.'" How appropriate and relevant those words are when considering my intention for 2008. Once again, I stand amazed at the wisdom of the Universe who inspires my Soul to create collages whose message become relevant at the perfect moment!

--Vicky :o)

"Soul Compass"

Collage on Wood

©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Have Yourself a Happy Little Holiday!

Such a long time and "'Unseen' Devotion"

It has been quite a while since I have posted. I would title my journey through the last 3 months as "The Period of Highs and Lows," and the abstract to this period would read: The experiences I had were either very, very good or very, very bad and when they were bad they were awful (from my perspective, of course). :o)

I have posted my latest Intuitive Collage (the cards formerly known as Collage Cards). I created it in honor of a friend whose birthday is today. I have titled this collage: "Unseen" Devotion. Now, please take note of the quotation marks around the word unseen because they are very important. They indicate that the devotion represented by the angel's face is for those unlimited possibilities that exist in the realm of Grace. (One definition of grace that I absolutely love is "the Uncreated Divine Energies of God.") Her focus, then, is on all those divine and energetic experiences and situations that are flowing all around each of us that have not yet been created.

--Vicky :o)

"'Unseen' Devotion"
Intuitive Collage
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

The Birth of a Collage Card

It's been over a month since I posted! I have been busy making cards. I made the collage card I am posting today a few weeks ago. When I was creating it, I did not realize that it was going to be for someone. When I finished, I knew it was for my sister, whose birthday is August 21.

This card evolved rather differently. I had these leftover strips of paper that I decided to weave together like children do for art projects when they are in grade school. Once I had finished weaving them, I thought they might look good as a background for a card. Then, I got this idea to put pictures that represented the 5 senses--the heart represents the sense of touch or feeling.

In my search for pictures, I had also cut out a key and chosen the flow of stars. I wasn't sure why until I saw the 5 senses on the woven background. I realized that the woven background, which seemed like a tapestry to me, represented one's life and the 5 senses were the gateways or means by which we gather the threads.

But there was something missing: the key. The key represents our thoughts, what we think about and how we define what we see, hear, taste, smell, and touch/feel. With our thoughts we construct or weave the tapestry of our lives.

To also represent this key, I included some quotations. One in particular repeated itself in my head: "...for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."--William Shakespeare, Hamlet. The other quote found me shortly before I mailed the card: "The best way to predict your future is to create it."--Peter Drucker.

I added the flow of stars to represent the influence of the Soul and the Universe/God/Source. That input also guides how we create our life tapestry. And to ensure that the idea of creation was evident, I included the hands from Michelangelo's painting of God creating Adam.

And that's how Creating the Tapestry of Your Life was birthed!

--Vicky :o


"Creating the Tapestry of Your Life"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

My Gypsy Soul: Where Will It Take Me?

This is the third card of the three I mentioned yesterday. When I made the three cards, I was actually testing how to glue on the surface I am using. After I made the card titled "Time to Create," I knew immediately it was for my friend Mary. I used it for her birthday in May. The significance behind the pictures I chose and her life was pretty astounding!

I already explained a bit about the card called "Blooming Wisdom" in yesterday's blog entry.

Today's card took time to finish. I found the words "Gypsy Soul" a week or so ago. The words "flushed with pleasure" I found only yesterday! Sometimes collages are like that. They take time to be "born."

This card represents a transformation through which I am going. I have always been a "straight-arrow" rule-follower. I have always been out for perfection. I have always minded my "p's and q's"! But that attitude has been changing in the last few years. And, if the astrology reading I received recently is any indication of my Soul's goals, there will be a lot more that coming in the future.

What I love about this card is the tension between "Good Conduct" and a woman who is so obviously and audaciously NOT about good conduct and who wants to live a life "flushed with pleasure." Deep within this woman is her Gypsy Soul in infant form, just waiting to emerge. When will that gypsy soul make her appearance? There is no time marked on the clock, so it could be at any moment!

I hope when people see my cards, they find a message for themselves as well. While I may create my cards alone, I never create in a vacuum because I am always connected to All through Oneness. After all, as I have read in many places in the last few months: "There is only One of us here." --Vicky :o)

"Gypsy Soul"

Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Blooming Wisdom

This is one of 3 cards that I created at about the same time. The first--"Time to Create"--is also on my blog. The third is still not quite finished. This one--"Blooming Wisdom"--is one of my favorites thus far.

The basic premise of the card is that wisdom doesn't just grow from childhood but actually blooms throughout our lives as it develops within us. And those blooms are often different in their timing, appearance, and fragrance to ourselves and others.

Sometimes I don't know why I put elements on a collage card. In this case, I added the words "Life is Art." Perhaps that was the wisdom being shared with me the day I created the card, telling me that my next event of Wisdom blooming is represented by my art.

The fact is that whenever I create a card or collage, there is always a message for me, even when the card is created for someone else. So I always feel doubly blessed: I get to do art I love for someone else to bless them and I receive something that I need for my journey. --Vicky :o)

"Blooming Wisdom"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Speaking Archetypes

A friend commissioned me to create a collage card for her friend whose birthday was in June. This was my first attempt to create such a card for someone whom I really didn't know. I only knew bits and pieces through our mutual friend. I have to admit I was a bit doubtful.

I have come to believe that when I create a collage for someone there is a Force (the Source, the Universe, God) bigger than me at work. For example, with this card, I knew immediately that the card must have archetypes, must have some reference to Einstein, and must have a quote by Carl Jung.

As I began to work on the card, I knew it had to have elements in black and white, the woman's picture with the intense eyes had to be used, and there had to be a writing instrument, a compass, and a clock.

My friend has seen a copy of the card and has told me that I am right on in my choices. That pleases me, of course. I look forward to hearing how the recipient of the card views the imagery, what it means to her.

I think what has been most important and beneficial in the creation of this card is that I was continually confronted with a choice during the creative process: Either I trust that I am guided in the creation of these cards--in other words, I believe as fact that the Source knows all, is in all, inspires all, and ultimately creates all through us--or I don't. My choice? Definitely to trust in the guidance of Source!

--Vicky ;o)

"Speaking Archetypes"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Finding Grace

I created this card for my friend Sue who is celebrating her 70th birthday this month. She has always referred to God or the Source as Grace.

She herself is one of the most gracious people I know and always exhibits "Grace under pressure," even when facing circumstances that many people would find overwhelming.

I am always amazed at how my collages turn out. For example, it took my boyfriend to notice that when one puts the words together that appear on the card, they make sense as a sentence: "Teach others who knows Grace." For me, they were just words that needed to be on the card! I chose them because they described or symbolized Sue. In fact, I added the small slip of paper with "who knows" after I thought the collage was finished. I had to go back through my collage cut outs to find that paper again!

I am looking forward to Sue receiving her card in the mail and finding out the significance for her. There seems always to be one that I am never aware of. That's the beauty of collage: it is possible to tap into the collective consciousness of the Universe and uncover the messages that will touch our Soul.

--Vicky :o)

"Finding Grace"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Collaging My Collages: How Her Words Encouraged My Art

I created this collage as a gift for someone who has encouraged me in my collage artistry.

The center collage, "In Her Image," was one of the first collages I created as an adult. (I had not done any collage work since I was a kidlet of 12 or 13.) In it, I illustrate that women are searching for that perfect image--but whose image is it?

The frame around the center collage are reductions of collages, life stamps, and cards I made after this person mentioned how much she liked the center collage.

There is also a quote from Proverbs 25:11 in French: "Des paroles justes dites au bon moment sont comme abricots d'or avec des ciselures d'argent." The verse in English reads: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (KJV)

I also included a personal message to her in French, thanking her for her encouragement and wishing her a happy birthday.

Words are powerful tools that can help build or destroy a person's vision. Choose them wisely!

--Vicky :o)

"A Word Fitly Spoken..."
Collage
© 2006 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Time for a Change!

I have decided to make major changes in my blog. Check back to see what my brain and heart come up with! (Oh no, I ended the sentence with a preposition! What next?)

--Vicky ;o)

"Time to Create"

Collage Card

© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

3-month update!

It's been ages since I have written on my blog! Here's a quick update on the last 3 months.

My ankle continues to heal and the discomfort I feel is less and less each day. I'm riding my bicycle outside again, gaining strength, and rebuilding muscle lost while recuperating.

I just finished an intensive French writing course. I enjoyed it and met some pretty neat people.

I have been reading lots while recuperating, which means lots of visits to the library. Fortunately for me, it's about 8 blocks away, which allows me to get my practice walk (for strengthening my ankle) in every time I go.

On June 24, Michel (the man who is my life partner) and I will celebrate our anniversary--5 years of living together!

So while this year has been quite different from those in the past, I find that so far, it's been a year of growth and new beginnings and gratitude. I'm grateful that our bodies heal the way they do and that a broken bone can repair itself. I'm grateful that there are those people who train to help you rebuild your body after an accident. I'm grateful for those people who have kept me in their healing thoughts and have given me wisdom and advice during this time.

My goal for the second half of the year is to remember what I have learned, keep practicing the lessons, and express joy, love, and gratitude for each day as it comes. :o)

Take care in gratitude! --Vicky :o)

We each get a lifetime . . .

Since I have been housebound because of my broken ankle and subsequent recovery, Michel has been going to the library for me. Sometimes, I give him a list of books to get for me, which he does. But he also surprises me with something else he thinks I might like to read. One of those surprises has been The Sandman, a series of 10 bound volumes of comic books about the Dream Lord and his family, the Endless. I have really enjoyed reading them, and I love the collage artistry of the covers.

In the seventh volume entitled Brief Lives , Death, one of Dream's sisters, comes for a man who has lived for 15,000 years. He is amazed that after such a long life, he is dying as a result of a freak accident.

He says to Death: "But I did okay, didn't I? I mean I got, what, fifteen thousand years. That's pretty good. Isn't it? I lived a pretty long time."

Death (who is portrayed as a warm and charming young woman) responds: "You lived what anybody gets, Bernie. You got a lifetime. No more. No less. You got a lifetime."

(Neil Gaiman, The Sandman No. 43, Nov. 1992, pg. 5)

I have been thinking about Death's response ever since I read this conversation. What she says is reality in these Earth bodies--we get a lifetime. No guarantees how long or how short that lifetime will be, but we all get a lifetime. One morning we will wake up and it will be our last morning, our last day on Earth, our last day in the body we have called our home on Earth.

The idea of a lifetime is a great equalizer: none of us knows the length of our lifetime. We only know we each have been given an Earth "lifetime" to learn our lessons, to discover our spiritual selves, to live our purpose, to love others and ourselves.

What will you do with your lifetime? What will I do with mine? How does that question affect my choices for this day? What if today were my last, what would I do?

That last question is how Paolo Coelho approaches the subject of lifetime. He talks about journeying each day with Death as our "friend and counselor" (The Pilgrimage, page 148). Coelho believes that the awareness of Death need not bring fear but, instead, invites us to view each moment as a time (NOW) that overflows with life:

He [Death] was not going to allow me to put off until tomorrow what I should be enjoying today. He was not going to let me flee from life's battles, and he was going to help me fight the good fight. Never again, ever, was I going to feel ridiculous about doing anything. Because he was there, saying that when he took me in hand to travel with me to other worlds, I should leave behind the greatest sin of all: regret. With the certainty of his presence and the gentleness of his face, I was sure that I was going to drink from the fountain of life. (Paolo Coelho, The Pilgrimage, page 148)

Take care in gratitude! --Vicky :o)

Living life in the Here and Now

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans” --John Lennon

This quote by John Lennon has been on my mind a lot lately. I find it coincides with the theme of my last post about accepting what is and living the life I am presented right now rather than longing for an ideal life some time in the future.

For the past year or so, Michel and I have lived a life of changes, which required a lot of adjustments for us to find time together. Here are some examples:

Michel had three different jobs. Two consecutive internships/jobs while he was completing his Cegep program and during the summer. Each was constantly changing his work schedule--sometimes days, other times evenings and weekends, etc. His current position, although providing a more consistent schedule, requires time away for training and some overtime.

The students in Quebec went on strike, which completely changed the school schedule and the timing of Michel's summer internship.

In Spring, I attended a 6-hour per day intensive French-language program for 11 weeks.

We moved to a very different section of Montreal than where we had lived for over 4 years.

We went to California for a kind-of vacation but mostly so I could close out my storage locker (a very big job!) and my bank accounts there because I am a permanent resident of Canada now.

Throughout all these changes, we would tell each other--"As soon as you finish college, our life will feel more normal. As soon as we finish the tasks in California, we can begin to live again. As soon as this or that is over, we can live the life we want to live" The irony, of course, is that during all these changes, we were living. The changes were our life. The normalcy we were looking for was based on some ideal we had in our minds as well as on a comparison to what our life together looked like before these changes started happening. And while we were focusing on the past and the future or (to paraphrase John Lennon)while we were busy making other plans, our life was marching on, our life was happening.

To accept what life is now and to live life here and now takes awareness and effort. Often, I focus on what isn't happening or what I don't have. Having this focus tends to make me ungrateful and a complainer. Much better for me to look at what I do have in my life and appreciate those things. Much better for me to accept the "present" for the gift it is and find the joy in and the enjoyment of Here and Now. Much better for me to live the life experiences I am given instead of missing my life altogether because I am busy making other plans.

Take care in gratitude! --Vicky :o)

Accepting What Is

One of the first lessons I started to learn after I broke my ankle was to accept what had happened and what was happening as a result of the fall. My first instinct was not acceptance, however. My first instinct was to upbraid my clumsiness and to keep thinking back to the moments before the fall and how I could have changed the ultimate result. So, swirling in my mind were questions:

Why didn't we drive to the restaurant with Michel's aunt and uncle?

Why didn't we let his mother drive us instead of insisting on walking the 4 blocks to the restaurant?

Why didn't I allow Michel go back to the house and get the gloves I forgot?

Why didn't I accept Michel's offer to use his gloves?

WHY DID I HAVE TO FALL AND BREAK MY ANKLE?

These questions continued until the next day. At some point, I asked Michel the last one...Why did I have to fall and break my ankle? He said that the fact was I had broken my ankle and that's the way it was. No amount of questioning or replaying scenarios would change the fact. In other words, I could fight against what had happened through these useless mind games or I could accept what happened and live the life that resulted because of what had happened.

This exchange with Michel brought about a real "aha" moment for me. I felt that my eyes were opened and so was my understanding. At the time, I was familiar with Byron Katie's Work about loving what is but now I saw its direct relevance to my life. I realized that all those mind games just made me more and more frustrated. They closed me off to living in the present moment. They created mental exhaustion and stress, which has been proven to have an effect on healing. They focused my attention on the problem of my broken ankle instead of on the possible solutions to aid in its healing.

As I look back on that day, I realize that that "aha" moment has helped me throughout the healing process. In fact, I used it just the other day when I was wishing I could be walking to the store. I kept thinking, "I want to be outside. I want to be walking. I don't want to use my crutches any more. I'm going crazy staying inside all the time." On and on my wild thoughts went, until all of a sudden some different thoughts came through: "Why not be grateful for how well your ankle has healed already? Why not accept that right now this is what is happening in your life? Why not live right now?" Those thoughts stopped the wild ride on which my mind had been flying. Once again, I was centered and accepting of my life and my situation exactly as they were.

This lesson is one that I will learn over and over I'm sure. I strive so hard in my life, and yet all that striving and worrying makes living life less than enjoyable. In this case, though, once I let go of the wild thoughts, I was able to focus on healing and to learn to enjoy the quiet time I had been given. I was able to see and open myself to the lessons that presented themselves as a result of breaking my ankle. I was able to live life the way it was instead of the way I wanted it to be.

Take care in gratitude, Vicky :o)

Let the words fall where they may!

I tried to write a post yesterday but couldn't seem to find exactly what I was trying to communicate. I saved the draft and yet I still had the nagging feeling that what I had written wasn't what I wanted to write, which sounds a little bizarre. ;o)

After I broke my ankle, I made a semi-promise to myself that I will write more--daily is my goal--and my blog is a perfect forum to achieve that goal. I started out well and then felt disappointed and rejected when I realized that only a very few people were actually reading my blog. I worked through those feelings and came to the realization that I'm writing for myself--to explore and clarify my spiritual journey--not for those who may or may not read my blog. That's not to say that what I write won't be helpful to others. After all, we are all walking this Earth-school journey together; we are all students and teachers. However, my writing goal can never be to win the approval of or to impress others.

Yesterday's experience revealed a couple of insights to me: 1. I am still trying to impress my readers. ;o) 2. I'm not allowing the Universe/Source/God to guide me in my writing.

Today, I am making a conscious decision to allow the Universe to guide me, to write what I honestly think, feel, and experience, and to let the words fall where they may!

Take care in gratitude! Vicky :o)