Poetry by Linda Bennbinghoff, music by Ken Clinger, with reading and production by Belinda Subraman.
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Also, my work was selected to grace the cover of a new book!
Ghost Symptoms: Break The Spell And Be Well (Paperback)
by Kelly Kiernan Ray
Ghost Symptoms explains how experiences such as emotional trauma and spirit interference affect the human energy field. I enjoy the personal tone of Kelly Ray’s story-telling of personal transformation. I wasn’t very open to the idea of spirit attachments before reading this book, but now understand that it may very well be a common occurrence. Even without this interest, the personal stories, case studies and historical perspectives makes this a very good read. I especially find the “Claim Your Space” technique very helpful for grounding and clearing my energy field.
Other things on the Horizon:
If you are in Portland, check out my upcoming art classes on my events page. It also includes local galleries where you can see my work in person.
Here I am, trying to get a better view of the Oregon coast from my perch. It looks like I’m enjoying a morning brew, but that’s actually my camera I’m holding. For the most part, I enjoy being behind the camera instead of in front of it (though I tend to enjoy photos of the back of my head, blurry, or sometimes caught in a spontaneous moment).
I haven’t been on a trip to the coast since I did a show in Yachats last Summer. Even then, I didn’t have enough time to thoroughly enjoy where I was (being too concerned with managing my booth), so I decided this time it would be something I would do just for the experience of feeding my need to travel. It’s also a tme for image-gathering. Being in unfamiliar places always brings out the photographer in me, and this trip was no exception.
At first I felt disappointed that it rained throughout most of my trip. I went for clarity, and what I got was rain. In an ironic way, this is exactly the right circumstances for clarity because it tends to make me more introspective. And of course, there is a beauty to it as well. In fact, sometimes it’s what you don’t see well that makes an image all the more poetic. 
Here’s my view of Cape Perpetua. It was drizzling on and off, and when I got to the lookout, the rain clouds opened up just enough to see below.
I had a dream about the coast before I decided to travel here. I was looking out at a magnificent view of the ocean. In the dream, the light was dazzling as it reflected on the waves. My dreaming self asked if I would be able to muster the courage to jump if I had to… and the answer that came back to me was YES. I knew when I awoke that this was not any kind of death-wish, but the clear recognition that I have the ability to pursue my dreams… and to survive whatever circumstances arise. It was this dream that encouraged me to take a one-day intuitive painting workshop (An Artist’s Life, with Diane Hoff-Rome) in Monroe (between Corvallis and Eugene). From there I decided to visit a friend in the coastal town of Florence… then to travel up the coast to Cannon Beach before returning to Portland.
In retrospect, the workshop had more to do with learning to trust myself (or jump into the ocean) than I had realized. We spent much of our time drawing or painting with our eyes closed. This is an odd shift for me. I have a hard time letting go of control, but when I do, it is indeed liberating. And I was actually surprised that some of my favorite drawings were those I had done with either my eyes closed, or using my non-dominant hand. Double-blind drawings (not looking at the view or the paper), combined with using my non-dominant hand was a bit too much of a stretch for me. Perhaps I need to give up control incrementally (like learning to swim in a pool before I dive into the ocean).
Though I had to work fast with this landscape, it did have the general feel of the scene that I viewed from the studio window. The second image simply began with a gesture, instead of anything seen. The archetypal image of trees are within me, however… so it’s no surprise that this is what my hand spontaneously creates.
Later in the trip, my friend, Jackie, snapped this photo of me absorbing the energy of a giant tree. It turns out we both have a special attraction to old-growth forests. Once we entered the enchanted forest, we were in another world…
While we took plenty of pictures of the ocean, we were even more entranced by the more intimate spaces created within the wooded landscapes bordering the beaches. We succumbed to our elf-selves, taking pictures of trees, roots, moss, mushrooms, leaves…
A kind stranger offered to click a pic of the both of us, adding her own unique twist:
Back on my own, I stopped at many of the look-out points and a few parks. My favorite beach entrance was Oswald West, between Manzanita and Cannon Beach. You are required to walk 1/4 mile through an ancient forest, along a river path, before you reach the beach. If you are a fan of mossy tree stumps, like me, this is the place to go (if you believe in fairies and tree spirits, you’ll probably find them here too!)
The cavern created by the hollowed out roots of this tree became my meditation spot. To give some perspective as to size, I could stand completely erect beneath it.
Once I found the spot at the beach where I most resonated, I asked the ocean for any guidance that may come. The first word was “Paint!” Looking at the birds circling in the sky, I heard, “Fly!”… Looking at the waves, I heard “Flow”, and watching the surfers attempt to ride the waves, I thought, “Wait for the wave, then throw yourself into it!”
So those are the lessons of my journey. Now is the time to apply them to my life.
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